On The Couch with Ally

Alyssa had only gotten home twenty minutes ago and was in the kitchen making a cup of tea when she heard a knock coming from the back door. She stopped stirring and turned her attention towards her dog that had bolted for the door.

Ripley stopped at the door and began to bark loudly.

Alyssa walked towards the door and stopped just before it. She shushed her dog and ordered him to sit before she opened the door and walked out into the small narrow hallway. Alyssa then continued to walk towards the back door that led to the outdoor stairs and the back of the pub to where the staff parked in a car lot.

Ripley trotted beside her.

Alyssa unlocked the door and yanked it open. She was surprised to see who her visitor was. “Hey Brody,” she greeted her new friend. “Ah, what are you doing here?”

Brody smiled at her. “Are you saying you don’t want to see me?” he pouted, giving her ‘puppy dog’ eyes and holding the newspaper close to his side.

Alyssa rolled her eyes and chuckled. “Come on in, would you like a cuppa?” she asked as Brody as he walked towards the apartment, and she closed the back door.

“That would be great,” he answered, disappearing into the apartment with the large dog following him.

A few minutes later Alyssa placed a strong flat white in front of the hunky firefighter. She was holding her breath as she did so. Alyssa turned her eyes down onto the dog that was at his dog bowl and lapping up water. She switched her eyes back onto Brody and noticed that he had the newspaper and placed it down on the counter. He had it open to the lifestyle section and on her column.

So he read it, Alyssa thought to herself. I wonder what he thinks. She bought her own mug towards her lips and engulfed the sweet aroma as she took a sip of her favourite beverage.

Brody placed the mug back down on the counter of the surface and picked up the paper. His eyes dropped down to her column “You’re a good writer,” he finally spoke up. “You have this way with words that pulls people in,” he added.

Alyssa bit down on her lower lip and did her best to bite back a smile. It was twitching at her lips, she could feel it. “What did you think of this morning’s column? Or was it too gushy for you?” she teased as she pulled out a stool from under the bench and plopped down on it.

Brody just dropped his eyes down to the paper and began to read in his version of her voice, which was a little high pitched. “Hello my lovely readers … I hope everyone has had an awesome week and I would just like to start off by telling everyone how much I appreciated everybody who sent in their letters or posted their story on my blog of ‘On the Couch with Ally.’ I was overwhelmed with the number of responses that we received.”

“I do not sound like that!” Alyssa scowled with amusement.

Brody just grinned and continued in his normal voice. “I have spent the last five days going over thousands and thousands of letters and posts. And even though there were so many stories to choose from, unfortunately I can only choose two. I even had a small team of close friends and family help me sort through the vast arrange of letters.”

He looked up from the paper in his hands and his deep blue’s locked onto the brunette’s silver blues. “Where was my invitation to help sort through the letters?” he joked. “Lost in the post?”

Alyssa smirked, bringing her mug back up to her lips.

-o0o-

Grant was sitting behind his desk at his law firm in Surfers Paradise with his paper opened and eyes glued to the words on it. His assistant had bought in the paper and opened it to his daughter’s column and told him to read it. His eyes scanned line from line as he read the article in his head.

"Now before I announce the winners for a dinner at ‘Beckett’s’ restaurant or a dinner at ‘Ben’s Place’ Pub, I would like to share with every one of the story of my dads best valentine’s day … ever. My Fathers have been together for thirty years - May of this year, but had a commitment ceremony twenty seven years ago.

Anyway, a few days ago my dad told me a story of his best Valentine’s Day with my father, the column had prompted it. Twenty-seven years ago, my dad - Evan - had planned a highly romantic evening for my other dad - Grant. Now this was a year before I was born. Both of my dad’s were both in their early twenties and both were working while they studied. Grant was in law school and Evan worked part time at an uptown restaurant while he attended his last year in culinary school. Luckily, they both had that night off and my dad planned to make it ‘a memorable’ one.

So that night, Evan took Grant to a secluded spot on the beach that they were living near at the time and set up was a candlelit table and playing on a battery-operated tape player was a cassette of Frank Sinatra because he knew that my father - Grant - loved old blue eyes. Evan had cooked Grant’s favourite meal and they had a beautiful evening under the stars just being in each other’s company.

