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Description
           Is it me or is it truly so, that elegance fades in the light of a meloncholy afternoon. I normally delight in a beautiful golden sunset, in its tiny intricate ways, beautiful touches, tints lost in the sky. But alas, I can hardly care. The faster the Damn behemoth falls, the sooner the day ends.
Gradually, I fall into a trance, almost unknown, recollections of the tragedy that had befallen on this cursed day playing forth in the midst of the fading glow. I sit hear on this brick wall and think. What had happened? The day had stared out almost perfect...
          "Hey, you. What's going on in that head of yours?" Her teasing voice brought a small smile to my face.
          "Nothing really. Just something small that happened at work."
          "What happened?" She had a genuine curiosity but she masked it with a silly fake begging face.
          "Well, In the snack line, Max accidentally over filled the popcorn and he had two strikes already, so I took the blame."
          "That was nice. What happened next."
          "I remember getting the lecture about selfsacrifice. He knew it wasn't me, I had never done that before ever, not even close. After that twenty minutes of not knowing what would happen, Max was completely ungrateful. But I don't care, I'm here now."
          "Thats not cool. I'm proud of you though." She said with a flirting smile.
          "Yeah? How so?"
          "You did what you thought was right. Its just too bad hes such a jerk." she threw a fry at me. I picked it up and ate it.
          "Good fry. Thanks."
          "Your such a dork." She rolled her eyes and sat back in the booth. She glared at me for a second and I smiled and she started to smile to.
          "Aye, but I'm your dork." I winked at her and grabbed her hand and kissed it.
          "Awww. My Noble Man. Why thank you for such a show of love and heroics and chivilry...."
          "Well, Thank you. Now I feel like an ass." At that moment I let go of her hand, got this hurt look on my face and pushed my food next to her's.
          "Hey now, I didn't mean..." I got up from the booth, "Wait. Where are you going?"
          Just as I was about to pass her I spun around and sat down next to her, "What, I can't sit next to my girlfriend?"
          "You are an ass. No wonder you feel like one." She slapped my shoulder playfully. I smile and eat the last bite of my blueberry pancakes. Her eggs were almost gone and both of our coffees were on their third fill.
           "Your lucky I love you."
           "Aye, but why exactly. I mean besides the fact you're smart, funny, beautiful, stong, and absolutly with out a question, always make me smile.?" She started to blush and turned her head to take another bite.
           "Well, when you put it that way.... I guess its me who's lucky." She glanced over at me as she took another bite.
           I looked down at myself, then the reflection in the window, "Really, why's that."
           She hit me for that one. "No I'm serious. Why?"
           "Because it looks like I found a guy who actually might pray to God every day to thank him for me. A guy that cares for me."
           I was speechless, blushing, and wanted to hug her. "Of course. Why shouldn't I?" I kissed her cheek as soon as she finished her egg.
           "I don't know. Because, no other guy has."
           "Well, I ain't any other guy, am I?"
           She turned and looked me in the eye. Her stare filled me with a warm glow. It made my heart stop, and start again. It made me feel vulnerable, like she could see right through me. "No, you're not." At that moment  she leaned in and kissed me.
           For the purpose of the storyline, and length, I am going to skip ahead until after the kiss some ways down the line.
           I held her against me as she leaned against my shoulder. Her brown hair laid gently against me. I couldn't tell if her hazel eyes were shut or not, but she was still and quiet in my arms holding both of my hands. "I could stay here all day long." she wispered to me.
           I kissed her forehead and wispered to her, "but we'd miss the movie that starts in fourty..... two minutes."
           "Lets skip the movie today. We could stay here or sit in your living room or at a park all afternoon." I smile as I roll the thought around in my head.
           "That sounds nice, we could do that afterwards. The movie isn't that long."
           She sighed a little. "Okay," she turned and looked at me, "But promise me the park afterwards."
           "I wouldn't give this up for anything." I kissed her lightly on the lips.
           "Okay lets go." She became excited all of a sudden and smiled brightly. I had planned to take her back to the park we first met at 3 years ago anyways.
           She jumped into the truck, my other girl. It was a beautiful black truck by GMC. The windows were already down, I always made sure of it. I would open them anyways and I could see her from our booth anyways.
           I turned on the truck and the punk/ska music I had on my IPod came on. "Piggy, in the mid-le...." I picked it up and hit random. 'One More Day' by Rio Diamond came on next.
           "I love this song," She yelled and hugged my arm as I backed out with my left. She settled for holding my hand as we pulled out of the parking lot. We were headed for work, to enjoy ourselves. At least it was free to get in for us.
