Present day...

My entire body trembled and Luke had noticed. Since the day I met him, little escaped his attention. So shook up by what just happened, I was unaware that Danny entered the room until he spoke.

"Are you okay, Machala?"

He was my best friend and I owed him honesty. "No, Danny, I don't think I'm okay."

His arms came around my shoulders, offering comfort as they always had. He didn't understand my sexual preferences, but he didn't judge them ...