THIRD TIME’S A CHARM
Leslie Lavender, 66, (right) is a retired nurse who was widowed twice. Brian (left) is happy she didn’t give up on love.
Leslie Lavender: I got married at 20 to Randy, a school teacher and, later, a principal. We were married for 28 years when Randy died suddenly of a massive heart attack. I was a widow at 48. Brian Laird: I’d been married and divorced, with a grown daughter, so kind of an empty nester. I’m 69 now and retired from the conveyor industry.
LL: Three years after Randy died, I met Michael, a doctor, on a blind date. We were married for 12 years and had just started building a house when he had a nasty stroke and died. I was living in a big house, and I was lonely. I like having a partner.
BL: We both had eHarmony subscriptions that had almost run dry. The gals seemed great at rst but it didn’t take long to nd inconsistencies. Some pro les out there are just plain fake.
LL: At my age, lots of men want a “nurse or a purse.” That’s ne, if you’re honest about it. One man’s photos looked like he was living a very active life – but he showed up in a walker. That wouldn’t be a problem, but the dishonesty was. BL: Everything in my profile was honest and up to date. Nothing had a cloud over it.
LL: Another guy wouldn’t tell me his last name, said it’d be a surprise when he showed up. Well, surprise! He was a convicted felon. So I was pretty much done with online dating. To this day, I don’t know what made me give it one more shot.
BL: We both just happened to re it up one last time. I found her pro le and sent a little wave.
LL: Brian looks like Dennis Weaver, the actor from that old TV series McCloud. We chatted on the app for a few weeks, moved to the phone and then decided to meet in person. BL: We met at a local eatery. Then, right in the middle of the date, her friend showed up!
LL: My housekeeper happened to be going to the same restaurant that night. I asked her to nd me and take our picture. If he was a serial killer, there’d be a photo to give the police. BL: I figured out what was going on pretty quick. And what are the chances of two serial killers at the same table?
LL: Brian’s really funny, but also honest and sincere. When my ceiling fan broke in the summer, he insisted on coming to my house to x it himself. By then I knew I could trust him. Brian shows his love and a ection by acts of service. The yard’s immaculate.
BL: Six months later, I sold my house and brought my dog, Ace, and moved in.
LL: This would be fast if we were 19. But we’re not. We’re not going to have children, we don’t mix our nances and we’re not planning to get married. We’re together just because we want to be.
BL: Plus those two [spouses] died! I don’t want a heart attack. We’re just sitting back to enjoy each other and have fun. To nd someone like her at this stage of the game is like a cherry on top of your ice cream. –As told to Rosemary Counter