           I bought the popcorn and soda and she quietly snuck two dollars in my pocket for her drink. I noticed but didn't say anything, eventually I'd slip it back in her purse.
           The movie was just like any other love story. He meets girl. He fights girl. He realizes he's meant for girl. They get married. Perfect story. After the movie, I had to use the bathroom. She went ahead to wait for me. I didn't care, she was probably just looking at the arcade games.
           I made my way out there and scrounged up some quarters in case she wanted to keep playing. As I rounded the corner, my smile faded. Some guys out in the area just out the doors were huddled around her, and kept grabbing at her. Someone was even filming it while the rest of the people just walked by.
           I immediately became angry and called over the general manager telling him that I was gonna go fight and if he had to fire me, than he had to. He saw what was going on and decided it would be best if he went out to be a witness. One of the guys started holding her arms, I could hear her screaming at them through the glass. My fists began to shake, my head became foggy.
           None of them saw me walk through the door. None of them saw me walk up to them. None of them expected me to come out to help her. I didn't stop, I didn't think about it, I didn't say anything. I just swung and knocked the guy holding her in the head and knocked him down. He didn't get up the rest of the fight.
           While they were in shock, I hit the biggest guy in the group square in the stomach and when he realled over in pain, I knocked his face in with my knee. I am pretty sure he broke his nose. He fell hard on his ass and hit the back of his head against the concrete. I'm sure that can't be good.
           The last two hit me in the back then ran off when I got to my knees. By that time, the police had been notified. They stopped the two runners as a picked Amber and hugged her. "Are you alright?"
           Man came and pulled me off of her. They pushed me on the ground and brought the other two concious men down in handcuffs next to me. "Do not resist." They commanded. I obeyed, albiet, unwantedly. They flipped the other two over and cuffed the unconcious men.
           The general manager and Amber talked to one of the officers while the other officer took us one by one to the side and asked us what had happened. I couldn't hear what the other two said and the guy with the film was waiting in line with the other cop. It was a long twenty minutes cooling down on the floor.
           Next thing I know, I'm being pulled onto my feet and walked aside. The other two guys were forlorn on the ground. I wondered if either of them had actually told the truth. It was the first time I had assumed that the entire time I had been cuffed.
           "Now, you are not under oath here son. Tell us why you were fighting with these men here today."
           My mind chased a few thoughts down and pinned them up for me to remember. "I don't even know them." grand first words. It made the police become confused though. "I was walking around the corner there inside the movie theater. When I came around, I saw them sexually abusing my girlfriend. It looked like they were gonna rape her and I got mad. I told my general manager to call the cops and that I was gonna stop it."
           "You work here son?"
           "Yessir. I was hired three months ago. I informed the manager out of civic duty, I guess. At that point, I was way past loosing my temper and the adrenaline was messing with me. I just walked up to them and punched the one that was holding her."
           "You just walked up and punched him? Just like that? no words, nothing?"
           "Yessir. Punched straight through them. They were gonna stop herrassing her. Then I hurt the big one bad as I could before the shock wore away. The other two hit me then ran into you. It was that short. Nothing grand."
           "Well sir. Vigillantism is considered a crime here in the state of Arizona, however, I will call this a citizen's arrest. Next time, don't put your life in danger like that. Alright?"
           "Sure officer, whatever you say. Can I get out of these cuffs yet?"
           He frowned. That wasn't the answer he was looking for. "Sure kid." He uncuffed his 'Star Citizen' and went to talk to his partner. Video evidence supported my story completely. They let me free and charged the others with attempted rape.
           The general manager shaked "The hand of a hero." the police left and Amber hugged me. I held her in my arms and for the longest time neither of us said anything. She cried in my shoulder. The romantic theme was all but gone. Ten minutes later, she looked up at me and said, "Thank you." She kissed me then burried her head in my shoulder.
           My eyes misted up. "Love you hon."
           Five minutes later we were walking up to my truck. "I promised you I'd take you to a park after the movie, but if you would rather go home and rest i would understand."
          Tears still in her eyes, she looked up at me and smiled. "The park sounds lovely."
          "Alright." I said smiling. I kissed her softly,but passionately. We drove to the park and the romantic part of the day returned. For a moment, the last hour faded away.
          I walked her up to the very bench we first met at and sat down with her in my lap.
          She smiled wide, "This is the spot we first met at. You told me you couldn't tell if I was real, because you were still tired from the night before and had been dreaming about angels."
