Forever in my heart

Let's go back to my infancy.

Linda was the sugar in my tea as a little boy, i was six and you might think that kids do not fall in love but i am here to let you know that it happened to me. I knew what it is to fall in love, be in love and stay in love. I knew that she was pretty and i knew that i loved her. We were always together because her Mom was a close tie of mine, they did everything together and that made both families close ones. She was only 5yrs.

They moved out of the neighborhood after her eleventh birthday but by now we have both fallen in love with each other.(Anyone want to disagree with me that one cannot understand the real meaning of love at age 12) I did.

I cried all night because she was no where to be found
I cried all day because i now go to school alone
I cried every given minute because my heart was broken
Loneliness became my steady companion

My Mom noticed the chances in me, you see; they all knew that i and Linda liked each other and are best of friends but what they did not knew was that we have had our first,second, third and even last kiss. Anyway, Mom called me that evening and asked me what was bothering me. I knew that telling her the truth will salvage me so i told her that it was Linda. Right away, she called a cab and we traveled the distance to surprise Linda and her Mom.

We got to New York at exactly 8am.

That was exactly when the first plane that hit the World Trade Center took off. There was confusion all over the city because of the devastation caused by the attack, roads were closed so we had to use different routes. We got to their residence at exactly 12noon but found the whole place locked,their next door neighbor told us that they relocated to LA. You see, we would have met them if we had arrived few minutes earlier. I lost every hope of ever seeing her again that day but Mom assured me that Linda's mom will contact her. Years passed but that contact never came.

12years later...

...over the internet, right on Facebook, she sent me a friend's request, a request i was reluctant to accept,although i know a name Linda but the image in the picture is that of someone i do not know.

You see, after speaking with Alberta that afternoon,my heart began to skip it's beat, i slept with my laptop on waiting for her to come online but she never did. Alberta confirmed that she is not always frequent. One month passed, then two and three. You see, i never liked listening to reggae music but the months waiting for her to come online proved to me that Bob Marley made sense with his song; 'I don't wanna wait in vain'.

I sent her a thousand mails knowing very well that she will respond immediately she read one.I believe in what we shared and i kept the promise i made to her the last day we were together...

Me: Promise me that you will not love another guy
Linda: Richie, i will grow for you and you alone
Me: I will not love any other girl and will marry you when we grow up
Linda: You will forever be in my heart
Me: I will have you forever in my heart and will keep us together inside me
Linda: I will not love any other guy and will keep myself for you so that when we grow up, we can do everything adults do
Me: You mean sex?
Linda: No, making love, adults make love
Me: Come closer Linda

(She did)...

I held her tight and hugged her then held her right hand and pledged my love to her.

"If loving you is a crime Linda; if it is a sin to love you then let me be wanted and let the sky fall on me,i will be your man forever".

That was the last time we were together, you see; we were kids but imagine the above and you will agree with me that it was love,a real one.

I move to DC on the 12th of May and and had my first job interview the next day,then two days later,i was called to begin work, i saw the pretty lady walked out of the office and entered the limo,even if i had failed to notice her, the limo would have attracted me either. Who must she be i thought. Two weeks passed so quick and i was enjoying my work, it is my first work and moving to DC was the first time i left my family. Be a man Dad told me when i was about to board the plane, he drove me to the airport himself.

On the 21st of June, (approximately six months have passed and i have sent a thousand mails to Linda), she replied me. She replied all my mails one by one,my box was filled with her replies,although i did not read all because her cell number was on the fourth mail, i called her and she answered. Then we decided to meet immediately because she was also in DC. We scheduled to meet by 12noon but by 9am,i was already waiting for her at the mall.

She arrived and here i am face to face with the only woman i had loved and will forever love. We hugged each other, we kissed each other, we both cried uncontrollably, it was not tears, it was cry... I can't believe this she kept saying with her shaking lips. We lost apatite for food and wine, we lost shame because we hugged, held and circled with each other right in front of a thousand shoppers. I wish there is a better way to explain this so that you will understand what actually happened to us.

We could not order anything so we decided to leave for my house. Anyway to cut it short because i wouldn't want to take all your time but that day she stepped into my apartment, she never stepped out of my life, we moved into her house together the next week and honestly she kept her promise. She has been waiting for me and was optimistic that we will find each other. You see sometimes in life, things happen to chance our destiny.

I had an offer to work in LA for a bigger money but i chose DC because right inside me,i felt that DC will favor me more than LA despite the fact that the pay is lower but this twist is meant to help you understand that in life,there is never a wasted opportunity,believe me Linda was the CEO of where i chose to work and as you are reading this,i am the General manager of the same company that hired me few months back as a sales rep.

I would have met her personally the first day i started work because she came over to address the board,anyway i am happy that we are now together,we are expecting our first kid next year and like she said...three months honeymoon. I forgot to tell you that we got married in July. We are still on our honeymoon and will be back home next month.