Love Is Not Gifts And 'Maybe' Is A Very Long Word

 He had a beautiful home and a warm fire. He had a ranch that was bought and paid for. He had memories of what he considered a happy life and a few pictures. He haphazardly looked through an old photo album that his wife had left behind. "She had asked me for very little and that's exactly what I gave her. She wanted to travel, I wanted to make money and get rich. She wanted to go fishing and I told her we needed to stay on the ranch and take care of the horses. She told me one day that she had always dreamed of riding a motorcycle and seeing the country. I told her she was nuts; you could get killed on one of those things. After months of telling me that's all she wanted for Christmas I bought her one. We even had our picture taken on it and she had New Years cards made. She sent them out wishing everyone a happy New Year. He looked up on the wall and frowned when he saw her happy face. "A motorcycle wasn't really what she wanted. I guess she didn't want all the money and jewelry I gave her either. She wanted my attention and my company. I gave her an empty chair and half eaten meals because the mine and the ranch was more important to me than she was."

"I just didn't realize how rich I was with her as my wife. The mine wasn't my wealth, it was her love and her companionship. Now since she has left I am the poorest of the poor. I want nothing to do with this ranch anymore. I haven't listed it with a realtor yet, but I've let it be known that I'm done ranching."

The older man paid no attention to the weather on his television. There was a tornado warning out for his area. He had left a cigar burning on the coffee table that went unnoticed as his eyes burned with unshed tears. He had finally fallen asleep after many nights of pacing the floor at night and watching for her car coming down the driveway during the long and lonely days.

                                                            &&&&&

Through the torrential rain and the bitter words that were screamed at each other in competition with the raging wind, Maddison and the man she loved to hate settled her horse and changed her tire. Her spare was worn and not capable of getting her far. There was no choice but to stay the night in the nearest motel.

She followed the dratted man slowly and ever so carefully until she saw his blinkers flash and his truck and trailer turn off the interstate. "Oh goodie. That looks like bed bug city. I can't believe he intends for me to stay in that horrible place. I'd rather stay in my truck. I will not do it!" However, she did pull into the parking lot and watched his stooped back fight the rain and walk through the office door. "Well, good for him. He can get eaten up for all I care." She was so cold and wet and for that matter she was starving! She hadn't eaten anything, but a candy bar for hours. "If he was half a man he would buy me  a can of soda, or some chips. But he's so selfish all he thinks about is himself. A skunk is always blank and white. They never ever change their colors. That's what he is; a skunk for sure."

                                                             &&&&&&

He was relieved to hear the clerk behind the desk tell him that there were two rooms left in his motel. He paid for them and turned around and looked out the window. The rain was coming down in sheets. It was all he could do to make out Maddie's truck and trailer. She would always be Maddie to him. She had been the love of his life, but chose his path of training and showing horses instead of being her husband. "I just wasn't ready to settle down, but she was. We each had our own dreams and paths to follow. Oh well, maybe we can be friends. This mishap might give us a chance to catch up on each other's lives. Maybe is a very long word sometimes, especially in Maddie's book." He shook his head and went to the door and waved at her to come in. Nothing. "Oh boy, that's Maddie for you. She'd rather stay out there with a tornado coming than come inside with me. Stubborn stubborn woman.! If she even thinks that I will go out there and force her to come inside she has another think coming!" With that he opened the door and ran out to Maddie's truck to do just that.

Maddie saw his hand on her window, but couldn't believe that he would brave the storm to come and get her. "No, go away. I'm staying out here. I'm not going to get eaten up with bed bugs or what else could be living in that place. No!"

Just then she felt the truck move and rock to one side.  Her door jerked open and she felt herself being dragged through the storm into safety. He really was her love even after all these years of being a jerk.