"The Bench by the Sea"

 "The Bench by the Sea"

Every Sunday, rain or shine, Ravi and Meera sat on the same bench by the sea.

They had met there 40 years ago, when she was sketching the waves and he was chasing his little nephew’s kite. The kite got caught in her hair. She laughed. He apologized a hundred times.

And just like that, a new chapter began.

He brought her tea every morning after they married. She never drank it until it was cold, always too busy looking at the sunrise.

They fought, of course. About burnt toast and missed calls and forgotten anniversaries. But they never went to bed without touching toes under the blanket.

One day, Meera stopped coming to the bench. Cancer had made her too weak.

Ravi came anyway. Every Sunday. He’d bring her sketchbook and draw waves the way she used to.

And when people asked, “Why do you come alone?” he’d smile and say, “I’m not. She’s just sitting quietly today.”

Cover Art Description (for illustration or visualization): A weathered wooden bench sits quietly at the edge of a grassy cliff, overlooking a vast, shimmering sea. Soft waves roll toward the shore below. The sky is a soft watercolor wash of pink, gold, and lavender—hinting at either dawn or dusk. A small seagull perches on one armrest. In the distance, a tiny sailboat drifts on the horizon. The title is written in elegant, handwritten-style font, curling gently like sea breeze.love,thestory,Bench,Melancholic,Bittersweet,Gentle,Serene,Reflective,Poignant,secrch,Sea,