Mary: "I love you"

 « Hey…. Oh what I was doing? Just reading a book and pondering something. Tom…I want to make something clear, something real clear so please… listen to me. You are my heart. You are my family. You took me in when I had nowhere safe to go, despite everything that made me a target. You never cared about my origins, the blood in my veins, the curves i was gifted with… or the fact I was married before and had a child who is no more. You never judged me for that. You welcomed me as I was, let me help raise your son who I love like me own. You gave me a reason to keep going when I was the most confused in my life. I fell in love with you slowly, over the years. I saw how much you loved your son and how much you loved your wife. I saw how much you cared for your family and how ready to get your hands dirty you were to do it. I saw family quarrels, disputes, animosity but I also saw forgiveness from and for you. I loved what I saw. I loved the scars, the pain, the joy, the passion in you. I loved you as you were. Do you remember when you asked me why I was willing to go back into this life with you? On my birthday night? I  said the truth. You weren’t taking from me. I chose you knowingly. You are a complex man and one with a lot of layers, always ahead of everyone, always thinking forward. You are a man who was wounded and I can see the scars because I recognize the shape as it’s the same as mine. I know you and your quirks and your needs. A free spirit, a black stallion. I accept it. I accept that you won’t always be there. I accept that you will always need to do your business. You need challenge. You need a purpose. I accept that I would never truly know what you think. But I will always love you. I will always care for you. It’s who I am. A healer.. a nurse. But even a nurse sometimes needs to be loved and to feel safe and that’s exactly what you make me feel. So my heart is yours. I trust you with my life. I trust you Tommy. But more than trust, it’s love I feel for you. I want to grow old and gray with you. That’s my desire. That’s all I want. »