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He knocked in about 15 minutes. He came in looking a little sullen and like he had just got out of jail. Cam was nervous and Valiumed and looking guilty as hell. "Please don�t be mad," she said, and other entreaties for him to not misunderstand why her ex-boyfriend was hanging out in her apartment while she thought her �ol man was going to be in jail.

He actually seemed quite calm about it, and just looked more sad and dirty than homicidal. I looked him in the eyes, "Hey, are you coming to dinner with us?"

"Uh, yeah. Let me take a shower," he said. I knew that any kind of immediate danger had passed. He took a shower, and then Cammy did, and there we were staring at each other across the room.

He admitted he was confused about me being there, but wanted to reassure me he was cool with it. I said I was glad, but I figured as much, and if he were going to kick my ass he would have already done it. Besides, I explained, I knew my own intentions and Cammy and I were far beyond ancient history. She was just someone I very much loved, and was really concerned about.

I pushed my luck a little and said that I thought there was ample reason for my concern. To my surprise, he just looked at me and said, "I know. I know. I�m just trying to be in it for the long haul, though."

He was so sincere and it wasn�t what I expected. I grew bolder, and asked him something to the effect of why he was kicking her ass, then. "I never raised my hand to her," he said. I did my best to not alienate him by being judgmental, and tried to identify in some way. Turns out it wasn�t too hard, and I recognized in his story one similar to my own.

I asked him if I could take he and Camella out to dinner. He brightened and said, "You know, actually, that would be really nice. We�re both broke." By the time Cam got out of the shower we were swapping stories and talking about the various rewards and challenges of living with her. We grinned a little as she came in the room.

to be continued