Rick looked shocked. I couldn’t believe that I had said what I had so abruptly. Rick stared at me; his eyes seemed to glaze over in a look of disbelief. My reaction was similar when I found out – how could a healthy twenty-nine year old die? Don’t get me wrong, I know it happens – it’s just when it happens to someone you know, someone you love - that’s when it gets hard. I’ll never forget the day when policemen knocked at my door to tell me William had died. That’ll forever be imprinted in my memory. My thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the supermarket intercom. Maybe it was time to say something...
“Rick...? Maybe we should just go pay and talk some more over lunch?” I said hesitantly, I saw him nod so I continued, “Sure, I’ll go home after I’ve finished here and freshen up?” I really needed to freshen up as I didn’t fancy looking a tramp in a restaurant. The restaurant I had in mind was café la international from what I’d heard it was alright, the food wasn’t too filling and it was affordable.
“Have you got paper and a pen?” I asked Rick
“Yep, ‘ere ya go doll.” Rick replied handing me a receipt from his pocket and a pen from a near-by shelf. I wrote the café I wanted to meet at and a time.
“See you then” I said to him as I turned and walked towards the till.
My blue basket banged against my leg as I walked, hitting my thigh harder sometimes than others. I started to think as I carried on walking across the store. I was on leave from work, and I hadn’t been to the ATM in days – would I have any money? I highly doubted I had - so when I got to the till I opened my purse cautiously and to my relief I saw a $50 tucked away at the back. I hoped my shopping might come to a total close to this or I’d have to loan some money off Rick. The checkout girl calculated my shopping total and to my amazement it came to $49.28! I handed over my lucky note, and hoped I’d have more uplifting moments like these to come...
Three hours later, Rick and I were sat down in the restaurant, and shortly after we’d ordered beverages Rick said he’d pay. Maybe he saw the lack of money I had earlier in the supermarket, I offered to go half with him but he refused to have it. Suddenly, I smelt mint, and to my surprise Rick it smelled like he’d brushed his teeth!
The waitress came back around, so I ordered my favourite pork chops, and Rick ordered the same for himself. When we finally got our meal, Rick and I started to talk more as the mood lightened.
“You know if you ever need someone to talk to I’m always here” Rick offered.
“Thanks, it was nice to spend some time catching up” I replied.
It was nice that he’d thought to say that, I just hoped that if I did want to talk I’d want to listen. I haven’t really had much luck with my friends, most of them are married with children and they seem to have other things to preoccupy their minds, without worrying about me as well... I felt this hand touch me under the table. My legs snapped together, and pulled back to my body quickly.
“WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?!” I snapped.
Rick looked shocked; “I thought you invited me out for a date!” he replied angrily, “You’re a beautiful woman and your single...what else was I meant to think!”
I could see his confusion but I couldn’t believe that he’d try it on when it was obvious I’d been upset beforehand! “You disgust me, I thought were shocked or something, not working out a way to get in my pants, dumb ass!” I yelled, at this point I was stood up, making the whole restaurant look in the direction of our table. “You should have stayed away from the creep” my conscious told at me – it was a bit too late for that I thought.
I tossed and turned all night in my sleep. I opened my eyes and saw my alarm clock was beaming the time 3:42 across my bedroom. This was the fifth time this week that I’d had disrupted sleep. I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and slid my warm body out of my newly washed blue duvet. My feet touched the ground – the laminate was freezing!I cursed the weather and walked from my bedroom to the kitchen, and then in the stillness of the night I saw Will.
I knew it was due to tiredness, but it reminded me how much I missed him and when I walked over to where he was stood and then he disappeared. Tears fell down from my eyes, fast and heavy, until I collapsed in a heap. “Come back Will...I...I...miss you” I called out in between sobs into the emptiness of my house, and in that moment I realized I couldn’t remember the last time I had a period...
