I found some story fragments written a long time ago. They seem to fit together rather well. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ After spending a pleasant evening together he had stopped off at her place before going home. They had been dating for several months and had grown close, a closeness that was more than just a friendship. He kissed her and said goodnight but she stopped him at the door and hugged him tightly. “What’s the deal?” he asked. “Not that I’m complaining, you understand.” “Jimmy, I…there’s something I want to tell you.” “Well, what is it? C’mon fuzzy, spill it.” He rubbed the top of her head. “It’s just…I think we’re really good together and I don’t want to screw it up.” “C’mon, c’mon, out with it wench.” She paused and took a breath. “I love you, Jimmy.” “What?” She looked up at him and smiled, “I really love you.” He stiffened and pulled away. She was surprised. “What is it babe?” What’s the matter?” He spoke slowly and with increasing difficulty. “Don’t…don’t do that!” “Do what? What is it?” She was becoming alarmed. He was fighting hard to keep his emotions under control and was losing badly. “My whole life…no one ever said that.” There were tears in his eyes. “I always thought, you know, how romantic it would be. This is really stupid. But just now, you really caught me by surprise.” He tried to laugh but his throat was still tight and it came out more as a cough. He leaned against the wall for support. She smiled and came to him. “Oh honey. Oh you poor dope, I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t mean it.” She drew his head down. He resisted but she won him over after a brief struggle. It was going to be one hell of a night. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ He had come home early from the office and found her in the half light of the shuttered bedroom. Their love had always been a gentle, quiet affair. He smiled at the irony, for here was his beloved wife in their bed with some dark haired stud, scratching, groaning and thrashing around like two animals in heat. He stood and watched for a while. Suddenly she opened her eyes and, seeing him standing in the doorway, let out a little cry of surprise and fear. He raised a finger to his lips, signifying silence, stepped back, and quietly closed the door. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “I’m afraid for you” she said. He turned and gave her a sidelong look. “Do I look suicidal?” he smiled. “I’m your big sister. It’s my job to worry about you.” “Well, don’t worry babe, guys like me never kill themselves.” His gaze drifted off as though he were thinking hard. “Every year we get a little sadder until we just…sort of…wither away.” He stared at her for a few moments but his eyes were focused on his private thoughts. Then he shook himself and turned away.