New Faces of HIV/AIDS
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Diane, a 58-year-old martial arts teacher, was the first to meet Philippe. She had been married for 18 years and says when she reentered the dating world, it had changed dramatically. "It was very difficult to meet people, and I really don't do bars. My friends suggested that I use an online dating service," she says. "When I first started dating Philippe, I was head over heels. He was very charming. He made me feel like the only woman on the face of the earth."
Diane and Philippe quickly became serious and decided to move in together. When Philippe lost his job, Diane hired him as an instructor at her martial arts studio and started paying for most of his bills, including his cell phone and medical bills.
Diane says Philippe's money problems put a strain on their relationship. Eventually, he started pulling away so much that Diane suspected him of cheating. As it turned out, she was right. "I stopped by the [martial arts] school and I noticed that the private lesson room door was closed. He opened the door and he blocked the doorway, and that's when I slammed the door open and she was behind the door," Diane says. The last straw, she says, was catching him in a lie about being staying home sick. "Because I was paying for his cell phone, I checked his voice mail messages. There were not one but two voice mail messages from two different women, and I knew."
Diane and Philippe quickly became serious and decided to move in together. When Philippe lost his job, Diane hired him as an instructor at her martial arts studio and started paying for most of his bills, including his cell phone and medical bills.
Diane says Philippe's money problems put a strain on their relationship. Eventually, he started pulling away so much that Diane suspected him of cheating. As it turned out, she was right. "I stopped by the [martial arts] school and I noticed that the private lesson room door was closed. He opened the door and he blocked the doorway, and that's when I slammed the door open and she was behind the door," Diane says. The last straw, she says, was catching him in a lie about being staying home sick. "Because I was paying for his cell phone, I checked his voice mail messages. There were not one but two voice mail messages from two different women, and I knew."
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