"Why Al, I do believe you're speechless!" He took a minute to put his thoughts together. "I have to admit I've thought about my ex wife today as well. I thought about how much I loved her." Anne loosened her hold on him. "Get back here!" he said, taking her hands and holding them, close to his chest. "What I mean to say is that I would never have married her if I didn't love her. I would never marry someone I didn't love. No matter what. Just like I know you would never marry someone you didn't love, no matter what. " they both knew that he was referring to her pregnancy. The fact that his back was turned made it easy for him to speak from his heart, and it made it easy for her to look at his hair, his neck, his skin, his back. She wanted to memorize everything she could about her new husband. At the same time however she was very much aware of what he was telling her.It was amazing how this intimacy allowed those things to happen simulaneously. "In fact it was because I feel that way about marriage, that I didn't want to ever get married again. I was so disappointed when I realized that Marcia wasn't the woman I thought she was...I somehow thought that marriage had betrayed me. Maybe..." his voice choked back emotion. " maybe... if I hadn't married her ......I wouldn't have found out who she really was." Anne nodded, understanding completely what he was saying. this was unreal to her. the way he was talking could have been words from her very own thoughts-her most private thoughts. She wanted to tell him that she understood, she had felt that way about her own husband. But then that would mean that she'd wished she'd never married Stephen. If she'd never married Stephen then she never would have had her children. that thought was so horrifying, she purposely had blocked it out of her mind for many years. But to hear the same feelings coming from Al- it had to be a sign from God, that she did the right thing by marrying him. "I thank God for you." She said, not knowing how to speak as eloquently as she wished she could at this moment. She knew that she and Al had religious differences,but she hoped she would take those words literally. because if he did, then he would understand just how much he meant to her. Al turned around and looked her in the eyes. "Thank you." She smiled, and he returned the smile. "You look good when you do that you know. Smile. You should smile more." he told her. "it's funny that you mention that. I think I have been smiling more Even Linda and Ginger were teasing me about that.." "Good." He kissed her gently. "I hope to see even more of those goregous smiles." Anne's hands touched his cheeks, and she kissed him. It was a slow, soft kiss, but it was very reflective of how they were feeling at this moment-very venerable and honest. Each kiss maybe lasted three seconds. But they kept coming, as if there were no end to this love that they shared, no end to this moment. And Al realized that his mind wasn't wandering to anything further than these kisses. But Anne had more on her mind now, and she started to caress his chest. But he took her hands held them, fingers intertwining. And then he kissed her again. And again. And again. Now her hands broke free and held on to his back, and his hands wandered to the small of her back. They were both locked in their embrace, and it felt truly wonderful to them. What surprised him, when he would later recall this moment, was how it only seemed natural to him to keep this moment going for as long as he could. No worries, no other thoughts, just taking place in the moment, in the feelings of love and appreciation that he and his bride were feeling for each other. He wasn't even anticipating anything more than her kisses. Just to hold each other and kiss each other felt like all he could ever hope for for this night. Then again, Anne herself was far more than he had ever allowed himself to hope for. Although he'd spoken many times of how he hadn't wanted a relationship...deep inside he knew that he somehow, someway, still believed in love. Not that he would even admit that to himself, because he didn't want to open up to the chance of all the hurt and pain that love could bring. But now he was so thankful that this baby that they'd concieved together had made them both realize that they belonged together. "We have all night you know." he whispered to her. "Even better." She replied. "We have all of our lives." And she knew in her heart, as did he, that that was the truth. They would be together forever, only in death would they part.