found herself listening to the dialling tone. The minute she placed the phone back on the table it rang again and her heart skipped a beat. It’s him she thought as she answered.
“Hello Katy, remember me? I’m the guy who’s been awake all night thinking about you.”
She smiled, “Hello John,” she replied softly.
“Did you have a good day at work? Do you still want to go out to dinner with me tomorrow? Do you fancy Italian food?”
“Yes, yes and yes,” Katy replied then she said, “Seher is about to appear here at any moment, so you’ll understand if I can’t talk. She’s so nosey, but she has my best interests at heart.”
“Yes , she seems like a lovely girl and, from what you’ve told me, a good friend. Why don’t we arrange for me to meet you after work tomorrow then we can go straight out. There’s a great little restaurant on the south side, just ten minutes from your office, it seems a shame for you to travel all the way into the city centre then have to travel back again.”
“That sound like a plan. What’s the place like?”
“Small, intimate, up-market casual, the food is superb and the atmosphere is great. I think you’ll like it.”
Katy heard the buzz from the security phone.
“Sorry, John, but that’s Seher buzzing up. I’d better go,” she said as she pressed the button to let her friend into the building. “I finish at five but by the time I’m ready to leave it’s usually nearer ten past.”
“I’ll be waiting for you when you come out. I’m really looking forward to seeing you again.”
“Me too,” she replied.
They ended their phone call just as Seher rang the bell.
“Well, did he call?” she asked when Katy opened the door.
“Yes,” Katy replied as she stepped aside to let her friend enter the apartment.
“And, are you going on another date?”
“Yes, we are.”
“Well tell me about it, when and where? Goodness it’s like trying to pull teeth getting information out of you. I want to know everything.”
…
John was excited about the date he’d arranged. He couldn’t help smiling whenever he thought about it. Suddenly, after months of putting off the task, he decided the time had come to put his house in order. Armed with black bin sacks and steely determination he began to clear things out beginning with the wardrobe in his bedroom and, more specifically, Carol’s side of the wardrobe. Several months before he’d managed to bag most of her clothes and donate them to charity, but there were still some items that he hadn’t been able to bear parting with. Personal things that stirred memories of the good times they’d spent together. Her wedding dress for one and the sun hat she wore on their honeymoon in the Seychelles. Many, many items, far too many, his home had become a shrine, but it was time to move on. He would of course have his photographs, Carol’s wedding ring and the heart shaped pendant he’d given her when they’d first started to date, but the soft toys they’d won at the carnival, ornaments and an assortment of nick-nacks would have to go.
Once he started, he worked like a madman. Sweat poured from him as he went from one room to the next packing and bagging all manner of things. When he finally finished it was nearly one o’clock in the morning. The house looked bare and minimalist. To John it seemed empty, but he knew that the rooms were clean and fresh, the house was elegant and stylish and, more importantly, he would now feel able to invite people in. He’d shut himself away, hiding like a small creature in its burrow, but now, at last, he could breathe.
…
Over the next two weeks John and Katy went on several dates and by week three they couldn’t get enough of each others ’ company. John was romantic and kind, he bought Katy flowers and when they visited the theatre, a small box of handmade chocolates to nibble on during the show. He wined her
“Hello Katy, remember me? I’m the guy who’s been awake all night thinking about you.”
She smiled, “Hello John,” she replied softly.
“Did you have a good day at work? Do you still want to go out to dinner with me tomorrow? Do you fancy Italian food?”
“Yes, yes and yes,” Katy replied then she said, “Seher is about to appear here at any moment, so you’ll understand if I can’t talk. She’s so nosey, but she has my best interests at heart.”
“Yes , she seems like a lovely girl and, from what you’ve told me, a good friend. Why don’t we arrange for me to meet you after work tomorrow then we can go straight out. There’s a great little restaurant on the south side, just ten minutes from your office, it seems a shame for you to travel all the way into the city centre then have to travel back again.”
“That sound like a plan. What’s the place like?”
“Small, intimate, up-market casual, the food is superb and the atmosphere is great. I think you’ll like it.”
Katy heard the buzz from the security phone.
“Sorry, John, but that’s Seher buzzing up. I’d better go,” she said as she pressed the button to let her friend into the building. “I finish at five but by the time I’m ready to leave it’s usually nearer ten past.”
“I’ll be waiting for you when you come out. I’m really looking forward to seeing you again.”
“Me too,” she replied.
They ended their phone call just as Seher rang the bell.
“Well, did he call?” she asked when Katy opened the door.
“Yes,” Katy replied as she stepped aside to let her friend enter the apartment.
“And, are you going on another date?”
“Yes, we are.”
“Well tell me about it, when and where? Goodness it’s like trying to pull teeth getting information out of you. I want to know everything.”
…
John was excited about the date he’d arranged. He couldn’t help smiling whenever he thought about it. Suddenly, after months of putting off the task, he decided the time had come to put his house in order. Armed with black bin sacks and steely determination he began to clear things out beginning with the wardrobe in his bedroom and, more specifically, Carol’s side of the wardrobe. Several months before he’d managed to bag most of her clothes and donate them to charity, but there were still some items that he hadn’t been able to bear parting with. Personal things that stirred memories of the good times they’d spent together. Her wedding dress for one and the sun hat she wore on their honeymoon in the Seychelles. Many, many items, far too many, his home had become a shrine, but it was time to move on. He would of course have his photographs, Carol’s wedding ring and the heart shaped pendant he’d given her when they’d first started to date, but the soft toys they’d won at the carnival, ornaments and an assortment of nick-nacks would have to go.
Once he started, he worked like a madman. Sweat poured from him as he went from one room to the next packing and bagging all manner of things. When he finally finished it was nearly one o’clock in the morning. The house looked bare and minimalist. To John it seemed empty, but he knew that the rooms were clean and fresh, the house was elegant and stylish and, more importantly, he would now feel able to invite people in. He’d shut himself away, hiding like a small creature in its burrow, but now, at last, he could breathe.
…
Over the next two weeks John and Katy went on several dates and by week three they couldn’t get enough of each others ’ company. John was romantic and kind, he bought Katy flowers and when they visited the theatre, a small box of handmade chocolates to nibble on during the show. He wined her
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