          "Aye, It was the worst pick up line ever, yet somehow it impressed you enough to remember it." I smiled as she turned to look at me.
          Just before she kissed me she said, "Aye, well maybe itwas that crazy Irish accent." I kissed her back with as much passion and ardore as the kisses in Summers Dream by F. Scott Fitzgerald. "They were kisses like charity, creating want by holding nothing back."
          After we had kissed, I smiled and said, "Your Irish accent has gotten better." She nudged me. I turned to her and said, "Graim Thu."
          "What does that mean?"
          "It's Old Irish for Love you."
          She smiled. "I love you, too."
          "Aye? Nil aon leigheas ar an ngra ach posadh. An bposfaidh tu me?"
          She furrowed her brow. "If I didn't know the simple one how was I supposed to know this one?"
          I smiled the biggest smile of my life, got down on one knee, and produced a box. "In simple terms, It means, 'Will you marry me?'" As I said marry, I opened the box up to the ring. I spent all of the last six months on it. I wasn't gonna tell her that, but I would know I had planned it that long ago.
         He mouth dropped and she stood there speachless. Getting nervous I opened my trap and said this, "Technically I said, The only cure for love is marrige, so will you marry me?" She snapped out of her trance an put her hands to her mouth.
         "Its absolutely gorgious, Cody. Yes. Yes, of course I will." I stood up and slid it on her. finger. She kissed me as if we were in one of those over the top, cheap romantic comedies. But I embraced the moment and fell deep into this portion of the plot line.
         She couldn't wait to tell her mother and father, so I said, "Lets go now. It'll be fun."
         We hopped into the car and started driving. She held my hand, visibly happy she had a new shiny ring on her finger. She kissed me on the cheek.  The light turned green and we went through. An idiot ran the light going fifty miles and hit the front of the truck. The GMC was toatalled. I didn't care. My bride-to-be's seatbelt snapped and I held onto her arm for dear life. She held back. Glass ripped through my arm, the tiny pieces that actually shattered. The force alone was almost enough to break the grip. My eyes kicked up into tears. I was not going to loose her. She went unconcious first. The airbag finally went off. That put me under.
         Five minutes later, I woke up in an ambulence next to her. She was bleeding, covered in scrapes. Her arm was bruised wher I had held onto her.
         "This ones awake. Sir, what is your name?"
         "Cody Schroeder, how is she?"
         "She will be alright, we are taking you guys to get checked out right now. I suggest you rest and take it easy."
         The rest of the ride was short and quiet. They seperated us and asked me questions about the accident as they checked on me.
         "How is she?"
         "The woman? That is confidential."
         "Between her family only?"
         "Yes sir. Medical laws and such."
         "What does it say about fiances?"
         "Can you prove it?"
         I reached into my jacket pocket and pulled out an empty ring box. "I gave her the ring today. Pretty sure you know that it's on her left hand, ring finger."
         "Her condition is stable, she has some major bruising on her arm, and a minor break in the ribs."
         "How did she get the broken rib?"
         "Probably when the seatbelt broke. The pressure focused on that point when it was released. She will be fine. It sounds as if you saved her life."
         I forced a smile. I was still feeling guilty for her being in the crash. "Thanks doc."
         I was released and walked out side in my ratty jeans, torn jacket and shirt, and a limp. I sat on the wall and looked out over the horizon and watched the sunset. Why of all days did today have to be ruined? At least no one died.
        Her dad was on his way. What a way to break the news. Your daughter was in the car with me when we were hit. Oh, and by the way, we are getting married.
        "It could be worse." I would remember that voice anywhere. That deep, rough voice. I turned around and saw her father standing behind me.
         I hopped off the wall, "Was all that said out loud?"
         "Well, if by all you meant the part where you were cursing about it being your fault, dreading seeing my reaction?"
          Nope. That would be a story for another time. "Yeah. You aren't mad."
          "Not at you. The doctor explained to me that it was a Red-Runner that gotcha blind sighted."
          "Okay. You didn't hear about the engaged part until Amber brings it up. She really wanted to tell you. It was why we were on the road at that time."
          "Alright, son. If it means that much to her."
          "It does." I looked away for the first time since starting the conversation. He rested his hand on my shoulder. I looked back up.
          "What do you say we head up there and see how she is doing?"
          "I'd like that." We turned and walked up the stairs. I think that was the first part of his blessing. He gave me his formal one infront of her. When he heard the full story, he said he was honored to call me son. That was about three years later. The rest is for another story.

