“Ro? You promise?” The hospital pillow was flat and lumpy, almost as uncomfortable as the mattress. Ryo missed his own bed that cradled and supported him just right. He also missed the familiar, soothing surroundings of his home. Most of all, he missed Ro. Her smile. Her carefree laughter. Her sarcasm.

He hadn’t seen her smile since the accident. He never realized how much he depended on her until his world was turned upside down. She was his rock; his strength. She had always been, ever since they were best friends as children. Being with her always felt so natural; like their destiny was with each other. Their love written in the stars. Romeo and Juliet without all the drama and death. Robin Hood and Maid Marian. Mark Antony and Cleopatra. Tristan and Isolde. Ryo and Ro.

They were an odd couple despite how easy and natural being with each other was. Ryo was the pretty one. The effeminate one of the couple. He’d worn the white dress when they got married on a beach at sunset, the warm waves lapping at their ankles. He was clearly male but mixed with a haunting feminine beauty that made him a favorite of the modeling agency and its clients. Part of that beauty came from his Japanese heritage.

Ro was his opposite. She was no beauty queen, but she cleaned up nice when she bothered to care about her appearance. As long as he’d known her, she’d been a total tomboy who hated dresses as much as she loved the ocean. Night and day; so different but they completed each other. Even paradise had its problems; disagreements and differences of opinions. Each had different priorities. Hers was money. His was her life.

Ro didn’t answer. Her head was bent over his hairless, freshly diapered crotch. She was taking much too long with this diaper change, dragging it out and avoiding eye contact. Her gaze focused on the front panel of his diaper as she pressed down on the tapes. She ran her fingers over the smooth, thick plastic to make sure it was fastened tight. Ryo stared at her, but her face was carefully blank. Her mouth was in a straight line, her eyes blank. Neutral. Guarded. Trying to hide her emotions and thoughts by acting like she hadn’t heard him. Her silence spoke volumes.

Ro diapering him was nothing new; she’d been changing his diapers since their relationship turned serious when they were eighteen. They were twenty three now; Ro was several months older than him. She’d changed his diapers throughout their dating, engagement, and now their marriage. He’d always had bladder problems; he’d never been out of diapers at night and he wore pullups during the day in case of not uncommon accidents. They’d been childhood best friends; Ro knew all his secrets and loved him anyway. He loved her, too. Trusted her. He thought he knew all her secrets. Looking at her now, doubt wriggled in his stomach. She was hiding something from him.

“Aurora?” He prodded into the widening chasm of silence between them. Ro ducked her head, hiding her face. Her fingers slid down the slick plastic, lightly pressing on the thin padding. A faint crinkling filled the quiet, small room Her fingers found the leg gathers. She poked and prodded, making sure his diaper was on just right. She was too focused on her task, fingers moving too slow. Deliberate, with too much concentration. Before the accident, diaper changes had been moments of intimacy between them. Ryo could handle his own diapers, and often did. He always felt so vulnerable when she changed him, giving her control over this most intimate aspect of his life. He also felt so loved, accepted, and protected. Cherished. Precious. This was her way of showing him how much she loved him.

Even now, as she tried to hide something from him, she still tried to stay close to him. She tried to reassure him by changing his diaper. To show without words how much she loved him. I love you, but I don’t want you to know about this. During a normal diaper change, as she wiped, powdered and diapered him, she would look at him. Smile. Make silly faces or blow a raspberry on his stomach. He’d roll his eyes at the juvenile teasing she’d never grown out of, then he’d stick his tongue out or try to tickle her back. Now, she avoided his gaze and acted like this was the first time she’d ever changed his diaper.