He watched as she ran around the backyard with their tiny dalmatian. He heard her laugh as the puppy finally caught up with her. It was a laugh he knew well, one he had heard many a times at all the worst possible moments. She caught the puppy and carried him up to the porch, where her lover sat and kissed him on the lips. She pulled away smiling when the phone rang, only to saunter into the house. He knew who it was on the phone, her mother. She called every Sunday, every damned Sunday. Maybe if things had been different he wouldn't have minded, but if it had been different they wouldn't be here together. It hadn't started out ideally that was for sure. They hadn't been friends since they were kids who grew into love. No, they had met in high school. That had been a blast. She hadn't changed much since then, she still was spontaneous, indecisive, and a tease. Her hair had grown out since she impulsively decided to cut it (and man did he like it long). She still talked endlessly, unless she was a in deeply thoughtful mood. And she was her mamma's girl. He could hear her talking through the open door but he couldn't tell what she was saying. By her tone her knew she was defending every decision she made since him. She tried to explain why it worked, she couldn't and neither could he. This was not what he had planned, he wasn't supposed to be with her. It's not what she expected. He heard the puppy whine and decided to go see what was wrong. He walked in to see the tears on her face. He took the phone out of her hand, "Excuse me, my wife and I have things to do. So if you're done making her cry we'll be going now." And without another word he hung up. He wrapped his arms around her and said nothing. Sometimes nothing needed to be said.
Which for them was rare. They were the kind of couple to have full logical conversations during great sex. In fact their first time, they stopped and put their clothes back on because it was more fun to talk. Not because the sex was bad but because the conversation was so great.
But they had had this conversation plenty of times. Over the years it was always the same argument over and over again.
They had never actually dated. They simply were. They laughed, joked, made love, and lived. When they had the chance at least. They did it all until they couldn't see a future with out the other. Their parents couldn't understand, and they didn't want to explain just why exactly they were so close. So there was a small quick ceremony with the immediate family, and then they were off living their life together, their families drifting into the wings rarely heard from except during holidays or special occasions. Except her mother.
It hurt her that her family had drifted away, that they couldn't accept her. But she was going to be damned if she didn't live her life according to them. This was their life.
She let him hold her, and let all the pain go. It didn't matter. She looked at him, and the love she saw in his eyes made life seem all the better. He let her go, took her by the hand and let her back out side to the swing. There they sat and waited for the day to end. For someone else to say that they had it wrong.
Just let them try, she thought with a smile, as she held his hand for all eternity.