A Friend's Dead Wife

"Anytime," she agreed.

Alex collected his things and made his departure. After he had gone, a few seconds passed before Dave finally turned and asked Sandi,

"This was different. You're different."

"At first, I thought he was here for us to help him. And he was. And we did."

"You knew that."

"But I was wrong." Tears welled in her eyes and she began to sob softly.

"What's wrong, hon? Why are you crying? Do you regret it now?"

"No...no regrets." She searched his eyes for some way to describe what she was feeling. "The only awful thing about it was when I realized that this is what's missing from us."

"But, I don't..."

"Baby, I can't deny that I like the feeling of a big cock. I can't. I'd be lying if I said I did. But this was so far past the feeling of my body being stretched. My heart was stretched, too." She didn't really know where she was going with this, but she had to try and explain. "I don't want to wait until one of dies, then share this kind of love with someone else. This is real. Isn't this why we got married in the first place? Maybe I've always been looking for it in somebody's pants. But I can still feel it, without a dick in me. I feel it looking in your eyes. You have it too."

She was right, but he didn't know what to say. "How did I miss it for so long?" She paused, then a light turned on in her head. Their eyes were locked. She continued quietly, "THIS is why you gave me this gift, isn't it? You hoped that somehow I'd find what was already in you. I can see it now. It's always been there, just waiting to burst out all over me." Her thoughts raced, then she stopped, "This wasn't for him, was it?"

"No," his eyes stared at the floor.

"This was for YOU...for us. Oh, Dave." She struggled to find the words, feeling with her heart for the first time in many years. "I've been such a fool. It must have been so hard on you, knowing you had what I was looking for all along, and not being able to give it to me. But...You know me so well"

"Sandi..."

"It was me all along." They waited to see which one would be brave enough to ask the next question.

"So, what now?" He paused, thinking of where to go with this. He knew that she still had needs that he couldn't fulfill physically, and that wouldn't change. The difference now, her heart was his alone. Could he live with that? Would it be enough? When he thought back, this was all he had ever known. He had always struggled for her heart, which had remained hidden and reserved. He never understood why. Who was she saving it for, if she wasn't giving it to him?

So now, she had caught a glimpse of what he had wanted for them. It was not offered with a price, but by faith in him. Faith that now held a value in her eyes. But it wasn't a blind faith - it was a guarantee of himself. Someone who had been rock-steady all along, waiting for this day.

It truly made all the difference. "My gift still stands. I don't want to take that away from you. But now it means something else. It's something I'm giving, instead of you taking. From now on, I know it's only physical and I don't feel like a failure." She nodded her agreement, reaching for him, just to hold him close.

They held, no, clung to each other. They were together. After what seemed like an eternity (and in some ways it was), they separated, still staring into each other's eyes. Then, at the same moment they were enflamed with passion. For the first time in a long time, they made love all night, not able to quench their fervor until the rose colored morning spirited away the darkness.