Loving life: AFTER LOSS

Marie promised her beloved husband she wouldn't get stuck in sadness

-  EVA LEWICKI

Marie Alessi, 48, Illawarra, NSW

Dear Rob,

Before meeting you, I'd despaired of finding love.

Sharing my thoughts with a friend, she said, 'I know a nice man,' and set us up on a date.

We played putt-putt, and I liked your beautiful brown eyes, nice strong hands, and sexy legs. Aged 32 like me, you made me laugh too.

Then a couple of weeks later, we went for a walk along the beach. You put your arm around me and suddenly, I knew I'd come home.

Less than four months later, during a romantic weekend in a houseboat on the Hawkesbury River, NSW, you asked me to marry you.

'Of course!' I cried, hugging you.

When I told friends and family I was marrying a man I'd only just met, they thought I'd lost the plot. But after meeting you, they fell in love with you too.

We married barefoot on the beach, five months later.

Afterwards, we partied with our 100 guests on the rooftop of our favourite bar. The whole day was magical.

I fell pregnant and, at 35, gave birth to our son, Flyn.

'He's beautiful,' you said tearfully, cradling him in your arms.

Two years later, our second boy, Jed, completed our happy family.

We did everything together.

At the beach, you'd build sandcastles with the boys, wearing a seaweed 'wig' to make them laugh.

When they were seven and five, we took them to meet your family in Italy and mine in Austria and had a wonderful time.

And as each year passed, my love for you grew even stronger.