Send me red roses - Love knows no boundaries

Anastasia Cunningham, Senior Gleaner Writer

Neva Greensword is hoping to get roses today for her 12th wedding anniversary, which also happens to be Valentine's Day.

She is crossing her fingers and praying that she does. Even two would suffice.

"What? Never again! Never, ever again!" declared her husband Delroy in side-bursting laughter.

"And it's not me, she started it."

He was rolling over in laughter at the thought.

"Do you know what she did? Can you believe what she did!" he exclaimed to The Gleaner on the eve of their anniversary.

"On our sixth anniversary, I sent her a whole bunch of roses, about two dozen. It was so beautiful. I felt so good about it. Can you imagine how surprised I was when she got it and called saying, 'Why you do this? How much it cost, Delroy?' When I tell her, she say 'Why you spend so much money, why you go buy so much expensive roses?' I said it's not your money. She said 'You should've give me the money, you know what I could do with it'?"

He was dying with laughter remembering that unforgettable day.

"I said all right, is OK, never again! Never, ever again. Can you imagine? The roses looked so beautiful. Although she say sorry, I will never do it again. All when she take home the roses she start quarrel yuh nuh. Me say, she coulda plead and beg, never again!"

Delroy was laughing so much, it was hilarious.

"I don't know why I said that to him," Neva blushed. "I wish I didn't, I wish I could take it back. But it just came out. I was so surprised when I found out how much it cost and I was saying the roses would fade after a while so it would've been better if he gave me the money so I could buy some stuff."

She too was rolling with laughter.

"I said to him just the other day, not even two and he said 'no, never again'."

Something special

Despite his adamancy, Neva is confident when she goes home to their White River, Ocho Rios, St Ann home this weekend Delroy will have something special in store.

"Each anniversary I look forward to a new surprise, he's like that," smiled Neva.

"Yes, she can expect something special. But no roses. Never again!"

It was so hilariously romantic.

After 12 years Delroy, 49, and Neva, 53, still share such a beautiful bond it tugs at the heart. Even more heart-warming is their inspiring, remarkable love story.

Each year they celebrate that day they made that vow to each other on Valentine's Day in 2000, on the anniversary of the company they have dedicated their lives to - GraceKennedy.

The two met some 20 years ago while on the job at GraceKennedy's Kingston office.

"I would walk past her desk every day when I go to the office and just stare at her but I never talked to her," said Delroy, who has been with the company for 32 years.

"I would see him all the time and just look at him," Neva stated, now 24 years in service to Grace.

Eventually the two became good friends but it wasn't until years later that the romantic sparks began to fly.

"Delroy was based in Ocho Rios and I was transferred to work down that side. I didn't have anywhere to stay so he offered that I could stay by his place. He was willing to give up a part of his home so I could have somewhere to stay," stated Neva.

They could no longer deny their attraction. One thing led to another and they soon tied the knot.

Their commitment to GraceKennedy, roles in the company and Grace's increasing expansion across Jamaica led them to spend quite a bit of their marriage apart, seeing each other mainly on weekends.

Neva is now a customer service supervisor based in Montego Bay, St James, while Delroy is a sales representative/supervisor based in Ocho Rios, St Ann.

"As a sales rep for the company, I spend a lot of time travelling the island, so even when Neva was in Ochi, I would spend three, four days on the road. Now that she is based in MoBay, she comes home on weekends," said Delroy.

"It has proven challenging, but we spend a lot of time talking on the phone and texting," said Neva.

When they get together they are inseparable. Outside of worshipping each Sunday morning at Christ Temple Evangelical Worship Centre, where Delroy is a deacon and teacher, they spend time just relaxing at home enjoying each other's company or going out to dinner, the beach, various excursions, "or dancing", laughed Neva.

God-fearing Christians

Their commitment to the church, as strong, God-fearing Christians, has kept them grounded.

"Whatever we do, we put God first and ask Him to guide us every step of the way," Neva said.

Although they have no children together, Neva is the mother of two boys, who Delroy has helped to raise. The children, Kurt, 30, and Karl, 28, live in the United States.

"After 12 years it's like nothing has changed. I still feel the same way about her," Delroy said of his soulmate.

"He is still the same man I married. I still feel as strong about him as I did all those years ago," Neva returned.

What she finds quite moving is the fact that so many persons look up to them as an inspiration.

"I feel really good knowing that we can be an example for others to follow," she stated with a smile.

In Delroy's own words, "We are forever committed and faithful to each other, God and GraceKennedy."

anastasia.cunningham@gleanerjm.com