It was a pretty windy day and it brought a tropical storm in. I was in a restaurant, overlooking the beach.  Through the restaurant's big windows I could see the palm trees swaying back and forth and it scared me a little.

In the background I could hear the local news station talking about the weather, and reporting some tsunamis throughout the coastline and reporting the number of possible deaths.

I became really worried because for some reason, Mr. Twinkie wasn't with me that day. He'd had other business to attend to and promised he'd meet me in the restaurant as soon as he could.

I sit there watching the storm get bigger and bigger until it was no longer a storm, it was the enemy. It was the reason my husband couldn't get to me any sooner. Roads were closed, traffic was backed up. Would Mr. Twinkie be able to get to me? I remember thinking the storm wouldn't be as scary if he was by my side. He always protects me.

Then it happened. The bus Mr. Twinkie was in was driving approaching us. My heart started beating and my breaths got deep with relief as I would finally be reunited with my love.

But then it happened! A big tsunami wave was coming. I could see it and so could everyone else in the restaurant. We all got up off our seats and ran to the window yelling and screaming for the bus to get out of harm's way. But there was no use. Even if they could hear us, they still didn't stand a chance. The water moved too fast.

I can still see all the people's faces through the bus windows. They have no idea what was about to happen. Oblivious to their imminent demise, I can see an old man and sweet old woman talking and laughing. I could see a little boy jumping up and down and his mom looking obviously irritated. But not for long.

The wave engulfed the bus and knocked it around like a toy in a bathtub. It rolled a few times then it disappeared under the powerfully humongous wave.

After it was all over we ran outside and into the water full of bodies and started looking for our loved ones. I can still picture the empty look on the unfortunate souls that didn't make it alive. All I could do is move them out of the way, frantically looking for the love of my live, hoping he didn't have the same outcome as them.

I searched for hours, days even. I cried and cried and cried like I have NEVER cried before. I couldn't believe it. How do you process losing your soul mate and not even having a body to grieve? I lost all energy and hope and even at times I thought of jumping in the water myself and not ever floating back up.

Flash forward a bit and I'm back at the same restaurant but now the restaurant is on the second story of a large ferry. A handsome man is walking towards me and he has a huge grin on his face. It's Mr. Twinkie. I cried of joy. But only for a little bit.

He shows up to tell me that not only did he survive the tsunami, but that he was on the bus with his lover. She was the business he had to handle. She was the reason he wasn't with me at the restaurant that day.

She remains faceless. She doesn't matter.

He came back to tell me that he is alive. But wants a divorce.

"NO!" I tell him. "This can't be happening. I love you. You love me. We're supposed to be together for life!"

We talk for a bit, then he leaves.

Now, I'm playing a slot machine in the casino (which is on the first level of the ferry when I notice people running around me screaming that the ferry is sinking and we have to put our life jackets on and run outside and jump off.

Mr. Twinkie runs towards me and says, "OK I will get back together with you. But first, you have to go to confession. Then you have to recite the rosary with us."

"The what?" I ask confused wondering what this has to do with our marriage.

"If you do this, if you trust me, not only will you save our marriage. You will also save our lives. Right now we need to all say the rosary at the top of our lungs and call out to God to save us from the sinking ferry. Do you trust me?" he asks.

Not fully convinced that this is the way to save ourselves as I watch everyone else doing the logical thing and running for their life jackets and swimming away from the danger, I choose to show my husband a token of my faith in him. Faith that he will protect me as usual.

I sit with him and several other people and start reciting the rosary. Which incidentally, I don't know the words to because I'm not Catholic.

So there I am, scared as hell, fumbling through the words when my best friend Dee comes up to me and calmly asks, "Hey Norms! What's up? What are you guys doing after this?"

Hu? Is she completely oblivious to the chaos around her? Yes, as a matter of fact, she is.

After I quickly whisper to her everything that's happened and why I need to prove my love and faith to Mr. Twinkie and sit there and recite a prayer I know nothing about she calmly says, "This is not the answer, Norma! God says you have to help yourself. Sitting here reciting the rosary and not doing anything to save yourself is not going to solve anything, except for that you guys are going to die. And everyone else who was did something about it is going to survive."

And just like that, she walks off.

Then I woke up.