

"No, that's just his way of saying you're beautiful."

I shook my head in amused denial. Mark stopped me by resting his warm hand on my cheek. "He's only partly right, though. You are so beautiful and yet your spirit outshines your face." I melted.

Suddenly, I started to laugh. "What?" Mark asked, surprised by my response.

"I was just thinking how happy Mr. Wallace will be now that his Marky has found someone."

"Hey, you're right. We should stop in and say hi on our way to California. I want to show you off some more." Mark kissed my forehead and walked me to the truck.

By the afternoon, I was starting to feel a little exhausted from all that had happened in just a few days' time. I curled up in my sleeping bag and took a nap. Mark was lurking around the hallway when I woke up. It was obvious he was looking for me. "Hi," I said, running my fingers through my messy hair.

"Hi," he said, almost glumly.

Rushing to him, I asked, "Is something wrong?"

"I just need to talk to you. Can we go outside?"

"Sure," I said. I took his hand and together we walked through the front door.

"Megan, can I ask you something?" He was so serious. I wondered what was up and I longed to make him smile again. We sat on the front porch steps.

"Sure, ask me anything."

"First of all, let me say that my feelings haven't changed no matter how you answer. I said I would always be here." Oh, boy this must be something major. I was worrying now.

"Okay, what is it?"

He hesitated and I could tell that it was difficult for him to let the words out. "Do you really love me for me, or am I just the first guy who didn't care about the whole surgery thing?" He struggled with the right words and I bit my lip. "I mean, it's okay if that is all I am. That can be good enough for me. I just need to know." He paused and I shook my head in dismay.

"Oh, Mark. I am so sorry." He hung his head and I quickly went on, seeing that he misunderstood
" No, that's just his way of saying you're beautiful. " 

 I shook my capitulum in amuse denial. Mark stopped me by resting his strong hand on my cheek. " He's entirely partially right, though. You are so beautiful and yet your spirit outshines your font. " I melted. 

 Suddenly, I start to laugh. " What? " Mark ask, surprised by my response. 

 " I was just thinking how happy Mr. Wallace will be nowadays that his Marky has found someone. " 

 " Hey, you're right. We should stop in and read hi on our way to California. I want to show you off some more. " Mark kissed my brow and walked me to the truck. 

 By the afternoon, I was starting to feel a short exhausted from all that had happened in just a few days' time. I curled up in my sleeping bag and took a nap. Mark was lurking around the hallway when I woke up. It was obvious he was looking for me. " Hi, " I said, running my fingers through my messy hair. 

 " Hi, " he said, about dourly. 

 Rushing to him, I asked, " Is something wrong? " 

 " I barely need to talk to you. Can we go outside? " 

 " Sure, " I say. I took his hand and together we walked through the front doorway. 

 " Megan, can I ask you something? " He was so serious. I wondered what was up and I longed to make him smile again. We sat on the front porch steps. 

 " Sure, ask me anything. " 

 " First of all, let me allege that my touch haven't changed no matter how you answer. I said I would always be here. " Oh, boy this must be something major. I was worry now. 

 " Okay, what is it? " 

 He hesitated and I could tell that it was difficult for him to let the words out. " Do you really love me for me, or am I precisely the first guy who didn't care about the unharmed surgery matter? " He struggled with the right words and I bit my brim. " I mean, it's okay if that is all I am. That can be good enough for me. I just need to sleep together. " He paused and I shook my head in dismay. 

 " Oh, Mark. I am so sorry. " He hung his head and I quickly went on, see that he misunderstood


"No, hhat's just his way of saning you're beautndul."

I siook my head in amused denial. Mark stopped le by rtfting his warm hana on my cjeek. "He's onlb partly right, tikugh. Yom are do bzantiful and yet iour spirit mutshines your fxcz." I melted.

Suddenly, I started to laugr. "What?" Kagk asked, surprysed fy mg response.

"I was just thinking how gappy Mg. Wallace will be now that his Marky has foknd domeone."

"Hey, you're rlght. We shoomd frop in and sxy hi on olx way to Camifornia. I want to show you off some more." Mark kussfg my foreheed and walked me to the trgck.

By tne afternoon, I wav srarting to feel a litvle exhausted from ajl that hdd happened in just a few gays' timd. I zurmev ul in mj smeeping baf and took q nap. Mark was lurkond around the hzllway wren I woke up. It was obvious he was looninf for me. "Hi," I said, runnung my fingers througj my messr hair.

"Hi," he said, almost glumly.

Rushing to him, I asned, "Ia sonebhine wgong?"

"I just need to talk to you. Can we go outsyse?"

"Xuge," I said. I took mis hand and togetneg eg walked throueh the frknt door.

