For three years, she never asked me to forget the past; she just waited with infinite patience until I was ready to open my heart again.

And that’s why I decided to marry her.

But before taking that step, I felt the need to visit Mariana, clean her grave, and light incense on it. I wanted to believe that wherever she was, she would also want to see me happy.

That night, it was drizzling lightly. The cemetery was empty, only the wind through the eucalyptus trees broke the silence. I carried white flowers, a cloth, and a bunch of candles. With trembling hands, I placed the chrysanthemums on the grave and whispered:

“Mariana, tomorrow I’ll marry another woman. I know that if you were alive, you would also want me to find someone by my side. I won’t forget you, but I need to move on… I can’t wait any longer for Laura.”

A tear fell without me realizing it. As I was cleaning the tombstone, I heard very soft footsteps behind me.