Christina walked down the streets of Los Angeles on her way to work. She was a receptionist for a local veterinary office in town. She walked into work just finishing up the last of her donut that she got at the coffee shop just around the corner.

“Hey Marty how are things this morning?” she asked.

“Good I guess not busy yet anyway…. so how did your little date go?”

“Don’t wanna talk about it” she replied.

“Oh come on was it that bad?” Christina just gave her a glare.” What went wrong? Christina please tell me?” she begged. Christina really didn’t feel like discussing her so-called love life while she was at work.

“Marty I will tell you about it later…it was just the absolute worse date I think I have EVER had in my life that’s all I can really say at the moment”

“I’m sorry Chris”

“Don’t be…really….you are 23 and young…me? I am a 32 year old divorced woman.”

“Christina don’t be hard on yourself…really don’t. We’ll just talk about it over lunch okay?” Christina nodded her head and turned towards the young brunette lady carrying her dog in. She wished she could be that skinny and beautiful…not having to worry about what they eat…her on the other hand. She couldn’t help herself eating was the only thing hat made her happy and feel comfortable. Her ex-husband didn’t make her feel any happier…. just made her feel worse. First it was just a few snacks here and there, but it soon was snacking all day long-no control. Christina watched the doors yet once again and saw a young man about 5’8” with blonde hair holding a little chihuahua in his hands.

“How may I help you sir?”

“Um yes my dog Tyke here he’s sick he threw up all over my bed this morning”

“I’m sorry sir we are all booked until later this afternoon”

“There is no time I have meetings all day” Christina looked at the man’s face and saw the worryness in his eyes about his dog. Christina looked own at the appointment book.

“I can’t get him in sir. But I guess if you want we can keep him here until a doctor can see him. I mean if that’s okay with you of course” the young man looked at his watch and then down at his sick dog.

“Yea okay sounds good”

“Great! Your name sir?”

“Brian Littrell”

“Spell please”

“Littrell”

“Thank you dogs name?”

“Tyke…that’s Tyke”

“Okay Marty here will take him back trust me he is in good hands Brian”

“I’ve been here before just call me if anything goes wrong”

“Will do have a nice day”

“You too” Brian handed the little dog to Marty and she took him back and Brian was out the door. Marty came back out.

“What was all of that?”

“All of what?”

“That…I guess we can keep him here crap…you usually just say we can’t take them” she smiled.

“He was very worried Marty”

“Please”

“What?”

“Nothing…just nothing”

***

Marty and Christina went to the little deli across the street for lunch. “So…date…gossip…go!”

“Jeez chill out there…well as you know I went out on a date with Kevin everything started out fine, but ended in disaster. We had a lot of things in common same kind of music, books, movies, both divorced. But half way through the date a cute little petite blonde girl came and ruined it all- his ex-wife well let’s just say he didn’t come home with me” she explained drinking some of her lemonade.

“Oh hun I’m sorry I guess that’s my fault”

“Don’t be sorry Marty. You were just trying to help me out I guess” Christina sighed.

“Whatcha thinkin about?”

“Life…I hate being like this Marty. I want to be like everyone else…skinny and blonde, big boobs, blue eyes…but instead I am this 50lb over weight red head.”

“Chris just because you are different doesn’t make you beautiful”

“Sure it does”

“No…what makes you different makes you beautiful” Christina took a minute to think it over. She wasn’t going to agree…she was different and she hated it, ”Chris?”

“Sorry just thinking..” and just then she saw him walk through the door” Why is he here?”

“Who?”

“Brian”

“Maybe he is hungry” and then soon followed behind him was Kevin.

“Great, just what I needed” she mumbled.

“It’s okay Chris” But soon as she turned her head he spotted her and came walked towards her.

“You two are from the vet hospital right?”

“Yea”

“How’s Tyke?”

“Good…they haven’t gotten to him yet. But it should be soon”

“Great…oh my bad this is my cousin Kevin” “Hi Kevin”

“Hi Christina”

“Wait, you two know each other?”

“We had a nice little date last night didn’t we?” she half smiled while giving a little bit of an attitude.

