I opened the box with shaking hands.
Inside lay a world map covered in Martin’s unmistakable handwriting.
I sat on the bed and spread it across my lap, struggling to understand his gift. I couldn’t have imagined how much he’d planned for this journey.
Across the top were the familiar slanted letters I’d recognize anywhere.
50 Years. 50 Places. One Lifetime Together.
Several locations had photographs, dates, and handwritten notes. Most of the map, however, remained empty.
Looking closer, I noticed faint pencil outlines, unfinished messages, and tiny numbered spaces reserved for photographs that had never been added.
He hadn’t simply left room for more memories.
He’d run out of time.
Beneath the map was a smaller package, beautifully wrapped in Martin’s usual careful style. He’d never been capable of wrapping a present badly.
