Alex and Lisa

Love is a strange and beautiful thing. With
love, one will lose his mind and find his heart.

The spring breezes flowed in from all directions, making it especially
hard to take in all the smells of the new season. This time of the
year, the benches of the park were unusually full. It was a difference
between spring and winter with which everyone could live. Alex
especially enjoyed the long walks he took to and from his school. A
junior in college, he walked this way twice a day. Sometimes, if the
weather permitted, he sat on the bench and ate his lunch, which, every
night before he went to sleep, he prepared and packed making sure to
give each food group its due. He would rather not eat in the dining
halls.
This particular spring day was different. He stepped outside to an
awakening world. Birds, flowers, leaves on trees, that which makes
spring what it is, these things now began to matter to him. Today, he
didn't know it, but he was so very susceptible to Cupid's golden arrow.
He walked down the cobblestone path that led to a large, elaborate
fountain that he enjoyed watching while he ate his well-planned lunch.
This day, as with any other day, he carefully chose his seat, unpacked
his lunch, and then decided what to eat first with the utmost
precision. Choosing to first eat his low-fat turkey, Swiss, and tomato
sandwich, he noticed a woman following the same cobblestone path which
he took day in and day out. Looking her up and down, he came to the
single conclusion that she was not like other women. She walked as
though she knew he was watching her every action, and he was.
He thought for a second, and he began to feel a fluttering in his
stomach. Never before had he felt this. He was beginning to think that
perhaps, just perhaps, he was falling in love. A very practical person,
he didn't believe in "love at first sight," but his attitude toward
that was to change.
Alex set his sandwich down on the bag in which it was carried, and he
stood, abandoning his lunch altogether, eventually making his way to
the bench where the most beautiful woman he had ever seen sat.
"Hi," he said. "I couldn't help noticing that you're eating alone.
Would you like some company?"
"I don't care," she replied, smiling politely, unsatisfied with her
fast-food lunch.
"You seem upset," Alex said, sitting down next to her. "Is there
anything I can do to help?"
"No, I don't think you can help me with this one."
"Well, I could try," he replied, doing his best to try to console the
woman with whom he had fallen in love.
"I'm just a little depressed; that's all."
"But, it's spring. Doesn't that make you a little happier?"
"You know, I never thought of it that way. It is spring, isn't
it?"
"Yeah, it's one of my favorite times of the year. I love to get out
for that first time after being caged inside all winter and most of the
autumn."
"Spring is a funny time, isn't it?" she said.
"Yes, it is," he said, losing himself in her glorious hazel-green
eyes. "It's the perfect time for blossoming love, don't you think?" he
inquired.
"Yeah, I kinda do," she responded, her slender lips bending ever so
slightly upwards to form a peculiar little smile. "My name's
Lisa."
"That's a very beautiful name. I'm Alex."
"It's very nice to meet you," she said, her smile growing more
prominent. "Um, isn't that your lunch over there?"
"Oh, yeah, it is. I'm not hungry anymore."
"I'll bet your girlfriend packed your lunch for you," she said,
batting her eyes a few times.
"No, I'm not involved with anyone right now. What about you, do you
have a boyfriend?" he inquired, hoping to get some slight, yet
immensely significant signal.
"No," she replied, caressing the back of her neck ever so softly, "we
broke up a few weeks ago."
"Oh, I'm sorry."
"Don't be."
"Well," he began, looking intently at his wristwatch, "I have to be in
class in ten minutes. I go to the university," he stated, motioning to
the large building behind him. "But, before I go, can I have your
number? Maybe I'll give you a call tonight?"
"Yeah, I'd like that." She pulled out a day-planner book and scribbled
furiously on a random page. "Here," she said, handing him the page she
had just ripped out of her book. "You said you went to the university.
What year?"
"Junior, second semester" he replied.
"Really? What department are you studying in?"
"English"
"I'm the new associate professor in the English department."
"Are you serious? I knew they were hiring someone, but I didn't know
that she would be so beautiful."
"I'm not beautiful. I'm only about a three."
"No way. A ten," he replied, holding up his hands, showing all ten
fingers.
"No," she said, sheepishly, her cheeks rapidly turning red.
"Yeah," he said coolly. "Yeah you are. Well, I better be on my way.
I've got class."
"O.k. I have to be in the office soon. Call me, o.k.?"
"I promise. Is tonight all right?"
