This is not a stroke story.

It’s an emotionally painful romance.
The only sex that approaches explicit is phone sex.

Chapter 3:
The second Tuesday
Photos arrive:

Tuesday morning I called my shrink and made my lie into the truth. He never had done much more than make me feel a little better for a while anyway. Then all my clocks stopped as I tried to forget that I was waiting for the mail. It wasn’t going to be pretty if I had to wait another day. There aren’t many things worse than waiting for something that you’re scared to death of. I couldn’t stop thinking that Hope might be my last chance. It was about two hours before my mail was due when the phone rang.

The first thing she said was, “You look as gentle and caring as you sound. The kids think so too. Did your mail come yet?”

I was my normal (for the last week) basket case self. I just told her that I was really scared.

She said “Please listen to me carefully. I love you and I look average except for my breasts. If things work out, I’ll even get them reduced for you if you need me to. If I’m too pretty for you, I can change that. If I’m not pretty enough for you I can change that too, at least some. If I can find a way to marry you, I will. I love you and I know that with my troubles, you might be my last chance.”

I said that Monday I’d realized that she might be my last chance too.

She asked me if I’d call her when my mail arrived.

I told her I would and we said our goodbyes.
__________
The mail was late but it finally came. Before I collapsed from the stress. Barely.

Her handwriting was beautiful. She was lovely, and her breasts were at least as big as she’d described. Thinking that most men would think they were too big made me feel a little better.

Looking at the photos of her kids, I could only think that she must be very proud of them. All four had her brown hair and eyes and could only be called good looking. I’d be able to remember one name. When I was a kid I’d have said that Lisa sure was a pretty hippie girl. And had big boobies too. I wondered how Hope had explained to Lisa that her dad was her grandfather too. Lisa was already “Lovely Lisa” to me and I hoped that she didn’t have a boyfriend with dreadlocks.

I finally realized that Hope was probably just as stressed out waiting for me to call as I had just been. When she answered the phone, I could barely hear her as she asked, “What do you think of us?” I said, “If I didn’t already know you, you’d be too pretty for me. But when you said that I might be your last chance, it helped me a lot. I think I’m ready to meet you. And your breasts look awesome.”

“I was afraid that you wouldn’t find me attractive. I expected my breasts to be a problem for you. They are, even for most men that claim to like big ones. I know, I’m nervous and I’m talking too much. I’m just so relieved that you’re okay with my breasts. They make me think I look like a freak. I did my best to prepare for the worst.
“I think I understand how hard it is for you to trust a woman not to leave you again. And at the same time need to share a love. I don’t think it’s a lot different from how I feel about trusting a man to be alone with me. And it’s reassuring to think that you understand my trust problems too. I feel like all the past misery in our lives has prepared us for each other. I’m going to help you trust me by learning to trust you. And I hope that you can help me be brave enough to spend our nights alone together. Someday. While we wear each other out in the best possible ways. If you can help me trust you, I promise you, I’ll never let you fall asleep unsatisfied. I’m so relieved that you’re ready to meet me. We’ve only known each other for a week but, oh you know what I mean, I’m going to shut up and listen. Right now.” And she did but I was guessing that she had to jam a sock in her mouth to do it.

She was as wound up and worried as I was just plain worried.

Suddenly it dawned on me that I was being an idiot…again. “Sweetheart, can you go to your bedroom and lock the door?”

“I’m already alone in my bedroom and the door’s already locked too. I have your pictures propped up on the night stand and my pussy is leaking worse than my breasts. I cheated. I started getting ready as soon as you said that you think you’re ready to meet me. I couldn’t help myself. If you’re not quick, I’m going to make my mess without you.”

“I’m hurrying.” Fortunately I’d been busy since the word “idiot” had popped into my addled mind.