I will respond to comments later, but I did want to post this sooner than that. In reading the comments, I went back and reread part 12 that was posted on the boards and some of the changes I had made to it weren't in the posted version - ARGH! I don't know what happened to them because they weren't in the saved version either [I'm guessing my 3yo had something to do with it but I'm not sure what yet
].
Anyway - I've changed the Ch. 12 segment in question and am going to post it here too. I don't *know* that it makes much of a difference at this point, but may later. The differences are fairly subtle, but potentially important later I think. Not all of the following has changes, but since it was close to the end I'm just pasting the end.
Revised part 12:
He'd started squirreling away a few dollars of his spending money every pay period. He figured $3 here and $7 there over the course of the next two years would add up and he'd be able to take Lois somewhere nice for their first real date – maybe even enough to buy her a nice new dress. He wondered if the tux Aunt Louise had given him would still fit by then. He'd noticed that he was starting to fill out more. Mayson had even commented that he was in good shape and wondered when he time to work out. The T-shirt he'd been wearing that day was snug. He'd realized when he put it on that it was more snug than it had been last fall.
Mayson.
He almost felt guilty about thinking about her in almost the same thought as Lois and their first real date, but there was nothing between them. She was a friend. Since Lois had abandoned most of their lunch dates, it was nice to have company.
Of course, in practically the same breath, she'd also muttered something about working out because of not getting any other physical release because his wife was so cold. His eyes had narrowed at that. He'd never discussed his sex life – or lack of it – with her and she had no reason to believe he and Lois didn't engage in those activities regularly. However, she clearly disliked Lois. They'd managed to avoid meeting each other so far so he wasn't sure what the dislike was based on, except her possible attraction to him. He thought he'd nipped that in the bud right after they met, but maybe he hadn't. She hadn't said or done anything to indicate that she wanted more from him except for the occasional snide remark – always under her breath where he shouldn't have heard it – about Lois. Inappropriate of her to do that? Sure. Meant she was waiting for him and Lois to split up so she could swoop in? He didn't think so.
The more he thought about it, the more he realized that he'd spent more time with Mayson recently than Lois. Significantly more, especially when their canceled Political Science class this week into account. It had been the first really nice day of the spring, and he'd been unable to avoid noticing that she was wearing a top designed to attract attention. He'd accidentally heard some of the other guys notice it too. And the girls. Surely it wasn't to attract his attention. Was it? No, of course not. She'd mentioned a date with a guy in her physics class the other day. What was his name? Dan something? Whatever it was, it was probably for that guy's benefit.
He sometimes felt guilty for spending any time with a woman who wasn't his wife – that was one thing his mom had warned him about in the letter she'd given him for his engagement – even the appearance of something improper could ruin a marriage. He was careful to make sure they were always in public, never alone. She'd invited him to her dorm for one study session but he'd declined and they met in a study room in the library with big windows and lots of people walking by in the middle of the day. He didn't want to give Lois any reason to think he was cheating on her by spending time alone with another woman in a private setting of any kind, even if it was completely innocent.
He sighed again. He tuned in to Lucy's heartbeat – she was sound asleep and Lois' was more normal now too – maybe she was feeling better. He hoped so. He turned and headed back inside. He lay down next to Lois and pulled her to him. Certain she was asleep he whispered, "I've loved you since the beginning, Lois. I'll love you till the end."
*****
