$Local Network Broadcast Publishing™ ($LNBP™)

"Don't you see? I'm madly in love with you! And I just don't understand how you say you love me too, and yet you keep me at arm's length! You have no right to do that to m-..." "I'm HIV positive," she stammered. Ilze wasn't expecting what happened next. She hadn't planned on cutting off, nor had she intended on blurting it out so carelessly. She braced for the very worst. She knew he was angry; how could he not be. She braced herself, expecting him to lash out at her or worse ... turn around and leave without saying a word further. Instead, Patrick threw his arms around her and pulled her into his chest. They stood there for what felt like hours. She sobbed silently into his hairy chest while he stroked her hair, stopping only to wipe the tears streaming down his cheek from his own eyes. She drew back and looked into his dark, hazel eyes. Ilze lifted her hands to his face and brushed his long blonde hair to the sides, tucking them beh

She smiled. Then he smiled. And that is how their story began. He hadn't been expecting to meet anyone new that day. It had been an ordinary morning; an ordinary start to an ordinary day. He woke up on the same side of his ordinary bed, with a clear view of his ordinary front yard which was plain and, quite frankly, ordinary. He liked it that way: simple and plain. He got out of bed, washed his face, got dressed and, finally, left his barren apartment in search of nothing. She, on the other hand, woke up feeling glum. She loved her job, but found some of her clients were unnecessary and somewhat spoiled. Yet, she practiced her smile as she brushed her teeth and combed her hair backwards. While sitting down to her routine breakfast of toast and tea, she checked her phone inbox for that special text message which was taking it's sweet time getting to her. She feared that her boss had forgotten to deposit their paychecks yet again. She sighed before finishing off her toast. She