October Novel Prep Challenge

The characters are Laffiam, a 23 yr old male from Spain and Sarah-Ane a 47 yr old female from America. He's a lit student in university, and she's a psychology professor.They've never crossed paths as student and professor since they are located at different universities. They've been dating for three years.

The conflict: Sarah-Ane is in the hospital (from not eating which I'm blaming on her severe depression). She hesitantly requests Laffiams presence at the hospital on her first night there after ignoring and rejecting him for quite some time, let's say several months.

I can only see two ways out but both are problematic and oddly enough feel weird based on how I perceive Laffiam. He says what he feels with a little wit, doesn't really have any ill feelings towards anyone (except his father), and so he considers everyone's feelings.

The Options and their corresponding flaws:
He could stay with Sarah-Ane against his wishes, and in so doing give her the assurance that he's there when needed. This would deprive him of sleep and make him feel less in control, less masculine since he has been putting himself out for her the entire time, and this is just extra. In addition it would make him feel more like an object of hers rather than her equal.


Or he could get some needed sleep at his own home, in his own bed. This would plague him though, and Sarah-Ane would feel somewhat abandoned and more alone than she already feels. And again this could push their relationship into that grey, lukewarm area where both are just there but not invested in the relationship.

(Wide age gaps in relationships are a little taboo, and I'm trying to keep the characters realistic, while making their ages in the relationship a non-issue. So they need to stay together.)

So, I'm stuck. Any and all suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Feel free to ask any questions that would better help you to understand. And you can also skim "Invalid Entry" .