Mending a Broken Heart

Standard Disclaimers: Every character in my story is fictional. If they remind you of someone you know, it's purely a coincidence. If any of my fictional characters participate in sexual stuff, they are over 18.

I'm Glenn Collins, nearing my 38th birthday, and a fairly successful architect at my own company. I have twin girls, just turning 12 years of age, and entering middle school.

I have been raising them by myself ever since my wife of just over 11 years died from a congenital heart condition, nearly three years ago.

We met our first year of college at Seattle Pacific University. Angela Barlow, from Seattle, was the most gorgeous girl I'd ever met. Also, the most unlikely person to become my wife. Let me explain.

I was born and raised in the town of Davenport, Washington, about 35 miles west of Spokane, and not much more than a wide spot in the road. Well, wide enough for just about 1,500 people.

Always one of the smallest kids in school, I was never mistaken for a jock. Until I learned I was one of the best distance runners in all of Lincoln County. In middle school, I never lost a race of 1,500 meters or longer, even against older kids. When I got to high school, I won four state cross country titles, as well as both the 1,500 and 5,000 meter races, all four years.

You have to realize this was the smallest school classification, but my times were comparable to some of the larger schools, too. Standing barely 5'10" and maybe 140, ringing wet, big schools weren't flocking to my door, with scholarship offers.

Enter the track coach from Seattle Pacific University. Not only was he impressed with my running, he absolutely loved my 4.0 grade average. With my parents not exactly rolling in money, the full ride was greatly appreciated.

The first few days of my freshman year, I just went to my classes, ate, studied, slept, and repeated it, over and over. If you hadn't guessed, I was on the shy side.

I kept running into this gorgeous girl, in one of my classes, and in the Student Union building, where we both ate lunch. I was too shy to do anything but nod, and try to smile. It must have been the third week of school, when at lunch, she sat right across from me, introducing herself.

"Hey, I'm Angela Barlow."

"Glenn Collins, glad to meet you."

"Tell me something about Glenn Collins I don't know," she said with a smile.

"Well, I'm still trying to get used to the surroundings, here, as its all a bit overwhelming," I said, returning her smile with one of my own.

"I take it you aren't from Seattle."

"Nope, the little town of Davenport, west of Spokane."

"You're from a piece of furniture?" She said this with the brightest smile I'd ever seen.

As we both laughed, I realized this was the longest conversation I'd had with a girl not related to me in my lifetime.

"Is there anything I should know about Angela Barlow? Aside from the fact I've never talked this much with a girl, before."

"Well, my family and I have lived in Seattle for nearly 100 years, I have two older brothers, and my parents are both school teachers."

"One thing I guess you might be interested in, is I'm here on an Athletic/Academic scholarship. I run long distances, fairly well."

With that, I noticed Angela's smile disappear.

"Did I say something wrong?" I asked.

Looking down at the table, she softly told me, she couldn't even walk any distance, due to her congenital heart condition. "Don't worry, Glenn," she said, "I'm not going to up and keel over, any time, soon."

It lightened the mood, but I couldn't help feeling a bit sorry for her, and her condition.

It didn't stop us from having lunch together, and studying our math lessons, too. Since math came easily to me, and she struggled a bit, I offered to help her study.

Soon, we just seemed to click, even when we weren't studying. Nothing serious, but good friends.

It must have been starting our third month when she asked me a question that truly shocked me.

"Glenn, can I ask if you're gay?"

"No, why would you ask that?" I stammered.

"Well, you've never tried to kiss me, for one."

Blushing about five shades of red, I moved closer to her, took her face in my hands and very gently kissed her on the lips. Oh, my God, did that feel good. So good, in fact, I did it again, hugging her gently.

"See, I didn't break in two, or drop to the ground, clutching my heart," she smiled.

Leaning in again, we kissed a few more times, before we decided to sit on one of the park benches we were standing near.

With her head on my shoulder, and my arm around hers, we just sat, silently.

"Isn't there anything medical science can do for your heart?" I asked.

"Just keeping a close eye on me, and for me to watch my diet, and waiting for a transplant."

