aLL YoU NeEd iS LoVe.

Dedicated to ALL the people who make life easier for us, who believe in us, and who never, ever leave us...no matter what.

It has often been observed that women in love are somehow more intense, expressive and exhibitionistic than their male counterparts. This loose rule didn't seem to apply to Penelope. David was more "in love" with her, she often felt. For instance, she thought, watching him sleep so sweetly next to her, he'd never even considered leaving her during one of her "dark" days. He was the sole reason she was who she was now. David and his utter unquestionable faith in her. He brought out the best in her.

Apparently that was enough...love, that is. It make life better. He would hand her her pills every morning. He would make up schedules for her to get through her exams with decent marks. He would study with her over the phone and make sure she went to bed on time. His lullabies weaned her off sleeping pills.

[That last may sound implausible, but its true nonetheless. ]

And all the while, all those months, she waited in suspense for him to get fed up and leave her.

She thought the first time she tried to kill herself [ she had no idea why.]. She'd overdosed, he made her vomit, drink fluids, held her hand, fed her tea. Once she was well he gave her pure hell. But never once did he mention leaving her. He felt like he had failed her.

Penelope never really held herself in high esteem. Which was weird because pill popping episodes and general private moroseness aside, she was quite capable of being the centre of attention in a positive way. Always polite and encouraging, often turning into a counsellor...but once the problem was fixed or a smile placed on the face or the exam passed...she didn't know what to do. She didn't know how to keep a friend...If all was well, she was bored.

David was her first ever friend...at least a person she wasn't counselling! She could talk to him about any and everything. And he her. When she was angry with her parents, he would explain why they behaved how they did. If she was wrong, he never hesitated to tell her so. If she was right, he stood up for her. Their friendship was entertaining even when no one was in crisis. Which was a first for Penelope.

She could tell him he was dull and boring to his face and he wouldn't mind. Instead he'd appreciate her wide range of interests...and encourage them, indulge her. He'd never been much of a reader, but she was...and he loved when she would narrate to him summaries the books she read, both fiction and non fiction and they would discuss them...He in turn would share his absolute love of music...make her CDs/MP3s...label them...He shared his love for all things electronic with her and she quenched her love for learning new things by asking him to google things when she herself didn't have the Internet.

When she was jobless and spending her days sleeping, overeating and being a slob living off her parent's money...He didn't deride her. When she went out and got herself a job and started taking better care of herself and found she needed help, He was proud of her and ever ready to help out. When she excelled at her job, it was his chest that puffed up with pride. When she wanted to redecorate the empty flat and turn it into a home... He enthusiastically listened to her and offered more ideas and to go shopping with her. When she wanted to find out how to lose the 40 extra pounds of body weight, He downloaded exercise videos and made her Cd's.

He was there every step of the way. And after 3 years of being with him, she was secure enough to realise...He was here to stay. And she was ever-so-thankful for that one simple fact. All it takes, to change one life, maybe more lives even, albeit indirectly...is love.