"It's great," she told him, giving him a sweet, innocent smile.
"I'll call you around nine." He got up. "Bye, for now."
"Bye."

That night, he called her, but not before hesitating for a good
forty-five minutes. Dialing the digits of her number, his stomach
twisted and turned with each keystroke. Three rings were emitted from
the receiver before Lisa's voice became the only ringing in Alex's
ear.
"Hello?"
"Hi, Lisa, it's Alex," he said, sweetly.
"I wasn't sure if you were going to call."
"I promised. I never make a promise that I can't keep," he reassured
her.
"I'm so glad you did."
He talked to her for a while. He wasn't aware of it, but his heart was
slowly growing fond of her.
They saw each other in the park everyday after that. They had lunch
together, and she thought she was growing fond of him as well, but she
could never reveal her truest feelings to him. She wanted so much to
share the emotions he inspired in her, but she knew it would only
complicate things. Since, Lisa at the time was working as an associate
professor in the same college and in the same department in which Alex
was studying, she knew that her superiors would not approve of her
dating a student, and she also knew that she had to use her better
judgment on this. If not, she could lose her job. She told him this,
but Alex could not control his feelings. We can not choose when we fall
in and out of love; it just happens.

"Jaimie, I don't know what to do. What do you think?" Alex sat in the
English office, talking to one of his best friends. Alex had known
Jaimie for over ten years, and in that period of time they had grown to
be great friends. She was also volunteering in the English department,
so she knew the situation, too.
"Well, Alex, I've been talking to her, and she tells me that she
really likes you, but, in my opinion, I think that she's just too
insecure to date you because you're a student"
"But she tells me that it's a rule that we can't date."
"I've never heard of that."
"No?"
"No."

They were up in her apartment late one night, like they had been doing
for the past month, or so. They had been talking for over two hours.
Alex loved these times, the talks they had, how they shared their
aspirations, their dreams, their hopes. He was almost certain he wanted
to spend the rest of his life with her.
In his mind, Lisa was the most beautiful woman Alex had ever met.
Besides being so wonderful, she was smart, sexy, and she had the
greatest sense of humor. She laughed at every one of his jokes. Others
didn't think she was so beautiful, but he never saw her flaws. He loved
just talking to her. They talked about every thing; she loved to ask
him questions.
Tonight, she was on the couch, he was on the floor. She asked him
question after question; she might have felt they were unimportant, but
he felt as though she were evaluating him.
"Do you ever see yourself getting married?" she asked him.
"Sure. When I'm out of school. What about you?"
"Yeah, I want to get married when I'm twenty-nine."
"Got it all figured out, eh?"
"Yeah. I'm like that. I have everything all planned out."
"I like to think I do, too, but sometimes I'm unsure of the
future."
"Me, too. When I was with Mike, my ex-boyfriend, we thought we would
be together forever. He started talking about marriage. I was so
excited. Then one day, he told me that he just stopped loving me. We
were together for two years, know what I mean?"
"Yeah," Alex, nodding, assured her.
"It was hard without him in the beginning; we did everything together.
Whenever I needed to go to the store, he was there to take me. It was
like I spent every waking moment with Mike, and now, it's like I'm so
much more independent, like I don't need anybody, know what I
mean?"
"Yeah." She hardly left room for Alex to speak, but he didn't care; he
just loved hearing her voice. He thought it sounded like Penelope's
voice to Ulysses upon his return. He couldn't get enough of it.
"So, what kind of father do you think you're going to be?" she asked,
changing the subject.
"Personally, I think I'm going to be a pretty good dad. I love kids,
good ones. I can't stand bad kids. But, I don't think my wife and I are
going to have a problem with bad kids."
"I think you will be, too. You seem like a really loving person. I
want five kids."
"Five?" he asked.
"I had a big family, and I think that a big family is good for raising
kids. I am so into my family. I would do anything for my family."
"I would, too. Since I'm an only child, my mother and I are very
close. My father wasn't around, so my mom had to take raise me on her
own. I think doing anything for her is just like returning the favor,
you know?"
"I can't say I really know, I have two brothers. I'm the middle child.
I love my brothers so much."
Alex could see the love in her heart. They say that one's eyes are
windows into their soul. If that ws true, Alex knew she was genuinely
good-hearted.
"Lisa, there's something I need to tell you, but I really don't know
how to tell you."
