| "So, Mike was around after work yesterday?" "Yeah....I asked him around for coffee, and a chat after work. Thought it would be nice." "And, was it?" Amy was so curious. She stared intently at me, awaiting my answer: "Yes....I really like Mike - he's easy to get along with, fun, got a great sense of humour - he almost like......" "Like what?" "Nevermind....nothing." "What Charlotte?" "Like....he's too good to be true." "Well, he is nice.....and gorgeous!" I smiled. Amy liked Mike so much, and she made it so obvious I found it funny. "I know you think that! He said he'd phone me when he gets home from work." "Why's that?" "For a chat silly." "Have you ever thought to think....he might want more than friendship from you Charlotte." I found Amy's remark totally obsurd. "He doesn't....where do you get these stupid thoughts?" "Well, look at it this way: from the time you've met, you've been meeting up, phoning....you might not be thinking like that, but he could be....he seems very keen." "Don't you think a guy like Mike can like me just as a friend." "Of course I do, and I'm sure he does, but that wouldn't stop him wanting something more....I've seen the way he looks at you Charlotte." "Now you're being silly - he looks at you the same way as he looks at me." "Charlotte - he doesn't. I've seen it - you can tell......the body language, the way he looks at you when you're in conversation....it's so obvious." "Amy......you're imagination is running wild again." I grinned - Amy always got like this. "Charlotte - honestly. Anyway, what's wrong if he does fancy you....don't you think he's nice looking?" "Well - there's nothing wrong with that, but I know he doesn't." "But - what if he does? I mean, he's a lovely guy." "I know, I know." "Well?" "Amy, I've been through this a hundred times.....I don't know if I'm ready yet, to move on." Amy nodded in agreement. "All I'm saying is don't lead him on in any way.....make sure he knows that." "He does Amy......all he wants is friendship, the same as me." "Okay, I'll take your word for it." "At last...Thank you!" "I'm just so envious! He's a babe! If ever you get sick of him, send him my way!" "I will, don't worry. He's nice, but as a friend." Amy wouldn't leave the questioning there though - I felt as if I was under interrogation, as she tried to find out every detail about the day before: "So, you had coffee?" "Yesterday? Yeah - and watched telly...talked...talked for ages." "What about?" "Stuff.....our lives, people in them, people who were in them...." "Nicky?" "Yeah. It's just, he seems to understand so much more than everyone else - he's gone through it all. He'll just sit and listen to me warble on about times we had." "That's nice Charlotte - it's good you have someone you can relate to, but sometime you have to let go......you do know that?" "I know Amy.......just, when? I don't want to." "I must be hard, I know, but you'll know when the right time will be." I smiled, wondering if I would. "Before Mike came around, I went for a walk." "Oh yeah, where'd you go?" "Up the hill." I could tell Amy didn't think that had been a good idea on my part. "Oh." "It was okay.....nice actually. It was quiet, and gave me time to clear my thoughts." "That was good then....as long as you weren't wallowing up there.....Charlotte?" She looked at me. "I wasn't Amy." She continued to stare at me, knowing I wasn't telling the truth. "Oh okay Amy - I was, but just a little." "I knew it - Charlotte. Yeah, you're entitled to be grieving, hurting, but you can't keep living in the past.....you'll never get anywhere in life." "Look, I've never lost anyone close to me before - I'm dealing with it the best way I can okay." "I know Charlotte." She placed a hand on my shoulder, sympathetically. "I know." Amy left a short while after that, as she would be late for work. After she had left, I sat down on the couch, and thought about what she'd said - I knew I couldn't continue to live in the past....what she had said was right. Wallowing wouldn't help me, or anyone else, and wasn't the way to move forward. But, as for her thought's on Mike fancying me......that was silly. I knew he didn't. Mike was a nice guy, but wasn't interested in me in that sense. I wasn't into him in that sense either - we were just friends, nothing more, nothing less. I glaced at my wrist watch - it would be a few minutes before Mike was out of work, so I decided to go and meet him - I had nothing better to do. I grabbed my mobile phone, my denim jacket, put on my trainers, and ran out of the door. I was walking down the road, towards the garage, when a blue van pulled up beside me. I stopped, and looked, to see Mike behind the steering wheel. He leant over, and opened the front door for me to get in, which I did. "Hiya Charlotte - You're the last person I expected to see! Where are you heading?" His blue eyes looked at me as I fastened my seatbelt. When I eventually looked up, he smiled, obviously pleased to have seen me. As I looked into his eyes, I was reminded so much of Nicky. The way they twinkled......looked at me. His blonde hair.....the way he had it combed casually back...... "Earth to Charlotte. Mike calling Charlotte...is there anybody out there?!" I suddenly looked up, to see Mike laughing. "You were in a world of you own - where were you heading?" "Thought I'd meet you from work, that's all. Didn't know you had a van." "Yeah, had this baby for a year now....she's just been fixed." "She's nice....comfy anyway!" "Yeah, she does me okay - gets me everywhere I need to go, and that's the main thing." "Yes." I smiled, noticing he was still in his dirty overalls. His blonde hair had bits of oil in it, and his face was filthy!" "You're filthy Mike - don't you change before you get out of work!" "Normally, but I was in a rush to leave today.....wanted to get home asap." I nodded." "Work that bad?" "Nah, not really, just boring at the moment." We stopped at a junction, and waited for the traffic to clear, before pulling out. I could tell Mike had been driving for some time. "You been driving long?" "Driving.....yeah! Been driving for a good few years now. My Mum used to have an old car out the back. My step dad used to teach me - by my 16th birthday, I could drive properly." "That was good! Lucky you - I haven't even begun to have lessons yet!" He laughed. Mike had a lovely laugh. "Well, where I used to live, there was alot of fields, and dirt tracks to practice on - it was rare if we saw more than 4 cars on the main road through village per day!" "Really!" "Oh yeah.....that's why it was so easy to practice. That's what inspired me to become a machanic....I knew alot about cars you see, as I used to work out the back with my step dad, taking them apart, and putting them back together. I knew all the engine parts...where they went.....he taught me a lot." "Well, if you're interested in something...why not!" I smiled back at Mike. "Do you want to come around to mine Charlotte? You can have some spaghetti bolognaise - I made more than enough for one." "Yeah, okay, if it's alright." "Course." He smiled: "Of course it's alright. Just don't blame me for the terrible cooking!" |