I’ve got a life most people dream of—huge house, shiny cars, endless money—but it never warmed the cold spot inside me. At sixty-one, I’d spent too long alone, burned by people who only wanted what I could give them. One day, I saw a woman picking through a trash can. She looked rough around the edges but determined, like she refused to give up. I stopped my car and offered her my garage to crash in—it’s more of a small home than a parking spot. Her name was Lexi, and she was wary, but when she said she had nowhere else, I convinced her to stay. Just for a night, she insisted, and I was fine with that.
We started sharing meals, and I found myself drawn to her strength. She opened up one night, telling me she used to paint until her husband ditched her for someone else, leaving her broke and broken. Her story stuck with me—I knew what it was like to carry old wounds. Lexi’s humor and grit made my big, empty house feel alive. Then one day, I walked into the garage without warning and saw something that shook me. Paintings of me—dark, awful ones with chains, blood, and a coffin—covered the floor. I felt sick. Was this her way of thanking me? I left before she saw me, but I couldn’t let it go. At dinner, I demanded answers. She stumbled over her words, saying it was her anger at life spilling out, not me. She was sorry, but the damage was done. I told her she had to leave.
The next day, I drove her to a shelter and gave her some cash. She didn’t fight it, and we parted in silence. Weeks went by, and I couldn’t shake the ache—not just from the paintings, but from losing the connection we’d had. Then a package arrived with a painting inside, a gentle one of me that felt like a gift. Her number was on a note. I called, my hands shaky. She answered, and we talked about everything—her new job, her plans, my regrets. I apologized for pushing her away, and she did too. I asked her to dinner, and she said yes. Now I’m looking forward to sitting across from her again, ready to see if we can rebuild what we lost and maybe find something better.