"What is it?" she asked, sitting up and looking into Alex's
eyes.
"Well, I've known you for almost two months now, and," he paused,
"well, I would really like to move our relationship to the next
level."
If ever there was a time to be scared, it was now. Alex could tell
something was very wrong. He could tell by the expression on her face,
and her body language was crystal clear to him.
"I know you do, and I really like you, but you know our situation. I
could lose my job."
"I know this, and I wish it wasn't like that."
"So do I."
"Do you?" he interrupted.
"Yes," she replied, leaving Alex somewhat unconvinced. "But you know
how it is. We've had this talk so many times before."
"I know, I know."
"I'm not saying there's never going to be anything more, but right
now, I can't allow it to move any further. I feel so bad because I'm
the one who's putting up the barrier that's between us. I'm the one who
won't let my emotions free."
"I understand, but I don't want hear it. I don't want to know that. I
don't want it to be true."
"I'm not saying that we can't have something more in the future, but
not right now. Who knows. Maybe when you're not a student here, when
you graduate, then we can think of that."
"Yeah, I know. You're right."
"See, just not right now."
"I see."
"You're not mad?"
"How can I not be mad?" he asked, nicely.
"You're mad at me?" she inquired, adamantly.
"No, not at all! I could never be mad at you. I'm just mad at the
situation."
"You know I can't do anything about that, right?"
"Yes, I know. Well, since I'm feeling really awkward, I think I'd
better be going. I'll see you later, o.k.?"
"You don't have to leave," she almost demanded.
"Yeah, I really do. I don't want to cry in front of you."
"O.k., but, you're not mad at me?
"No, no, no." he said, shaking his head, his body beginning to
tremble.
Alex ambled out of the door, his emotions a total wreck. He got into
his car and drove to his apartment. No sooner had he stepped through
his door did the first tear slide down his cheek, and the rain didn't
stop until he fell asleep two hours later. Alex finally realized that
it wasn't going to happen; she didn't love him like he loved her.
When he woke up the next morning, Saturday, he called Jaimie. He told
her what happened.
"I knew this was going to happen. Alex, I feel so bad. You got your
heart broken."
"I guess I did. I just don't understand. I gave her my heart, and all
she could do was throw it back in my face."
"Oh, honey. It will just take some time. Tell you what, we'll all go
out together tonight, the whole gang. We'll have some fun. You'll meet
somebody new, and you'll forget all about her."
"O.k. That will be good."
"Is that cool with you?"
"Yeah."
"Good. We'll pick you up around nine."
"All right, I'll be waiting out front."
"O.k. See you then."
"Bye." Hanging up the phone, Alex really didn't know if he wanted to
go, but Jaimie wanted him to, so he would.
Around eight, he started to get ready, and he was waiting outside at
8:50. Jaimie and some of their close friends arrived sharply at nine,
and they went to the dance club they usually went to on Saturday
nights.
All was going well until Jaimie noticed Alex wasn't dancing; he wasn't
even smiling. He was all by himself, working on his fifth beer. She
went over to him because usually by now he at least was talking to a
lady he liked, but not this time. All he could think about was
Lisa.
"Alex, lighten up," she ordered. "Hey, what do you think about that
blonde over there?" she inquired, pointing.
"She's pretty, but I'm not feeling much like talking tonight. You
know."
"Well, I think you should go over there and strike up a conversation.
You're pretty good at doing that."
"Jaimie," he addressed her sternly, "if I want to, I will; just not
right now. I might, later. You know how I am. I've gotta get used to
the atmosphere."
"You mean when you've had a couple of beers, right?"
"I'm not some kind of alcoholic, if that's what you're inferring," he
reprimanded her, his voice already beginning to thicken.
"Now, I didn't say that. You know I didn't mean that. Come, let's
dance."
"Dance?" he asked, looking at her, perplexed.
"Yeah, come on. It'll be fun!" she told him, extending her hand to
him.
"All right," he replied, taking her hand, being led to the dance
floor. When they were dancing, Jaimie could see Alex's happiness
showing itself again. They were out there for almost half an hour when
something grabbed Alex's full attention. Lisa walked through the door.
Once again, the same feelings of love rushed through Alex, filling his
heart and soul. Then, as quickly as those feelings permeated his soul,
they vanished, more like dissolved and rebounded, as feelings of hate,
rage.
