Ileana’s world descended as Rex collapsed at her feet.
His eyes, those soulful trusting eyes that had seen all her history, began to lose their light. Mihai, her father, had knelt down beside her, careful and tender, saying to her “Sweetheart, we need to get him to the vet”. But Ileana already knew. She could feel it in Rex’s bones and the stillness of his presence. He didn’t need to say goodbye in words.
“He waited,” Ileana said, as she felt the lump in her throat become larger. “He waited to see me in my wedding dress”.
Just then, Constantin came down the steps of the church, still in his crisp suit, with a question in his eyes. He knelt beside her, his hand on the shoulder.
“What’s going on?” he asked quietly.
“I think… he’s saying goodbye,” she whispered, and tears slowly rolled down her cheeks.
Constantin placed his hand on Rex’s head and rubbed it gently, but steadily.
Those watching knew something sacred was happening. Conversations stopped. Movements froze. The courtyard was filled with an enormous stillness.
Then, an extraordinary thing happened.
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