I held the frame to my chest and felt it tighten, along with my throat. “How did you know?”

My loving husband simply responded, “I pay attention.”

I watched him approach the mantle and still as he peered into the face of his first wife and my heart ached. With a heavy exhale, he reached out to remove the wedding photo and put ours up in its place, but I found myself saying, “Leave it up.”

I never planned on replacing her. She was more a part of this family than I and she deserved to be acknowledged. She would always have a place here.

Tor turned to me and his brows creased. “Are you sure?”

“I’m sure,” I replied with zero hesitation.

My smile softened as Tor moved the frame and placed our only wedding photo beside it, blending old with new. And when he moved back to my side, slipping one strong arm around me, together, we peered up at the mantle and I let out a deep satisfying breath.

“Alright,” Tor uttered reluctantly. “Maybe she would have liked you.”

My gaze warmed as I looked up at him. “I love you.”

He peered down at me devotedly. “‘Til death and beyond.”

The End.