Valentine's Tears

"Last night... and this morning... I was so excited I didn't stop to think. It's been so long for me. I didn't have any condoms. I mean, you do have protection, don't you?"

"How romantic you are," laughed Miranda, "Worrying that I'm on the pill. Do you mean you wouldn't have made love to me if you'd known I wasn't taking the pill?"

"No, I was thinking of you. You're living on your own. You've got a great teaching career. I just didn't want us to have an accident and you hate me if I made you pregnant."

"Did I hate you the last time you made me pregnant, Tom Arnold?" Miranda tried to pretend she was offended. "I seem to remember that you leaving me had something to do with your fear of me getting pregnant again, not mine."

"Miranda, no, I mean --"

"Well, for your information, I'm not on the pill and I haven't been since you left. There hasn't been any need. There's always the 'morning-after' pill but I don't want that either.

"If, by some great gift of Cupid, I'm now carrying your baby, then it just proves your silly song is right and the box of unfulfilled wishes is nearly empty. No, don't worry. If I am pregnant, we won't make any demands on you."

She stopped her diatribe as she noticed the tears streaming down Tom's face. Since she first met him, she couldn't remember ever seeing him cry. Old, painful wounds had opened up for both of them and she just wished she could bite back her hurtful words. For a long time, he was incapable of speech and just held her naked body tightly against his.

Finally, he regained his voice.

"Miranda, I love you. I've always loved you."

Now it was her turn to break down and burst into tears.

"Oh, Tom, it's been so awful without you. I could have killed myself. I couldn't believe it when I saw you on the Common yesterday morning.

"I'm so glad you're still around."

"Miranda, will you marry me?"

"That's the second time you've asked me that."

"So?"

"The answer's the same second time around. Tom Arnold, you're the only man I can go through time with."