[JoeWhite1]

Abbey soon settled into her new home. She loved the fact that she could walk to work in just a few minutes, which meant that she had less stress and more money because she no longer had to pay rent or her daily fare on a jeepney. Although she worked in a restaurant, Abbey had to buy her own food because staff were not provided with meals while on duty. Again Joe helped Abbey to save money because he made sure that there was always food in the refrigerator for Abbey to cook for him and for her.

However, Joe continued to eat his breakfasts in the restaurant, and he was often joined by a few other older retired western men. Abbey always made a point of making sure that she was their server. She got to know the members of the group quite well. They were from different western countries, but they were all united in having decided to retire to the Philippines, and also in teasing Joe and Abbey about the fact that they were “living together.”

The expression made Abbey blush because although she had had boyfriends in the past, and she was not a virgin, the idea of having a relationship with Joe excited her because it was vaguely taboo. Joe was about twice Abbey’s age, but he was still healthy and fit. He exercised every day, and apart from his legs being a little painful sometimes, he did not seem to have any health problems. That is if it were possible to ignore his farting, which Abbey did not like, but which she had to put up with.

At times, Abbey let her mind fantasize about being dominated by Joe. She did not really feel attracted to him, but she liked the idea of an older man from the West controlling her. Secretly, Abbey was a submissive, but she did not realize that. All she knew was that she would like a man who could control her and be quite firm. A man who was strict and who knew what was best for her.

Nevertheless, Abbey was unable to understand what made her feel like being controlled. She just knew that it felt good and exciting to have such thoughts.

However, she did not have these thoughts too often because she had bigger problems on her mind. Her older niece was ill and had been hospitalized with dengue fever. Abbey’s sister in law was dependent on Abbey for support in her everyday needs, so Abbey knew that it would be impossible for her to pay for the hospital treatment that her niece needed. Although she had more money to spend because of living in Joe's apartment, Abbey had to find some other way to make money besides what she earned from her job as a waitress.