Loyalty. Patience. Faith.

Cold coffee. Freshly dry-cleaned clothes. Reminder phone calls.

Friendship.

Salads instead of steaks.

Emotional support. Physical support. Trust.

Pages from her diary.

Tips on wooing. An apartment masquerading as Tahiti.

Hours of amusement. Moments of inspiration. Fodder for too many fantasies to count.

Endless worry.

German Chocolate Cake.

A letter of resignation.

Time.

And in between, thousands of smiles and touches, several moments of true anger, and even a few tears. He cherishes everything she's ever given him, including the things he wishes she hadn't.

And especially the one thing he can never really accept – her love.

~End~