2011-01-13 - 12:41 p.m.

His breath caught in his throat and he wondered whether she had noticed the slight tightening of his hug.

�Wes is having marital problems. He called last night and that was the end of my day,� she had said. They had been talking softly about the busy day they had shared. They were in the almost awake place that they shared on these mornings when he could join her in her bed before work.

She was wife 2 of 4 and he had marveled at how she had maintained a good relationship with her ex, even to the point of hiding some of his money when we was going through a bankruptcy.

The marriage had last 16 years and she had been happy for the first 13 of those. She had loved her husband completely and had only divorced him when he had been unable to leave the woman he was having an affair with. He knew she loved Wes still because he now knew that, regardless of what happened in the world, love really was eternal.

He had not know true love until he had met her. He was married and knew, even the day he wed, that he was not in love. He had had affairs along the way but they had not led to real love. He now had it and he knew that he always would. No matter what happened between them, he would always love her.

She had told him of the man she had dated for five years after Wes. Larry had been jealous of her having friends and had also feared Wes. He had told her that he was afraid that if Wes wanted her back that she would leave Larry for Wes. This had, she had mentioned, eventually led to the break-up all those years ago.

He kissed her gentle on the side of the face and snuggled closer. He was thankful that she had told him about the call from Wes because he knew that she was not editing for his benefit. She certainly knew Rule 105b of lovers which is you don�t talk about your ex while in bed with your present lover. She had told him because they had an honest relationship that was mutual and strong.

Or maybe she hadn�t thought any of that at all, he thought. Maybe she was just half asleep and talking without thinking.

�I love you,� she said.

Now he knew. Yes she understood the thoughts going through his mind. �Wes is having marital problems. Wes calls Cinda for advise. Cinda still loves Wes. Wes still loves Cinda�.Old wrongs are forgotten. Happily ever after.�

�I love you, too,� he answered.

They slept.

They made love.

He got up for a shower and when he came out she had a cup of coffee waiting for him and he smiled. She was sitting on the bed in her new robe watching morning TV. She smiled.

He smiled back and took both her hands in his.

�What?� she asked, even though she knew.

�I love you like I have loved no other,� he started. �You can not say the same. You have had the joy of loving others as I love you and now you love me too. That is a gift of immeasurable price.

�I have never loved someone so much that their welfare is more important to me than my own. Never. Until now.

�I am absolutely committed to our relationship and see no chance of deviating from the course I have set towards our eventual goal. I believe you with all my soul when you say you feel the same. I believe you love me.

�However, we had said at the onset that if you got �swept off your feet� by someone else that I would have to understand.

�I don�t ever want to lose you. But, and this is not something I say lightly, if your counseling with Wes turns to more I will understand and be happy for you.

�You two shared love for many good years. You share the true love of your life, you son, as Mother and Father. He is talk, dark and handsome, which you said was your usual pick,� he smiled.

She continued to gaze into his eyes as tears filled hers.

�I am committed to you,� she said. �I have told you so and will not go outside that commitment.