From: evorst@ccu.umanitoba.ca (Ed Vorst)
Subject: A NEW ROMANTIC STORY (PART 4): FINALE
Organization: University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
Date: Sun, 3 Jan 1993 21:49:09 GMT



	The following evening he went over to her house, hiding his pain,
yet still happy to see her once again.  There was still some time before 
they had to leave and so she invited him in.  She explained that she had just 
returned home herself and therefore needed sometime to get ready, and at the 
same time, she invited him to warm up by building a fire.  Ed did so and, 
after just a few minutes, was feeling nice and warm.  His pain however, was 
over-riding any real comfort he might have felt.  The tears from last night 
had not been forgotten, and it felt as if they were still running down his 
face, dampening his cheeks.  The time he spent alone in front of the fire 
was painful and filled with thoughts as to what he would say and when.  
He also had to think about how well he could hide his distress until
 he decided to tell her, because he knew it was obvious, from the phone
call last night and at the door just a few minutes ago, that something wasn't
right.  
	By the time Christine emerged from her room to the living room, Ed
was totally lost in thought, and her stunning appearance caught him off guard.
In her long black dress and her shining blonde hair flowing down over her 
shoulders, she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen and he knew 
then, that her beauty would never be matched.  He couldn't take his eyes off 
her, and his hands were thinking similarly, though he was able to control 
them.  Briefly forgetting his situation, he told her of this little internal 
conflict, feeling almost immediately embarrassed by what he saw as his own 
stupid timing.  Ignoring the look of embarrassment on his face, she thanked 
him for the compliment and sat down beside him,
though  not too near him, on the couch.
	The evening had crept in and the fire was now the main source of
light for the house.  He glared into it unaware of the surrounding darkness, 
carrying on a conversation about nothing without even realising what he was 
saying, he still lost in thought again.  She grew more and more worried about 
him and felt that she needed to say something that would grab his attention, 
maybe now would be the right time, she thought.
	She told him that she had cancelled the tickets and that they were
not going to the ballet and this certainly woke him from his dream.  
Immediately asking why she did this, he showed his shock and along with it, 
anger and disappointment, thinking that this evening wouldn't be that last 
special evening he was hoping for.  She answered quietly, sensing his pain, 
that she knew he didn't like the ballet and thought it would be  better to 
do, something they could both enjoy. 
Confused  by what to do due to the sudden change in plans, he didn't know
whether to kiss her or tell her now what must happen.
		
	He told her.

	Tears on his face and his voice choking in pain, his world was
coming to an end. He told her about the other girl and how she would soon 
find out somehow, and then, impulsively, he told her that he loved her and 
that he was only doing this to keep her from getting caught up in something 
terrible and disturbing. He wasn't sure if he really wanted to tell her his 
feelings, but it was too late now.

	She was silenced by his admission, and the only sound was the
quiet crackle and  hiss of a dimming fire which seemed too far away to
affect anything.  She told him that she didn't care.  She said that there was 
no way anybody was going to keep them from being best friends.  

	And then she kissed him.

	Without saying another word all night, sitting in the dark and
holding each other, Christine and Ed spoke more about their love for one 
another than in any other conversation they could ever have.

 	  They sat there all night and the fire slowly died, but they were
not cold. 
						FIN



	My dear fellow romantics, I truly hope that you have enjoyed my
little story.  If not, that's OK too because I never tried to write one
before and I can't expect to get it perfect the first time.  In any case,
all and every comments, + or -, would be greatly appreciated, post or email.
	To the Prez, please accept this story as my application to the RFA.


	
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