"I'm really happy for you, Rick. It's just that…are you sure you're not moving too fast?" Katie asked her big brother.

"Nah. I'm sure. I've spent almost two and a half years in a fog. She understand what loss is like, and she's like a breath of fresh air."

"She's nice. Very cute. Very young."

"Kate." Rick said, flatly.

"I know…just that, eleven years is a big age difference."

"Well, dad was ten years older than mom, and they were married for thirty five years, until. And, I know what you're gonna say. They met at that dance and got engaged five months later. It worked out well for them."

Katie smiled and nodded. Rick walked over and wrapped his arm around his little sister, and said "Thanks. For everything. This is right…Beth, she's…I feel alive again."

"What kind of ceremony are you thinking about? And you're still wearing your old wedding ring."

Rick looked at his left hand to see the silver band Lori put on his finger fourteen years ago. Not once had he taken it off.

"I'll figure something out." He said, as he pulled on his coat. "Does it get the Kate approval?"

Katie handed the heart shaped box back to her brother and said "yes. Absolutely. Keep me posted."

"Will do." He said, as he kissed his sister on the cheek.

He drove back to his former home, and cleaned out what little was left in the fridge. He hadn't eaten any food there in months. Everything went in the trash. The conversation he was putting off was finally before him. He sighed as he walked up the stairs to his old bedroom, and walked over to his old dresser.

He grimaced when he noticed there was a thin layer of dust on top of his bureau and the urn. After he reached into a drawer and puled out a sock, which he used to dust, he cleared his throat and had to steady himself.

He looked at the white container, adorned with pink roses. He finally said, "Hi baby. I haven't forgotten about you. You and the kids are on my mind every day. When I lost you, I lost myself. You'd love Beth. She's raising her niece, Jo, as her daughter. She's got a big heart, and she has mine. I will never, ever forget about what we had, or what could have been." He rested both arms on his dresser, and was talking directly to the vase.

"Carl, buddy, I miss you so much. Judy, I wish I got to see the young lady you would have become. Lori, you had my heart for almost twenty years. You still do. You still have my soul. Thank you, thank you, thank you for giving me Carl and Judy. I wish I had more time with all of you. Thank you for all the memories I'll never let go of. It took me a long time to open my eyes in the morning and get used to the fact that you weren't going to be there ever again. I still can't listen to the songs we used to play when we would sing and dance around like fools. But I'll always remember the good times, and my heart will never let me forget your smile. Lori, I miss you. All I have left are our memories. I miss waking up to you in my arms. I miss your smile and your laugh. I miss everything about you. I miss the husband I was supposed to be. I miss the father I could have been."

His face was streaked with tears, and he took one more breath before walking away. "I'm going to move on, but please don't think for a second that I'll never stop thinking about you, or loving you. The accident broke me. I was shattered into a million little pieces. I'd do anything to hold you in my arms again. But I need to realize that I can't do that. I love you, Lori. I always will. I love you Carl, and I love you Judy. So much. You made me want to be a better man, and I was so proud and happy to come home to you."

"I love the three of you more than you'll ever know. And missing you is something I'll always do. Please don't think I love you any less since I'm trying to be happy again. I love you guys so much."

He kissed the tips of his index and middle finger, and put the kiss on the urn, before gathering some clothes and weapons and left the house.

He was quiet during his drive back to the farm. He had nothing left to say. Even though he found love again, he didn't want to turn the radio on, because almost every song still reminded him of Lori.

The snow started around ten in the morning, falling with a gentle vengeance, almost an apology for not having a white Christmas. Within an hours there wasn't a blade of grass visible in the entire city, and the surface streets were slick with a light white cover, with black ice hiding beneath it.

It was going to be a quiet New Year's Eve.

By nightfall the sky opened and was dropping freezing rain and snow at up to an inch an hour. Rick sat on the couch as Beth checked on Jo. Their child was sound asleep. They sat together on the sofa, watching the end of the year festivities.

"Someday I wanna go there" Beth said, referring to New York City's Time Square.

"Maybe…to crowded, too cold, this is better. He said, as he pulled her closer to him on the couch.

It was closing in on midnight, the big celebration. The big moment. Rick was starting to get nervous.

"I've always loved New Year's Eve. Even when I was a kid my parents would let me stay up to see the countdown." She smiled.

Rick grinned. You won't forget this countdown.

He could hear the wind pick up and start to pelt the window with sleet. He wanted to fast forward the clock ten minutes.

Rather than drinking champagne at midnight, Rick opted for sparkling cider. As long as Beth was okay with it. She didn't have much experience, if any at all, with booze. He dealt with so many drunks on the job, he didn't mind.

"Here we go!" Beth said with excitement.

Ryan Seacrest started the countdown… "10….9….8..."

Rick wiped his hands on his jeans and stood close to Beth, just feet in front of the TV.

"4…3…2…"

Beth turned to Rick for the midnight kiss, but didn't see him until her eyes dropped down to the floor.

Rick had her hand in his, and said, "Beth, my life is so much better since I met you. You have been a ray of sunshine in my life, and I don't want to picture a day without you. Will you marry me?"

She was stunned, and couldn't speak for a moment. Tears started to fall out of her eyes, and she heard herself scream "yes!"

Rick smiled, and they kissed as he slid the heart shaped diamond ring onto her finger.

"I love you, Beth"

"I love you too!"

They kissed some more, and then he took her hand and ran to the bedroom.