Amor Vincit Omnia

Prologue

It was about five in the evening and the sun was setting in my beautiful hometown of Chicago, Illinois, as I was stirring the pot to make my famous Sweet Chili sauce.

''Jamie, can you come here for a second?''

My four year old son, Jamie, rushed to my side as quickly as he could and wrapped his little arms around my legs. I smiled at the way he trotted in his glow in the dark shoes. I decided to pick him up, but immediately sat him down on the kitchen counter. Boy was he getting heavier. He was tall for his age and I couldn't help but notice how awkward he looked. For one, his shirt was way too big. He must have gotten it from his father and his ears stuck out on either side of the baseball cap he was wearing.

''You're getting bigger, you know?'' I said as I smiled at my son.

''No, you're just getting smaller, Mommy,'' he retorted as he chuckled softly, his cheeks flushing red.

''Oh yeah?''

''Yep.'' He smiled, forming a dimple right below his left eye.

''Well, can I get a big hug from you?'' I asked, opening my arms ready to embrace him.

He nodded his head and hugged me as tightly as he could. For a young boy he had a firm grip.

''I love you, Mommy,'' he said in a soft voice and I could've sworn a tear escaped my eyes.

I looked straight into my son's beautiful hazel eyes, just like his father's and smiled, ''I love you too, Jamie,'' and he hugged me again. ''Hey Jimmy Jam, Mommy needs to breathe,'' I laughed.

''I'm sorry.''

I took his baseball cap off and ruffled his dark brown hair, smiling at him. ''Hey, dinner is almost ready; can you go get Daddy please?''

''Yes Mommy.''

I picked him up once again, lowered him down onto the floor, and watched as he sprinted to find daddy. I heard him exclaim in a loud voice that dinner's ready, he then sprinted back, his breath gone, with glee in his eyes, ''Daddy's coming!'' he said and there he was, the man of my dreams, my love and my savior.

His hazel eyes immediately locked with my brown ones, and it felt like he was looking straight into my soul. He had the warm smile on his face which I simply adored. The tattoos which decorated his chiseled body peaked out from beneath his white t-shirt.

Everything about him was perfect and the good thing was, he was all mine.

As I looked at him, I began to remember what my mother used to tell me about marrying someone. The topic of marriage was very familiar with her and so her advice and wise words were always fresh in my memory.

She would always hold my hands together and tell me, ''Chica, don't marry a man unless you would be proud to have a son exactly like him,'' and I must say I made the right decision, because I am both a proud wife and mother and I wouldn't have it any other way. 

Now I've got the perfect life. Perfect son, perfect husband with those hazel green eyes that I fell in love with all that time ago. Life is good, although things weren't always like this.

Ten years ago my life was the total opposite of what it is now, but like they say after a storm comes a calm...