Old Man Who Believes He & Wife Are Too Old for Romance Sees Her Enter Cafe with Another Man – Story of the Day

David and Alicia grew old together, but while Alicia's need for romance and spontaneity went unaddressed, a huge fight changed everything between them.

Alicia and David were in the same room, but the silence between them was getting louder and louder.

Alicia sat in front of the dresser, putting on another layer of makeup, trying to conceal her lines. She had been getting ready for the past 30 minutes. The clicking sounds of little boxes and Alicia's constant humming in the background were something David was trying really hard to ignore.

He was sitting in bed, trying to read a few pages of a novel. It was a critical juncture in the story, both in the novel, and in the lives of David and Alicia.

Finally, David could pretend to read no longer."Where are you going again?"

"For the hundredth time, David, I'm going out with a friend from improv class."

David was frustrated that Alicia wasn't ready to reveal more. "Going out where, and with whom?"

"I don't think I need to tell you that, because I know you don't care."

David didn't usually care. He had been married to Alicia for 52 years, and though they were the closest friends throughout most of their marriage, things began to drift over the past few years.

We must appreciate what we have, while we still have it.

There was a time when Alicia and David would host endless parties at their home. They would bring friends from different circles together and create grand moments of awe and laughter that none of the attendees would ever forget.

This was also the time when the couple would take spontaneous trips and go on expensive dates, even if it meant that they had to cut costs for the rest of the month.

They would go out so often that they had a go-bag that was always packed and hung right behind the bedroom door.

Eventually, they were immersed in raising their children and building a stable, comfortable life. They often stayed up and talked through the night, reminiscing their good old days of carefree romance and adventure.

"When we shoo these kids off to college and become empty nesters, we'll pick up the party right where we left off."

It had been more than a decade since both their children had moved out. Their son, Nathaniel, was a respected cardiologist in LA. Their daughter, Susan, was a mother-of-three and ran a successful jewelry business.

In many ways, this was the phase that David and Alicia had dreamed of. Their children were independent, their grandchildren made occasional but pleasant visits, and they kept bumping into old friends on social media.

Alicia was thrilled and excited to go out again. She joined every club, attended beginner's workshops for random skills she would never pursue, and made new vibrant friendships.

However, she never brought those friends home. That's because somehow, David didn't seem to enjoy any of it. Life had caused him to change. David was now an 82-year-old man who had become more withdrawn than social. Alicia understood that and tried her best to be mindful of David's new aversion to going out.

On countless occasions, Alicia had canceled plans with her friends, gone against her own wishes, and stayed home with David. She even compromised on the grand celebrations of birthdays and anniversaries and settled for a quiet dinner or a movie at home.

Alicia's unaddressed needs for romance and experiencing new things had gotten bottled up inside. Without realizing it, the repressed feelings had turned to frustration, disappointment, and eventually resentment towards the man she once loved.

But after what happened the previous night, Alicia couldn't take it anymore. It was Alicia's birthday, and her friends had thrown her a party at their favorite restaurant. They waited for David to arrive, but he never did. Three hours into the wait, David called her and said he "didn't feel like coming."

"I can't bear the thought of having to do all that small talk. Especially with the oldies. I bet they won't quit talking about the 'good old days.'"

Alicia had begged him to come, promising they would wrap up the party early.

"You know what, you take your time. Have the cake, maybe a few drinks, then come home. Let's have dinner together. We'll order from the Thai place we tried last week.

"Don't have too much fun!" David said jokingly before hanging up.

Alicia felt humiliated by David's absence. It was just like the many dates he had stood her up on.

She dodged several questions from friends, exchanged pleasantries over a slice of cake, and went back home.

Usually, she would get into a long, passionate argument with David after such cancellations. But last night, Alicia quietly walked in, had a glass of water, and went straight to bed.

David was unprepared for this unusual reaction. He chose not to say anything either. But tonight, as Alicia had left the house wearing a gorgeous dress and getting decked up to a ten, it was hard for David to stay quiet.

He let her leave while he watched from the balcony. Someone had picked her up in a chic black Mercedes. David decided to give in to his impulses and followed her.

To his surprise, the car stopped in front of an upscale cafe, and a man escorted her to a table.

David watched as the stranger demonstrated perfect chivalry to his wife. He kept trying to get closer to the man but failed.

The stranger must have been in his late seventies, with silver hair and an aura of elegance around him. He seemed to be energetic and talkative. As David observed them from a distance, he noticed that the man made Alicia laugh quite a lot.

When the stranger held Alicia's hand, David couldn't take it anymore. He came out of hiding and confronted them both.

"So this is who you meant by 'friends from improv class.'"

Alicia took a minute to catch her breath and compose herself, but the stranger was genuinely shaken.

"Why are you so surprised? I told you I needed romance in my life. I'm 78, not dead."

"Well, did you ask me if I wanted to take you out?" David was trying to control his anger.

"Why? So you could cancel on me again?" Alicia snapped back.

In the middle of this, Alicia's date was confused. "I'm sorry, is there a problem? Do you know her?" the man asked politely.

"Do I KNOW her? She's my wife! Didn't she tell you that?"

Now Alicia was nervous. She looked at the disbelief on her date's face and tried to explain.

"Adrian, listen, I am-"

But as soon as Adrian realized that Alicia was a married woman, he threw his hands in the air and got up to leave.

"I'm sorry, but I'm not in the business of breaking up families. I'm out of here."

Alicia tried to stop him, but it was too late. Adrian was gone, and all eyes in the restaurant were on her and David.

"So you wanted to have an affair? After all these years, you want to break us up? If separation or divorce is what you want, I think we can work that out!" David raised his voice like he hadn't in years.

Humiliated once again, Alicia burst into tears. Finding her courage, she said, "All I wanted was some semblance of love and romance in my life. It is something you promised me, and I've been a fool, waiting for years when I know that you have no intention to fulfill it. You've shown me repeatedly, but I've been too blind."

David did not know how to respond to Alicia's vulnerability. After an awkward silence, Alicia quietly walked off, saying: "I'll be staying at a friend's place tonight. I'm tired of all of it, David. We'll talk more about the divorce tomorrow."

The word 'divorce' felt weird in her mouth. She spent the rest of the night on her friend's balcony, looking at the stars like she and David used to.

'Maybe I should have accepted him for who he was, rather than trying to make him how I wanted him to be. Even though he wasn't exactly romantic, he was with me through the ups and downs of my life,' Alicia thought.

On the other side of town, David was also staring at the skies on his balcony. He sat there for hours, trying to remember the version of him that was adventurous, spontaneous, and hopelessly in love.

David thought of how he had suppressed that side of him and how hard Alicia had tried to bring it alive again.

'Maybe I was too selfish. If only I had trusted Alicia and let myself be a little spontaneous and romantic again! I know she would've been thrilled at my slightest effort.

'I can't let her go. Not after realizing that love has no age and that there is so much more left to give,' David decided.

It was almost sunrise. David realized that there might be a way to rekindle the relationship. He got up, packed a bag for two like the old days, and hung it up right behind the bedroom door.

He couldn't wait for Alicia to come back home, and for their new chapter to begin.

What did we learn from this story?

• We must appreciate what we have, while we still have it. David may not have been the romantic that he was, but he was with her through thick and thin. Alicia had forgotten to appreciate that and was trying too hard to change him instead.
• Love has no age. David failed to recognize that even though they were old, Alicia still desired romance and love from him. The need to be loved and pampered doesn't go away with age.

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