Brickrose

The True Love Story of Charito & Lutz Ostwald

Charito's awake dream was surreal. The night was magical, and the music was romantic. The Vienna Waltz, Blue Danube, was captivating. It was almost thirty years ago, but in her heart and mind, it was only yesterday. Villa Colombo: September 16, 1990. She was visiting her best friend, Lyza, in Toronto, Canada. As she was getting ready for a ballroom dance with her friends, Susan and George, she slipped into a beautiful milky two-piece dress suit bought in Saudi Arabia and wondered, Will I ever meet Mr. Right? She accentuated the dress suit with an oversized royal-blue silk ribbon. She made French braids in her hair and accessorized it with a matching royal-blue Swarovski crystal silk ribbon. Her makeup was just right.

The friends made their way to the dance. Lost at first, they finally found Villa Colombo at ten o'clock that chilly night. The ballroom was elegant, with glistening chandeliers and high ceilings. Charito gazed at hundreds of couples dressed to the nines, dancing the Vienna Waltz. Susan, George and she were seated close to the main entrance of the ballroom. A man looked dapper and crisp, sitting across the room. He had a clear view of where she was seated. Lutz, the man who would become her husband after ten short days, walked towards Charito's table and introduced himself. Her Prince Charming had arrived, and she felt like Cinderella. All her dreams came true in that instant. A man meeting a woman in a different

country, in a passionate circumstance, was a whirlwind. Two different worlds with different values collided, an enigma that can only be described as destiny.

After that memorable night, a love story began. An everlasting, endless love was formed. Was it fate? Was it a coincidence? Is it pure love? It is timeless, though? Is it forever? And the reality was unthinkable, as with death comes a separation of life. It's a real, true-to-life story that describes a love so unique it has a word of its own to describe it: Brickrose.