'I love you, Bob.' 'I love you, too, Nancy.' It was 2 a.m．and I was hearing my parents' voices through the thin wall separating my bedroom from theirs．Their loving words were sweet, touching— and surprising.
My parents married on September 14,1940, alter a brief dating．She was nearly 30 and knew it was time to 'start a family．The handsome, well-educated man wh0 came by the, office where she worked looked like a good bet．He was attracted by her figure, her blue eyes．The romance didn't last long.
Seeds of difference grew almost immediately．She liked to travel; he hated the thought．He loved golf; she did not．He was a Republican, she a loyal Democrat．They fought at the bridge table, at the dinner table, over money, over the perceived shortcomings of their respective in-laws.
There was a hope that they would change once they retired, and the angry winds did calm somewhat, but what remained changed itself into bright, hard bitterness．'I always thought we'd...' my mother would begin, before launching into a precise listing of my father's faults．The complaints were recited so often, I can repeat them by heart today．As he listened, my father would say angry threats and curses in a low voice.
It wasn't the happiest marriage, but as their 602 anniversary(纪念日)approached, my sister and I decided to throw a party．Sixty years was a long time, after alit why not try to make the best of things? We'd provide the cake, the balloons, the toasts, and they'd follow one rule: no fighting.
The agreement was honored．We had a wonderful day．When we thought back, we found it was an important celebration, because soon after, things began to change for my parents.
Bob married Nancy because of______.