The Snow Angel

"Brent," she said lying in bed with me after making love. "When I think back on what happened I always get a chill down my spine. It terrifies me to think about it, but not like you might think. I know it sounds crazy, but what scares me is thinking what if he had been a changed man when he came back. We might have never found each other if that happened. I realize the good and the bad are all part of what brought me to where I am today. If I was given a chance to go back and change the past I turn it down without a second thought. There no way I'd risk losing what I have with you now."

I had bought an engagement ring for her a few weeks before that night. We were planning a trip with her to visit her family and I was going to ask her parents for her hand before popping the question, but when I heard that my plans changed right away. I went to our closet, got the ring out its hiding place, and asked her to marry me right away. That night I went to comfort her at the diner I promised myself I'd keep her safe and now I was promising to do it forever. She said yes of course and we're getting married in late spring.

We haven't gone through another blackout since that first weekend together, but I just came up from the basement of our new house where I turned off the power at the fuse box. It's a cold evening and I opened a few windows, Valerie won't be back for hours yet. It should be freezing by the time she gets home. I'm sure we'll find a way to keep warm though.