The Affair

Looking for love in the wrong place.

---

 

“I thought I’d find you here.”

I looked up from where I was sitting to see Daniel approach. I smiled at him and said, “Hey, Daniel.” I turned back to staring out the dust smeared windows at the trees in the distance. Ever since we were just kids, Daniel and I would come to this old, small abandoned pump house at the edge of the park whenever we needed to be alone, or just think or plan our schemes for global domination. Normally I’d be happy to see Daniel.

Daniel smiled back as he leaned up against me as I sat on the edge of an old, rickety table. He looked out the window with me and said, “You know, Alyssa, it probably isn’t really as safe in here as we thought when we were kids.”

I shrugged. “It’s as safe as any. Nobody comes here.”

Daniel gently poked me in the arm with his elbow and said, “So, given any thought about my suggestion?”

I sighed and looked down at my feet. I said, “Danny, you’re a great guy. We’ve known each other since before the first grade. But you don’t want me. You need someone who’s not doing this part time.”

Daniel snorted a laugh and ran his fingers through my long hair. I was always getting ribbed at work over my hair that hung down to the middle of my back. Daniel said, “Then go full time. Move in with me. We always have a good time together.”

He frowned slightly when he saw my pained expression. I like Daniel. Not only are we close friends; we’ve been intimate on occasion. In fact, I lost my virginity, in a manner of speaking to him. That’s what makes this so hard on so many levels. I’ve been on hormones a few months. Not that anyone can really tell yet. I still go to work and present myself to the world as a guy named Ralph Stein. I’d like to actually move towards transition, but I lack the funds. Which brings up the next difficulty.

I do love Danny in a way. He only takes me out when I’m being Alyssa. He’s not interested in my boy parts and completely accepts me as female. He has ever since he caught me wearing my mother’s clothes in the backyard one summer morning when we were around six or seven years old.

“I can’t go full time, Danny,” I said quietly. “I’d lose my job. My parents would dis-own me. I’m just not ready.”

Touching my cheek, Daniel said, “I’ll take care of you. You won’t need a job right now. You’re parents will come around. Your dad even likes me!”

I laughed and said, “Dad would kill you if he knew I had sex with you; more than once. Probably kill me too.”

Taking my hand, Daniel said, “I love you, Alyssa. I can’t imagine being with anyone else.”

I squeezed Danny’s hand as I slid from the table to stand on the floor. Looking up at him as he’s a head taller than me, I said, “Oh, I love you too, Danny. That’s why I’m telling you no. You deserve a complete girl. One that can give you the family you’ve always said you wanted. I mean, you’re not even twenty-one yet.”

Putting his hands on my shoulders, Daniel said, “You are a complete girl to me. You’re perfect. And after we’re married, we can always adopt.”

I bit my lower lip and turned away from him. With tears starting to well up in my eyes, I said, “I just can’t do that. I’m not ready.” Our relationship has been up and down and lately I’ve talked to him once or twice a month. We haven’t dated in months.

I couldn’t bring myself to tell him that I was seeing an older man. Sam is a salesman of some kind that comes to town two or three times a week. He knows I’m transgendered. In fact that seems to appeal to him. I met him at a McDonald’s of all places. We’ve been dating for a little over two months. I let that sink in a moment. I’m not only dating a man, but he’s an older man probably around fifty.

I really wasn’t looking to date anyone. We started talking and I was feeling a bit sorry for myself at the time. I told him how I was having trouble making ends meet and there was no way I could save up for the re-assignment surgery. He said he’d like to help. We kissed and then he took me to his hotel room where I gave him oral sex. Afterwards, he handed me three one hundred dollar bills. I told him I wasn’t a prostitute. He said it was to help me out. He seemed very sincere so I took it. Now, every time we meet, he takes me to dinner and maybe a movie and after we have sex he gives me a gift, like money, or a necklace or a pair of beautiful diamond earrings. So I guess he’s my sugar daddy.

I don’t know how I feel about him. I love him, but I can’t say I’m in love. I can tell he loves me. But the last time we were together, he said some things are changing in his job and that he might not be coming around anymore. He seemed genuinely sad about it. That’s when he gave me the earrings.

I was going to be meeting him today. That’s why I was at my secret place to do some soul searching and it really didn’t help for Daniel to come around. With him standing there looking at me, it made me feel like I was cheating on him, even though we weren’t dating steady.