Description
           Is it me or is it truly so, that elegance fades in the light of a meloncholy afternoon. I normally delight in a beautiful golden sunset, in its tiny intricate ways, beautiful touches, tints lost in the sky. But alas, I can hardly care. The faster the Damn behemoth falls, the sooner the day ends.
Gradually, I fall into a trance, almost unknown, recollections of the tragedy that had befallen on this cursed day playing forth in the midst of the fading glow. I sit hear on this brick wall and think. What had happened? The day had stared out almost perfect...
          "Hey, you. What's going on in that head of yours?" Her teasing voice brought a small smile to my face.
          "Nothing really. Just something small that happened at work."
          "What happened?" She had a genuine curiosity but she masked it with a silly fake begging face.
          "Well, In the snack line, Max accidentally over filled the popcorn and he had two strikes already, so I took the blame."
          "That was nice. What happened next."
          "I remember getting the lecture about selfsacrifice. He knew it wasn't me, I had never done that before ever, not even close. After that twenty minutes of not knowing what would happen, Max was completely ungrateful. But I don't care, I'm here now."
          "Thats not cool. I'm proud of you though." She said with a flirting smile.
          "Yeah? How so?"
          "You did what you thought was right. Its just too bad hes such a jerk." she threw a fry at me. I picked it up and ate it.
          "Good fry. Thanks."
          "Your such a dork." She rolled her eyes and sat back in the booth. She glared at me for a second and I smiled and she started to smile to.
          "Aye, but I'm your dork." I winked at her and grabbed her hand and kissed it.
          "Awww. My Noble Man. Why thank you for such a show of love and heroics and chivilry...."
          "Well, Thank you. Now I feel like an ass." At that moment I let go of her hand, got this hurt look on my face and pushed my food next to her's.
          "Hey now, I didn't mean..." I got up from the booth, "Wait. Where are you going?"
          Just as I was about to pass her I spun around and sat down next to her, "What, I can't sit next to my girlfriend?"
          "You are an ass. No wonder you feel like one." She slapped my shoulder playfully. I smile and eat the last bite of my blueberry pancakes. Her eggs were almost gone and both of our coffees were on their third fill.
           "Your lucky I love you."
           "Aye, but why exactly. I mean besides the fact you're smart, funny, beautiful, stong, and absolutly with out a question, always make me smile.?" She started to blush and turned her head to take another bite.
           "Well, when you put it that way.... I guess its me who's lucky." She glanced over at me as she took another bite.
           I looked down at myself, then the reflection in the window, "Really, why's that."
           She hit me for that one. "No I'm serious. Why?"
           "Because it looks like I found a guy who actually might pray to God every day to thank him for me. A guy that cares for me."
           I was speechless, blushing, and wanted to hug her. "Of course. Why shouldn't I?" I kissed her cheek as soon as she finished her egg.
           "I don't know. Because, no other guy has."
           "Well, I ain't any other guy, am I?"
           She turned and looked me in the eye. Her stare filled me with a warm glow. It made my heart stop, and start again. It made me feel vulnerable, like she could see right through me. "No, you're not." At that moment  she leaned in and kissed me.
           For the purpose of the storyline, and length, I am going to skip ahead until after the kiss some ways down the line.
           I held her against me as she leaned against my shoulder. Her brown hair laid gently against me. I couldn't tell if her hazel eyes were shut or not, but she was still and quiet in my arms holding both of my hands. "I could stay here all day long." she wispered to me.
           I kissed her forehead and wispered to her, "but we'd miss the movie that starts in fourty..... two minutes."
           "Lets skip the movie today. We could stay here or sit in your living room or at a park all afternoon." I smile as I roll the thought around in my head.
           "That sounds nice, we could do that afterwards. The movie isn't that long."
           She sighed a little. "Okay," she turned and looked at me, "But promise me the park afterwards."
           "I wouldn't give this up for anything." I kissed her lightly on the lips.
           "Okay lets go." She became excited all of a sudden and smiled brightly. I had planned to take her back to the park we first met at 3 years ago anyways.
           She jumped into the truck, my other girl. It was a beautiful black truck by GMC. The windows were already down, I always made sure of it. I would open them anyways and I could see her from our booth anyways.
           I turned on the truck and the punk/ska music I had on my IPod came on. "Piggy, in the mid-le...." I picked it up and hit random. 'One More Day' by Rio Diamond came on next.
           "I love this song," She yelled and hugged my arm as I backed out with my left. She settled for holding my hand as we pulled out of the parking lot. We were headed for work, to enjoy ourselves. At least it was free to get in for us.
