Moments of Time

Chapter 1

I set the brown cardboard box labeled "Pictures" down as the doorbell rang.

"Ang, can you get that?" My husband, Tony, called to me.

"Sure." I walked over to the new front door of ours, and opened it. There stood our mail man. Not a mail  man. Our mailman. Oliver had a wide smile beneath his black mustache. 

"For the new Woods couple, congratulations, honey." He handed me an envelope with his return address and our new address. I couldn't help but smile.

"Thank you, Oliver."  I said, hugging him. 

"Anything for my favorite couple."

"Don't you deliver mail to the dry side of town?" I said, leaving the foyer to sit out on the porch. I invited him to sit, but he declined. "You know. We're on the wet side now."

"Yes, baby doll. I know." His face lit up, and he laughed whole-heartedly. "But a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do." 

I smiled again. He was simply the best.

"Would you like to come over later for dinner? You and your family?"

"Ahh, you know I'd love to, but the wife's having some friends over and I'm expected to keep the kids busy." He siged, but still stood smiling.

"You could bring the kids here, if you'd like? Tony and I aren't doing anything tonight."

"Oh, no. Cindy wants me to bring her and her brother out to dinner, so that's what I'm doing." 

"Alright... Well call us sometime. We can work out a date for you, Margaret, and the kids to come over one day."

"Aww, thank you. You know I will." He said, stepping down the stairs. 

"Anything for the best mail man ever."

We bid each other goodbye, and I re-entered the house. A brand new two story, two bedroom, three bathroom house. Perfect for us.

"Hey babe. Who was it at the door?" I jumped at the sound of Tony's voice. I turned around, and he chuckled. "Get used to it. You're stuck with me for a while."

I smiled, and pulled him into a hug. "And I'm ready for it." We kissed, and he led me into the kitchen, where we began unpacking plates and silverware. 

"Where's your uniform?" I spun around, noticing I haven't seen it since we left our apartment in New York. Now that we we were in Maryland, it'd be a hassle getting it back. 

"The car, on the hanger. It's all good. Don't worry." He said, placing his hands on my shoulders. I relaxed a little. "I'll go get it."

He grabbed the car keys and left. I heard the car door open then close. Tony came back in, holding up his official Military uniform, wrapped in plastic and hanging on a hanger.

"Here we go." He said, lying it out on the marble counter. 

"It's so... official." I said, standing next to him.

He looked down at me. "Are you sure you're okay with this?"

"With what?"

"Me, the Marines, leaving." He said, pulling me into a hug. "Babe, if you're not-"

"Honey. Do what makes you happy." I smiled at him. "I'll always support you, you know that." I said as I kissed him.