I smiled weakly at Danny and kissed him on the cheek. I said, “I need to go.” I looked up at him with sad eyes and said, “Take care of yourself.”

Danny took my hands and bent down and kissed my forehead. He said, “Always. And you too. But sheesh. Don’t make it sound so final!”

I picked up my purse and slung the strap over my shoulder. I started for the door, turned and gave Danny a little wave. I then quickly left the old pump house.

 

*          *          *
 

I smiled feeling safe and secure nuzzled up against Sam as we walked down the street towards his hotel. He was taller than Daniel and so much more muscular. We had just finished a wonderful dinner at a little Italian restaurant I never knew about. That’s what was so amazing about Sam. He didn’t even live in this town, and yet he knew all these great places to go.

I nuzzled closer to him and said, “Do you really have to go, Sam? I’m going to feel lost without you.”

Sam smiled and ruffled my hair. “I wish I didn’t have to, honey. You’re very special to me. But you weren’t lost before we got together, so you’ll be fine.”

Just as we reached the entrance to Sam’s hotel, I said, “Take me with you! I’m getting tired of this town. There’s nothing to do here.”

Smiling again and taking my hand, Sam said, “Let’s talk about this in my room.” He led me by the hand through the hotel lobby and into the elevator. We rode up silently in the elevator.

After he unlocked and opened his room door, I hurried in, kicked off my shoes and plopped down on the bed. Cradling my head with both hands while lying on the bed, I grinned up at Sam and said, “So, take me with you! That way the good times don’t have to stop. My parents don’t care about me. They especially won’t care about me anymore when they find out I have a boyfriend.”

Sam smiled at me as he sat down on the bed next to me and started stroking my long hair. He said, “It’s very tempting, Alyssa. You’re a very sweet girl. You’re smart. You have a big heart. You’re funny and my God you’re so beautiful. Any man would be proud to call you his. But while I’ve enjoyed our time together, let’s face some realities. I’m over twice your age. You don’t want to be tied down to an old fart like me.”

Interrupting him, I said, “I won’t mind pushing your wheelchair.”

Laughing, Sam continued, “It’s more than that, honey. I’m on the road a lot. And I can’t take you with me on trips. We’d probably actually see less of each other than we do now.” He raised his hand as I started to speak. He said, “Don’t protest this. I can’t change it. Next week will be my last time here. Let’s make the best of that time.”

Frowning, I nodded. I said, “I understand. I just hate to give you up. You’ve been so wonderful to me.”

“Alyssa, you’ve made me very happy these past few months,” he said as he continued to stroke my hair. “I’m going to miss you a lot.”

I smiled at him as I sat up next to him on the bed. I put an arm around his neck and ran a finger down the bridge of his nose to his lips. He kissed my finger tip. Smiling bigger, I leaned in towards him and kissed him. He pulled my t-shirt off and unsnapped my bra sadly revealing a still boy-ish chest. He leaned me back onto the bed, thumbed one of my nipples and kissed me deeply.

 

*          *          *
 

“Hey guys!” I said to the group sitting by the window in a small café. “Sorry I’m late!” The group was composed of several of us from the same counselor. We try to meet for dinner and conversation every Wednesday evening. The number in attendance varies from week to week. Today there was Judy and Marie, two who had finally started their real life test. The tall and elegant Lori who had completed her transition a few months ago, but hung around to be a mentor. Candy who was a crossdresser was at the table as well as Brandy who, like me, had a stalled transition.

Lori smiled at me as I pulled a chair away from the table and sat down. She said, “Better late than never. We haven’t ordered yet, so no worries.”

Marie said, “Not out with your boyfriend?”

I grinned and said, “I saw him last night. And then on his return trip from visiting his sick mother, I’ll see him tomorrow.”

Marie said, “Must be nice. I wish I had a boyfriend.”

Judy said, “Not me. I was born a lesbian.”

Candy said, “Did I miss something? You mean you’re dating someone? A man?” She took a sip of iced tea.

Laughing, I tossed a sweetener package at her and said, “Well, maybe if you showed up once in a while…yes, I’m seeing a guy.”

Brandy frowned and said, “An older guy. Too old if you ask me. You have that sweet boy, who I have met who likes you…a Denny…”

“Daniel,” I said.

“Yeah, him,” said Brandy.