           I bought the popcorn and soda and she quietly snuck two dollars in my pocket for her drink. I noticed but didn't say anything, eventually I'd slip it back in her purse.
           The movie was just like any other love story. He meets girl. He fights girl. He realizes he's meant for girl. They get married. Perfect story. After the movie, I had to use the bathroom. She went ahead to wait for me. I didn't care, she was probably just looking at the arcade games.
           I made my way out there and scrounged up some quarters in case she wanted to keep playing. As I rounded the corner, my smile faded. Some guys out in the area just out the doors were huddled around her, and kept grabbing at her. Someone was even filming it while the rest of the people just walked by.
           I immediately became angry and called over the general manager telling him that I was gonna go fight and if he had to fire me, than he had to. He saw what was going on and decided it would be best if he went out to be a witness. One of the guys started holding her arms, I could hear her screaming at them through the glass. My fists began to shake, my head became foggy.
           None of them saw me walk through the door. None of them saw me walk up to them. None of them expected me to come out to help her. I didn't stop, I didn't think about it, I didn't say anything. I just swung and knocked the guy holding her in the head and knocked him down. He didn't get up the rest of the fight.
           While they were in shock, I hit the biggest guy in the group square in the stomach and when he realled over in pain, I knocked his face in with my knee. I am pretty sure he broke his nose. He fell hard on his ass and hit the back of his head against the concrete. I'm sure that can't be good.
           The last two hit me in the back then ran off when I got to my knees. By that time, the police had been notified. They stopped the two runners as a picked Amber and hugged her. "Are you alright?"
           Man came and pulled me off of her. They pushed me on the ground and brought the other two concious men down in handcuffs next to me. "Do not resist." They commanded. I obeyed, albiet, unwantedly. They flipped the other two over and cuffed the unconcious men.
           The general manager and Amber talked to one of the officers while the other officer took us one by one to the side and asked us what had happened. I couldn't hear what the other two said and the guy with the film was waiting in line with the other cop. It was a long twenty minutes cooling down on the floor.
           Next thing I know, I'm being pulled onto my feet and walked aside. The other two guys were forlorn on the ground. I wondered if either of them had actually told the truth. It was the first time I had assumed that the entire time I had been cuffed.
           "Now, you are not under oath here son. Tell us why you were fighting with these men here today."
           My mind chased a few thoughts down and pinned them up for me to remember. "I don't even know them." grand first words. It made the police become confused though. "I was walking around the corner there inside the movie theater. When I came around, I saw them sexually abusing my girlfriend. It looked like they were gonna rape her and I got mad. I told my general manager to call the cops and that I was gonna stop it."
           "You work here son?"
           "Yessir. I was hired three months ago. I informed the manager out of civic duty, I guess. At that point, I was way past loosing my temper and the adrenaline was messing with me. I just walked up to them and punched the one that was holding her."
           "You just walked up and punched him? Just like that? no words, nothing?"
           "Yessir. Punched straight through them. They were gonna stop herrassing her. Then I hurt the big one bad as I could before the shock wore away. The other two hit me then ran into you. It was that short. Nothing grand."
           "Well sir. Vigillantism is considered a crime here in the state of Arizona, however, I will call this a citizen's arrest. Next time, don't put your life in danger like that. Alright?"
           "Sure officer, whatever you say. Can I get out of these cuffs yet?"
           He frowned. That wasn't the answer he was looking for. "Sure kid." He uncuffed his 'Star Citizen' and went to talk to his partner. Video evidence supported my story completely. They let me free and charged the others with attempted rape.
           The general manager shaked "The hand of a hero." the police left and Amber hugged me. I held her in my arms and for the longest time neither of us said anything. She cried in my shoulder. The romantic theme was all but gone. Ten minutes later, she looked up at me and said, "Thank you." She kissed me then burried her head in my shoulder.
           My eyes misted up. "Love you hon."
           Five minutes later we were walking up to my truck. "I promised you I'd take you to a park after the movie, but if you would rather go home and rest i would understand."
          Tears still in her eyes, she looked up at me and smiled. "The park sounds lovely."
          "Alright." I said smiling. I kissed her softly,but passionately. We drove to the park and the romantic part of the day returned. For a moment, the last hour faded away.
          I walked her up to the very bench we first met at and sat down with her in my lap.
          She smiled wide, "This is the spot we first met at. You told me you couldn't tell if I was real, because you were still tired from the night before and had been dreaming about angels."
