As it turned out, dusk came not merely to separate day from night, but Kendra from Alissa as well. The woman looked reluctant when Kendra had to bring their conversation to an end.
It wasn't that he didn't want to stay with her longer, but Kendra remembered Maura, who was always waiting for him to come home on time. He didn't want to make his wife worry or keep her waiting too long. Kendra had never come home late. Even when he had a meeting or some other business to take care of, he always made time to go home first before heading out again.
To hell with love, Kendra thought. Plenty of couples loved each other, yet their relationships still fell apart in the end because of poor communication and a lack of concern. The opposite was true, too. Plenty of loveless marriages managed to last a lifetime, even until death parted them. And that was Kendra's resolve with Maura. He wanted to marry only once in his life.
Marriage wasn't only about love. It also involved an agreement between two people. Love alone, without mutual commitment, would make staying together impossible. But two people could still get married without love. That was exactly what had happened with Kendra and Maura.
To Kendra, marriage was more about choosing a best friend or life partner to share the joys and sorrows of adulthood and the rest of their lives. All he needed was a companion to walk beside him. Being able to calm and comfort each other—that alone was more than enough.
Once he felt comfortable, love was no longer necessary. Kendra had proved it by finally forgetting Alissa's image after it had haunted him for years. Maura's presence had driven away Alissa's dark shadow. Her dim light gradually grew brighter, chasing every shadow from the past far away.
Alissa had been nothing more than a shadow to Kendra. She had followed the man everywhere he went—in his mind. But like any shadow, she could never be held. Kendra had clutched at emptiness and embraced nothing until that bright light arrived and opened his eyes. Yes, a light named Maura.
Maura had sacrificed all her time to fill her days with Kendra. She had never once gotten angry or jealous over the memories he had of Alissa. Kendra had told her everything: about his love, his past with Alissa, and all the dreams he had once had.
“Just keep all of that as beautiful memories, Honey. Fate and love often don't go hand in hand. Not everyone ends up with their first love, or even with the love that comes after that. But you are my first love, and I hope you'll be my last.”
That was how gently Maura had responded when Kendra told her about Alissa, a month before their wedding. Kendra simply didn't want to keep anything hidden. After all, they would officially become husband and wife soon. He had also been honest that he hadn't yet fallen in love with Maura. All he felt was a sense of comfort, and Maura didn't mind any of it.
“Let our marriage be an act of worship, Honey. Everything else is just a bonus. As long as worship is the foundation, God willing, Allah will always watch over us.”
Maura had always been good at weaving words that soothed the soul. That was what kept Kendra's thirst from ever being quenched. He always wanted more. It felt so easy to talk with Maura for hours and spend time together. Although Maura was very reserved around other people and especially quiet with outsiders—strangers most of all—she could talk at length when she was with Kendra. Though of course, she still wasn't as chatty as Kendra.