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A break up of a relationship is almost never easy. Even as in Fran's case. Her husband of eight years and herself had made a clean and amicable split from each other.
No children were involved and they seemed to stay reasonable friends...what could be better?
Fran had stayed on in the 'matrimonial' flat, and Dave had moved in with an old college friend.
Work for Fran stayed the same. It was just the return home after that took the getting used to.
Although the marriage had slowly died like failing embers on a fire, Dave had always been there.
Just knowing that you were coming home to a 'lived-in' flat was comforting...warm even. Fran missed that greatly!
Most evenings were spent relaxing. Yes, she went out with friends, but it was easy to fall in to the category of
'poor Fran...recently separated Fran...desperate for a man Fran.'
For that reason, she kept her socializing to a minimum at the moment, and weekdays were lonely days.
One evening, Fran was bored. The flat was pristine; she had made the obligatory call to her mother, and she had eaten.
Gazing around the room, her eyes fell on the computer. Everyday she used a pc in the office, but never as a fun instrument.
Should she try the chat room...were they as sleazy as people made out? After all, they couldn't see you and you couldn't see them, it was safe...
Fran settled down with a cup of coffee and dialed up her Internet provider.
For a while she 'surfed'; it was really quite entertaining...now for the infamous chat room.
It was so easy, she chose the category which best suited her mood that evening...
There were currently twenty-nine people in 'Just Chatting' And a couple of them sent little instant messages through to her just to say 'hi'.
Fran stifled a yawn and then another message popped up in front of her.
'Hi, Matt here. Do you want to talk?
Forty minutes later, Fran found that she was really enjoying his company. She had the sense though to call herself Lucy. Matt was, like her, separated and had begun to feel a little lonely. Fran understood this, although on the surface, very much appeared to have really changed...her world was topsy-turvy at the moment.
The next day she hurried home from the office. For some silly reason she just had to get on to the computer again.
She sent an immediate message to Matt; obviously, he was not available...he didn't answer.
Oh well, he was probably a serial 'net surfer' and must have had occasion to speak to many women apart from her.
Just as she was starting to think of dinner, bath and bed...he answered. They chatted for ages, telling each other jokes, hobbies and just a little of their personal lives.
"Do you want to see a photo of me?" Fran asked...in films that was what happened!
Matt replied quickly, saying that it would be nice if they could carry on like this for a while. They obviously had a lot in common and a photo seemed too harsh...as if it might break a spell somehow.
Fran went out with a group of old friends at the weekend and had a terrific time. Funnily enough though, she found herself thinking about Matt. They chatted so much now that she regarded him as a really great friend. She would lay in bed wondering what he looked like...blonde...or dark, tall...short. Not that it mattered really; after all they would never meet...but did a large part of her want to?
The next few days were hectic at work, and Fran would arrive home completely exhausted. One day she didn't even switch the computer on, as she just had no energy. She hadn't seen or heard from Dave. They usually called each other up a couple of times during the week. Fran's friends found this strange, but she told them that you couldn't be with someone for as many years as she and Dave had been together, and not still care for them.
On her low days, Fran wondered ...what if? What if they had tried harder, not both put their careers first...would things have been different?
After an hour, she managed to get Dave on his phone. He was his usual charming self, and Fran was pleased to have caught up with him. He said that he was fine...how was she?
Yes, he'd got his social life back on track again...had Fran? Fran said that life was on a roller coaster at the moment...she didn't have time to breathe...maybe she should invest in an aqua-lung!
Dave told her that he'd met someone, and she seemed very genuine...what about her?
Fran replied that she too had started chatting to someone; she neglected to say that he was in a chat-room at the time. Yes, she too was opting back in to life again.
After saying her goodbyes, Fran went back to the computer. She got straight in to the chat-room, but try as she might, she just couldn't locate Matt...ah well, another time!
Again, the next few days were busy, busy, busy and the computer was again neglected.
Fran had invited a girlfriend from the office back home to share a past meal with her.
They laughed and chatted over a couple of glasses of wine, and all too soon, her friend Anna had to leave.
It was just ten o'clock and for once, Fran didn't feel tired. She poured herself a strong coffee and decided to switch on the computer. Within minutes she was on the Internet.
What a bit of luck; she found Matt almost straight away.
"Hi," he wrote. "Thought maybe that you'd emigrated."
"Nice to be missed," said Fran.
"I was wondering if you'd like to meet me for a drink Saturday night," wrote Matt. "The Green Man in Allington High Street, Midsville"
"Love to," wrote back Fran, maybe a touch too quickly.
"That's only about eight miles away from me"
She was amazed at herself for being so impetuous but was secretly already looking forward to Saturday. After all, they were just good friends, for goodness sake, she didn't even know what he looked like. She just knew his age, hobbies and name!
After agreeing to meet at eight o'clock, they said goodbye to each other.
Well, as usual, some friends told her she was mad, others congratulated her...most said that she still wasn't completely over Dave.
All Fran knew was that she had found a good companion for herself and they were going to share a friendly drink...that was all, nothing more!
She arrived ten minutes late to the rendezvous and nervously got out of the car.
There were quite a few people in the main bar, and she knew that Matt was to be sitting at the bar wearing a grey jacket.
She couldn't see anyone straight away and so ordered herself a gin and tonic.
Suddenly someone tapped her on the shoulder.
"Are you Lucy?" said a familiar voice.
Turning around to see him she answered.
"Hi Matt, yes I'm Lucy."
With that, Fran and Paul walked arm in arm to a quite corner.
©2002 StoriesByEmail.com
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