"I'm no Doctor, but I'll keep both my eyes on you," my grin a mile wide.

Over the Christmas break, I went home, to visit my family. When I told them about Angela, my parents and my older sister were thrilled. They also liked that both her parents were school teachers.

The day after Christmas, I got a call from Angela asking if I could return and go to a New Year's Eve party with her. Since I had nothing on my busy social calendar, I told her I'd be there. She told me it was nothing fancy, which put my mind at ease.

Getting back onto my dorm room, I had to think about this party. It will be our first official date. Since I didn't have a car, Angela let me drive her car.

There were probably 15 to 20 couples there, some who went to college with us, and some of her high school friends. They all seemed to accept me, as Angela's date.

As we rang in the New Year, Angela and I were slowly dancing, just looking into each other's eyes. As the giant ball in Times Square hit the bottom, we just kissed as gently as possible. We must have stayed like that a bit too long, as some of her friends started staring at us, and whispering about our lip lock.

Finally, coming up for air and just stood toe to toe, grinning at each other.

Would we go much further? That decision was answered with the following statement, "Glenn, I can't do much more, wrong time of the month."

As I listened to her words, I realized my hands were gripping her very cute behind.

"I'm not complaining, as we have plenty of time to decide what's next for us."

"Glenn, if I'm out of line, I'm sorry, but I think I'm falling in love with you."

"Angela, I've never felt like this, before."

During the next semester, we advanced to the point of making out on top of either of our beds, still with some clothing on. Yes, I did get her bra off, allowing me access to her small, but perfect B cup breasts.

Ending our first year of college, we had to decide what we were going to do. She was going to be back at her parents house, and I was looking for summer work, to keep me here, due to a decided lack of job opportunities back home.

Heading into finals week, I made a command decision to tutor kids in math. I found no shortage of students needing help in my best subject.

With my schedule coming into focus, I realized that my relationship with Angela was progressing, nicely.

Several times, we found ourselves with less clothing, and more touching. She did explain the scars from an earlier heart valve replacement surgery to me.

"Do you also realize you're dating an older woman? I had to repeat the 6th grade due to all the time I missed with my heart surgery."

I told her age didn't matter, one bit, to me.

We had both achieved fantastic orgasms, manually, when on one very nice afternoon, as we were resting from a great make out session, Angela started rubbing my cock through my briefs, causing my breathing to increase.

As she slipped her hand inside my undies, I gave each small, but rock hard nipple a very nice kiss. As she gripped my growing sex, I put my hand inside her panties. She moved down my body, sliding my briefs down my legs, I did the same with her panties. I moved on finger up and down her very wet sex, as she took the head of my cock inside her very eager mouth.

I moved her body around with my face looking right at her very sexy bush. Slowly, as her head started bobbing a bit faster, I pushed my tongue up and down her pussy lips. As I licked her emerging clit, her entire body shook. Her hand cupped my balls, as my cock nearly disappeared into her mouth.

As her body shook, again, I could tell I was about to explode. Holding a few tissues over my erupting manhood, my tongue drank in the little wetness dripping from her thighs.

Rolling onto our backs, trying to catch our breath, we just looked at each other, knowing our next step wasn't that far away. We both knew we weren't going to remain virgins much longer.

"Glenn, I need to tell you that mom is taking me to her doctor, to see if she can find a birth control method to fit into my medical situation. Do you think we can wait another few days?"

"We've waited over 19 years, another few days is OK by me."

"I was actually shocked when mom told me this is what she was going to do. I don't know if dad knows, or not."

Just as she finished telling me this, we heard her parents coming into the garage. By the time they entered the house, we were sitting in the family room, as if nothing had happened.

Angela and her mom, Debora went out on the patio, leaving me with her dad, Evan. He told me he sort of knew what was going on with the upcoming Doctor's visit, and he was OK with it. Anything to make sure we weren't going to be parents before finishing college.

Just about two weeks after her seeing her Doctor, we were back on her bed, making out like the love struck teens we were. When I moved between her legs, took my solid six plus inches of sex, and rubbed up and down her soaking wet slit. Without saying a word, I very slowly pushed through her barrier, with minimal discomfort, and started my slow in and out movement.

