He was miserable, absolutely miserable. Words couldn't describe how much he missed Beth. He wished he had answered her question differently, but had he it would have been a lie. He just didn't believe in marriage. He'd seen too many marriages not last for him to believe in them.

He hadn't seen Beth in a while, but Ben told him that her father had had a heart attack; he knew he had to go help out. He knew that she had to be worn out and depressed. He knew that her sisters and brother in laws probably weren't much help.

He thought it best not to tell anyone he was coming cause he knew that he probably wasn't Beth's favorite person right now and her family would support that. He was glad that Beth was upstairs with her father when he got there. No one was really paying attention that he had snuck into the house. He went straight into the kitchen to unload the grocery's he brought with him. He got to work on the laundry and was working on the dishes when he heard someone come into the room. He turned around to see Beth.

It felt so good to hold her again. But he tried not to read too much into it, cause he knew it was a relief hug. However when she came to the boat his heart was hopeful. And he couldn't be more over joyed that she wanted him back. He knew that she was willing to take marriage off the table. But he was unsure how long that would last.

He had to make it work this time, and if that meant getting married, then so be it. The look on her face was heartwarming when she saw the ring and him down on one knee. He knew that this time they would last an eternity cause now they knew what it was to be without each other. And neither one wanted that. This time it was forever.

End.