Rising Star Adventures and Beyond

day 4 nano prep 2025 (contest round)

Ayah laughed out loud as her husband sat across the game table from her and she was watching him try to figure out where the next puzzle piece should go. They often worked puzzles together on their days off.

Abe looked at her puzzled. "What's so funny?"

Ayah smiled again. He had always loved her smile with her soft dark pink lips and whitened teeth accented by the dimples in her cheeks.

She said, "Well, let me see the puzzle piece that you are holding and I'll show you." Abe handed the piece of puzzle to her.

"This is where and how you tried to fit it in the picture. This is how it goes." She responded as she popped it into place. That's when he saw it and realized his mistake and laughed out loud too.

"I could have sworn to it that the piece was a part of the horse's tail and not its main, but that is kind of funny." He had admired her quick wit and sense of humor. She had always laughed easily and was always smiling.

"That's okay, you can get the next piece in the right place." She said with a smile.

Abe appreciated the encouragement. She never put him down. She was always positive and optimistic and made him feel like he could accomplish anything. He felt like he could conquer the world with her by his side.

They had been married a little over a year and still had not conceived a child. Yet, she never lost hope. She would always tell him, "We will just try again next month."

He picked up the next piece of puzzle and placed it expertly in its place. "There! That one wasn't so difficult." He said confidently and picked up her hand from the table and planted a kiss on it.

Ayah giggled with delight and answered, "You're welcome! You want some coffee? I'll go brew a pot."

"Sure!", he said and picked up another piece of the puzzle and began looking for its place.

Ayah walked into the kitchen to put on the coffee. Once the coffee was brewing, she watched her husband as he worked on the puzzle. She admired him. He was tall and handsome with a muscular build. He wasn't a genius but wasn't ignorant either. I guess you could say he was an average jock.

Abe had played football in high school. She had been a cheer leader but also a bit of a nerd. She remembered he had been pushed into her on the football field originally as a cruel joke, but then when their eyes met, there was an obvious chemistry between them. While others were laughing, he had been polite. He had helped her up and apologized and reprimanded his friends for being so mean. Even though they teased him about going soft, he had stood up for her. That was the moment he had captured her heart, and he had been her hero ever since.

She had been concentrating so hard on her memory that she startled when he asked her if the coffee was done yet. "Oh, yes, it's just about done. I'll be back with you as soon as I get our cups."

Word count: 540