‘Em, I can’t believe I feel like this after just one night with someone.’
‘Do They Know It’s Christmas’ blared out from the local wine bar.
‘My head is telling me he’s completely wrong for me but I just cannot stop thinking about him.’
Emma and Jess had been friends for thirty-four years; they had met at primary school and had been close ever since. Emma, with her curly, dark brown hair and green eyes, was tall and willowy. She had kept her figure and looks despite giving birth to three beautiful children. It had always amazed them both that Emma had succumbed to being the earth mother and Jess was now the single career woman. Throughout the years it had been Jess who dreamt of the rose-covered cottage in the country, adoring husband, and brood of kids, whereas glamorous Emma had wanted to be dresser to the stars and marry one of them. She had been married to Mark for the past fifteen years and despite the fact that they bickered like children most of the time, their relationship was solid. Emma was a great artist and painted large mural-type paintings in her garage to supplement their income and ‘keep her sane’ amongst the madness of family life. Despite being extremely close to her siblings, Jess actually confided in Emma, more than in anyone else in her whole life. Nothing seemed to shock her.
Em took a slurp of her sauvignon. ‘Come on, Jess, you know what you’re like. You always wear your heart on your sleeve. I think you’ve actually got to see sense on this one.’
“Do they know it’s Christmas time at all?” The chorus boomed out, drowning the Christmas revellers.
‘He wouldn’t even have been born when this song came out first time,’ Emma realised.
They both laughed.
‘And I was having my first sexual experience as he was in the maternity ward,’ Jess added.
‘You probably were even driving past the hospital in your blue Mini with the ladybirds on the side. This is some age difference, Jess, even for you.’
Jess had always liked younger men. Even Philip, with whom she had been with for two years, was five years younger. Yes, she was young at heart but deep down she knew the reason she picked these younger men was that she was actually quite frightened of commitment herself. Any man who had crossed her path and had offered her the world had frightened her off. She became bored of their intentions. On the other hand, if any man posed as a challenge, she would jump in with both feet, give them the world and then frighten them off. Heartbreak would ensue and the whole pattern would start again.
Emma thought it had stemmed back to the death of her mother. She thought if Jess got close and loved anyone completely, they would leave her and she would feel the same terrible loss she felt then.
‘But Emma, I think this is different. Age has no barriers in the game of love and all that.’
‘You’ll get hurt and I’ll be buying shares in Kleenex again,’ Emma replied knowingly.
Jess looked at her friend with her big honest eyes. ‘I do get what you’re saying, Em, but I’m desperate to see him again.’
Emma softened. ‘OK, so you know what you have to do on this one, don’t you?’
Jess looked at her quizzically. She always relied on Emma’s sensible advice, as her own track record with men had been appalling to date.
‘You have to leave him alone, well alone, not even a text, or a sneaky email. He’s young, he won’t like being hounded. He’s told you that he needs some time to try and sort things out with Alex and that is what you have to let him do.’
‘I know, I know,’ Jess replied like an insolent child.
‘It’s the only way, Jess. Hunter-gatherer instinct and all that. Men love to be the chaser. If he feels the same for you he’ll come back to you.’
‘Wasn’t it Sting who sang ‘If you Love Somebody Set Them Free’?’ Jess piped up.
‘He’s probably never heard that either.’
They both laughed out loud.