IN THE BEGINNING...

I close my eyes in anticipation of the gun going off and in my mind I am no longer in the SUV. I'm sitting on a bench by the river waiting on a certain young woman to arrive – but as usual she is late. I'm about as nervous as I've ever been in my life as I finally see her pull up and make her way over to where I'm sitting. As she gets closer I see she is wearing a gray jogging suit, pink shirt, matching gray and pink Air Max, and with her hair in a ponytail her beauty still takes my breath away. Once she sees me she picks up her pace and eventually jumps into my arms – like she hasn't seen me in years. We continue to hug and begin to kiss until she pulls away and says, “So, what was so urgent that you have me missing 'THE REAL WORLD: LAS VEGAS'?...you know that's my show, you...” I put my index finger on her lips and tell her, “be quiet babe...” My heart is now racing and oxygen seems to have stopped flowing through my lungs. I take a deep breath to regain my composure, but I guess it doesn't work because she asks, “Baby, are you OK, you don't look too good?!” I ignore her question and try to focus on the reason why I am here. I sit her down and tell her, “Babe, since the moment I met you, I knew you were the one. I mean I thank God everyday for bringing you into my life, it's because of you I strive to be a better Mann (she looks at the ground almost as if she is embarrassed). There is not one thing about you that I would change, and in the past I know I did - at times - and I’m sorry for that. Looking back, I know we haven't had the best relationship, BUT I can say it's far from the worst...baby I love you and I don't ever want you to doubt that (she quickly looks up as if she is about to cry – I pause) I don't want you to be my girlfriend anymore...” Before I can finish, she cocks her head to the side as if to say 'oh you got me messed up' and lands a two-piece combo that nails me right below my right eye. She is crying uncontrollably now, but suddenly stops and manages to get up and in a voice similar to a child after they have gotten a whoopin' mumbles, “You (sniff) you (sniff) you brought me ow,ow,ow, out here to tell me that?” I look at her and can't help but to smile and laugh – I pull the ring from my pocket get down on one knee and say “No, but if you would have let me finish, I was gonna say that I didn't want you to be my girlfriend, I want you to be my WIFE...would you do me the honor of being MRS. CURTIS L. MANN III?” She takes the ring from my hand - and what she calls playful - punches me in the chest and says, “Yes, BABY, of course...” I laugh every time I recall that story, in my head it was supposed to go a lot smoother than what actually happened. It's funny no matter what I'm going through, thoughts of my wife still brings me joy. “CURTIS...CURTIS...CURTIS, WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU...DID YOU HEAR ME, ARE YOU GONNA OPEN THE BAG OR DO I HAVE TO SHOOT YOU TOO?!” My thoughts are suddenly interrupted by a yelling woman in the back of a SUV. I look back and still see Veronica holding the gun – She is talking, but to who I have no clue, I hear nothing, I just see her mouth moving. I look down at the bag that is sitting in my lap and begin to unzip it, once I get it open and see what's inside a numbness overcomes my body - my joy is gone...