my
secret, I will keep yours.”
“It’s Derek.”
“Derek? You’re seeing Derek?
Since when?” Helen tried to feign surprise. She thought Sharni
wouldn’t be too happy to find out it was common knowledge that she
fancied Derek. She wondered, not for the first time, what Sharni
saw in him.
He must be forty-five at least
and what do they find to talk about? Or maybe it isn’t about
talking. Look at me and Daniel, Sharni was right our relationship
was built on lust. I’m hardly one to pass judgement.
She didn’t reveal her thoughts
merely sat silent, waiting for Sharni to share.
“I’m not seeing him, but I’d
love to give him a good seeing to.”
“Sharni! Really? He’s, um…”
“…old enough to be my dad?”
Sharni giggled. “That’s what you’re thinking?”
“Well, older than you,
certainly.” Helen tried to be diplomatic.
“Young at heart though, don’t
you think?”
Helen thought about Derek.
Crotchety, perfectionist, friend-to-the-stars Derek. She couldn’t
imagine fancying him. She couldn’t imagine him giving Sharni any
encouragement either; she wasn’t nearly glamorous enough for him,
never mind being half his age. Of course, his wife had been much
younger, but then they had got divorced. Any which way you look
at it, it isn’t going to end well. Still, it isn’t for me to say,
even if Sharni would listen to me any more than I listened to her
about Daniel.
“So, what’s your plan? How are
you going to make him notice you?” As if he hadn’t already noticed
her puppy-dog expression whenever he was around. Actually, maybe he
hadn’t: men weren’t always that astute.
“Well, I’d hoped to win the
competition but you beat me on that one.”
“I’m sorry you should have told
me, I’d have submitted something crap and blurry.”
“Don’t be daft, lass. It’d be
criminal to keep that photo of Rosa to yourself. I’ll think of
something, nay worry.”
Helen was more worried that
Sharni would get her heart broken. She thought it best to change
the subject again.
“I’ll ring Ben and tell him,
you know, about the baby. Please don’t tell the others though, not
yet. I’m only six weeks or so, anything might happen yet. I don’t
want anyone to know until I’ve had my scan.”
“Gosh, scary stuff.”
Helen heard the hesitation in
Sharni’s voice. She wondered what her friend was thinking. Babies
weren’t exactly on Sharni’s agenda either.
Eventually Sharni seemed to
gather her thoughts. “Okay m’darling, I’d better go. I hope to see
you soon. Keep smiling.”
“You too, Sharni. Give my love
to everybody tonight.”
When she had disconnected the
call, Helen sat back in the chair and thought how complicated her
life seemed to have become recently.
Well, at least I’m not bored
anymore , she thought ruefully. Staring at her phone, Helen
tried to run through what she might say to Ben. In the few months
they had known each other a friendship had formed, much as it had
with Sharni. However, whereas she had felt comfortable telling
Sharni she had left Daniel, with Ben it was more awkward. She found
herself aware of the fact that he was male for the first time since
she had met him. Until now he was just Ben, but with Daniel gone
she realised she had to be more aware of how she came across. She
didn’t want to give him the wrong idea – it wasn’t unknown to her
that his eyes lingered when she was around. She owed it to him to
tell him, though, both about Daniel and about the baby. She just
hoped he didn’t make some grand gesture that would embarrass them
both.
“Ben? It’s Helen. Is now a good
time?”
“Helen, babe, yes it’s fine,
I’m not on shift today. How are you? Congratulations, Derek sent
out an email saying you’d won the competition. That’s awesome.”
“You know, Rosa was thinking of
you when I took that shot.” Now, why had she told him that?
“Really?” He giggled, sounding
more like a teenager than a bank manager in
secret, I will keep yours.”
“It’s Derek.”
“Derek? You’re seeing Derek?
Since when?” Helen tried to feign surprise. She thought Sharni
wouldn’t be too happy to find out it was common knowledge that she
fancied Derek. She wondered, not for the first time, what Sharni
saw in him.
He must be forty-five at least
and what do they find to talk about? Or maybe it isn’t about
talking. Look at me and Daniel, Sharni was right our relationship
was built on lust. I’m hardly one to pass judgement.
She didn’t reveal her thoughts
merely sat silent, waiting for Sharni to share.
“I’m not seeing him, but I’d
love to give him a good seeing to.”
“Sharni! Really? He’s, um…”
“…old enough to be my dad?”
Sharni giggled. “That’s what you’re thinking?”
“Well, older than you,
certainly.” Helen tried to be diplomatic.
“Young at heart though, don’t
you think?”
Helen thought about Derek.
Crotchety, perfectionist, friend-to-the-stars Derek. She couldn’t
imagine fancying him. She couldn’t imagine him giving Sharni any
encouragement either; she wasn’t nearly glamorous enough for him,
never mind being half his age. Of course, his wife had been much
younger, but then they had got divorced. Any which way you look
at it, it isn’t going to end well. Still, it isn’t for me to say,
even if Sharni would listen to me any more than I listened to her
about Daniel.
“So, what’s your plan? How are
you going to make him notice you?” As if he hadn’t already noticed
her puppy-dog expression whenever he was around. Actually, maybe he
hadn’t: men weren’t always that astute.
“Well, I’d hoped to win the
competition but you beat me on that one.”
“I’m sorry you should have told
me, I’d have submitted something crap and blurry.”
“Don’t be daft, lass. It’d be
criminal to keep that photo of Rosa to yourself. I’ll think of
something, nay worry.”
Helen was more worried that
Sharni would get her heart broken. She thought it best to change
the subject again.
“I’ll ring Ben and tell him,
you know, about the baby. Please don’t tell the others though, not
yet. I’m only six weeks or so, anything might happen yet. I don’t
want anyone to know until I’ve had my scan.”
“Gosh, scary stuff.”
Helen heard the hesitation in
Sharni’s voice. She wondered what her friend was thinking. Babies
weren’t exactly on Sharni’s agenda either.
Eventually Sharni seemed to
gather her thoughts. “Okay m’darling, I’d better go. I hope to see
you soon. Keep smiling.”
“You too, Sharni. Give my love
to everybody tonight.”
When she had disconnected the
call, Helen sat back in the chair and thought how complicated her
life seemed to have become recently.
Well, at least I’m not bored
anymore , she thought ruefully. Staring at her phone, Helen
tried to run through what she might say to Ben. In the few months
they had known each other a friendship had formed, much as it had
with Sharni. However, whereas she had felt comfortable telling
Sharni she had left Daniel, with Ben it was more awkward. She found
herself aware of the fact that he was male for the first time since
she had met him. Until now he was just Ben, but with Daniel gone
she realised she had to be more aware of how she came across. She
didn’t want to give him the wrong idea – it wasn’t unknown to her
that his eyes lingered when she was around. She owed it to him to
tell him, though, both about Daniel and about the baby. She just
hoped he didn’t make some grand gesture that would embarrass them
both.
“Ben? It’s Helen. Is now a good
time?”
“Helen, babe, yes it’s fine,
I’m not on shift today. How are you? Congratulations, Derek sent
out an email saying you’d won the competition. That’s awesome.”
“You know, Rosa was thinking of
you when I took that shot.” Now, why had she told him that?
“Really?” He giggled, sounding
more like a teenager than a bank manager in
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