“I’m sorry about that”

“Marty we have to go now. Our lunch break is over. We’ll call you if something happens to Tyke” Marty and Christina got up and walked out of the deli and back to work. Christina still couldn’t help but think of him.

Only a couple of hours have passes since lunch and now Christina was now off work for the rest of the day…only thinking of what happened at the deli during lunch. Christina walked down the street to the parking garage where her car was parked. She dug her keys out of her purse and unlocked the doors, She got into her car and drove to the nearest grocery store closest to her house.

Christina grabbed a cart and made her way to the produce section where again she saw the one person who she thought she never expected-Brian.

“Hey!” she turned around and Brian was waving her down.

“Great! Why does he want to keep talking to me?” she said to herself.

“Vet girl thanks for taking my dog in” he thanked.

“The name is Christina and it’s so problem really. Just doing my job” “No really thank you. Tyke just ate something bad he said he’ll be fine in a couple of days”

“Again, no problem” Christina replied and started to walk away. “Wait Christina..”

“Yes?”

“Would you like to go out to tonight? You know for taking care of my dog”

“You want to take me out?”

“Yes…is there a problem?”

“No…no just surprise I guess. I don’t really think its necessary. But I guess I can take you up on that offer” she smiled.

“Wonderful! How about I pick you up at 7?”

“Okay just let me give you my address” Christina pulled a piece of paper out of her purse and wrote her address down.

“Thank you very much”

“You very welcome. I’ll see you tonight”

“Okay see you later” Brian shot her a smile and she smiled back. She couldn’t believe Brian just asked her out.

” What am I going to wear?” she pondered to herself.

~~~

Christina waited patiently for Brian to arrive. “Oh, I hope he doesn’t stand me up. That’s all I would need” she said aloud and just then the door bell rang. Christina walked over to the door and opened it.

“Hi Brian I’m glad you made it”

“Ah I couldn’t stand up a beautiful lady like you” Christina blushed. No one ever called her beautiful before. It felt good for once.” Here I brought you this” he said pulling a red rose from behind his back.

“Thank you Brian you are so sweet. Please come in” Brian walked in. Christina went to go and put her one rose in a little vase.

“I thought we would go out for some coffee and cake or something.”

“That sounds good. Let me grab my purse and then we can go” Christina said coming back in from the kitchen holding the vase and setting it down on the coffee table. And then soon reached for her purse and coat and then they were on their way out the door.

Christina and Brian were now ending the date for the night. They had really connected over the past 2 hours than she had with anyone else. Brian decided that he would take Christina home.

“I really enjoyed tonight Christina”

“Me too Brian. Would you like to come in?” she asked.

“Sure…I would love that” Brian smiled as he walked in. They went and sat down on the couch, “ I am glad you liked the date tonight. To tell you the truth I was a little nervous.”

“How could I have not liked tonight? It was great…one of the best dates I think I have EVER been on. Me just being me I guess afraid of what other people think of me. And someone like you coming around and taking me out to a café makes me fell good about myself ya know?” Christina explained. Brian couldn’t help himself but leaned in and kissed Christina.

“You are very welcome Christina. Everyone is beautiful…no matter what they look like. Words shouldn’t bring you down. You are beautiful no matter what people say about you. People are beautiful on the inside and out. And what makes you different makes you beautiful” Brian smiled. Christina smiled back. For the first time in a really long time she really felt love. Love like any other.

“You know what? My friend said that same exact thing…what makes you different makes you beautiful. And I know I shouldn’t care but it does.”

“Well…I am here…and just from tonight. I am not leaving. You are an amazing woman and for someone to just leave you because you gained some weight is just an immature thing to do” Brian stated. Soon Christina caught herself kissing Brian. It was just the right moment and everything was just so perfect. For the first time she wasn’t judged on what she looked like but who she really was.

“Brian?”

“Yes”

“Thank you”

“For what?”

“For not caring what I look like and liking me for me”

“Oh Christina you are welcome” they sat there on the couch just enjoying each other’s company. Christina and Brian both knew this was something good for the both of them…and nothing was going to interfere with what they have now. She was beautiful to him and that’s what mattered the most.