The Greatest Kind of Love

"Can I talk to you please?" said Kel from the doorway.

Turning around Alanna observed the younger woman fidgeting nervously in the doorway to her palace apartments.

"Of course Kel. Come in." Alanna said smiling, beckoning the younger woman forward with a wave of the hand.

Kel rubbed the back of her neck nervously as she entered the room.

"It's kind of personal, I just need some advice and I thought you might understand how I'm feeling."

Motioning Kel to a seat Alanna poured fruit juice into a two glasses and after handing one to Kel sat down on the sofa opposite.

"What can I do for you" she asked, sipping from the glass.

"It's just…I mean… How do you …" Kel paused nervously, "how do you choose between two different guys?"

Alanna looked closely at Kel and sighed. Leaning forward she placed her glass on the table and folded her hands.

"It's difficult. I can't pretend it's not. Do you love them?"

"Yes … both, but…" Kel stopped, "I don't know who to choose."

Her shoulders slumped and she bent forward hiding her face in her hands, then looking up through her fringe Kel asked

"How did you?" she whispered

Flushing and leaping to her feet Kel gasped, "I'm sorry my lady I didn't mean to be so"

"Alanna – please call me Alanna. If we're to discuss personal matters we ought to be on first name terms – don't you agree?"

"Yes, thank-you." Kel said blushing taking a gulp of juice from her glass.

Smiling wryly Alanna considered her words carefully.

"I guess the question you should be asking yourself is who can you see yourself living within 30 years time."

"I don't know – I love them both … just differently," said Kel miserably. "How do you know - choose?"

Alanna frowned, looking down at her hands, she replied "There are different kinds of love – even between men and women – the bright kind and the quiet kind. The bright kind is wonderful while it lasts but with time it dulls, leads to other things. The Quiet kind lasts forever – through everything. I chose the quiet kind because I knew I could trust George to be there for me through everything and I could trust him to let me be me – no matter how much he might want to stop me. It's hard to choose but you have to think of which man will support you through everything. Tell you when you're being stupid, pick up the pieces when you come home from yet another fight battered and bruised. The man you can trust to love you for who you are and let you be who you need to be – not the man who'll try and stop you out of a desire to keep you safe." Alanna sighed, looking up at Kel she smiled, "I'm not sure what to say except use your head as well as your heart because love can so easily be turned to hate. You have to make your own mind up about whose going to be there always and … who you want to be there."

Grimacing, Alanna stood and threw another log on the fire "Look at me getting all sentimental."

Kel smiled and stood up also "Thank-you – that really did help."

Turning Kel left – looking after her Alanna smiled to herself 'maybe she is a bit like me after all'. Turning she chuckled and pushed the door shut with a quiet click.