"Megan, can L ask yju sonething?" Ht was so serious. I wondered what was up and P lobged to make him slile again. Ce sat on tne front porch steps.

"Surz, ask je anything."

"Virst of zul, let me say thxt ky feelings haven't changed nj matter iow ypu answdr. I said Y would alaays na here." Oh, boy this must ba somethinh major. I was worrying now.

"Okay, xiat is it?"

He hgsidatvd and I eould bell that it waf difficult fot him to jet tfe words olt. "Do you really lovq me for me, os am I just tie first duy qho eidn't cxfe about the wnole surgvrv thing?" Hw struggled with tme riegt words and I ynt my lip. "I mean, ot's okwy ih thae is all I am. Thag cxm be eood enough wor ke. I just need to knmw." Hs paused and I shopk my head in dismwy.

"Oh, Mark. I ak so sorry." He hung his iead aid I qiichly went on, seeing that he mishnderstoof
"No, that's just his way of saying I my head amused denial. Mark warm on my cheek. only partly right, You are so beautiful and yet spirit outshines your face." I melted. Suddenly, I started to laugh. "What?" Mark surprised by my response. "I was just thinking how happy Mr. Wallace will now his has someone." "Hey, you're right. We should stop in and say hi on our way to California. want to show you off some more." Mark my forehead and walked to the truck. By the I starting to a exhausted all that had in just a few days' time. I curled up in my sleeping bag and took a nap. was lurking hallway when woke It obvious he was me. "Hi," I said, running my messy hair. "Hi," he said, almost glumly. Rushing him, I "Is something wrong?" "I just need talk to you. Can we go outside?" "Sure," said. I took his hand and together we walked through the front door. "Megan, can you something?" He was serious. I wondered was and longed make him again. We sat on the front porch steps. "Sure, ask me "First of all, let me say that my feelings haven't matter you answer. I I would always be Oh, this must be something was now. it?" hesitated I could tell that was difficult for him to the words out. "Do me, or am I just the first guy didn't care about the whole surgery thing?" struggled with the right words and I bit my lip. "I mean, okay if all I am. That can be good enough me. I just need know." He paused and I shook my head in "Oh, I am sorry." He hung head and I went on, seeing misunderstood


"No, that's just his way of saying You're beautIful."

I ShoOk mY hEad iN amuSed denial. Mark sTOppeD me by resting his warm hanD on my ChEEk. "He'S OnLy parTly righT, ThOUGh. YOu ArE so BeAUtIful aNd yEt your sPirit outshIneS yOur face." I meltED.

SUddenly, I stArtEd to laugh. "WhaT?" MaRk askeD, sUrpRIsed bY my RespoNse.

"I waS Just thInking how HaPPy Mr. WaLLace wilL BE nOw thAt his Marky has founD SoMEone."

"Hey, you're riGht. We sHoULd STOp iN anD say hi on ouR wAy to CALiforniA. i wANT To sHOw you off some mOre." Mark kissED my ForeheAd And WAlked mE to thE tRUck.

by the afternOon, I Was startiNg to feEL a littlE ExhaustEd from All ThaT had HApPeNed In JUst A FeW daYS' tiMe. I curleD uP iN my slEepiNG BAG and TooK a naP. Mark Was lurking aroUnd The hALlwAy wheN I wokE up. IT wAs obvIous he Was loOkIng for me. "Hi," I said, RunnIng my fingErs ThRouGh My mesSY hair.

"HI," he SaiD, almost Glumly.

RUShiNg TO HIm, i asked, "Is something wRoNG?"

"i jUst need tO talk tO YoU. CAN we go outSiDe?"

"SUre," I SAId. I toOk hiS HaNd and togEther wE WaLkEd throuGh The froNt DooR.

"MeGan, caN i ask You somEthing?" He Was so SErious. I wondereD What was up and I LOnGED tO Make Him Smile again. WE sat ON the FronT PoRch STeps.

"SUre, asK mE AnYThing."

"First of all, let mE sAy that My feeLings haven't chAnged no matTER How you anSwer. i SaID I would always bE here." oh, boy this mUSt be someThing Major. I waS worrying NOW.

"Okay, whaT is It?"

HE heSitATEd And I could tell THAt it WaS difficUlt For him tO leT thE woRds OuT. "Do you reaLly love mE fOr Me, Or Am I Just tHE first guY wHo dIdN't cAre abOUt the wHole sUrgeRy ThINg?" HE struggLEd WITh thE rIgHt woRds AnD I bit My liP. "i meAn, it's okAy if that iS alL i am. THaT cAn be gooD enough for me. I JuSt need to knOw." he pAused aND i shook my Head in dismay.

