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Someone I Used to Know

Chapter 10     Friendly Discussions

Funny how things work out sometimes because after the fiasco with the escort service I just decided to go it alone and while out at a performance a young lady from my office building saw me and invited me to join her group of friends.  It seems that they too don’t have dates and now go out together in a ‘ladies only’ group. Now weeks later we have gone to performances of ballet and opera both in Llanview and in Philadelphia and have been having a ball.  See who says you need a man to have fun.  All kidding aside this really works and we have such fun together. Not all of the ladies are single though.  For some it’s just that their guy doesn’t do opera or ballet but otherwise they go out to other things as couples.  That works for them and this works for me for now.

If I think about it’s been over six months since Agent Baxter left town and even though he is not the one I feel that I am ready to go out on a date.  But the problem is I don’t want to date just to date.  I want someone that I feel a relationship will lead to marriage but how do I do that without going out with him for some time?  Oh what do I do?  Why can’t I dial up a ‘husband to go’ just by entering the things that I expect in a husband:

-Make me his number 1 priority, behind God of course

-Love me passionately

-Hard working and has a job

-Chivalrous

-Kind

-Family oriented

-Wants children

And that’s just to name a few of the things that he needs to possess.  They should have a giant machine somewhere where you can put in your list and out pops the man of your dreams but I would rather him to be the man of my reality.  Anyway enough daydreaming for today let me get back to work.  I have a lot to do this week because on Friday I fly out for a weekend visit with Sarah.  Can’t wait for that because I have not seen her since I recovered from my coma.

So here I am at Sarah’s house.  Their butler greets me at the door and takes my bag and leads me to the living room where Sarah and Ivan are sitting and talking.  Sarah jumps up and almost tackles me with a big hug.  After a kiss to my forehead she releases me so that Ivan can hug me.  We exchange pleasantries and then Ivan leaves because he knows Sarah wants to drill me in private.

“All right tell me everything and I do mean everything.”

“Sarah what do you mean everything?  I talk to you every week there is nothing that I have not told you.”

“You didn’t tell me that John McBain has been out of town ever since you recovered. What happened to him?

“How did you know about that and who told you?”

“Todd told me when I called him to thank him for assisting me with your care and for watching out for you after I left.  So where did McBain go?”

“Sarah you don’t like John so why do you want to know about him?”

“Because I want to know if he has contacted you and do you plan to give him another chance since you rejected Agent Baxter.”

“My, my you have been busy.  So Todd told you about Agent Baxter too.  Well how do I put it, hmmmm, let me just say that contrary to what everyone else seems to think I, Evangeline, did not lose my mind while I was in that coma because I can still think for myself.”

“So am I right in that you rejected Baxter because you’re holding out for John.  You know they say that some women have a type of man that they like and are drawn too.  How many times does he get to hurt you before you are through with him?”

“Wait a minute Sarah, how can you say that to me, you of all people?  You know that I left John.  I ended it with him not the other way around.  I moved on from him.  I fell in love with Christian and we were together for over six months before things fell apart.  Then Todd and I had a friendship almost relationship before I was attacked.  Who knows where there might have gone were it not for the attack on me, so how can you talk as if I’m sitting around waiting for John?”

“Oh Evangeline I am so sorry.  You are right, of course you are right.  I just don’t want to see you hurt again!  Has John contacted you since his exit from Llanview?”

“Yes he has written to me a couple of times but I haven’t heard from him in weeks now. And no I will not tell you what he wrote.  If he wanted you to know he would have written to you, ha, ha.  Now what fun do you have planned for me?  And before we leave this subject let me just say, I am not the same person that I was before the coma.  I want different things in my life now but most of all I get to choose those things no one else, only I get to make the choices.  When the OPP gassed that studio they took away my choices, well I am here to proclaim that I have taken back my right to choose and I will do that and no one else’s opinion matters to me.  I make the choice and I live with the consequences of that choice.  Now let’s go have some fun!”

“I hear you Evangeline and I will leave that subject alone.  You are right; you have a mind of your own and can live your life as you choose.  I will always support you my love, always.  Now let’s go.  Ivan is waiting for us.”

The weekend flies by and Sarah and Ivan keep me busy throughout that I don’t have time to think about anything other than the great fun that we are having.  I meet some of their friends and make some really important contacts for future use.  We say goodbye early Sunday afternoon and I fly back to Llanview and make it home before nightfall.

Dragging myself into my apartment and locking the door I don’t stop for anything else until after I take a shower and get a bite to eat. Once done I go straight to bed and sleep peacefully through the night to wake up in the morning just in time to get dressed for work.  Making my way to work I stop for coffee at the shop down the street from my building and bump into Todd.

“So how was your weekend with Sarah?”

“Great after she drilled me about everything that you told her about John.”

“We’re just looking out for your friend, don’t want you to resort back to bad habits.”

“Todd, let me ask you this, did almost dying change you and if it did after going through that would you suffer other people telling you what to do with your life when you almost lost your life?  Don’t you want to be the one to make decisions about your life?”

“Yes, yes Evangeline I understand what you are saying and I agree that I would not let anyone dictate what I do with my life.  We’re just looking out for you and only want the best for you.”

“Todd, just let me decide what is best for me okay.  That’s all that I ask.  I’m not rushing into anything with anyone least of all with John McBain. Are we clear?”

“Crystal, not get to work, I’m running late.  How about dinner later this week, I’ll call you.”

“Sounds good. Bye Todd.”

“Bye Evangeline, love you.”

“Love you too.”