Reflections

"Yeah, she knows some of it. I haven't told her all of the dirty details, but she knows that Sarah died and that Hannah and I have been on our own since then."

"Well, I think it's time that you were honest with her and told her all the gory details. She may be young, but she's old enough to make that decision for herself after she knows all of the facts. And, I hate to tell you, but she's already involved with you and Hannah so that ship has sailed. All you can do is be honest with her and I think you owe her that much. Take a little advice from your mother and tell her how you feel. Then, at least you two can have an honest conversation about this relationship."

"Okay. Okay. You win. I'll talk to her. As soon as she gets up tomorrow, I'll see if she wants to go to breakfast so we can talk in private,"

"I was thinking maybe you could talk to her tonight. She's still sitting by the fire. It doesn't get more private than that around this house. Plus, it's kind of romantic cuddled up by the glow of the fire don't you think?"

"Mom! You're impossible! I never had a chance, did I?" I asked.

"Probably not. Now go talk to that girl!"

So, I did. We sat by the fire for hours, cuddled up close and just talking. I told her all about Sarah and what had happened between us. She sat and listened to the whole sordid story without saying a word. When I finished, I told her, "That's why I've been fighting my feelings for you. But, please listen to me carefully because I want this to be perfectly clear to you. Elizabeth, I really like you. In fact, If I'm totally honest, I think I've been falling in love with you. But I wanted you to know about all of my baggage before you got involved with me."

Well, Jack Anderson, that was certainly a hell of a story, but if you think that you can scare me off that easily, then you don't know me very well. So, the only way that I can think of for us to remedy that, is for you to spend a whole lot of time with me from this point forward. Now, you listen to me because I want to be sure that you get this. Unlike you, I don't think I'm falling in love with you. I know for a fact that I am head over heels in love with you. It started when we first met and I saw how loving you were towards Hannah and it just continued to grow as we hung out more and more when I would watch her.

That's the reason I wanted to stay with you over the holidays. I knew I was falling for you and I wanted to spend more time with you and Hannah to be sure. Then you took me to your Christmas party and, after that night, I knew for sure. I just didn't know if you felt the same."

I could feel the tears running down my cheek as I took the last sip of my bourbon. From that night until now, Elizabeth had never given me any reason to doubt that she meant every word she said around the fire that night. She loved me through my insecurities and was always patient with me when the memories of my past and Sarah would come flooding back.

We were married the following Christmas on the twentieth of December. I won't lie and say that everything has been perfect, but our love has never faded and we have always found a way to work things out. Now, twenty -two years later, we have two wonderful children of our own along with Hannah, who will marry her high school sweetheart in two days.

Finally, I closed my album and leaned back in my chair. The day I found Sarah in the backseat of that car with Richard Whitlock, I thought my life was destroyed. But, all these years later, I can see that it was only a bump in the road. By applying my Dad's windshield mentality and just continuing to move forward, I had found more happiness than a man had a right to expect. I have a beautiful, loving wife and three incredible children. I am truly a blessed man.