Joaquin and Carlos were a happily married couple living in Spain (where gay marriage is legal)

…until one day Carlos…

…who developed a severe case of borderline personal disorder (BPD)…

… and was thereby overly sensitive to Joaquin’s criticisms of his failures in life and other hurtful put-downs…

… decided to end it all by jumping of the Acueducto de Segovia…

…the bridge in Madrid traditionally used by disenchanted young lovers to commit suicide.

Joaquin begged and pleaded and prayed to God for his husband

not to kill himself, but when he tried to grab him physically…

… Carlos was even more determined to snuff out his own young life.

It was a long drop to the busy street below…

…and it would have meant certain death if Carlos had made the leap of bad faith.

It looked as if Carlos was determined to go over the edge…

…and punish his husband…

… for treating him so cruelly.

But Joaquin appealed to God once more…

…and miraculously Carlos finally changed his mind.

The troubled married couple left the bridge…

…put their shirts and coats back on..

… collected Carlos’ prized orange bicycle..

… and paused to vow they would never find themselves in that precarious position again.

They bought some lollipops…

 

…a memento of  their beloved city…

… and a symbol of their everlasting love for each other.

Candy hearts…

…to heal their broken parts.

They swapped their sweet saliva…

…as the sun set behind them…

[OMG! It's just getting good. To see it all unfold, head on over to DUST Magazine.]