          "Aye, It was the worst pick up line ever, yet somehow it impressed you enough to remember it." I smiled as she turned to look at me.
          Just before she kissed me she said, "Aye, well maybe itwas that crazy Irish accent." I kissed her back with as much passion and ardore as the kisses in Summers Dream by F. Scott Fitzgerald. "They were kisses like charity, creating want by holding nothing back."
          After we had kissed, I smiled and said, "Your Irish accent has gotten better." She nudged me. I turned to her and said, "Graim Thu."
          "What does that mean?"
          "It's Old Irish for Love you."
          She smiled. "I love you, too."
          "Aye? Nil aon leigheas ar an ngra ach posadh. An bposfaidh tu me?"
          She furrowed her brow. "If I didn't know the simple one how was I supposed to know this one?"
          I smiled the biggest smile of my life, got down on one knee, and produced a box. "In simple terms, It means, 'Will you marry me?'" As I said marry, I opened the box up to the ring. I spent all of the last six months on it. I wasn't gonna tell her that, but I would know I had planned it that long ago.
         He mouth dropped and she stood there speachless. Getting nervous I opened my trap and said this, "Technically I said, The only cure for love is marrige, so will you marry me?" She snapped out of her trance an put her hands to her mouth.
         "Its absolutely gorgious, Cody. Yes. Yes, of course I will." I stood up and slid it on her. finger. She kissed me as if we were in one of those over the top, cheap romantic comedies. But I embraced the moment and fell deep into this portion of the plot line.
         She couldn't wait to tell her mother and father, so I said, "Lets go now. It'll be fun."
         We hopped into the car and started driving. She held my hand, visibly happy she had a new shiny ring on her finger. She kissed me on the cheek.  The light turned green and we went through. An idiot ran the light going fifty miles and hit the front of the truck. The GMC was toatalled. I didn't care. My bride-to-be's seatbelt snapped and I held onto her arm for dear life. She held back. Glass ripped through my arm, the tiny pieces that actually shattered. The force alone was almost enough to break the grip. My eyes kicked up into tears. I was not going to loose her. She went unconcious first. The airbag finally went off. That put me under.
         Five minutes later, I woke up in an ambulence next to her. She was bleeding, covered in scrapes. Her arm was bruised wher I had held onto her.
         "This ones awake. Sir, what is your name?"
         "Cody Schroeder, how is she?"
         "She will be alright, we are taking you guys to get checked out right now. I suggest you rest and take it easy."
         The rest of the ride was short and quiet. They seperated us and asked me questions about the accident as they checked on me.
         "How is she?"
         "The woman? That is confidential."
         "Between her family only?"
         "Yes sir. Medical laws and such."
         "What does it say about fiances?"
         "Can you prove it?"
         I reached into my jacket pocket and pulled out an empty ring box. "I gave her the ring today. Pretty sure you know that it's on her left hand, ring finger."
         "Her condition is stable, she has some major bruising on her arm, and a minor break in the ribs."
         "How did she get the broken rib?"
         "Probably when the seatbelt broke. The pressure focused on that point when it was released. She will be fine. It sounds as if you saved her life."
         I forced a smile. I was still feeling guilty for her being in the crash. "Thanks doc."
         I was released and walked out side in my ratty jeans, torn jacket and shirt, and a limp. I sat on the wall and looked out over the horizon and watched the sunset. Why of all days did today have to be ruined? At least no one died.
        Her dad was on his way. What a way to break the news. Your daughter was in the car with me when we were hit. Oh, and by the way, we are getting married.
        "It could be worse." I would remember that voice anywhere. That deep, rough voice. I turned around and saw her father standing behind me.
         I hopped off the wall, "Was all that said out loud?"
         "Well, if by all you meant the part where you were cursing about it being your fault, dreading seeing my reaction?"
          Nope. That would be a story for another time. "Yeah. You aren't mad."
          "Not at you. The doctor explained to me that it was a Red-Runner that gotcha blind sighted."
          "Okay. You didn't hear about the engaged part until Amber brings it up. She really wanted to tell you. It was why we were on the road at that time."
          "Alright, son. If it means that much to her."
          "It does." I looked away for the first time since starting the conversation. He rested his hand on my shoulder. I looked back up.
          "What do you say we head up there and see how she is doing?"
          "I'd like that." We turned and walked up the stairs. I think that was the first part of his blessing. He gave me his formal one infront of her. When he heard the full story, he said he was honored to call me son. That was about three years later. The rest is for another story.