After the dinner, there was a DJ that had set up. The bride and groom shared their first dance together as husband and wife, and they truly looked like they would be together forever. The next song was for the parents. It was the song “This Kiss” by Faith Hill. It was one of our favorite songs together.
I don’t want another heart break
I don’t need another turn to cry, no
I don’t want to learn the hard way
Baby hello, oh no, goodbye
But you got me like a rocket
Shooting straight across the sky!
It’s the way you love me
It’s a feeling like this
It’s centrifugal motion
It’s perpetual bliss
It’s that pivotal moment
It’s, AH, impossible
THIS KISS, THIS KISS
Unstoppable
THIS KISS, THIS KISS
We both had tears in our eyes. We were so close, it just felt right. If only this song and dance would last forever.
Cinderella said to snow white
How does love get so off course?
All I wanted was a White Knight
With a good heart, soft touch, fast horse
Ride me off to the sunset
Baby I’m forever yours!
She had her head on my shoulder, and it was starting to get a little moist. At this point I can freely admit that I was getting her shoulder wet too.
It’s the way you love me
It’s a feeling like this
It’s centrifugal motion
It’s perpetual bliss
It’s that pivotal moment
It’s, AH, unthinkable
THIS KISS, THIS KISS
Unsinkable
THIS KISS, THIS KISS
The song played on as we danced, and much too quickly, the song was over and had changed to a fast tune. We were still holding tight and slowly moving together as if we were the only two in the room. I leaned to her ear and told her, “We need to talk. I have something I want to show you.”
She just nodded her head on my shoulder, and wiped her eyes as we left the dance floor. She ran off to the bathroom as I went out to my car. I came back in and waited outside the ladies room, until she came back out.
She started, “You said you had something to show me?”
“Yes, I do. Here,” as I handed her a packet.
She opened it, and put her other hand to her mouth as she cried out.
“That is the divorce packet. I never signed it, and never filed it with the court. I told the lawyer that I would no longer need his services,” I said.
She looked up at me, “Is this for real? Matt, what does this mean?”
“Just what you think it does. Jennifer, you are, and have always been, my whole life. I had to do a lot of soul searching, but realized that there was no way I could give you up.”
She was still crying, and ran to give me the warmest embrace I had ever felt. We hugged for what seemed like eternity, until we heard some coughing. We turned to see the kids, all smiling at us, from the doorway.
Epilogue:
It has been three years since that day, and I am still the luckiest guy on earth. If I have any regrets at all, it’s that I almost gave up the best thing in my life. I have learned that we all make mistakes, some bigger than others.
After talking with our own lawyer, we got a settlement from that trucking company for nearly two million dollars. After all was said and done, we had a lot of extra money left over. We eventually planned to use it to help all the kids and grandkids, with things like college funds and houses when the time came. We also did buy that cottage out in the country, selling our big house in the city.
Jim’s murder was never solved, as far as I know. We sent his family a sympathy card, but mostly because his parents were nice people. I will always wonder if someone we knew had anything to do with it.
My daughter is due to graduate from college next year, with a nursing degree, and her husband just got back from his last tour in Afghanistan. He was honorably discharged, and with the training he got in the military, was able to get a great job working at a major airline fixing planes. Sidney promised us, that after they got better established, they would start working on some Grandkids for us.
My sons both went on to college, and are making us proud every day. Both are dating, so we will see where that leads them in the future. For now, they just say that they are very happy.
As for Jennifer and I, we still make passionate love to each other as often as we can. After that wedding, we took a cruise, ourselves, to start over. It was one of the most romantic times of our lives, and we enjoyed every minute of it.
We both continued seeing Rose for a while, making sure that we were able to keep talking to each other about everything, no matter what. We made a promise to each other to always communicate, no matter how bad things got. We also both re-affirmed that we were only meant for each other, and I truly believed Jenn. She is such a great and caring woman, how could I not love her?
All-in-all, things are going well for us, and I have to say my uncle was right. My life is much better with her in it, than without her.
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I truly hope that you enjoyed reading this as much as I did writing it. I welcome comments and suggestions, and look forward to moving on to my next adventure! Also, I need to extend a huge thank you again to my editor Guinahart for spending her precious time editing these chapters.
RNebular
*****
Characters:
Matt Jordan – Coma victim
Jennifer (Swenson) Jordan – Wife
Jim – Matt’s best friend
Sidney – The daughter
Steven – Older son
Tommy – Younger son
Rachael – Jennifer’s childhood best friend
Doctor Stephens – Matt’s Doctor
Mary – Sidney’s best friend
Donna – Nurse friend of Jenn (black woman)
Doctor Swinson – Matt’s therapist (woman)
Doctor McGregor – Counselor
Tammy – Jennifer’s college friend
Jarred – Sidney’s fiance