“ The end of a thing is better than its beginning. ”
****
—- Miranda —-
It's said that friendship is the backbone of every relationship, I can't help but agree more at this point. 
I stared into the ever beautiful eyes of my groom and the love and adoration in it couldn't be denied. 
 It's been fifty years of friendship and thirty eight years of marriage, yet it feels like a lifetime.
Is this really how beautiful love is?
I've always heard about love being beautiful from my parents and now? I couldn't help agreeing more. 
Years ago, I had questioned why some things happened to me which weren't meant to. I know better now that God has been in my story all along. 
Slowly crafting and editing out unimportant details, to create a wonderful masterpiece.
  And now? After so many years and me being surrounded by my friends, family, kids and grandchildren, I can only say. God is good and his timings are always perfect. 
   “ Didn't I say we'll celebrate fifty years of friendship? ” I stared at the gigantic birthday cake in front of me, before slowly retracting my gaze to face my groom who was looking ever stunning at sixty four. 
 “ Yeah… ” I could remember how much he believed in our friendship and how he always said, we are meant to last forever.
“ I can't wait for us to meet our savior while holding hands, Jose. ” I'd said years ago and even after so many years had passed. I still feel the same. 
“ Isn't it funny how we always know the right thing to do but sometimes never really do it? ” I sighed, understanding the real meaning behind his words. 
“ That's why intimacy with the holy spirit is very important. ”
“ Yeah. ”
“ Happy fifty years of friendship, Mom and Dad. ” I couldn't help smiling at my twins who were both now parents of my wonderful grandkids. If one thing, I'll never cease being grateful for them. 
“ Thank you, Honey. ”
“ You are welcome. Thank you both for setting the bar and loving Jesus. ”
“ You are welcome. ”
“ Isn't it funny how I'd foolishly thought I could separate you both years ago? ” I found myself chucking at Vera's words. 
“ Yeah, you were indeed very foolish. “ I smiled at her expression. One thing I would never expect was how much closer we'd grown over the years. 
It's been beautiful. 
“ As they say, What God had joined together no man can ever put asunder, God had formed our friendship from the very beginning so it doesn't matter how much you tried, you could never separate us. ” Even after so many years, the ice between them hadn't completely dissolved, that couldn't be helped anyways since it's not everytime we become close friends with our ex. Is it? 
“ Yeah… ” She turned back to me. 
“ I'm happy for you, Miranda. ” 
“ Thank you. ”
“ Bestie, you weren't joking when you said you guys would celebrate fifty. ” Evie's words had never ceased to make me smile.  “ Of course, we weren't. “ I grinned.
“ Congratulations to you both. ”
“ Thank you. ”
“ My Babies. ” I turned and saw Nanny, a woman who reminds me of Naomi, who despite losing all she gained more. 
Her story had inspired a book of mine which I had named, Mother of nations. 
  I smiled seeing the wrinkles that had started forming on her face. I honestly thought they never would. 
“ Nanny. ” I felt emotions well up within me. This woman in front of me had taken the place of a mother in my life when no one else had. I will never cease asking what exactly I'd done to deserve the love and adoration I got from her. Exactly what?
“ I'm happy for you both. ” She stood before us with open arms and we wasted no time in getting into them.  “ Thank you, Mom. ”
“ I love you both. ”
“ We love you more, Mom. ” 
***
“ J.E.S.U.S. ” Slowly we cut down the cake, after cutting a portion of it I placed it in Jose's mouth and he did the same for me. Almost immediately, I was reminded of my eighteenth birthday and how nervous I'd been when he looked at me. 
“ Why had you stared at me so intensely that day, Jose? ” I couldn't help asking.
“ Because, I knew right there and there that I wanted you to be mine and mine alone forever. ”
“ Um… ”
“ What about you? Why had you blushed? ”
“ I recalled the promise I'd made to you years ago and I obviously wasn't ready to do it as at that time. ”
“ And now? ”
“ We are both living on that promise. ” I embraced him tightly disregarding, the gazes of the people around us. 
***
   
 Later,
We'd just gotten to our late honeymoon suite when Jose made a sudden suggestion.  “ Why don't we swim? ” I stared at him in shock, though I'd taken swimming lessons when I was younger. I had never actually swam, and now?
“ Are you nervous? ” His voice was ever soothing and filled with care and concern for me as always.   “ No. I have just never actually swam. ”
“ Oh… I'll teach you. ”
“ I don't have a swimsuit. ” I stared at him doubtfully. 
“ I've got you covered. ” He opened one of our suitcases and retrieved a pair of swim suits I didn't know existed there.  
“ How did you — ” He suddenly pecked my lips, silencing me.  “ It's a secret. Get dressed. ” I nodded, obviously shy about swimming with him.
“ Still shy after all these years? ” The mischief in his words made me blush like a sixteen year old teenager in love. 
***
The water was warm as I stepped into it, I was still trying to get used to the temperature when I was pulled into the water.  “ Oh my. ” I let out, in shock, only to be welcomed by laughters and chuckles from him. 
“ You scared me. ” I complained when we were above the water. 
“ Sorry. ” He replied with a grin. 
“ You are welcome. ” I said, rolling my eyes. For some reason, I couldn't be angry at him as I felt beyond blissful. 
I was happy, in a way I've never been before. 
“ It's a beautiful day, isn't it? ” I nodded at his words. 
“ It still feels like yesterday when we'd first met at that park and now? We are celebrating fifty years of friendship. ” 
“ Yeah… ” He held me in his arms as he rested his back on the pool wall. 
“ God truly had me in mind when he created you, Miranda…. ” The love and adoration in his eyes caused tears to well up in my eyes. 
“ I was created for you, Jose. ” I circled my hands on his neck. 
“ I have never doubted that… ” He tucked a loose strand of my hair behind my ears.  “ You are my eternal bestie, the love of my life, my soul mate and the only one for me. ” His words came out with so much emotion that I felt warm tears stream down my face. 
   “ You mean the world to me, Jose and you are definitely the only one I have and need.  ”
“ I have never doubted that… ” He covered my lips with his before I could say a word and we remained in that position kissing and basking in the love and compassion of our creator.
I think of the challenges I've faced which made me a stronger version of myself and looking back, I realize it was all worth it.
Not only I've I fulfilled my dream of becoming a marriage counselor, I'm also a best selling christian Author of more than fifty books.
Marriage had always been something that had once scared me and now? People from all over the world use my marriage as a point of contact to heaven because as they claimed, it best signifies the way Christ loves the church and gave his life for it. 
I am grateful for everything the Lord has done for me, even though I sometimes feel undeserving of it.
What is man that thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that thou visited him. For you've made him a little lower than the angels, and have crowned him with glory and honor.  [ PS 8vs4&5 ]
Indeed, Love is beautiful and God makes everything beautiful in its time. 
   THE END 
….
A/N : I can't stop crying, guys. I still can't believe that the book I've been working on for over two years has finally ended. Gosh! Glory be to God in the highest. Amen.