My goodness she felt good. Her kisses covered my face, but I moved down taking one nipple in my mouth, then the other. Neither of us lasted very long, before exploding with our ultimate pleasure.

It took us a few minutes before cleaning up, and returning to bed. We just kept hugging each other, and kissing, deeply.

I felt myself getting hard, again, and asked if she was OK for round two. Pushing me onto my back, she gave my cock a very nice kiss, before mounting me, leaning over so I could give her breasts the attention they deserved.

After nearly twenty minutes, we erupted, again, and were truly exhausted.

When her parents came home from work, her mom knew in a glance, but just smiled and went about her normal routine.

When I left to go back to the dorm, she looked at me and said, "goodnight, son."

I nearly floated back to my dorm room.

We both were on track to graduate in three years, me with a degree in Architecture, and Angela in elementary education.

The summer was flying by, with me tutoring several kids, which gave me a little extra financial freedom.

I was looking forward to the fall semester, running cross country, trying to improve on my 4th place finish in our conference. I did better in both the 1500 and 5000 meter races, and hoped to run in the national championship, next Spring.

We both made sure to keep on our paths to graduation. We also realized, that I was one of a very few with a higher GPA than Angela had. Not that we were in a competition, or anything.

My season of cross country left me as conference runner up, and sent me to the National Championship. I wound up finishing in sixth place, making me an All-American.

Take my word for it, Angela rewarded me with all the love we had for each other.

Our question to each other was, could we wait another year and a half to get married?

We were already talking about our future, and both families knew it would come to pass, sooner, than later. My folks came to this side of the mountains, and enjoyed meeting my future wife and her family. We all had a very nice week of getting to know each other.

Spring came with me stopping the 1500 meter run, and replacing it with the 10,000 meter run. I quickly found my niche with the 10k run. The first three races of the season, I broke our school record, each time. Of course, my biggest fan was my now fiance, as we set a date for our wedding, just over a year from now.

I qualified for both the 5k and 10k races in our national championship, but with the races being run in Davis, California, Angela didn't attend. I wound up third in the 5000, but won the 10,000 by just over thirty seconds, a runaway, even for such a long run.

Getting back home, Angela greeted me with a very surprising message. The organizers of the Prefontaine Classic, a World Class track and field competition, held in Eugene, Oregon, was inviting me to compete in the 10k race.

Wow, I thought, a little skinny kid from Davenport, Washington, invited to compete with world class runners.

Since school was out for the year, we made the decision for me to accept their invitation.

Both sets of parents, plus my older sister and her husband all made the drive four and a half hours south of Seattle to watch me run.

Talk about pressure! I knew I had to perform my best race, not only for my family and school, but for myself, to prove I belonged in this illustrious field of runners.

This was a signature event, because it was Steve Prefontaine's best event.

Starting the race I'd made up my mind to keep toward the middle of the pack for the first two thirds of the race. I couldn't believe how fast the pace was, but I was holding my own, and feeling great.

Was it my fiance yelling her heart out? Maybe. Was it my dad bursting with pride, seeing me running against over a dozen of the worlds best distance runners? Quite possibly.

With two laps to go, and my lungs on fire, with this blistering pace, I dug deep and increased my stride. With the bell lap starting, I was still in the top six. I think I was running on pure adrenaline. Down the home stretch, I was up to fourth place and just crossed the finish line in third, behind two Olympic Gold Medalists.

With Eugene, Oregon being the track capital of the United States, the very knowledgeable crowd gave us all a prolonged standing ovation. Both the first two placers gave me all the validation I needed to know I truly belonged in that race.

After catching my breath, and doing an interview with a Seattle TV station, I jumped into the stands and into the arms of my soon to be wife.

My dad was absolutely beaming, telling anyone who'd listen that my final lap was run in 49.4 seconds, with me lowering my personal best by 27 seconds!

I just couldn't believe what I'd just done. Finally, it hit me, leaving me in tears. All my well wishers, from both families, to strangers just showing appreciation, I soon regained my composure, enough to return to the track to take a victory lap with the first and second place finishers.

