“Do you…love me?” I asked him, my chesthurting.“That’s a silly question,” he said, stroking my cheek. “An unnecessary question. I’ve never made a secret of my feelings, Bianca. I know you’re a skeptic, but you must have realized that I fell for you right away.”

“Why do you love me?” I sigh at the question I’ve asked myself frequently over the years. With a quick peck to his lips, I tell him, “Because, in you, I found my heart.”

“Siva,” I said and my heart broke for this beautiful man. “You once told me that love is hard, painful, and anything but pleasant.” I laughed, “I feel that with you, Siva. I love you so much it hurts. I didn’t have that with Dev. I loved him, of course, but now… When I look back on our relationship I realize that we were more like best friends. He didn’t make my heart speed up like this,” I said and placed Siva’s hand over my heart. “He didn’t make my toes curl with a look, he didn’t make me love him and hate him at the same time, and he didn’t leave me breathless. I love you. I’m in love with you. You’re the one I want. You’re the one I choose. You are not second best, Siva, do you hear me? You’re not. Even if… even if Dev hadn’t died I still think we would’ve found each other. You’re my heart and my soul Siva. I fell for you Siva and I fell hard and I’m okay if I never get up.”

“I will never be through with you, ever. I don’t know what I have to do to get you to realize that you’re myeverything. I exist to love you, you’re my meaning of life, my reason to be, you were made for me and I was made to make you mine. What we haveis too important to me to just throw away because of a picture and an incorrect quote. But you have got to have some faith in me Layla. I wouldnever hurt you, you have to know that. I may get angry, lose my temper and storm away but I will always calm down and I will always come back. Icould never leave you behind. I’d be lost without you.”

“I am the kangaroo of love. Do you question it? You can take your skepticism and stuff it straight down my pouch.”

“When I'm ninety, I want you to tell me that it's my turn to ask you a question, and if that miracle happens, then my question is going to be, 'Do you still love me?' and I hope that answer will still be yes.”