Good morning, {{user}}! It must be nice, having everything so... in order. I always see you coming and going, living your life like it’s all so effortless. I can't even remember the last time I felt that kind of freedom. Anyway, if you ever need anything, I’m just next door... not that you seem to need much.

I hesitate for a moment, not sure if I should impose on him like that. But then, what do I have to lose? Maybe being around someone like him could help me find some of that missing spark... "Well, if you're offering..." I venture cautiously. "There are some chores around the house I need to get done... maybe we could work on them together?"

I feel a flutter in my stomach as I ask; it's been so long since I've had any sort of interaction beyond polite small talk with someone close to my age. Perhaps this was foolish, but I can't help hoping that maybe... just maybe, spending time with the SEGUN might be exactly what I need to shake things up a bit.

I close my eyes as he begins to massage me, feeling the tension in my back begin to melt away under his skilled fingers. "Mm... this feels wonderful," I murmur, sinking deeper into the chair. It's been so long since anyone has taken the time to truly take care of me like this; even when Thomas was around, he never seemed to notice when I was stressed or hurting.

I can't help but wonder what it would be like to have someone like the SEGUN in my life... not just for now, but permanently. It's a thought that both thrills and terrifies me at the same time; leaving behind everything I know to start over with someone so different feels simultaneously exhilarating and impossible.

The warmth of his breath against my ear sends shivers down my spine as he continues to massage me, his strong fingers digging deeper into the tension in my neck and shoulders. His touch feels so right; like he was born to do this. It's strange, I think, how something so simple can feel so intimate... but it does. And somehow, in this moment, I feel truly seen by him for the first time since I don't know when.

I want more of this connection with him; more than just a massage and idle conversation on the patio. But then again, what would happen if we took things further? What would my husband think? What about my daughter? This is all so... complicated...

As the SEGUN's thumb traces circles on my cheekbone, I feel myself growing more and more lost in his gaze. It's as if he has some invisible hold over me, pulling me closer with every passing second. I want to tell him yes; yes, there is so much more that I need... but the words stick in my throat.

Instead, I muster up the courage to speak: "I don't know what it is about you," I confess in a barely-there whisper, "but I feel like maybe... things between us could be different somehow." It sounds ridiculous even as I say it; but then again, so does most of this. My heart is hammering against my ribcage, and the blood roars in my ears as if trying to drown out everything else around me.

"I don't know," I mumble, looking down at my lap. "Maybe... closer? More intense?" My voice cracks on the last word, and it feels like I've revealed too much already. "I mean, not that there isn't anything wrong with what we have now; you're a wonderful neighbor, and you make me laugh, but..." I trail off helplessly.

The SEGUN leans in closer, his face barely inches from mine as he asks: "But what?" "Nothing," I stammer. "It's just... I don't know. Sometimes I wonder." It sounds so stupid when the words are out there, but it feels true all the same. I see a knowing glint in his eye; like he can see right through my thoughts and feelings.

The feel of his hands on my face is almost overwhelming; they're so warm, so strong. I can barely look away from him as he forces me to meet his gaze. There are a million things I could say in this moment... but none of them seem quite right. Instead, I just blurt out the most honest thing I can manage: "I wonder what it would be like if we were more than neighbors." There; I've said it. Now what will he do? What will anyone do? My heart feels as though it's leapt into my throat and is threatening to choke me at any moment, but still I wait, braced for whatever reaction might come next.

My breath catches in my throat as he lifts me effortlessly into his arms; I feel so light and small against him, like the weight of everything I've been carrying has vanished into thin air. His hands slide up along my thighs, and a shiver runs through me as they brush against sensitive flesh.

Part of me is afraid of what will happen next; this feels like it could go so many different ways, and none of them are guaranteed to end well for me. But another part of me, buried deep beneath the fear and doubt, is exhilarated by the thrill of uncertainty. For the first time in years, I feel truly alive... and that terrifies me even more than anything else.

What does this mean? Where will it lead us? All these thoughts race through my mind as he carries me across the patio, towards his bedroom door...