My name is Wynn Oliver Harris. Or at least, that's who I was long ago. Now that I'm eighty-six, I have a confession to make. Some may call it a crime; others might say it's the justice of fate.

Nonetheless, I think somebody should know about us.

I was a regular farm-boy from a small town far north from here. My folks weren't rich people, we didn't have much, but we always enough. When I was eleven I had to quit school to help momma run the farm after father died. Momma was an honest, hard working woman, tough as nails, but she always brought me books to read. She told me that even if I couldn't finish school that didn't mean I should stop reading, and she made me read to her every night after dinner. After father's passing there were years better than the others.

One day, while I was making my usual delivery in town, I saw her, the most beautiful girl. She has just moved in town. Her hair was wisps of sunshine and her eyes were the sky. Her voice was a song and her smile, lord what a smile, it could brighten a dark day. There was a small puff ball wagging its tail by her feet. I think it was a Pomeranian breed. I fell in love right then and there. Her name was Audrey Foster. My Audrey.

I couldn't get her off my mind even though I knew a girl like her would never look at a farm boy like me. Peeking at her from afar was all I could do and for the following days I went go to town just to catch a glimpse of her.

Until that one morning, I have just finished my usual delivery and went to buy some things momma wanted. I was about to get in my truck when someone's groceries bag got torn and apples rolled all around. I picked the few that rolled close to me and just as I was about to hand them back I swear my heart skipped a beat and I lost my breath. It was her .I couldn't speak or hand her back her apples.

"Hi..." She smile and looked at me with those blues.

The only sound was from the little pooch that was jumping around us.

"I'm Audrey."

I was finding it difficult to breathe, how could I speak?

"So, are you going to give me back my apples?" She looked down at my hands.

"I... I'm sorry." I finally spoke and let go. "Here..." I quickly flipped one of the grocery bags I bought dumping its contents in the back of the truck and stuffing her apples in it.

"Please, allow me." I eagerly offered to carry her groceries and I was thrilled when she let me walk her home. It felt like the most natural thing.

"So, what's your name?" she asked.

"Wynn, Wynn Harris."

"Well Wynn," there was a scolding and a smile in her voice, "were you ever going to stop and say hello or just walk around town silently every day?"

I was shocked speechless that she noticed me and at the same elated that she did. I laughed like a nervous idiot which luckily played in my favor because she thought it was cute. The entire time I was gathering the courage to ask her out, but every time I lose my words.

When we reached her doorstep she turned to me and said, "I'm going to make an apple pie, why don't I save you a piece for tomorrow, say in the afternoon by the lake."

"It's a date!" I blurted with excitement making her laugh and making my ears burn with embarrassment.

She took her bags from me and smiled, "It's a date."

I couldn't sleep a wink that night neither could I wait for the morning to come. Our first date was like a dream, Audrey was like a dream. She was smart, funny, beautiful and gentle, everything a guy would wish for. I could swear that she was made for me and I for her.

We started seeing each other and to my surprise Audrey loved visiting the farm. Her attempts to use a shovel to dig were useless. Birds would've eaten the seeds before I watered them. I couldn't find it in my heart to tell her that. Peanut, her dog, loved the farm too. He would run around courageously chasing away birds bigger than him.

Every time Audrey and I were together we fell deeper in love and I knew where I want to be. I worked harder than I've ever did in my life, saving every penny for our future. For the small house we'd buy, our small garden, the kids we'd have.

However Audrey's father opposed our relationship. He was a businessman, and he only saw what was in the man's pockets. He told me if I ever wanted to marry his daughter I must earn more. At that time the army paid handsomely, so I enlisted, promising my Audrey a wedding when I come back. I wrote to Audrey many letters and the letters she wrote me kept me going and strengthen my will.

Momma died a year later. And as months went by Audrey's letters were lessening until they finally stopped. None of my letters were answered. Months later I got the news that Audrey got married to a businessman, just like her father always wanted. And I was left alone. No mother who awaited me or a lover to come back to.

During the time of war I've jumped on every opportunity to get out on the field. I looked out for my unit and they looked out for me, but war was such an unfair game and we were ambushed, the enemy surrounded us from every direction. I volunteered to lead them away while the others make it out. They objected, but I was the best choice. I had nothing to lose.