He was very handsome. He was about 6'3", 220, and built like a Greek
god. He had wavy blonde hair, cool green eyes, and was that a Versace
suit? Alex knew when Jaimie said, "Oh, my God, how the hell did she get
him?" that this guy was the Lisa really wanted.
Alex stopped dancing immediately. With that cocky step most men know
so well, he retreated to his table. He took some time to think. "If I
let her see me sulking like this," he thought, trying to make sense of
all this in his head, since so many thoughts were battling over control
of his mind, "she'll know I am weak. If I just go over and pick up a
woman, and take her home with me, and Jaimie can tell her in the
morning that she spent the night; that'll make her jealous. That's what
she's been doing the whole time--- playing mind games...." Alex did
pick up a gorgeous woman, Maresa, and she did stay the night. She was
in Alex's bed all night, but Alex slept on the couch.
The next morning, Alex had breakfast with Maresa, and he showed her
off, like a trophy of conquest. He was sure to introduce her to Jaimie,
while she was working in the English office. He was sure to look at
Lisa when he gave Maresa a compliment. Then it was time to go.
"Bye, Alex," Jaimie said.
"Bye," he replied.
"It was nice meeting you, Maresa."
"You, too," Maresa said to Jaimie.
Alex and Maresa left, and Lisa said to Jaimie, "Guess he doesn't need
me."
"I don't think he ever did," Jaimie replied, fiddling with a stack of
papers.
"No?"
"He's too strong to need anybody," she told her, knowing it was a
lie.
"I guess so."

The next day, Alex left class, and headed for his park bench. He sat
down and began to have lunch. He had taken one bite from his turkey
sandwich when he saw Lisa coming down their cobblestone path. Alex
began packing up his sandwich, preparing to leave.
"Hi, Alex," Lisa said, expecting Alex to come running to her like a
puppy upon its master's return. But he didn't. He just grabbed his
lunch, and swiftly left the park to go eat in the dining hall.
"Hi, Alex," she repeated. He still didn't respond.
"Hi, Alex," she said, once more, projecting her voice even further.
But Alex wouldn't give in. He was insistent on not giving her the time
of day.
The next day, she made a point to go over to his apartment. She
knocked on his door, and Alex answered.
"Hi, Alex," she said, knowing he'd respond this time. He had no
choice.
"Hello," he said coldly, no expression on his face.
"Can I come in?"
"Sure." He knew he couldn't be barbarous to her, he knew he couldn't
be discourteous.
"Can we talk?" she asked.
"Do we need to?
"I think so. Yesterday, I said hello to you three times in the park,
and you didn't even acknowledge me. I don't think that's how you should
treat me if you ever want to get together."
"Why should I want to get with you? I have Maresa."
"That's not what you said in your letter...." About two weeks ago,
Alex wrote her a three page letter, telling her just how he felt. He
told her things like: "I see you and I having kids in the future," "you
are the greatest thing to ever come into my life," "I don't want an
entire year to pass, and you want nothing to do with me," and "this is
my heart. I am giving it to you." The day before yesterday, he went
over to Lisa's house, and he asked for the letter back. She gave it to
him, no questions asked.
"And," she continued, "why did you ask for it back."
Alex walked over to his bookshelf, pulled out a three-ring binder,
opened it, and pulled out the letter he had written to Lisa. "Do you
remember what I wrote?"
"Yes," she answered timidly.
"No, do you really remember what I wrote? Did you really read it? Look
here." He unfolded the letter and began to read from it. "'This is my
heart. I am giving it to you.' That was the entire truth, and you just
discarded my heart. I wanted it back; I needed it back."
"I see."
"No, you don't. You can't possibly understand," he said, using all his
might to hold back the barrage of tears.
"How do you think I feel?" she implored.
"I don't know. You never show any emotion. You never tell me how you
feel," he said, his voice expanding, filling the room.
"I can't. If I do, It would only complicate things." Things got quiet
for a few seconds, seeming like hours. He felt awkward, she felt
awkward.
"I see. You can't. Now I understand. I really do," he told her. That
was an epiphany.
"I talked to Jaimie. She told me about Maresa."
"What about her?"
"Well, you were using her to get even at me."
"I don't know where she gets her information, but I like
Maresa."
"Alex. Mitch is just a good friend. He wanted to go to a club. He
doesn't live in the city. He wanted to go dance, that's all."
"That didn't bother me."
"I know it did. I could see it all over your face."