After dinner, they took a walk along the beach holding hands and Evan asked Grant. “So, did you enjoy this evening?” and Grant turned to Evan and handed him a note that said. ‘There was one thing you forgot.’

Evan was stumped, upon lifting his eyes from the note, Grant was now down on one knee with an open ring box and silver band nestled inside. He looked into Grant’s eyes with tears.

Grant had a massive smile on his face as he asked. “I am grateful for everything you do for me and the day you walked into my life was the day I became complete … I love ya, Evan … will you marry me?”

And of course my dad squealed and said ‘Yes’. And even though my Fathers aren’t legally married because it hasn’t become legal in Australia yet, they are still the most ‘in love’ couple I know. I don’t think the government should have a right to tell two people they cannot get married if they’re both consenting adults over the ages of eighteen who love each other. A marriage isn’t about a man and a woman. It’s about two people who love, support and are committed to each other no matter what, through good times and bad, sickness and health. And for the last thirty years, my two Dads have been that to each other. They have shown both my brother and I what to look for in a partner. Someone who will never give up on, someone who will hold your hands through the tough times and someone who will hold you up when you don’t think you can stand."

Grant stopped reading and placed the paper on the table. He felt misty eyed which was something that didn’t usually occur at work. Evan was usually the emotional one and Grant kept his feelings at bay, however reading that bought up all sorts of emotions. His daughter knew how to bring out that side of him.

He reached for his phone and hit speed dial 1, which had his husband’s number stored.

-o0o-

Ben was sitting on a bar stool chair with the paper opened to Alyssa’s column in front of him. Jordan had given it to him a few minutes ago.

There were staff members preparing for when they opened in forty-five minutes. The bar fridges were being restocked and the floors were being vacuumed and the chairs were being pulled off the top of the tables and set into their positions. The kitchen staff was busy preparing for the lunch rush they usually got, benefits of being located just off from the beach.

At the moment, Ben’s focus was on the column. He had never known that Grant had been the one to propose to Evan, but Grant was the Alpha one in their relationship.

"Now the first letter I will show you is written by the husband in his words. You will read the letter as I did.

Dear Ally … well five years ago, a few days before Valentine’s Day I was set up on a blind date with a friend’s friend and so I went to meet her and found her interesting, but our date got cut short because she got called away before we even got a chance to exchange numbers, but she said that she would just get my number off her friend. Well, a few days later I still hadn’t heard from her, so I figured that she wasn’t that keen and I was about to give up … but that’s when I saw her at a bar reading a book and I was intrigued why I hadn’t heard from her, so I went over to her and said ‘Hi’. She looked at me like I was a complete stranger … I couldn’t work out why.

I sat down beside her, and we started talking about the book she was reading then everything bar work. While we discussed our hobbies, I couldn’t help but notice how different she seemed from the other night. We were talking for what seemed like hours but had only been forty minutes and I found myself really liking this woman, so I said. ‘So, what’s your number … I didn’t get it the other night?’ and once again she looked at me like I was crazy … ‘The other night?’ she asked me.

I then heard a familiar voice say my name from behind so I turned around and the woman I had just been talking to was now standing there but in different clothes. I turned back and noticed that she was also sitting on the bar stool beside me … that’s when I discovered that my date from the other night was a twin – identical twin.

Anyway, long story short, I ended up marrying the twin that was reading the book at the bar and we now have our own set of identical twins.

Signed Seeing Double

Well, congratulations ‘Seeing Double’, you and your wife and two children have won a free dinner to ‘Ben’s Place’ Pub. It is a family friendly pub and we cannot wait to see you there."

Ben chuckled as he finished reading that section of the article, he then looked at the picture that was at the bottom of it and smiled. There was a Caucasian male with an Asian female and their two mixed raced three-year-olds. They looked like a happy family.

-o0o-

Kali was at Dwight’s apartment in Southport off campus. She had her laptop open and was reading Alyssa’s latest column as she watched her hunky boyfriend get dress for class. They had only woken up thirty minutes ago when Kali’s phone and pinged with a twitter update.

The two had showered together and fooled around a little before finally leaving the bathroom. Kali had her hair wrapped up in a white towel and was only wearing underwear and one of Dwight’s light blue button-up dress shirts. She didn’t have to be anyway for a few hours yet.