Shrugging, I said, “I like Danny. Like you said, he’s sweet. But he’s a boy. Sam…well, Sam’s a man. He knows his way around women and he fully understands how I want to be treated.”

Lori said, “You still need to be careful. Didn’t you say he was paying you for sex?”

I shook my head and said, “He gives me gifts. It’s not like I’m a prostitute or something.”

Eyes widening, Candy said, “You’re having sex with him? Wow.”

Marie said, “Do you have a picture of this stud-muffin? And how did you meet this guy again?”

Frowning, I said, “No. No picture. He won’t let me take one. I met him in McDonald’s of all places. I was short on cash after I had ordered. He was behind me. He offered to pay for my meal. We started chatting. He told me he was in sales, and that he had to travel once or twice week to visit his old sick mother. Next thing I knew I was in his hotel bed. We’ve been meeting a couple of times a week ever since.”

Incredulous, Candy said, “You just jumped in his bed like some floosie?”

I shook my head and said, “Not like that at all. We just clicked. I never felt so at ease with a man before.”

Marie said, “You’ve slept with other men?”

Annoyed, I said, “Let’s not get too personal, ladies. But yes, I have.”

Lori said, “I can see that. You are very pretty. Nobody here is judging you, Alyssa.”

Marie laughed and said, “I’m more jealous than anything.”

Feeling embarrassed, I said, “Hey. It’s not like I sleep with every guy I meet.”

Laughing, Judy said, “Yeah. You have to take a break sometime!”

Frowning, I said, “That’s not funny. You guys are getting the wrong idea…” Something caught my eye on one of the several TV screens in the café. I felt a cold shaft run down my spine.

I pointed at the TV and said, “Oh my God. Oh my God, it’s him!”

Turning to look at the TV, Candy said, “Who?”

“Sam! It’s my Sam!” I said a bit too loudly.

Lori squinted at the TV and said, “You’re dating Senator Lou Marshal? I thought you said his name was Sam?”

Sinking back into my chair and feeling betrayed, I said, “That’s what he told me. Oh my God! He said tomorrow would be our last time together and up there it says he’s going to Iowa next week to announce his bid for the presidency. Holy shit!”

Judy said, “Who is that woman and the three kids with him?”

Lori said, “Looks like he has a wife, two teen daughters and a son.”

Becoming a bundle of emotions, I said, “Oh my God!”

Everyone at the table turned to look at me. I said, “I’m having an affair with a married man! He has a wife…kids. Oh my God! I’m the other woman! And he’s a senator of all things…”

Lori touched my hand and said, “I’m so sorry, honey. That’s a brutal way to find out.”

Tears rolled down my cheeks as I started to cry. “Oh my God!”

 

*          *          *
 

“When were you going to tell me?” I said, really pissed off. He caught my arm as I swung my hand to try to slap him. I confronted him in his hotel room instead of going out to dinner as originally planned. I still wore the short, tight pink dress, three inch pumps and large hoop earrings I was had planned to wear for our date. I didn’t want him to think anything was up when I came to his door.

He held both my hands so I couldn’t hit him. He said, “Well, never babe. This was to be our last night together and then we’d go our separate ways. There was no need for you to ever know.”

“You lied to me, you asshole!” I shouted, struggling to pull my hands away from his grasp. “You have a wife! And three kids, for God’s sake. You lied!” I started to cry.

Sam…or I guess Lou laughed and said, “I didn’t lie. Sam is my first name, but I usually go by my middle name. I never said I wasn’t married. It’s not my fault what you assumed, sugar.”

Still struggling to free my hands, I said, “You asshole! You were so nice! And all the time you were hiding this from me!”

With a firm grip on my hands so I couldn’t hit him, Sam or Lou or whoever the hell he was said, “Calm down honey. Look, we both got what we wanted from this relationship. I got to spend time with a sweet, gorgeous young woman who I don’t have to worry about becoming pregnant. And you got to experience being with a man instead of those boys you’ve been dating. You knew it wasn’t going to last anyway. I told you right up front it wasn’t going to last.”

Giving my hands another tug to free them, I said, “You could have told me. I feel so used now.”

Sam laughed and said, “Told you what? That I was a married senator with a family? Would you have accepted my offer to fuck you if you had known that? Look. My wife has grown cold lately. I’m traveling alone and I’m feeling lonely. And then I meet you. I find you fascinating. You’re a beautiful young woman, but you’re not really, are you? Not in the truest sense of the word. You were looking for validation, right? That you’re the woman you feel you are. You found that with me. I’m not interested in guys. If I was, there’s a gay bar right next to the hotel.”