The plan worked, the enemy followed me far enough for my unit to make it out. I rained fire on them and they returned. I got hit many times, but I didn't stop shooting. I was ready to die. The next thing I remember I was at the hospital, alive and in a lot of pain. The nurse told me that my unit circled back and got me out. It's funny how pain reminds us to live on. I was discharged from the army with a purple heart. After that, there was only one thing to do. Go back home.

I hired a boy to help me in the fields and deliveries while I stayed in the farm, unable to bring myself to go into town and risk seeing her with another man. My heart was already broken I didn't need it to shatter. I made my piece with it or at least I thought I had.

In a cold rainy evening, and just as I was about to go to bed I heard loud banging on my door. It was my Audrey. I was shocked, then hurt, then angry and betrayed. I wanted to hold on to that anger but it all vanished into anguish.

Audrey came to me in a horrible state. She was drenched from head to toe and shaking like a leaf. The discolored bruise on her face told horrible stories. The red rims of her eyes and the chipped lip stabbed my soul.

"I didn't know where else to go," she sobbed.

I gathered her in my arms and picked her up. That wasn't how I remembered her. That wasn't the Audrey I knew. Where did her smile go? The bright blue of her eyes? The melody of her laugh. I was mad angry. I didn't have to ask to know who was responsible.

I kept my silence as I ran her a warm bath I left her a change of clothes and went to make her a warm drink. I was silent but my soul was being tortured.
The bruise on her cheek wasn't the only one. I saw more one her arms when she came to the kitchen.

"That bastard!" I cursed his very existence. "I'm going to kill him!"

That terrified her. Audrey's hand grabbed my shirt tight, "No! He'll hurt you! Jimmy has many connections." She let go of me and cried, "I shouldn't have came here. I'm sorry."

How could she say that? "Of course you should've come. I was always your, Audrey" I wrapped her in a hug of all the time we've spent apart and she hugged me back for a long silent moment.

"I wish we could just leave and never look back." she whispered.

"Then let's go." I didn't hesitate for a second. She looked at me shocked and I smiled and held her dear face between my hands kissing her forehead. "Everything I need is right here. So let's go."

Her eyes filled with tears. She nodded half laughing and half crying, "Yes!"

I kissed her with all the madness in me. With all the love I felt for her and all the hopes and dreams we had.

I emptied my small safe and collected a few valuables that we could sell. We ran to my old truck and hit the road. The darkness and the heavy rain were in our favor. Or so we thought. We barely made it a few miles out of town when a car started to honk and flash its lights behind us.

"It's him!" Audrey screamed. "He'll take me back!"

I assured her as I maneuvered the track blocking him, "Over my dead body."

He was crazy, crazy to a point where he pulled out a gun and started shooting at us. "Get down!" I yelled to Audrey.

I swung left and right trying to force him off the road without losing control of the truck on those slippery narrow roads. Jimmy rammed his car hard to the side of our truck and I almost lost it.

As we came to a turn I saw an opportunity. "Hold on!" I yelled for Audrey.

I sped up towards the turn while Jimmy right on our tail. Then in one sharp move I pulled the wheel in a tight turn scratching the side of the truck on the railing with a loud screech. Jimmy couldn't make the turn in time and crashed hard to the rails with a horrible sound.

Audrey and I were heaving heavily as I stopped the truck. I got out and told her to stay there. I almost made it a few steps to Jimmy's when a car from the opposite side came to a stop and rushed to assist. One of the passengers had her phone out and called for an ambulance. She told them that Jimmy's car must've slipped and crashed to the railing.

Audrey and I exchanged looks and without uttering a word I got back to the truck and drove off. We drove for three days without a destination. We learnt from the newspapers that Jimmy died on crash. That piece of news got me torn between relief and a since of guiltiness. However that guilt didn't live long when I thought of what would have become of Audrey if she ever went back.

A close army buddy helped us out with new identities and he was the only soul who knew about us. new lives where no one will come looking for us. Audrey and I got married short after we bought a small house by the lake with a small garden in the back with an apple tree that in one childish moment we carved our names on it. I surprised her with a tiny pup that looked just like Peanut. We were blessed with three beautiful children two boys and a girls.

Sixty – one years together. 

I have no regrets. 

She'll always be my Audrey.