The aroma of strongly brewed coffee and freshly baked muffins had filled the small cafe at Fifth Avenue. They both once had a great association with this place, and for about two decades they had always come here to spend some quality time reading books, while munching on their favorite blueberry muffins. They always looked like carbon copies of each other when they sat slouched on their favourite cream coloured sofa; indulging themselves in hours of reading while devouring bar after bar of chocolate.

Only now, they sat side by side, a mirror image of each other, but millions of miles apart. Short memory loss had plagued General Cornell William’s life; while his mind had preserved his past, it did not allow him to make new memories.

Rebecca William, a renowned withdrawn novelist, had decided to help General Cornell William save the beautiful memories of his darling daughter in an everlasting proof, a book. And today his dream lay right in front of his eyes, ready to be a part of people’s lives. The book reading ceremony began.

“Attention, ladies and gentlemen, kindly please settle down because I would like to start the reading ceremony by reciting my favourite part of The Memoir of Evolution, my book,” she announced graciously.

She had the same light brown eyes, long curled lashes and the same glowing wheatish complexion. A few curly light brown ringlets hid her oval shaped face while she arranged the things on the small table next to the red beanbag, ready to tell her tale, their tale. She wistfully looked at the old man sitting next to her on the silver and black steel wheel-chair and asked him, “May I?” pointing at the book. She waited for his typical nod that she had grown accustomed to, and when he responded, she continued. The clamor of the crowd had subsided and she started to read out the dedication: “For Cornell William, my beloved Per`e.”

“And now, ladies and gentlemen, I would proceed and read out a part from the book,” she said and continued.

“I set my eyes on an astoundingly beautiful angel tucked up in a soft white blanket. She was exquisite in my eyes, my babe, my own first child: my daughter. Her big brown eyes stared at me anxiously, wanting me to ask her about the book she read recently.

“Angel, what did you think of the story you read yesterday?” he asked, showing great interest just like she expected.

“Daddy, I didn’t like the ending,” she replied.

“Why sweetheart?” he asked.

“I wanted it to end, my way,” she exclaimed, sadly.

“Right! So, what do you want to be when you grow up, my darling?” he asked.

“I want to change endings my way; I want to write stories,” she said, dreamingly, and told him her well-kept secret.“

She took a deep breath and the crowd thundered into applause. She looked at the aged man who sat beside her, grinning like a schoolboy and she thought, “Daddy, I did it and I did it only for you.”

Next it was time for book signing and General Cornell evidently wanted to be the first one. He reached Rebecca’s desk with his copy of the book and handed it to her. While she engaged herself diligently into writing, he had a thought and said it aloud.

“I wish my darling daughter wrote this book,” he sighed.

She looked into his eyes for the briefest moment in grief and pain then looked away, closing the book, trying not to show her actual emotions. General grabbed the book and turned, after saying a simple thank you in insanity, while her eyes were fixed on him. He retraced his steps with an afterthought lingering in his mind.

“Per`e is a French word, right?” he asked.

“Yes.”

“What did you say it meant?”

“It means a father figure,” she replied, telling him a half lie, truly.

He silently nodded and steered his wheelchair away, not knowing what he really lost besides his memory.

Rebecca watched this man, who once had a graceful gait, strong back, and legs that outran her on her best days, and who had now turned into an old, weak, tired individual with bags around his eyes and the twinkle of his smile all, but lost. She watched him and said to herself, “Daddy, you didn’t ask me my wish. I wish for you to remember.”