What a weekend! Something I'll never forget. Ever!

Back at school, tutoring again, with the Barlow family starting to plan our wedding. Nothing over the top, but with Angela being an only daughter, this was the parents time to shine.

Oh, yes, my dad sent me the headlines from The Spokesman Review newspaper detailing my record setting run. I thought, what would they have done if I'd won? Make me Mayor?

Cruising through our final year of school, crushing all the classes we each needed to graduate, and me chomping at the bit to get back on the track, Angela and I sat down with her Cardiac surgeon to discuss having children.

Yes, we were told, it could pose a risk, but we thought it was a risk worth taking. We were told her defect might not be passed on to any child or children. And it was totally up to us.

My final season of competitive running was here. I was conference champ in the 10k, and a solid favorite to win our Nationals. This time, our competition was on TV, so my soon to be wife did her cheering from her living room, with her family.

My dad was in the stands, as my head cheerleader. I did win, but missed my personal best by five seconds. I did, however, finish twenty one seconds ahead of second place. I guess I needed the same level of competition from Eugene, to beat my record.

One of the reporters asked if I was headed for the Olympic Trials, in three weeks, where I would be considered a favorite, and maybe even a medal contender.

I knew the Trials were a week after our wedding, so my answer was, to be determined.

In the back of my mind I had always considered the career of my namesake, Glenn Cunningham, from Kansas, where my dad is from. Cunningham nearly lost both legs in an accident, as a child. He went on to become one of this country's best middle distance runners of all time.

Twice an Olympian, winning a Silver medal, at 1500 meters, in the 1936 Olympics. And, oh by the way, he stood about 5'10" and weighed just about 150. Sound familiar?

Could I duplicate that? Who knows?

That entire question became moot, two days after returning from the Nationals. Stepping off a sidewalk, I twisted my ankle, severely enough that I was ordered not to run for at least a month. No trials or Olympics for me. Was I disappointed? Yes. But I was getting married to my absolute best friend. I had seen what she had overcome in her short life, and the Olympics would still be there, in four years.

Our wedding was held on a very bright, sunny day in late June, with the light walking boot looking real spiffy with my tux.

Evan, my father-in-law was beaming walking his little girl down the aisle. My parents, also were beaming, seeing us getting married. My older sister and her husband having eloped four years previously, so this was a first for them, too.

We really didn't have a honeymoon, as we were very busy moving into the little house we found to rent, while we were both getting ready to start our new jobs, as well as our new lives as husband and wife.

I had a job with an up and coming Architecture firm, and Angela had a contract as a middle school English teacher.

As we progressed, I found I was very well suited to my job, as was my wife. We were starting to discuss the option of children, with her Doctor's input.

"You both should know, that Angela might only be capable of one child, I want you to know," Doctor Doces, (pronounced doe-sees), said.

Since he was one of the most respected Cardiac Surgeons in the Northwest, we listened.

As we celebrated our first anniversary, we made the decision to try for a child. We didn't lack for trying, as our sex life flourished.

With my ankle fully healed, I was running, just in case I wanted to pursue my Olympic dreams.

About four months after giving up her pills, we got the fantastic news we had been hoping for. We were going to be parents!

Every one was over the moon happy. The Barlows were going to be grandparents, and my folks would add to their one grandchild, my sister and brother-in-law presented to them the previous year.

With every precaution being taken, my wife was watched as carefully as anyone could be cared for. On the second exam, we were hit with fantastic news. We were having twins! Both girls!

Fantastic news, but even more precautions were taken. Diet and exercise were watched religiously. While exercising was done, under strict guidelines, I made sure she never overdid anything.

Just to be sure we would have enough room for our growing family, we found an older, but updated house with four large bedrooms, two full bathrooms, and a large, fenced yard.

We knew early on in her pregnancy, she wouldn't carry full term, we also knew the chances of a natural birth were diminishing, with a C section being considered the most likely option.

The one thing she had to stop was classroom teaching. We did find she could keep busy tutoring kids, just as I had done, in college. We also agreed that this would stop at least a month before our girls would be delivered.