“You’re right,” I said as tears rolled down my cheeks. “I wouldn’t have accepted knowing you were married. I don’t want to be your, or anyone else’s mistress. I thought that finally, I had met a man who accepted me, loved me for who I was. The two other men I’ve been with just wanted to live out their gay fantasies with someone who at least looked female to them so they wouldn’t feel gay while sucking my cock. But with you, I thought here was a man who saw me only as a woman. You acted like I didn’t even have a penis and I loved that. But now I just feel cheap. Dirty. Like I’m just a whore.”

Sam’s expression changed to one of concern. He said, “You’re not a whore. Far from it. You’re the sweetest girl I’ve ever met. You accepted me without conditions. Being with you the past couple of months is the first time I’ve been happy in a very long time.”

“But it was all a lie!” I cried.

He let go of my hands and said, “Was our first kiss a lie? Was each time we made love a lie? Look, I gave you want you wanted and you gave me what I wanted. What more could you ask for? I told you up front this couldn’t be a long term deal.”

I just stood there crying silently for a few moments. My emotions were in a whorl. Was I really just looking for validation of who I was? I knew it wasn’t permanent, but I was falling in love with him anyway. But to him I was just a way to kill the boredom?

Before he could react, I slapped him hard across the face. It hurt my hand, but felt good emotionally. I was so angry I shook as I said, “You deserve that.”

He put his hand to his face where my palm had struck him. He nodded slowly and said, “Yes. I deserve that.”

I sat down on the edge of his bed and started crying harder than I’ve cried in a long time. How could I be so stupid as to let him draw me in like that? He was right. I was getting what I thought I wanted. I was looking for a man. Someone with a lot of experience with women who would see me only as a woman. Hell, I pretty much told him that during our first conversation at McDonald’s when I told him I was transgendered when he first came on to me. I see now he just took advantage of that to get a quick fuck. I feel like an idiot.

Sam sat down next to me. He tried to touch my hair, but I pushed his hand away. He seemed taken aback by that.

Sam frowned and said, “Well, this isn’t the evening I hoped it would be. I do love you, Alyssa…”

Interrupting, I shouted, “Stop it! Just stop it.”

He looked down at the floor with a very sad expression. I couldn’t tell if it was genuine grief or not. He suddenly looked older. And tired. He got up and walked over to a brief case that was lying on the hotel dresser. He opened it and removed an overstuffed envelope. He sat back down on the bed and held the envelope out to me.

“Take this,” He said, trying to put the envelope in my hands.

I knocked the envelope out of his hand and shouted, “I’m not your fucking whore! That’s what all the gifts you gave me were, right? Just paying your whore.”

He picked the envelope from the floor and said with a sad voice, “You’re wrong. You are anything but a whore. Those were genuine gifts to help you. You’d never be able to afford those earrings. And when you said you didn’t have enough to make your car payment this month, I wanted to help with that. Hate me now if you want, but I really do care what happens to you. Please. Take this last gift.” He held the envelope out for me again.

I said, “No. I’m just going to leave. I’m sorry I ever met you.” I started to stand.

He pushed the envelope toward me and said, “It’s ten thousand dollars. I want to help pay for your surgery. You deserve it.”

I sat back down on the bed and stared at the envelope. It would take me years to save up that much money. I bit my lower lip as I just stared at the envelope. My dream might actually come true.

I said, “I…I…Do you think you can just toss money at me so I won’t hate you for what you’ve done? I don’t want your dirty money. I’m not a whore.”

Frowning, Sam said, “I’ve never thought of you that way. Ever. You deserve to have the body to match who you really are. Take the money, Alyssa. It’s a gift, not a payment.”

I bit my lip again as I stared at the envelope. It’s ten grand! How can I walk away from that? I should just storm out of the room right now and not look back. He lied to me. He used me to cheat on his wife. And now those gifts do look like payments for sex. But ten thousand dollars! That would bring the surgery within reach at least. A realistic goal. I started to hold my hand out.

What am I doing? Taking this just makes me a high-end prostitute. He’s just paying me off. It’s hush money. He probably stole it. I’d feel like I was selling my soul…

Fuck it. It’s ten thousand dollars and I’d be crazy to walk away from it. I said, “Thanks, but I don’t want to ever see you again.” I took the envelope from his hand.

