Chapter 25: Lori

I could sympathize with a lot of his story, even if I hadn't lost the love of my life. He spoke so honestly that I felt I knew him better than I had known any man, ever.

If Kevin had given that much of himself to me, I'd have loved him till the day I died. If he had a tenth of the sensitivity of Jamie, he could have swept me away. He never wanted to love me. He wanted me to love him.

Jamie obviously had worked through his pain and separation. His story was emotionally exhausting, but it was in his past. And now he had moved from the past through the present, and into the future.

It shocked me when he said he was falling in love. I thought I was falling in love, too. We were falling in love with each other. That changed everything

His confession was a bit impulsive but not impetuous. He had worked through the grief for Arthea. I was shocked but it was a good kind of shock.

He loved me? He loved me!!! Wow!

We were in love. We loved each other. We were a couple.

That meant ... What did that mean? We needed to discuss this. We needed a plan that made this right. I wasn't going to be anybody's live-in girlfriend, and that was that!

Jamie waited for me to respond. He seemed way too unsure of himself, also. Didn't he understand I felt the same? Couldn't he see the truth all over my face?

"Jamie!" I half-talked, and half-cried. "I understand. I get what you were saying and I love you, too. I was waiting for some sign that you felt something for me before I shared my feelings. Then you bared your soul and shocked my head off.

"It's crazy, but I really do love you. I have never felt like I wanted to give my whole heart to anyone before. I wish there was more than all of my heart, so that I could give it to you."

He let the car drift to a stop and we just stared at each other and laughed.

Contagious happiness. We had contagious happiness. That was it. It was sort of like brain damage, only wonderful. Wonderful and spectacular, too. Wonderful and spectacular brain damage.

Love. My heart just couldn't contain the emotions that rolled through me.

Love. I love Jamie. Jamie loves me!

Life was too good. Too good!

Thank you God! Thank you for the gift of love and the courage to tell someone about it.

"Jamie," I continued, "I only met you yesterday and I ... I'm already in love with you. How crazy is that?"

We had a lot to discuss. It would take time to sort it all out. But I really did fall completely in love with him right then.

"We both know we can't be in love twenty-four hours after we meet. It just doesn't work that way. But it feels that way! So, now what?"

We each pondered in silence I was caught up in a whirlwind of emotions. He must have been, too.

We had so much to work out.