Splintered Lives by Carol Holden

Simon.” Mary calls after them.
     
    David smiles as he opens the door of his car for her.   He has booked a table at a restaurant a few miles away that has a reputation for good food and wine.   They are shown to their table and the waiter draws out a chair for Sarah.
     
    At the next table one of David’s friends from work touches his arm to greet him.
     
    “Hi David, how’s things?” “You’re looking smart tonight. Are you going to introduce me to your lovely friend?”
     
    “This is Sarah, someone I met at college years ago.”
     
    “This is my wife, Joyce,” his friend, whose name is Brian says, as he introduces his wife to them.   “Well enjoy your meal, we are just going, lovely to see you both.”
     
    They wave as they leave the restaurant.
     
    “Brian is a colleague at work, he teaches in my department, he is very
     
      genuine, and easy to get along with.” David says.   “Now let’s order.”
     
    The meal is wonderful.   They are too full to have a sweet but they take their coffee in the lounge overlooking the garden.
     
    They reminisce about the time they were friends at college and laugh at some of their memories.   David fills in his time since then, and the time before, when he worked as a civil engineer and travelled the world.   He has stories of the people he met and the places where he worked.
     
    Sarah talks again about her time in Nepal and the feelings she had for the ordinary villagers and their daily hardships.   The care they showed for each other and the lovely children she taught.
     
    When David looks at his watch, it’s too late to take in a film so they walk by the river and Sarah holds his arm and it feels like they are a couple.
     
    “Thank you for a lovely evening, David.” She says.   He turns towards her and takes her in his arms and gently kisses her lips.   Sarah thinks,
     
    I feel a stirring of my feelings and I see Taj as David bends his head.   I feel guilt as though I am betraying my love for Taj.
     
    “I must be going, it’s getting late.” Sarah says.   David gently takes her hand and guides her to his car.   Sarah wonders and thinks,  
     
    I feel some awkwardness I have never felt with David before, I know that I am not ready for an intimate relationship, but I don’t want to lose David’s friendship.
     
    They travel home in silence.   When he drops Sarah off, she leans over and plants a kiss on his cheek, and thanks him once again for a lovely time.
     

 
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 19
     
     
     
    I snuggle down in bed after seeing my mother off and peeping in to see Simon.   David is foremost on my mind.   I did feel a stirring attraction for him and my body was aroused when he kissed me.   It’s been over four years since I lost Taj, and I’m still young enough to start again.   But I feel guilty of the yearnings of my body, and my lovely memories of the lovemaking I had with Taj.   But David is such a lovely character, and he is so good with Simon, I don’t want to loose his friendship.
     
    I’m so confused that I can’t sleep.   I creep downstairs quietly and make myself a cup of tea.
     
    I try to sort out my feelings for David and I know that I love and respect him because he is such a lovely man. I remember having these feeling for him when we were at college.   I knew he would be the best of us in his future career and the caring ways he showed to us, helping with our difficult studies and the way he took to teaching, caring for his students.   I just hope that I have not hurt his feelings by almost rejecting him. I decide I will ring him in the morning and try to repair any damage I may have done.
     
    The following day is lovely.   Simon is lively and I have no time to worry about anything.   My mother turns up as we are having breakfast and suggests that we all have a day out somewhere special.   Dad is having some holiday days off work, and she has packed a picnic for all of us.   Dad is taking