Marial sat on the soft moss that grew in the shade of the huge oak tree. She leaned against the trunk of the tree and looked up into the densely leafed crown. Not one patch of blue shy peeked through.  Even though the temperature was in the high nineties, under the oak, it was at least 10 degrees cooler.

   The oak tree had been a part of Marial's life for as long as her memory could recall. She remembered the old wooden swing that Papa had hung from one of the tree's strong branches. Many of her dreams were born as she kicked into the air urging the swing to go higher and higher with the wind blowing through her hair and her spirit trying to touch the sky.

   Under the old oak, Marial fell in love with the man whose heart joined so completely with her's. They spent many a summer day under the cool shade provided by the tree's thick crown talking, sharing, laughing and holding each other close. The memory of those days reached in and tugged at her heart. Marial felt as if half her soul left with him. It was as if she had lost a piece of herself.

  The wind sang through the leaves above her and she breathed in the fresh and salty sea air. The tide was coming in, bringing with it little gifts tossed up from the sea. She would walk the beach at the next low tide gathering up sand dollars, sea shells and drift wood, but it wouldn't be the same without him at her side. She longed for his voice, his laugh, his touch that set her on fire...she missed looking into his blue eyes and seeing into his heart and soul.  She missed his free spirit and his honesty.

  In the distance over the sea, storm clouds were moving towards the shore booming with thunder and showing off their power with white blasts of lightning. Marial gathered her things and walked towards the little cabin in the woods that she had built with her soulmate. Without him, it had lost its inviting glow, its welcoming aura, but it was still home.

  Marial sighed and stopped at the gate. Something was different. She could sense it in every fiber of her being. Marial looked around, but everything looked as it had moments ago. The storm was approaching quickly and she ran to the front porch. As she was opening the door, she saw it from the corner of her eye. It was on the seat of the rocking chair. Marial's heart surged in her chest as she reached for the single lavender rose. Tears fell from her eyes when she heard his voice.

  "Baby, I'm home."

  Marial turned and there he stood with arms open. She ran  the four steps to him. She reached up and touched the roughness of his beard and looked into the eyes that in turn searched her's. Entwined in each other's arms, their hearts beat in unison and their souls touched in joyous reunion.

  "The war's over. I'm not leaving you again," he whispered.

  The world had become complete for Marial again. As they walked into the cabin arm in arm, the storm raged against the world, but there was peace again in the hearts of two lovers who would never again be apart.