There I Found her

THERE I FOUND HER



This one was bad. Worst ever. Never more bitter, hateful or hurtful. She had been
ugly before, but even I was surprised by the venom in her words. I didn't know how
to react. My anger swelled inside, finally erupting. I became as ugly as she.

Our boys cried, “please stop.” Seeing the fright in their little eyes, and how my
youngest one clung to his big brother made my heart ache. I sent  them to their
rooms. “It will be OK”, I said.

Frustration lead to eventual retreat. Her to the bedroom, and I to the couch.

I called my boys to me, they leaped into my arms. There we three sat, drenching the couch with our tears. We heard the sound of her sobs through the wall.

“Just give mommy some time alone. It will all be OK.”

Soon we made ready for bed. Faces washed, teeth brushed, I tucked them each
into their beds.

“Daddy loves you my son. Daddy loves you so much.”

I returned to the couch. Except for her sobs still heard through the wall, the house
was silent. I sat, just listening, not knowing what to say, what to do. I thought I
would wait. Perhaps spend the night out there, to insure peace, at least until
morning.

Then the sound changed. Seemed to slowly resemble laughter. Little giggles
between the tears.

I heard her move toward the bedroom door, unlocking it, then returning toward the corner of the room.

I waited a few minutes, then entered slowly. There I found her seated beside a
battered old shoe box. Within it and spread out around her were letters. My letters.
Written to her so long ago.

I never realized she had saved them. All of them.  All full of  the poetic things a man writes when he is effected by a woman.

She looked up at me clutching one wrinkled, yellowing at the edges letter. Her
eyes welled up with tears, swollen from crying, “oh daddy, oh my husband. Such
sweet, romantic and beautiful things you wrote to me. Such a silly, hopeless
romantic you were.”

Not able to hold back the tears welling up in my own eyes, I knelt beside her on
the bed, and took her hands in mine.

“And still am, my beloved. My first and only young wife.” We embraced.

And it was there- in that embrace- that I found her.