Stella Warden, a 56 year old retiree and widow.

By the time you're allowed to visit Allison her family had already broke the news to her and she was sobbing gently into her mothers arms. You had steeled yourself for the visit but seeing a much older woman and trying to see her as your girlfriend was hard. Allison was youthful, blonde and willowy, whereas Stella was mature, brunette and full figured. Linda looked as though she was comforting her mother rather than her daughter.

Linda looked up and step aside so you could approach. Swallowing hard you approached the bed with a smile fixed on your face.

"I'll leave you two alone" Linda murmured and stepped out.

"Oh Alison I'm so glad your alive!" You lean down and hug her.

"I'm not!" Alison replies and you wince, not just at the blunt statement, but at the thick husky voice that had replaced her once sweet melodic tones. "Look at me Tim! I'm older than my mother! I'm older than your mother! How could they do this to me?" She demanded angrily.

"They saved your life" you reply gently, holding her hand, which sported long French polished nails. Allison was a bit of a tomboy and never grew her nails. You look at her face which is blotchy from crying and can't help but to notice the wrinkles, especially around her mouth and at the corners of her eyes.

"MY life? Then how comes I don't get to live my life?" She replied dejectedly "I have to live as Stella Warden" she passes you a file on the side. You open it to find Stella's details. Married twice, no children, worked as real estate agent before meeting her last husband Jeff at 43, a former client and succesful business man, to whom she sold the house she now lived in, which was located in the expensive side of town. Stella had retired soon after they had married and Jeff had died to years ago following a brief illness. Stella had since lived as a lady of leisure off of the life insurance and the money she inherited. The medical file indicates that she had had some plastic surgery last year, including a nip and tuck and breast implants, you can't help but notice the large breasts under Alison's gown.

"At least your wealthy" you try "you won't want for anything"

"Except my friends? Or going to Prom? Or college? Or a career? Or kids?"

You're interrupted by a nurse who enters and bends over the bed, sticking a patch onto Alison's arm. "They're you go madam, just call me when you need a new one"

"Is that pain relief?" You ask as the nurse leaves.

"No it's a nicotine patch" she says tearfully "Apparently I smoke 20 a day now"

You look at the file and see its true. Jesus this would be bad, both you and Alison hate smoking. Alison had recently used her term as class president to start a campaign against the smokers at school, getting one girl Tara Burnett suspended after she was caught smoking behind the football stands..

"Do you know how horrible it is lying here, disparate for something that I despise?" She asked in her husky smokers voice "Gawd, listen to me! My voice sounds like my Aunt Clara's! Except I'm older and smoke more! Tara Burnett would laugh her ass off if she saw me now!"

With that she started to sob again, so you put the file down and put your arms around her. "We will get through this baby, I promise you."

"WE Tim? Do you really mean that? I'm 16 years older than your mom! I could be your grandmother now!" She asked incredolously.

"Yes I mean every word. It doesn't matter to me how old you are or who you are, it's what's inside that counts. I love you Alison". She gives you a long hard look searching your face to see if you mean what you say.

"Call me Stella" Alison replies smiling at last "I have to get used to who I am now"

"I love you Stella" you repeat, steeling yourself and bending down to kiss the 56 year old woman who was now you girlfriend.

But could you really go through with this? How would you explain it to your friends and family? Might as well cross those bridges when you came to them. Right one Stella needed you.