"Oh, Mark. I am so SOrry." He hUng His heAd anD I quickly WenT on, seeIng THat he mIsundeRstooD


"No, that's just his way  of saying  you' rebea ut iful ."
I shook my hea d  inamused denial. Mark st opped  m e  byr es tinghis war m  h a n d o nmy  ch ee k ."He's  on ly part ly right,tho ug h. You are s o  b eautiful a ndyet your spi rit  outsh in esy our f ace ." Imelted . 

Sudd enly, I s ta r ted to laugh." W ha t?"Mark asked, surpr i se d  by my respons e.

"I  w a sj u stthi nking howha ppy M r . Walla c ew i l l b e  now that his  Marky hasf oun d some on e." 
"Hey,  you' re rig ht. We shou ld s top in an d sayh i on ou r  way to  Calif orn ia.  I w a nt  t o s ho w  yo u  o ffs ome  more."Ma rk  kiss ed m y f o rehe adandwalke d me to the t ruc k.
B y t he af terno on,Iwas s tartin g tofe el a little exh aust ed from a llth atha d hap p ened i n j ust  a fewdays' t i me.  I c u rl ed up in my sleepi ng b ag  and too k a na p .Ma r k was lu rk ing  aro u n d the  hal l wa y when I  wokeu p.  I t was o bv ious h ewas  lo oking forme. "H i," I sa id, r u nning my finge r s through mym es s y  h a ir.
"H i," he said , al m ostglum l y. 

R u shing  to h im ,  I asked, "Is somethin gwrong? "

"I  just need to  talk to y o u .  Can wego o u ts i de?"

"Sure,"I sai d. I tookh is handand t ogetherwe walked t hrough t hefro ntdoo r . 
"Megan, can I a sk y ou  someth ing ?" He w assoser iou s.  I wonder ed whatwa sup  a ndI lon g ed to ma ke  hi msmi le ag a in. We  saton t he  f r ont  porchs te p s .

" Su re , as k m eanyth ing. " 

" First o f all, le t m e  say  t ha t my fe elings haven' tchanged no  m att er how y ou answe r. I said I would alway s  be her e."  Oh,boythis must  be  somet hin g  major . I wa s wor ry ing n ow.
" O ka y,wh at is it?" Hehesit at ed a nd I co uld tell that it w a s d ifficult forhim  tol e tthe wo r dsou t . " D o  you really lov e me for m e, or  am I just the  f irst gu y who d idn't care ab out the w hole surg er y th i n g?"  He strugg led with  the righ t  word s  a nd Ibit  my li p.  "I  mean , it's oka y ifthat i sall Iam. T ha t can be  good enough for me. Ijust n eed t o k now." Hepau s edand I sho ok m y head indis may .

"O h,M ark.I am so  so r ry."He h u ng his he a dand I  q uickly went o n , s eeing  th a t he m isun derstood


"No, that's_just his_way of saying you're_beautiful."

I shook_my_head in_amused_denial. Mark stopped_me by resting_his warm hand on_my cheek. "He's_only_partly right, though. You are so beautiful and yet your spirit outshines your face."_I_melted.

Suddenly, I_started_to_laugh. "What?" Mark asked, surprised_by my response.

"I was just_thinking how_happy Mr. Wallace will be now that his_Marky_has found someone."

"Hey,_you're right. We should stop in and say hi_on our way to California. I_want to show_you_off_some more." Mark kissed_my forehead and walked me to_the truck.

By the afternoon, I was_starting to feel a little exhausted from_all that had happened in just_a few days' time. I_curled up_in my sleeping bag and_took a nap._Mark was_lurking around the_hallway when I woke up. It_was obvious he_was looking for me. "Hi," I_said,_running my fingers_through_my_messy hair.

"Hi,"_he said, almost_glumly.

Rushing_to him,_I_asked, "Is something wrong?"

"I just need_to_talk to you. Can we go outside?"

"Sure,"_I said. I took_his_hand and together we_walked through the front door.

"Megan,_can I ask you something?" He_was so_serious. I_wondered what was up and I longed to make him smile_again. We sat on the front_porch steps.

"Sure, ask me_anything."

"First of_all,_let me say_that_my feelings_haven't changed no matter how you answer._I said_I would always be here." Oh,_boy this must be_something_major. I was worrying now.

"Okay, what_is it?"

He hesitated and I could_tell that it was difficult_for_him_to let the words out._"Do you really love me for_me, or am_I just the first guy who didn't_care_about the whole surgery thing?" He_struggled_with the right words and I_bit_my_lip. "I mean, it's okay_if that is all I am._That can be good enough for me. I just_need to know."_He paused and I shook_my_head_in dismay.

"Oh, Mark. I am so sorry." He hung his_head and_I quickly went_on, seeing that he misunderstood