“She is MINE.’

Proserpina

I was delirious with joy.

My man, the man I worshipped, had arranged a wedding for me in secret, with of course, the active support of my sneaky kids and friends,

Lucien raised his head and in his loud, gravelly tenor, he boomed, holding me clutched to his massive chest.

“Ladies and gentlemen,’

I saw Schwartz’s eyes twinkling merrily,

Pulling me closer, he said,

’ This is My Woman. She is the woman I love, the only woman I want in my life and the woman I want to grow old with.‘

I was too overcome to say anything.

*

I knew he did not care for speeches; knew he would never find it easy to make a public declaration of love. But he had actually said this today, for me!

My heart swelled with love for him.

And he lowered his head to kiss me again, a searching, hard stamp that effectively had me weak and clinging to him.

*

Dimly, the sounds of clapping, and then fireworks erupted from the corner of the lawn, making Claude leap up and down, clapping. The nurses had hurried away wit