Her eyes were glued to the screen as she read the last half of the article in her head, a smile stole her lips. When they had helped Alyssa sort through the letters on Monday, she had taken ten possible winners’ home with her. So, Kali was reading this for the first time.

"And the winner for the dinner at Beckett’s Restaurant is this lovely story about an elderly couple in their late sixties. Once again, you are reading the same way I did.

Dear Ally … When my husband and I first came to this country, we were young eighteen-year-old newlyweds with not much money and our English wasn’t so good. We lived in an apartment that had a kitchen/lounge room and laundry all in one room and only one small bedroom and bathroom. I worked as a cleaner and my husband worked as the Mr Fix it in our building. So when our first Valentine’s Day rolled around, we both had to work that day and night.

So that night during our break, Theo takes my hand and leads me up to the roof of the apartment building and set up was a crate turned upside down with a sheet over it and one single white candle along with my favourite dish from home. It was a beautiful summers night out, the sky filled with stars and I thought that I was the luckiest woman in the world.

He said to me. “I am sorry that this isn’t what you expected for this night -”

I place my finger over his lips and told him. “The only thing I wanted was you and I have that. I consider myself the luckiest woman in the world with everything else.” And we kissed and danced under the stars for hours.

So every year for Valentine’s Day, he takes me to the rooftop of whatever building we are on and we have dinner under the stars, even though we have quite a bit of money now and live comfortably. We have six children, twenty grand children and we teach each and every one of them about the importance of love and not money.

Signed Blessed"

Kali smiled at that sweet story. She hoped that Dwight and her were that in- love when they were old and retired on the beach somewhere. Even though there was still a little more to the article, Kali closed the laptop and hopped off the bed. She then sauntered towards her boyfriend who had just slipped on his sneakers.

Dwight was getting ready for his class at ten forty and had to leave soon if he wanted to find a decent park and grab a good seat for his class. But his girlfriend wasn’t making that easy. The Loft apartment that Dwight rented was a five-minute drive from campus.

Kali walked up behind her boyfriend and slid her arms around him. “Hey Sexy,” she whispered as she kissed his neck and began to suck on his sensitive spot.

Dwight couldn’t fight the grin that stole his lips. Kali knew how to drive him crazy. “Babe, I know what you’re doing,” he voiced as he turned around and faced his beautiful kiwi girlfriend. Her dark eyes were heavy and filled with lust.

She laced her arms around his neck, smiling. “Oh really … and what is that?” Kali asked as she caught his bottom lip with her teeth and nibble on it. She then ignited a steamy kiss.

After a few minutes of heated kisses, Dwight pulled his lips back and panted. “I really have to get going … I promise that we will finish this later,” he guaranteed as he separated from his beautiful girlfriend and turned to walk away.

Kali bit down on her lips and chuckled. She had only been dating Dwight for three months now, but it felt like it had been so much longer. She had known him for seven years and he was becoming her best friend.

-o0o-

Alyssa was watching Brody as he read the last section of her article.

“Now I know there were many, many, amazing stories sent in, but those two spoke to me the most. Congratulations to ‘Blessed’ and ‘Seeing Double’, I am looking forward to meeting both couples. And I hope all of my readers (if they haven’t already) find that person who every time you look at them, you’re overcome by this burst of love … they will inspire you to be a better person and believe in you when no one else does. That one person you can’t picture your life without. And no matter what happens, you’ll always love them. Nothing can ever change that and they will love you back just as much. You’ll balance each other out. And yes, of course there will be times that you argue and are mad at each other … but no matter what, it will just make you love each more. It’ll keep the passion alive. I hope everyone has a great week. You’re On the Couch with Ally.”

Alyssa couldn’t help but think of Ben towards the end of the article since they’re the exact same words she had said to him over a week ago. Since then Ben had been really busy and only came up to the apartment when Holly was around. Alyssa was worried that she had scared him off.

Brody placed the paper down on the bench and stared at her seriously for a moment before he teased. “You’re such a romantic.”

Alyssa rolled her eyes and stifled a laugh as she cleared her throat. “I just write how I feel,” she indicated.

Brody studied her for a moment before he answered. “You know there is nothing wrong with being a romantic,” he pointed out.

-o0o-