A Life of Love

Still dressed in the black dress she had worn to his funeral, she is sits in the tattered, old, overstuffed chair that he had loved so much. His scent sill lingers in the fabric of the chair. For a minute, she swears she feels his warm, strong, arms wrap around her. She flashes back to the day that they first met.

It was 1942. She was barely out of high school when she decided to become a part of the USO. He had just turned twenty-one. He looked so handsome in his army uniform. He was very quiet, standing all alone in the corner of the room. She brought him a cup of punch and said: "hello, my name is Anne". She could swear that she saw him blush a little. He stammered as he uttered back: "My name is Saul". They chatted about the weather and the music. She learned about his family and the farm that he had left behind. The club was about to close when Saul finally got up the courage to ask her to dance. She knew in her heart that Saul was the One. She felt the tears well up in her eyes as they kissed goodnight. Saul's platoon was leaving for Europe and the War the next day. They exchanged addresses and he was gone.

The letters were few and far between. They kept the conversation light. He never spoke of what he was doing. Then, the letters stopped all together. Anne cried every day. She heard about all the losses and was worried that Saul was among them. Time had passed and Anne had gotten on with her life.

Then on June 1, 1945, she hears a knock on her door. She opens it and finds Saul standing on her front porch with a bouquet of daisies in his hand. Her heart begins to pound in her chest; tears began streaming down her face. Saul gently wipes them away. He swallows her up in his embrace and when they kiss Anne feels a warm, tingling sensation in a place that has never come alive that way before. Every inch of her longs for him but her strict Catholic up-bringing tells her that it is forbidden for her to even have these thoughts. When he leaves, she rushes to church to confess her sins.

Their courtship is so romatic. Each day Saul writes her a love note and pushes it under her door or gives her some trinket just to show her how much her cares. Her favorite was the cute, cuddly, teddy bear that he had won for her at the State Fair. One night, Saul took her to the new al-fresco restaurant. They were dancing under the stars when all of a sudden, Saul dropped down on one knee. He took her hand in his and with tears in his eyes he uttered: "Will you be my wife?" She says: " Yes, I knew from the day we met that all I wanted in this world was to be your wife." He rises and takes her in his arms and they kiss.

She had met his family. They were warm and loving just like their son. They welcomed her into their family with open arms. Saul had been asking for such a long time to meet hers. She just kept putting him off. She knew that her father, a strict Catholic, would reject Saul because he was Jewish and she didn't want to see the hurt that she knew she would see in Saul's eyes. She couldn't put it off any longer. When they pulled up into the driveway of her parents old Victorian home, Anne tried to warn Saul about what she knew was to come. Saul put his arm around and told her it would be okay. They had a nice dinner. Her parents were nothing if they were not polite. The guys retired to the study and the women cleared the table. Saul came right out with it He asked Anne's father for her hand in marriage. Her father said: Saul, I can see that you are a good man and you love my daughter very much. I would be proud to call you son if only you could do this one little thing. Is your love for my daughter strong enough for you to turn your back on your faith and become Catholic? It is the only way that I can give my permission to you. Saul replies: Sir, I love your daughter with all of my being but I cannot do what you ask." Her father says: "Then son, I cannot give you my blessing".

When the couples reunite, Anne can tell right away that things did not go well. Anne and Saul quickly said goodnight and left. Saul told her about the conversation that he had with her father. He told her: "Anne I love you but I just can't abandon my faith." Anne says: "I understand." but inside her heart is torn between the love she has for her family and the love she has for Saul. Torn as she is, for her there is only one choice. She says to Saul: Let's elope tonight. They find a justice of the peace and they say their vows.

It is the wedding night, the one she has longed for all these many months. She is nervous. Neither one of them has done this before. Saul kisses her first on her lips and then on her neck. She unbuttons his shirt, he unbunttons her dress. The slowly sit on the bed. They become lost in each in others arms. They kiss and caress one another. The sexual tension is mounting, the moment that they have waited for is here. It is a little awkward at first and then they both feel the passion that has been chained up inside of them release itself in one glorious moment.

Their life together has been filled with ups and downs. They rejoiced at the birth of each of their four kids. Each day, was just like the days of their courtship. Saul would always leave some reminder of their love behind for her: a note on her pillow, a flower on her night stand. They vowed never to go bed angry. She remembered their biggest fight. It was over something trivial but neither of them slept for two days straight. Their arguments always ended the same way-in each other arms. Each day they would wake up and kiss each other good morning. Each night they would kiss again. Their love making always resulted in fireworks. Their kids were happy and well-adjusted. Her family had come around. Life was nearly perfect.

She woke up on the morning Saul had died. He was there lying peacefully on their bed. He passed away in his sleep. Because he was Jewish, the funeral took place the next day. Now she sits in his chair, with his scent surrounding her and her mind filling up with the memories of the life she shared with her one true love.