Fifteen years ago I met a girl. Truthfully, I’d been looking for her my entire life. It was hard at first. I had only the vaguest notion of what she looked like; no more than a silhouette at first. As time passed and I made too many false guesses, her image became clearer until the night I asked her to dance after a Marine Corps Birthday Ball Celebration.
Eleven years ago, I married the girl. Fifteen days later I left her to sharpen my blades. To train to kill unknown men in a far off land that had seen the birth of kings and the death of prophets. Six months later when I returned the girl was waiting for me, our youngest held in her arms.
Today I roll over and smile at the girl. Her silhouette is even finer than before. Once again she holds our youngest in her arms.
Happy Anniversary Naomi.
Our love is as strong as the steel in our wedding rings, scratched in places but unbreakable.