"A good friend?"
"Yeah, that's it."
Alex heard all this, remembering what Jaimie told him. "Lisa said she
really likes him" ran over and over in his head, finally manifesting
itself into words.
"I was told that you really liked him."
"Yeah, I like him, as a friend, but nothing else. I couldn't. He's
twenty-nine, almost thirty. He's too old."
Alex felt a little better, but he began to feel even worse.
"I'm sorry that I snubbed you in the park. But do you see where I'm
coming from?"
"Yeah, I do, but that's no reason to snub me. I would never snub you.
Never."
"I am sorry."
"If we ever to were get together, and I went out with my friends,
would you snub me then?"
"No, of course not. But I just saw you with another guy, and it killed
me."
"Mitch is just a friend, just a good friend."
"O.k."
"I don't know if I could even be friends with someone that would snub
me like that."
"I was just so mad," he tried to plea his case, hoping he hadn't
ruined what he wanted so much.
"It's o.k. to be mad, just don't take it out on me."
"O.k." he replied, as if he were being lectured by his mother, his
head down.
"Well, I better go."
"We can still be friends, right?" he asked, in his mind, looking
toward the future when he had graduated.
"Yeah."
"Do you even think there is a chance for us in the future?"
"Alex, there is always a chance."
"Is there?"
"Of course. I would never lie to you."
"I know." She left, and Alex was alone to think. His spirits
immediately raised, but he still had terrible doubts in his mind. He
would always have those doubts.

Spending a quiet evening at home, Lisa was doing a lot of thinking
this particular night. Alex was going to graduate in a few days, and
she knew he was going to call. She hoped he was going to call. Now, she
was really beginning to think deeply. She began to wonder if Alex still
cared for her, if he still loved her like he once professed. Of course
he called her, and he talked to her, but only when he had a concern
that related to professional matters. Sometimes he called her and asked
her to do things, but, unfortunately, she was almost always busy. She
was deep in thought when a sudden knock came from her door. It was so
late, past midnight, that she was unsure if she should answer. Lisa
rose from her chair, tossing her blanket aside, walked to the front
door, and looked out of her peephole. She could not believe her eyes;
it was Alex.
"Alex?" she said, opening the door, still very unsure.
"Yeah, How are you?"
"Good, I'm really good. Come in, come in," she invited.
"Wow, I'm surprised I still remembered my way here."
"Yeah," she replied, smiling, feeling giddy inside. "So, what brings
you here?"
"Simply, you."
"Me?" she queried, her eyes growing large and her jaw falling a bit.
"How come?"
"Well, I'm graduating in a few days."
"Yeah, congratulations."
"Thanks."
"You worked hard. You earned it ."
"Yeah, it was tough, but I stuck it out. I thought this day would
never come."
"Has school really been that tough?"
"Not really, but being without you has."
"Oh," she said solemnly. "Then, why did you hardly ever call? Why did
you avoid me?"
"Because it hurt me to feel like just a colleague."
"But you, yourself, said you only wanted a purely professional
relationship. That's what I gave you."
"Oh, but things don't have to be like that anymore."
"They don't," he reassured her. But he had that je ne sais quoi about
him that said there was something he needed to tell her.
"What is it, Alex?" she asked, trying to look into his mind and read
his every thought. "Is something wrong?"
"Kinda, yeah."
"What is it?"
"I have something I need to tell you. We need to sit down."
"Is it bad?"
"It could be," he told her.
"Alex, you know you can tell me anything."
"I know, but, well, it's kinda like this." He paused. "I spent this
past year and some odd months so depressed and brokenhearted. I walked
around in a daze, trapped in my mind, in a world with no love, no
songs, no birds singing. I can't recall a day that I didn't die a
little.
"I tried to date other women, but none could even compare to you. None
of them had that certain spark to their personality. It was as though
you were the only thing on my mind.
"Lisa, I have waited so very patiently during which I think I aged
thirty years. And for you to turn me down now," he paused, "Oh, never
mind. I don't want to trouble you. Besides, I think, no, I know you
will do so much better than me. Please, Lisa, find a man who will be
what I can't be, for me. I have to go." Alex turned to the door, his
head down, dejected in his posture. He didn't get two steps before Lisa
broke the silence.
"Alex, don't go," she cried out, sobbing, tears welling in her eyes.
