Everyone talked about how adorable young love was but what about old couples. I adore them simply because it means love can exist.
I met a couple the other day in the movie theatre. They had to be eighty years old or something like that. The couple shared their story of their relationship and all the obstacles they faced.
This is their story:
Beck Oliver was a simple six year old boy. That day in 1940 Beck's father decided to take him to the park because the two were bored, simple as that.
Beck and his father walked to the park because it was a mere five minutes away from their house. As soon as Beck got there he ran to the swings.
Beck sat in one of those swings and next his swing was a little girl with black hair. She had a bow that sat on top of her head. Even though Beck was only six he thought she was very pretty. The girl noticed Beck staring at her and started yelling at him but Beck wasn't listening, he was too concentrated on how pretty she was.
"What's your name?" Beck asked after her yelling.
"Why do you care?" the feisty girl shot back.
Beck shrugged not really knowing why he wanted to know, "Just because?"
"It's Jade, what's yours?" the new named girl, Jade said.
"Beckett but I just prefer Beck," Beck told Jade.
"Jade is short for Jadelyn but I prefer Jade,"
The two kids had a civil conversation for about ten minutes before Jade's mother came saying that they needed to go.
Beck waved goodbye to Jade. He felt like they could be great friends. Beck was hoping Jade would be going to his school so that they could continue being friends.
Beck started 1st grade in the fall of 1940. He was excited to see if Jade was there because Beck wanted to talk to her again.
Jade was there but she was just starting kindergarten. Every time Jade and Beck could they would sneak off and hang out with each other. It became easier as they grew older because their grades were mixed in the same classes.
Beck went to 7th grade and Jade stayed in 6th. Beck and Jade snuck around behind their parents backs to hang out.
Beck was the only one there when Jade's mom died. Jade was only 15 and her mother was only 40. Beck spent hours hugging Jade and telling her it would be okay.
Less than a week after Jade's mom died she started showing up with bruises up and down her body. Once or twice she also had a hickey.
Beck knew that Jade was not ready for that. He pulled the 15 year old aside.
"Jadelyn West, what is happening?" Beck asked.
"It's nothing, Beckett Oliver, stay out of my business,"
Beck and Jade didn't talk for a whole year. Many people wondered about this because they were always super close. Then when she was 16, Jade got pregnant.
Beck was the first one Jade told. She told everything her father had done to her because her mother was dead. Beck asked his father if Jade could stay at their house.
Jade told him about everything and how she was pregnant. Mr. Oliver quickly agreed as he could not let Jade risking her baby. Lucky for Jade, Mr. Oliver was a teacher and homeschooled her and Beck.
Jade gave birth to a beautiful baby girl at age 17. She named her Kathleen Jadelyn West.
Finally Beck asked Jade out. She of course said yes.
Beck and Jade got married in 1968. Kitty was the flower girl even though she was nine years old.
Beck and Jade decided they wanted another child. Kitty was under the impression that Beck was her father and not that her grandfather was her father.
Finally Jade got pregnant but lost her baby after tripping over a stool. Kitty and Beck sat with Jade for hours trying to comfort her. Jade wouldn't leave her bed for a week. She felt like she just wanted to die. It wasn't fair that she couldn't keep her baby when criminals had their babies. Finally Beck sent Kitty up to get Jade out of bed.
Kitty was fourteen but always loved her mother. "Mom, you really need to get out of bed. Dad and I miss you. We miss you so much."
"Kathleen Marlene, First off, I am so sorry about your name, I don't know what I was thinking and second, the baby was a girl. Dad and I had decided for you to name her. So go ahead name her anything you want so that she can have a name," Jade smiled at her only daughter thoughtfully.
"Gretchen Louisa," Kitty told her mother.
"I love it, Kitty," Jade smiled at her daughter.
Gretchen Louisa also held a special place in the family's heart. When Beck heard the name he thought it was beautiful.
Beck picked Jade up when he saw that she had come down from their bedroom.
"You know, we can always try again," Beck winked at his wife.
"Ewww! Mom! Dad! Do not talk that way around me!" Kitty screamed putting her hands over her years.
Beck and Jade were unsuccessful in the baby process but that got interrupted.
Kitty was 16 and decided to go out with her friends. Lindy, one of Kitty's friends, was driving and she thought it would be fun to go really fast. One thing lead to another, the car crashed and killed Kitty and Lindy who were in the front seat. Kitty's other two friends were still alive and reported that Kitty was yelling at Lindy that she was going to get them all killed.
3 months later Beck and Jade got pregnant, with twins and not just any twins, two girls.
Finally Jade had her children. She remembered Kitty saying that Siena Parker would be her child's name. So baby A was named Siena Parker. Finally the pair decided on the name Winnie Ryleigh for the other baby.
Jade was convinced it was like sign from Gretchen Louisa and Kathleen Jadelyn telling her everything would be okay.
Beck wasn't as convinced but let it slide.
Jade constantly dressed Siena and Winnie in Kitty's old clothes.
Finally came the day it was time to send the twins off to college. Jade spent the entire day crying and the twins just hugged her awkwardly before going to college.
"Jade, please calm down, Siena and Winnie will be fine. You need to stop stressing out. Okay?" Jade just nodded.
That Christmas only Winnie came home because Siena was spending time with her boyfriend's family.
Winnie heard many stories of Gretchen Louisa and Kathleen Marlene. She could not believe her sister was not coming back to their mothers. She had already lost two children.
Siena surprised her mother on the last day and shouting surprise.
"Siena Parker! What the heck!" Jade shouted before hugging her daughter. "Oh, sweetie I missed you so much,"
"Missed you too, Jadelyn Minerva,"
Winnie and Siena both grew up and had families of their own so Beck and Jade have 6 grandchildren. 4 from Winnie and two from Siena.
In 2014 Beck and Jade went to a movie. Frozen, to be exact. Siena had just had a daughter and named her after characters in Frozen. Siena named her second child Elsa Anna (Ah-na).
I sat next to them in the theatre. I was alone and they noticed this. Before the movie started Jade told me this entire story. Beck put his input in some spots but not much as Jade liked to argue about what was wrong.
Beck and Jade. Those two will be in my heart forever.
Oh and by the way, they liked the movie.