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She was never ill and any injuries healed very
quickly. Not as quickly as mine do but much faster
than normal. I ve heard of it happening with other
long-term couples - it s something to do with my
saliva and semen, I think, though it s never been
scientifically investigated, of course.
 Oh, I said inadequately.
 I d like us to be together, Rob.
 Why me? I whispered.  You re way out of my
league.
 No, I m not. It s more like the other way
around.I ve done a lot in my life I m not proud of, to
put it mildly. But you ground me, Rob. You re clever,
loyal, funny, sensible, compassionate, and strong.
You re all I ve ever wanted in a lover since Ann died.
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So what do you say?
I didn t really have to think long and hard about
it. Being with him might well bring me a few extra
decades, but the bottom line was, could I see myself
settling down with Fox, living happy ever after -apart
from the odd domestic dispute that would certainly
arise between two stubborn people? Yes.I d be able
to help maintain his cover, though I wasn t sure how
Grandfather Adam would fit into the new setup. But
I d been silent for too long.
Fox released me and stepped back a few paces.
 My apologies, he said, rigidly formal. I turned
to face him.
 You, Adam, are an idiot. I said, putting into
the words everything I felt for him, all the complex
emotions and needs I d experienced since he d
walked into my life, not to mention the roller-coaster
ride of drama and danger. That, apart from scaring
me shitless and forcing me to find depths within
myself I hadn t thought possible, had brought us
closer together more quickly than would otherwise
have happened.  I am not going to rush into this,
 I told him.  In fact, I think we should have a trial
period. Say, the first twenty, thirty years? And take it
from there. His features lit up and his smile became
incandescent.  But, I continued, placing my hand
on his chest to hold him back as he stepped towards
me.  I set the house rules.
 Yes, Robert, he said, meek and mealy-mouthed
and utterly false, and pounced on me.
* * *
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About Chris Quinton
I live in the southwest of England, in a small city
with ancient roots.
I share my house with my extended family, two
large dogs, sundry fancy goldfish and assorted pet
mice. And a vast collection of books.
Writing has been an important part of my life
for more years than I care to remember, and I daily
thank The Powers That Be for the invention of the
computer and the world wide web.
* * *
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