It’s Saturday afternoon and we’ve all decided to have dinner at Mother Taylor’s condo.  It’s really a nice place.  I remember the first time I was here.  Not a good memory.  She told me to stay away from her son and I was heartbroken.

But, it’s all good now.  I’m officially bound to that son of hers for life now, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.  I don’t think she would either.  We’ve actually been able to become great friends over the years.

Anyway, I digress.  Everyone is here, randomly dispersed throughout the condo.  At the moment, Jen, Deb, Sunshine, and I are sitting around the table just talking.  Well, Justin isn’t really sitting a chair, unless my lap counts as a chair.

Somehow, our conversation drifts to childhood.  Not so much memories, but more along the lines of mementos we had as children.

I personally never had such things, but I do have one good memory I decide to share with our little group.

“I do remember one thing I got when I was a kid.  I was fifteen and I was sitting in the park.  I must have been upset about something.  I don’t even remember what; but then all of the sudden this little boy came up to me and gave me his teddy bear and said”

“it’d always keep me safe.”
“It’d always keep you safe.”

When Justin says this, he and I look at each other and he gives me one of his smiles that could truly rival the sun in its brightness.

“That was Gus.  I gave you Gus.  I remember.  You were upset and you looked scared, so I thought Gus could help you.”

Deb and Jen at the same time chime in with “Oh my god!”

Justin and I just stare at each other with smiles and I can’t control myself any longer and pull him into a death hug, thankful for everything he’s ever done for me over the past eight years and now even way back before either of us knew what our future would hold.

I guess our meeting was fate afterall.  I’ve always secretly thought so, but now I guess it’s now been proven.

The rest of dinner goes smoothly and around eleven, Justin and I head back to the house.  When we get there, I go to our closet and pull out a box containing my most prized childhood possession.

Justin looks at the bear with what looks to me like a look of pride, which confuses me.  Then he kisses the bear on the nose and pulls back with “You did good, Gus.”

We set Gus on one of the shelves in our room and head to bed so I can show him how grateful I am to the one person throughout my entire life who has given me all my strength.