At the moment I took possession of the envelope, the hotel room’s door suddenly burst open, slamming against the wall and several men rushed in with guns drawn. The one in the lead shouted, “FBI!”

 

*          *          *
 

We both jumped to our feet, shocked. A cold shock flushed through my body as I saw several men rush towards us with guns. They shouted contradictory orders, “Don’t move! Turn around!”

The men gruffly jerked Sam’s hands behind his back and slapped handcuffs on him. Sam looked over at me and said, “I’m sorry, Alyssa.”

One of the FBI agents shouted, “Shut up! Just couldn’t stay away from your little whore, eh? You’re under arrest for misappropriating tax money for interstate gambling and prostitution.”

One agent picked up the envelope from where I’d dropped it on the floor when they had come crashing into the room. He looked inside and made a low whistle. He turned towards me and said, “You must be really good, honey.”

Another agent said to me, “You too miss. Turn around.”

I hesitated so he spun me around and pulled my arms behind my back. I felt the cold steel of handcuffs being placed on my wrists. He was a little more gentle with me than the other guy was with Sam.

“What’s going on!?” I cried. “Why are we being arrested?”

He said, “Your John there was crossing state lines to gamble with money he’d siphon off from funding for government projects. Did he tell you about his old sick mother? That was the name of the horse he was gambling on.”

I tugged uselessly against the handcuffs and said, “I’m not a prostitute!”

The agent holding the envelope of money looked me up and down and said, “I guess you were on your way to church?”

“I didn’t know who he was until now!” I cried. “I thought he was my boyfriend!”

The agent holding Sam laughed and said, “Yeah. And I’m his mother. You can tell your story later. Let’s go.” He shoved Sam towards the door.

The man holding me said, “Come on, miss. Let’s go.” He then led me towards the door.

 

*          *          *
 

The alarm woke me up. I was amazed that I had actually managed to fall asleep. What a horrible experience! Spending a night in jail…the men’s jail after they looked at my driver’s license. I was at least separated from the other prisoners.

Sam and I both were perp walked in front of the press as we were taken from the police cars. Reporters taking pictures, and a news crew filming. It was horribly embarrassing. And then the questioning! I was crying my eyes out the whole time. They asked me about the money Sam had given me. I told them I’d spent it which was true. I didn’t mention the earrings he’d given me. It seems Sam had been stealing public funds to feed his gambling addiction. His wife was on the verge of leaving him until he announced he was going to announce that he was going to run for president.

After endless hours of interrogation, the FBI decided I was just a victim in all this and they weren’t interested in pursuing prostitution charges anyway. The FBI handed me over to local authorities who also decided I was a victim and wasn’t soliciting for prostitution. But I spent a night in the local jail anyway, but at least they put me in a cell in the women’s section.

I was finger printed, humiliated and treated like a criminal while they threatened and questioned me. No one apologized to me when I was finally released. It was the worst weekend of my life.

And then there was the call to my parents to come pick me up at the police station. They had watched the news where I was led into the FBI offices in handcuffs, wearing my very short dress and heels with the words “Un-named prostitute” overlaid on the screen. Dad was furious. He claimed I had brought shame and disgrace on him and his whole family. He disowned me on the spot and after dropping me off at my apartment said he never wanted to see me again. Mom just cried and asked how I could to this to her. I tried to tell them the truth, but they wouldn’t listen.

And then there was the barrage of phone calls from the media. They wanted interviews about the difficult life teenage prostitutes face and they wouldn’t listen when I said I was neither. Others demanded to know if I took down a senator for political reasons and wouldn’t believe me when I told them I didn’t know he was in government. Feminists yelling at me for harming their cause. Transgender groups calling to yell at me for harming their cause. And let’s not forget the calls from men wanting to hire me. I unplugged my phone from the wall after calling to have it disconnected.

I turned the alarm off. Did I even want to go to work today? I decided I couldn’t afford to lose my job. Especially now. I sighed heavily and threw my legs over the side of the bed and just sat there, holding my head in my hands, my long hair covering my face, and started crying again.

I felt better after taking a shower. After drying my hair, I put it up in my normal pony tail and got dressed as Ralph. I really didn’t like my job, but now I longed for the normalcy of it. After walking quietly through the apartment’s parking lot to my car, I found that someone had spray-painted “Fag” on the door. I used my still unknown to the world cell phone to call a taxi. I cried on the way to work.

