The Last Pen-Pal Letter- Short Story

Title : The Last Pen-Pal Letter. (Short Story)

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In a small cozy 3 room HDB flat in Toa Payoh, Meng and Ying sat side by side, their wrinkled hands intertwined as they gazed out at the swaying trees  below their block. 

Their love story had begun over 60 years ago in the 60s when they were just young teenage pen pals, separated by the borders of Malaysia and Singapore. 

Through countless letters they have written to each other, they had formed a bond that transcended distance and time. 

When they finally met in person, their love only grew stronger. They build their life together & Ying bored him 4 children and together they weathered every storm as one.

And so, the years have passed, age caught on and their health began to decline, and they knew that their time together was drawing to a close. 

In the middle of the night Meng struggled to get up from his bed with wobbly feet and trembling hands & with great effort he finally managed to sit down & carefully penned his final letter to his beloved wife while she was sleeping.

In it, he poured out his heart, expressing his gratitude for the beautiful life they had shared and the unwavering love that had sustained them through the years.

"My dearest Ying,"

As I sit here, unable to speak the words my heart longs to express, I find myself overwhelmed by a flood of memories—of the laughter we shared, the dreams we built, and the love that has sustained us through the years. You have been my rock, my guiding light, and the beating of my heart. I am eternally grateful for the love you have given me, & our children u have sacrificed much to raised them as responsible adults and for the wonderful life we have lived together.

As I face this inevitable journey into paradise, I want you to know that you have been my greatest joy and my most cherished blessing. Please don't mourn for me for too long, my love. Find solace in the memories we've created, and know that I will be watching over you from a place of eternal peace. Our love will transcend this earthly realm and live on forever.

Thank you for being my everything.

Yours always,

Meng

Days passed and Meng was finally taken "home".

After the last guest had left the funeral wake, Ying, in her loneliness, brought a chair & sat next to Meng's casket & read the last letter he wrote for her through tearful eyes

The weight of each word was felt as if it were etched onto her very soul. After she had finished, she held the letter to her chest, feeling the warmth of their love radiating from the letter she had crumpled against her chest. And as she stood up & looked over at her husband's peaceful face through the casket glass, she concedes that their days together in the flesh had finally ended.

As the moonless night fell, the stars emerged one by one, casting a soft, twinkling glow over the tranquil landscape.

As she clutched Meng's letter close to her heart, she felt a profound sense of emptiness as she strode and realised that she was now truly all alone. Through tear-streaked eyes, she kissed the casket glass above his face & bid her final goodbye, and whispered "I look forward to seeing you soon"

Back home as she lay in bed all alone without Meng beside her for the first time, somehow she felt a sense of peace knowing that they would be reunited once again some day and their love transcending even the boundaries of this world, but for now the ache of loss lingered has literally broke her heart.

That night, as the breeze gently stirred the curtains, and the clock on the wall marked its closing seconds, Ying, with a final breath, peacefully slipped away  in her sleep, wearing a faint smile that seemed to suggest she could already see Meng waiting for her on the other side.

Her loved ones found solace in the knowledge that she had gone to join her beloved husband in paradise within such a short time where they would be together once again, but this time,

for all eternity.🌹