Swav.

You might meet this fetching couple anywhere. Boy, did they have a tale to tell. The male significant other was Swav. He was around that age, cool, well built, tall, a handsome man. His female other half was Donna, just as tall, wavy red hair, emerald flashing eyes, creamy skin, athletic.

These days, they were a devoted Christian couple, parents of three good looking sons, all enrolled in Sunday school. You might never believe this couple survived a very rocky start of their relationship. Opposites do attract, or so it seems.

Donna and Swav met by chance, on a drunken night club dance floor. Donna went there, all frocked up, for her girlfriend's hen night. Her love life up till then was nothing to write home about. Her career and height turned off a lot of potential suitors.

She was definitely not used to drinking, so her well-meaning friends got her a bit merry, daring Donna to keep up with her pals, and grab the best looking man there. She was going home with a wedding ring!

Donna did have secret yearnings for a happy marriage, and to fill up a nursery. Normally, she did not wish to appear that desperate. She did not know how to give up on her dreams. She was nearly 33 years old. It was, after all, a Valentine's Day celebration of her girlfriend's love and approaching nuptials. Would Cupid ever strike a tall rooster for Donna?

Swav was sitting casually at the bar, at that mellow stage of his nightly drinking. The music was good, the babes were looking pretty, his drinks were going down nicely. At some stage, a beautiful red head, displaying her charms in a short frock, asked him to dance.

It was magic, if you believe in the thunderbolt, instant attraction. Swav went along for the ride, when Donna's friends told him of their plan. They told him that Donna had a pad of her own, and a great job as a civil servant. The pals had even supplied a wedding ring, and arranged a late date with the wedding celebrant in town. Romance was in the air that night!

Donna woke up the next morning, fully believing in Kismet. Her new husband God had sent her was still slumbering. She still had to get to work, until she could take some leave for her honeymoon. She paused, studying her new husband. He was a bit older, nice and mature, very handsome, but liked his booze. That could be overcome. Donna believed she could handle this.

Swav peered through his normal hangover, not quite believing his eyes. After the best night of love he had ever experienced, he gazed in horror. He had not realized what being a civil servant meant. His beautiful new bride was getting dressed for work. First, she put on her underwear, then she put on a policewoman's shirt, a policewoman's trousers, a policewoman's doughty shoes, her uniform hat, and policewoman's weapon belt, complete with a baton and gun.

Was Cupid stupid? Swav could not believe this, as Donna stood at her dresser, and lit a candle. She blessed herself, and prayed at a little altar. This could be Swav's worst phobic nightmare, a Christian policewoman! Donna came over and kissed dear Swav before she headed off to work. Swav was blindsided by the fickle roll of the dice that had come his way.

Sure, Donna had a nice house. He checked her cabinets, no grog. He dressed, time for some getaway plans. He still had his car keys, wallet and phone, so he summoned a taxi to take him to his car. Story of Swav's life, do a runner, until the next bottle shop appeared.

He nipped in and supplied himself with a little medicinal stash, and sat in his car, thinking, "Yeah, just disappear." So he took off down the highway to hell, still shaking his head over that near disaster.

Of all the police cars in that large town they lived in, it had to be the highway patrol car driven by Donna! She pulled him over, all sirens ablaze. Astounded, she leaned into his car, saying, " How much have you had to drink?" She took his car keys, and said, "You're not driving anywhere until you sober up. You're coming home with me for our honeymoon." One determined chick!

Swav attempted a weak grin. "Lucky you're my wife." "Don't get too smart with me, I am the law." He gulped. Donna blessed herself, and drove Swav back to hers, for a renewed night of the best loving Swav had ever experienced.

Donna woke up and said more prayers. God had sent her a cross to bear. Swav was not game to tell her how his disastrous first marriage had ended. The bottle had done him wrong. Personally, Swav had not said a single prayer since he was expelled as a junior altar boy for drinking the communion wine. Stupid Cupid.

Donna enrolled Swav in a support group with a psychologist for alcohol dependents, and drove him to his first session. Guess you might say they were both on a ride of enlightenment, a big battle ahead. Donna was a devoted wife, as well as a tiger in bed.

Swav went along for this peer group trip, he could kick his habits. He was a bit scared by the police anyway. But his peer group at the Temperance Hall were grand companions. After their counselling sessions, they were soon all sitting around with a coffee. They told Swav where the specials were in the bottle shops, and how to stash the grog away from the spies at home.

Donna did not consider this alcohol concealing habit was quite so hilarious. She was soon checking Swav's sock and jock drawer, to locate his hidden bottles. It was quite expensive, pouring all that good grog down the sink, but she was still dreaming of all the cute babies the stork was going to supply.

"We all have a cross to bear!" she advised Swav. "You can sober up. Why don't you come to Karate with me tomorrow? Sweat it all out." Donna believed in a healthy mind in a healthy body. Swav was surprised the next day at the gym. Donna was better at Karate than he was. He noticed the way all the gym junkie boys were eyeing off his wife. He put his arm around her to stake his claim on this pearl of a girl.

We all have our dreams, I suppose. For true love, Donna dreamed of a sober husband, and having his babies to raise in faith. Swav went along for the ride. He found himself some years later, an owner of a Karate college, managed with his wife, standing shoulder to shoulder by his side.

He still had the best love life in the land. He had somehow fought his demons. He found himself taking his three sons to Sunday school. He was fit and healthy, ripped, so fit, still a handsome man. Cupid was not so stupid after all.

So Swav sat down at the back of his local church, in silence. He did finally say his prayers. He thanked God for loving him each day, and twice as much tomorrow. His wife had arrived in his life, and made him the best person he could have hoped to become.

Donna had never given up believing in Swav, and their marriage. Swav still faced his dependency tendencies, but now believed in miracles. Yes, anyone can have a cross to bear. Your faith will set you free.....