LOVE STORY: Intriguing smile captured her heart

I was running a little later than I would have liked. The Parents Without Partners meeting was scheduled to start at 7:30. I couldn't decide what to wear. We would probably go dancing after the meeting, so I decided on a long dress.

I arrived at the meeting room a little flushed and out of breath. Our president, Bruce, was setting things up for the speaker.

The speaker was interesting, I think. I can't actually remember what she said; my attention was drawn to a man sitting on the far side of the room. I had never seen him before but couldn't take my eyes off him. I wondered how he had come to be at our meeting. He had brown hair, intelligent eyes showing an interest in everything that was going on. Every once in awhile our eyes met and I could see a slight smile play around his lips. I had to find out who this man was because I had fallen in love with that intriguing smile.

When the meeting ended, the mystery man stayed seated. I started to drift toward Bruce as the last of the group left. Bruce greeted me, saying, "Sally, I would like for you to meet my friend, Ed." Ed and Bruce had met in the Navy. Bruce was an officer and so Ed probably was, too, which made him an educated person who might share many of my interests. I was raised as a military brat myself.

Ed and I spent the evening talking, exchanging information, dancing; the evening ending too soon. I wasn't sure when I would see Ed again; we hadn't even exchanged phone numbers. I was in heaven, though. I knew that this was the man I would marry.

Fortunately Ed showed up at our next meeting and took my phone number and gave me his. You might say that it took me three years of chasing him, but they were important years for both of us. We had both been married before and wanted to make sure marriage would be the right decision, so we shared as much about ourselves as we could.

Ed proposed the Saturday before Easter in 1979; we have had 31 wonderful years together. We really enjoy each other's company and feel blessed that we found each other.

Sarah (sally) M. Mills

Minden