Thirty-four years ago, I broke up with my boyfriend who I thought was the love of my life, we were good together but his dad did not like me too much and when my boyfriend turned eighteen, his dad gave him the choice or moving out of the house, or finish with me. Now he wanted to get married, and I did not want to do that so I chose to finish, I thought we were too young (I was twenty) to marry or live together just because his dad makes us do that. The time after the break up was awful My ex could not really let me go, and every time he met someone or did something with another girl, he would come to me and talk about it. I decided to go away, there was an advertisement in the paper, they searched a boy or girl to work at a travel office in Crete. I only wrote as an impulse on my feelings that day, but 3 days later the phone went, and someone said, did you want to work here than you should have been here yesterday! That was it I booked a flight from Brussels to Crete and of I went. Before that time I always had been in relationships, it was the first time I was that free, no parents watching, and no boyfriend taking care of me. It felt like I was on the loose... and I was! I think I really did all I never did, for the first time in Crete. I used to be very decent but I think I was not really an example of how a girl on her own had to behave. I do not regret any! After 2 years earning and working like a Greek, but spending it like a tourist, I got into a routine and found more balance. One of the other workers (Julian) where I was friends with told me that his friend from London would come over, and could I please also made him feel comfortable because he just finished his engagement and was still very sad and angry. I said yes when I see him he will be my friend too. I did not expect I was talking about the father of my kids then.
I sat on my balcony with a bottle of Balantines and a cut up watermelon, when I saw someone walk down the sandy path, and I never saw him before. I looked him up and down a bit, and thought looks nice, must be the friend of Julian. So when he walked under my balcony I stood up and asked with a loud voice, are you, Lee? He looked up and said yes, who are you and how you know who I am? I said come up have a drink with me and I tell you how I know. And so he did. At this point, I can cut a long story short, because this is the love of my life, but I will give some more details.
We talked a very long time at the balcony and we even cracked open the second bottle, we went to have dinner, you never eat on your own in Crete, everyone you know and walks by you will sit down and have his or her hands on the plates on the table, so we did go with two, but we ended up with ten :-) that night when I dropped him off with my car, and he kissed me on the cheek I said, we are used to give three kisses in our country, and he said you can have all kisses you ever want, until today I tell him just that, everytime I want to be kissed. :-) The week after was my 26th birthday (28 April), and of course I arranged a big dinner with my friends, and Lee belonged to them, that night we did about everything for the first time together. :-) Lee was on holiday and the story could finish there and we could have kept it as a holiday love, but we did not, we searched a job for Lee, and he sold his ticket and stayed with me. Directly sharing all I got and living together so quick in a small place was not that easy but we managed. I always used protection making love, and big was my surprise when I found out in June I was pregnant! I was so not ready to hear that! But I was and had to deal with it, my vision on life is everything has a meaning in life so this child was meant to be there, I said to Lee, if you want not to be a dad yet I do understand, we break off now, and see how it goes, you do not have to be a dad if you do not want to be, but I will keep this child. And he said I am in love with you, we are doing well and I will stay with you as long as it goes well. He even stayed with me for the moments it did not go that well! He even stayed when I wanted him to go :-) Very happy we got through all them times... It was not easy. I phoned up on mothers day 15 August to my mum, and told her she was going to be a grandmother, she was surprised, to say the least, she loved it as well. We see where it will bring us and what will happen, but this child is so welcome she said. We decided that our parents should meet, so we arranged they would come a week to Crete. My mum who took care of my Alzheimer dad, very young age he was 58 when it started, let my dad into a care home for the first time of her life, to come to us. Lee's parents would come a day after. The day my mum arrived, my brother phoned up that my dad fell ill and he had to be transported to the hospital. My mum being in a panic, I directly started looking for flights back, but because it was the last of the school season, I could not get her on any flight. And stricken by faith my dad died the next morning! So there we were waiting for Lee's parents at the airport, to tell them, sorry my dad died, and we will have to go back to Belgium. It sounds short and cold when I write it down, but please understand it was one of the most difficult times of my life. 3 months pregnant, a new boyfriend, and my dad died on so many kilometres away from me, and worse for my mum, who always cared for him! And I could not find us tickets to go home, not even one! He died on a Saturday, and I managed to arrange a flight from Athens on Tuesday morning we had to go by night boat and did not have a cabin. On deck, I managed everything got stolen, no passport, no money no nothing anymore, to make things more awkward. I honestly do not remember how I managed to get the flight anymore. Them times are all running stuck in my head. Back in Belgium Lee met my dad, on his last day on earth. It became clear to me that my first born ( 
Getting over my dad, but never forgetting him, having 2 children and a man who was taking care of me I felt like more settling. And we bought our first house. I said to Lee it is a shame we cannot bring the house in our tax post because it would give so many benefits, and he said well why you do not make that call and see if there still is a day possible before the end of the year? Most original do you want to marry me question ever!
We got married the 31 st of December 1994
the year 2019 we will party the night away on our 25th anniversary if we are allowed by life, and we still hope many years after!
