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"I met a guy. And, Helen, you'll never guess where? I was sitting right here a few days ago and I got chatting with a guy who was standing by the fire to warm up. He was early to meet a friend and I was just about to leave but we swapped numbers. Nice guy, he works for the police, imagine that. Now, I really can have you under surveillance," Sarah laughed.
Helen grabbed Sarah's hand. "That's great news. So, what's his name or is it a big secret?"
"Jim!" Sarah beamed and laughed again.
Helen rolled her eyes. "Oh God, I can tell you're going to be insufferable for the next few weeks. Excuse me while I go book a long holiday."
"Very funny! Listen, Helen, I'm meeting Jim here this evening. He said he'll bring his friend. Why don't you come along too? His friend is his childhood best friend. Sounds like a nice guy, you might like him."
"Look sis', I'm delighted for you, I really am but I seriously need that man break or sabbatical as you put it. Have a good time and text me to let me know how it went."
* * *
Tom picked up his phone and texted Jim back: "can't make it to the pub tonight. have fun". Tom paced the floor over to the windows of his penthouse and looked across the river to Kew Gardens, he admired the huge Victorian structure that housed the botanical gardens. It looked like a space ship parked inside the high garden walls and under the full Moon it glistened like wet silver.
He really wasn't in the mood for meeting a girl. The sister of Jim's new crush. Whatever. This was the second text he'd received from Jim today. After a painful wait, Jim had finally got back to him about the image search - the computer had trawled all the social media sites and come up with nothing. He'd felt deflated the rest of the day, going out was the last thing he felt like doing.
His phone beeped another text, who is it this time? It was his girlfriend: "It's over Tom, bye." Tom smiled, at least it wasn't all bad news. He'd had a long heart to heart with her over lunch and he told her straight it wasn't working for him, he just didn't feel a connection with her. She took it pretty badly but thanked him for his honesty. She agreed things had been stale for a while and there was no point in denying that.
Tom told her he was happy to keep seeing her just as long as she knew it was no longer a serious relationship. She had looked surprised by that and said she needed some time to think about it. So she had made her mind up, probably best for everyone.
Tom sat on the floor and stared up at the full Moon. He knew he wouldn't sleep much tonight. The Moon always had that effect on him. He'd stay up late, meditate and take time to be alone and to reflect.
So, now all of a sudden, I'm single again. I'm free to keep on looking for that special connection. I'm free to search for that girl, for Helen. Now, that's a big challenge - how to find a girl with no contact details. I don't even know where she lives. It suddenly struck him, she could be anywhere.
Maybe Jim was right. Maybe I'll have to let that fantasy go and get out there and meet someone new. Maybe I'll have better luck now that I'm single, I won't have any guilt about talking to other girls. I've always been good with women but I could never pursue anyone because I was stuck in that relationship limbo for so long.
Time for a change. Tom watched the Moon light flickering on the river and watched a couple walking hand in hand across the bridge. They were smiling and whispering something to each other. They looked happy, very happy.
That could have been me, if only, if only I'd asked Helen for her number. Stop it, stop it! I need to get her out of my head. This is driving me crazy. What was it Jim said? Oh yeah, I need to get out there but do it in my world, at the festivals and workshops, in my world, yes, that's where I can meet someone special. And seminar season is starting soon, who knows, maybe I'll meet Miss Right For Me. By the next full Moon that could be me walking across the bridge with my lover.
* * *
The airport cafe was noisy and jammed with people craving their caffeine fix. Jim did his best to ignore it and scanned the conference agenda.
"Is that seat free?" someone asked.
Jim looked up at the stunning woman with the long brown hair standing before him with a coffee in one hand and a book in the other. "Ah, yes, please, sit down, take it."
Jim couldn't help staring, "Excuse me, have we met before?"
"I don't believe we have but nice to meet you, I'm Helen."
Jim couldn't believe his ears, "I'm Jim. I know this might sound strange but did you fly from Heathrow a couple of weeks ago?"
"Yes, I did, I hope it's not a crime to be a frequent flier," Helen joked as she pointed at the police logo at the top of Jim's papers. "I even stopped for a coffee at this very cafe, if you must know."
Jim laughed, "No, not at all, it's just that a friend of mine, my best friend actually, meet a girl here a few weeks ago and he never got her phone number."
"His name's not Tom by any chance is it?" Helen asked nervously.
"Yes it is actually. Now, I know why I recognize you. Here look at this." Jim handed her his phone.
Helen stared at the photo, the one Tom took of her holding the book cover next to her face. Her jaw dropped and she looked back to Jim. "This might sound crazy so please don't arrest me but I've been trying to find Tom, I spent ages online looking for him but I came up with nothing. I really like him, I'd love to see him again. How bizarre is this, bumping into his best friend like this. It must be destiny."
"He's been looking for you too. I can assure you, you are all he's talked about for the past two weeks, it's starting to get tiring to be honest with you. I think he's head over heels over you. He's lost his appetite and he's not sleeping much. He's on the love struck diet. You two had better meet up asap for the sake of my sanity if nothing else." Jim took out his wallet and handed a card to Helen. "That's his card."
"Thank you. I'll phone him as soon as I get back in t
