(This story is dedicated to my loving and encouraging husband.)
*
Stella knew that she had it made in her relationship. She had a wonderful man who she knew would never be unfaithful and who, obviously, loved her back very much. They were not rich but they were comfortable - living together. They had their own home, two cars and a motor home which was her escape from the "real" world. Their vacations were always exciting because they tried to go to different places and they never lacked for money to buy a few luxuries. Why was Stella so restless??
She knew. As much as she loved and cherished Ben, in the back of her mind, she couldn't help but remember her first real love and wondered what happened to him. They were young and inexperienced in their relationship and because of their immaturity soon were interested in other people and places. For years, she thought of him and wished that she could see him to see if he still felt the same way that she did. She never wanted to hurt Ben or her family but just couldn't get over Leland.
***
In her solitary moments, her mind drifted back to those warm, summer nights when they would sit in the swing on her parents' porch and listen to the birds and smell the jasmine. It was a romantic time that she never wanted to end. She remembered how his lips felt on hers and she wanted that again. She remembered how he smelled -- clean with a hint of aftershave and she longed to smell it again. There were the times at the drive-in movie where she could have him all to herself in the dark and kiss him as much as she wanted. She thought these times would never end and they would eventually get married and live happily ever after.
When Lee (as she called him) left for college, she was devastated because he had gotten a scholarship to a college across the country. She had to stay around the old home town and go to a local college so they parted with tears streaming down her face. He promised to write every day but she knew that there was no way he could keep that promise but, in the back of her mind, she hoped he would. For the first few months, the letters came as he said and little by little, they became fewer and fewer. Stella knew in her stomach that he had found someone else.
There were still eligible men around town who wanted to date her and for those first few months, she turned each one down because she felt as if she were being faithful to Lee. After the communications became fewer, she started accepting date offers and she started to come alive again. Just being able to get out and go to dinner or a movie was a relief to staying home and pining away for Lee. Before long, a new man was seen around town and she wondered who he was. Someone told her that his name was Benjamin and he was from the Midwest coming to help get a new company on its feet. He was a little older and so attractive but she didn't think she had a chance with him.
One day, she was coming out of the pharmacy and not paying any attention and walked right into him. She backed up and looked into his green eyes and couldn't think of anything to say but a haltingly, "excuse......me......." as her face started to pink up.
He reached out and held her by her shoulders and looked into her big, brown eyes and said, "Why, it's my pleasure, Pretty Lady." By then her face was starting to heat up because she couldn't say another word.
"How about I buy you a soda to make up for my clumsiness.....err.......???
"Ste.....llla............." she finally was able to say as she started breathing again.
"Was that Stella, My Sweet?"
"Yes"
"So how 'bout that soda?"
"Yes"
"We're going to have to do something about that speaking problem that you have.."
Stella lowered her eyes in embarrassment as he led her to a booth.
"You can call me Ben if you like. What would you like?"
Getting her voice back, she said, "a diet Coke, please."
"All right and I'll have the same," Ben said to the waitress. "Now, Miss Stella, tell me about yourself."
"There's not much to tell. I attend the local college."
"Ok, what are you studying?"
"Just the main courses now. I'm not sure what I want to major in yet."
"Oh, so you haven't 'found yourself' so to speak."
"I guess not. There are so many different things that I haven't made up my mind yet. Tell me what you do."
"Well, I'm originally from Nebraska and I'm here to manage the new company that will soon be here."
"Are you married?"
"Oh, the direct approach, huh??? No, I never had time for that because I was always studying and trying to make my first million dollars."
"Really? Have you succeeded?"
"Not yet, My Pretty Lady, but I'm working on it."
Stella couldn't help but stare into his eyes as he talked. They were the most beautiful green that she had ever seen and she was mesmerized. She could tell that he really wasn't that much older than she was even though he had such a top notch job. She couldn't believe that she was actually sitting and having a conversation with him.
"Would you consider having dinner with me tonight and showing me around the town?"
"Well, I don't really know you."