It was now January of 1980, the month of her birthday. She would soon be sixteen years old and perhaps with that particular milestone on her mind or perhaps as part of the natural building of their relationship, she began to acknowledge quite openly to herself the love she felt for him. She was not an over ambitious child in this respect and had never had any particularly extravagant romantic view of her future life, but she had always considered and expected even, that she might fall in love one day, just as her parents had done before her. She had looked forward to the possibility of the strong feelings of friendship and oneness with another human being that were part of a relationship, maybe even a marriage and a future together. She had of course never considered that her love might be for a boy from far away, abroad and in another land, another culture, but it had happened that way and she was not sorry about it. But did Michael feel the same? Yes, yes, she answered to herself. Deep down, she knew he loved her.
