(Daily Prompt: Complication / 100 word challenge)

James took his last breath while holding Emily’s hand. She never left his side, not even to notify family. That last precious intimacy belonged to them alone.

There was just one complication. Pain cinched tightly around her chest. She collapsed on his arm, still gripping his hand.

At their celebration of life, family shared anecdotes and read aged love letters their parents had written.

While on the other side of the lake, there was also laughter disguised by rustling leaves. The sun created a brilliant mirage: James and Emily on a blanket, sharing a picnic. There were no complications now.