"Please, please, don't leave me. I am so very sorry. You don't know how
much I wanted to be with you, but I didn't follow my heart. I am so
sorry." She truly meant this.
Alex stopped, turned around, and, with tears streaming down her face,
Lisa thrust herself into Alex's arms, holding him like she had wanted
to do for so long. They spent that entire night, curled up with a
blanket around a crackling fire, reminiscing together about the time
they lost. It was then that Alex broke the news.
"Lisa, there's something you have to know about me...." Every possible
thought ran through her head. Has he found someone else? Is he moving
away? What can it be?
"Lisa, I'm dying."
"What?"
"I have cancer. The doctors are giving me, like, two months to live. I
had to tell you. I felt it was a responsibility." The tears came.
Watching her heart break, he, too began crying. They both began
talking, emotion flowing free from each other's souls.
"Why didn't you tell me this earlier?" she asked.
"I couldn't tell you. There was so much going on in your life, I
didn't want to bring you down with something like this."
"I wouldn't have been the way I was to you; I would have given up the
job, everything," she paused, collecting everything she held dear to
her and transforming it into words. She spoke. "I love you."
Now, it seemed as though Alex cringed, but he had never heard these
words come from her, and she knew the impact these words would have.
His tears began to come faster and swifter. This was the first time she
had actually professed her true feelings; she held nothing back.
"I swear to you right now, I do love you. I have always loved you. You
are the reason that I have stayed with this job. You are the reason I
keep in contact with my family. You are the reason I get up in the
morning. I tried not to show it, I tried to make myself seem so
professional, but it all was really because I wanted to impress
you."
"You being you impresses me. Every day, I find another reason to be
proud of you."
"See, that's the reason why I love you. You know just what to say. You
treat me... I can't even describe how you treat me. You make me
feel...."
"I have to go," he interrupted, leaving as though he had class in five
minutes. But it was deep into the night, and he didn't have
class.

A few days later, Lisa heard a knock at her door. She got up from her
computer, walked down the hall, and opened the door. No one was there.
Looking down, she spotted a single red rose and a small brown envelope,
addressed to her; it was Alex's handwriting. She knew right away she
didn't want to open it. Alex had written her letters before, and in one
particular letter he said he would accept their professional
relationship. It sat, unread for two weeks before she finally had the
nerve to finish it. She felt this letter was going to be much worse.
But, there was this suspense, this feeling that she owed it to him to
read it, in full, no matter what it said. So, she opened it, and began
at the top.

"Dear Lisa,
Please don't hate me for what I am about to tell you. You know the
last thing I want to do is to hurt you, but you have to know. The other
night, when I ran out, I had felt so sick to my stomach that I couldn't
just sit there, and watch you cry, crying along with you. Running out
of your apartment building, I vomited up what I think was everything I
had eaten and drank for the past week. I couldn't stop puking. I wasn't
sure if I could even drive home. On the way home, I stopped four times
to vomit. I finally got home, and I passed out. I didn't wake up for
fifteen hours. Lisa, I told you that the doctors had given me two
months to live, but I thing they were off by a month and three weeks. I
feel worse now than I have ever felt, even when I didn't know I had the
disease.
"I am writing to clear some things up that I don't want to be left
blurred. First off, I am not in the least way upset with you for
choosing your career over me. That was something that I look back on
every day, and I know I would have done the same thing. I am not bitter
for us not spending time with each other while we had the time. Now
that the time is gone, I don't think I would change anything; I can say
that I have learned from it. I want you to know that I love you, and
when I am gone, my love will still be there with you." She paused in
her reading to reflect on the memories he had inspired within her. She
hated herself for not following her heart, so many things she would
have done differently. Wiping the tears, she continued reading.
"Please do remember one thing: I love you, I will always love you. You
are the reason I will die happily. You are the reason I have lived
happily."

Alone in his bedroom, Alex lie in his bed, pleasant thoughts running
wild in his mind, not because of his sedatives, but because of the
pain-killing quality of his second affliction. Love. He could still
feel the pain of the disease, but that didn't matter. He knew she had
received his letter. He knew that for once, and for the rest of
eternity, she knew he had loved her. He had given her a love so pure,
and she failed to see it. Only in the end did she see just what he had
for her.
Then, Alex drew in his last breath, the telephone urgently ringing in
the background. He appreciated his life for what it was, not for what
it wasn't, or for what it could have been. He had lived, he had loved.
What else was there?