MsEmily05: Hi :)

JasonMoo: Hi

MsEmily05: Thanks for accepting my chat invite

JasonMoo: Thanks for inviting me. I usually just get 'hook up' invites

MsEmily05: Ugh - I know, right? I mean, this is supposed to be the kind of site for those of us looking for serious relationships, not some kind of online nightclub.

JasonMoo: So, I'm curious - what made you want to chat with me? Or do you just message everybody and see what comes back ;)

MsEmily05: :P I'm so offended right now - you don't even know :)

JasonMoo: Oh no, I've offended someone on the Internet?! What is our society coming to?

MsEmily05: A swift end, if you believe the global warming people

JasonMoo: Or the end-times believers

MsEmily05: How do you know I'm not an end-times believer

JasonMoo: I wouldn't - you didn't fill in the religion section of your profile

MsEmily05: Speaking of missing profile information, your occupation section is blank. What's up with that - are you homeless?

JasonMoo: My being homeless has nothing to do with it. I'll have you know I hold down a perfectly steady job over at The Save and Go.

MsEmily05: Collecting beer cans to recycle?

JasonMoo: Haven't you heard? Global warming is here - we've gotta save the planet!

MsEmily05: LOL :D

JasonMoo: You never did answer my question

MsEmily05: Charlie

JasonMoo: Pardon?

MsEmily05: Charlie, your dog when you were little. In your profile you told that story about dressing him up like a Trojan Horse for Halloween that one year. It was too cute - I had to meet you.

JasonMoo: But you haven't met me - you're just chatting with me on a dating site

MsEmily05: Semantics

JasonMoo: Does that mean you don't want to meet me for dinner at The Hot Plate this Saturday?

MsEmily05: Does that mean you're asking?

JasonMoo: Ms. Emily, would you do me the honor of meeting me for a meal this coming Saturday, September the Second, at eight o'clock in the p.m.?

MsEmily05: Oh, so formal - should I wear my best ball gown? :D

JasonMoo: Only so long as it matches my purple cumberbund

MsEmily05: Then it's a date - I'll see you there

"So, I guess I'd say this makes us pretty serious," Jason says with a playful tone as he and Emily lie naked together, having just made love for the first time.

"Well, yeah, I'd hope so!" she says, playing along like the two don't both know they're falling head-over-heels for each other.

They smile and laugh a little at each other before kissing again and shifting to find more comfortable resting positions.

"Well then," Jason says as he looks up at the ceiling, "I guess it's time you knew."

Emily has her head on his chest and doesn't even look up to say, "You were just using me for sex, I knew it!"

"Well, of course," he banters back, "but that's not what I meant."

He begins to run his hand across her back aimlessly.

"So, I know that you've been wondering what I do for a living, and I'm sorry I've been sort of reluctant to tell you about it."

"That's okay," she replies. She still hasn't looked up at him, but more from a small sense of unease than anything else. Could this be really bad news? It is something she's been thinking about. "I've been trying not to pry too much," she continues. "I know I don't like it when people do that to me, and I just didn't want to make you feel uncomfortable about anything."

Now she's tracing patterns on his chest with her finger.

"And I really appreciate that," he says. "It really means a lot to me that you're willing to respect my privacy like that."

Now she looks up at him, feeling the need to make a connection with him, and smiles before laying her head back down where it was.

"I'm a millionaire," he blurts out after a moment's pause.

"Oh, then can we go see Egypt," she asks without missing a beat, assuming this is another of their playful exchanges. "I've always wanted to see the Sphinx."

"Absolutely," he says back as straightforwardly as he can. No extra playful retort, which is what she was expecting.

Emily looks up at him again after waiting a moment for more, and as she looks into his face she can tell he's being serious.

"Wait. You mean..."

"Yep."

"All this time?"

"Mmm hmm," he hums as he nods his head.

"But, how?"

"The lottery. Pretty cool, right?"

She thinks for a moment, a puzzled but happy look on her face. Obviously he didn't want to tell her until he knew if it was real; that she wouldn't just be into him for his money. That means he thinks this is real, too. She's fallen in love with a millionaire!

Laughter overcomes her as she twists around, grabs a pillow and hits him with it. And before they know it, they're both smacking each other with pillows and laughing. They can't help themselves.

They're young, rich, and in love - what could be better?

Twenty six years after meeting each other on an Internet dating site, Jason and Emily are sitting together in their favorite hometown restaurant.

"So this is it," Jason says as the waiter lays the check on their table and leaves.

"This is what," Emily asks.

Jason pulls three one-hundred dollar bills from his jacket pocket and lays them on the little black folder that houses the one-hundred and twenty dollar check.

"That's the last of it."

Emily perks up and looks at the three bills.

"That's it?"

"That's it. The last of the original twelve million."

"Almost thirteen," she reminds him, as though he needed reminding.

"Almost," he agrees as he takes her hand in his. They both smile and sit for a moment, memories and emotions pouring through their minds.

"I feel like we should do something - to mark the occasion."

"I don't," he replies, without hesitation. "Let's just go home."

And so they leave; going back to a home they've shared for nearly twenty five years; a home they raised two wonderful children in; a home they've left behind hundreds of times in order to visit far off places together; a home that's full of love.

"So I guess our waiter's getting quite a tip tonight," Emily says as they walk to the car, holding each other close.

"Mmm hmm," Jason hums in reply.

And after a moment's thought Emily adds, "Maybe he'll buy some lottery tickets with it."

And they smile.