We were both tentative, OK so maybe I dived in head first, but he was tentative. He didn't want to have his "arse kicked". (He had a way with words. yes?)
As the weeks went on and we could see the potential of a future, we had a few heart to hearts.
I asked my darling, which is what he most definitely was to become, "What do you want out of this relationship?" He reeled off some of the things he was looking for - companionship, someone to love, someone to share things with, go out together etc.
He asked me what I wanted.
I said, "I only want one thing; I want to be cherished."
He said,"What does that mean exactly?" "Well you know, I want to be loved and held in high esteem. I want to be your number one." I wanted to be that highest prize, the be all and end all, the upper most in his devotion and care. I knew what I wanted I just found it hard to put into words.
So I found the words. I went to the dictionary and then I embroidered that definition in cross stitch as a reminder to us both for all time.
And so it was. The benchmark for our lives together.
This embroidery always hung by our bed and many many, nights I lay in bed and looked at this definition and thought of all the ways that Chris cherished me and showed that devotion and care. I was his treasure and he was mine.
When Chris was working away, as he very often was, I would look at this word and think of the conversation that we had had so long ago.
Well just the other night, I was laying in bed, looking up at that picture when I realised something.
Cherish - take away the E and the H at the end and what does it spell? CHRIS
And he lovingly fulfilled my request until the day he died.