I walked into the office, relieved to be away from the world. My co-workers were grinning and laughing when I entered the room. Karen, who always seemed nice to me said, “Oh my God! He actually showed up for work! Can you believe it?” Everyone laughed.

Steve who I shared a cubicle with held up a tabloid paper with a picture of me in my short pink dress and heels and handcuffs being paraded to the FBI office along with Sam, with the words “Senator Lou Marshal arrested with shemale prostitute” blazing across the cover. Steve said, “Nice work, Ralphie. Lookin’ hot!” He gave me a thumbs up.

The boss’ secretary, Beth said, “You disgust me, you fucking pervert!” Several others nodded.

Bob from sales said, “I agree with Steve. You’re hot. What do you charge?” Everyone laughed.

Oh my God, I thought. There’s no escape! Why is this happening to me? I just stood there, frozen with emotions and cried.

James, the boss came storming out of his office at all the commotion. He shouted, “What is going on here? This isn’t a circus side-show. Get back to your jobs before I write all of you up for policy violations.” He turned to me and said, “Come to my office for a minute, Mr. Stein.” He then motioned that I follow him. I felt grateful that he put a stop, at least for now, of me being humiliated.

He shut his office door, pointed at the guest chair in front of his desk and said, “Have a seat.” He then walked around his desk and sat in his chair.

“Thank you for coming to my defense out there, sir” I said wiping a tear from under my eye.

Shaking his head and frowning, James said, “They should know better. But that’s partly why I called you into my office, Mr. Stein. This company has a high reputation to uphold with our clients. Publicity like this…” He held up a different tabloid that again showed me with Sam with our hands cuffed, the words “Senator’s career destroyed by high priced shemale prostitute. ‘He’s my boyfriend!’ cooed shemale hooker Ralph Stein to reporters.”

“For the love of God! I’m not a prostitute!” I yelled. “That’s all a lie! I’ll admit I’m transgendered. You already know that. But I’m not a prostitute!”

Looking like he wished he was anywhere else, James said, “It doesn’t matter what I think or what you think.” He rattled the tabloid newspaper in his hand. He continued, “It only matters what they think. I’ve already received two calls from clients this morning cancelling their accounts. Ones that you were handling. I’m sorry Ralph, but I’m going to have to let you go.”

“But…but…it’s not fair!” I shouted. “I didn’t do anything.”

Folding his hands in front of him on his desk, James said, “I’m sorry Ralph. I run a business, not a three ring circus. Clean out your desk.”

 

*          *          *
 

“I thought I’d find you here.”

I looked up from where I was sitting on the dirty floor of the park’s old abandoned pump house to look at Daniel standing beside me. “Hey, Daniel. Come to yell at me too?”

Danny sat down next to me and said, “Nooo. Why would I yell at you?” He took my hand. I didn’t pull it away.

Looking at the dirt and debris strewn floor I said, “You don’t hate me? You’re not embarrassed by me? Are you sure you want to be seen being with a shemale prostitute?”

Daniel said, “I don’t see one here. All I see is an old friend. A very beautiful old friend, who is wearing the wrong clothes, I might add.” I had come here straight from work.

Not bothering to stop them, several tears rolled down my cheek. I turned to face Daniel and said, “You’re not angry? You don’t want to yell at me? Danny, I cheated on you. With a man twice my age, who was cheating on his wife with me. How can you stand to be near me?”

Daniel brushed the hair from my eyes and wiped one of my tears with his finger. He said in a hushed tone, “Alyssa. You didn’t cheat. We didn’t have any kind of steady relationship. I can’t blame another man for being interested in you. I’m sure there are many. You’re fun. You’re smart. Your smile brightens up any room. And you’re beautiful.”

I laughed a short embarrassed laugh. I looked back at the floor for a moment. I looked back at Daniel and with more tears welling up in my eyes, I said, “I’m so sorry Danny. Why are you so nice to me? You’re always there for me and I’ve pushed you away. I…I…”

Daniel put his finger against my lips and smiled at me. He said, “I feel so blessed to have you in my life. No other girl brings me happiness like you. I feel so lucky to be with this girl named Alyssa.”

With his hand, he gently slid my hair from my face, leaned in and kissed me deeply. I think I found the man I was looking for…

 

*          *          *
 

The end