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CHAPTER 9
The Sunday afternoon brought a clear sky of cornflower blue. Maya nagged her children into their walking boots and coats. The sun was low and glared right into her eyes as they walked. There was a cold wind coming off the sea, but with the wind behind them, they soon warmed up.
The beach wasn’t quite as good as that of nearby Weston-Super-Mare, but it was fun watching the big tankers come up the Bristol Channel, heading towards Royal Portbury Dock. They would appear so close you felt you could reach out and touch them. Huge, monstrous things. Maya wondered how they even floated. Today, they could clearly see the Welsh coast across the Severn Estuary. The park bloomed with winter flowers, particularly underneath the bare trees and evergreens: snowdrops and crocuses in purple, mauve and yellow; yellow primroses and the green shoots of daffodils, waiting to flower with spring on its way.
Maya’s phone pinged occasionally in her pocket. It was probably from the online dating app. She resisted the urge to look. She was out with her kids, and now was not the time to be looking up potential dates. Besides, the rate her online dating success was going, which was zero dates and zero men she was interested in, she didn’t want to be disappointed by yet another guy like DIYDes, who could ruin her mood with a crappy message.
Amber and Lewis knew the route as Maya had walked it on so many Sundays with them. They left the woods and stopped to watch the lock on the marina, to see if a boat was going through. Only one yacht was out braving the clear, cold day. They crossed the lock and headed around the harbour, admiring the different boats moored up in the sunshine, strolling towards the coffee shop. Maya couldn’t wait for a cappuccino, and she knew the kids would both want hot chocolates.
While Maya queued, the kids found a window seat. In the queue, she checked her dating app messages.
There were a couple from new men who hadn’t contacted her before. She was mildly disappointed that there was nothing from PeterPan26.
One, whose username was FYI1234, had a profile picture of a jean-clad crotch. The message was pretty much bog-standard, along the lines of ‘you’re really pretty and would you like to chat?’ There wasn’t much information on his profile, only a rant at women who kept reporting him — so he was probably a jerk. Was that an erection under those jeans, or a couple of pairs of socks? Maya couldn’t resist. She replied to FYI1234: Is that actually your crotch or someone else’s?
Maya was at the front of the queue by now, so she slipped her phone into her pocket and placed her order. She then ignored her messages, concentrating on her coffee and talking to the kids. They finished their drinks and left the coffee shop, leaving the cosy warmth to face the icy sea breeze which bit at their cheeks and noses. They strolled around the rest of the harbour. Maya wanted to take some photos of Amber and Lewis with the marina and the clear blue sky as a backdrop. If it wasn’t for the coats and scarves, you’d have thought it was a summer’s day.
When Maya retrieved her phone from her handbag, she saw FYI1234 had replied: Of course its my crotch why wouldn’t it be
Maya ignored the lack of punctuation and quickly typed back: I’ve noticed on here some guys pretend to be someone they’re not, by using fake profile pictures. Who’s to say this really is your crotch?
Maya giggled. She couldn’t resist a wind-up at times. You needed to have a sense of humour for online dating.
“What are you laughing about, Mummy?” Lewis asked, taking her hand as they walked. She liked that he still wanted to hold her hand. Unlike Amber, who was too cool.
“Nothing, sweetheart.”
“Oh, look, it’s Chloe!” Amber said, and before Maya could stop her, Amber was running towards Chloe and her dad. Sam. Both walked towards them. Maya cringed internally, hoping her face wasn’t betraying her displeasure.
Argh, whyhadn’tsheputmake-upon!Orwornbetterjeans?
Maya’s phone pinged again and without thinking, she opened the message.
At the same moment, Sam approached, saying, “Hi.”
Maya’s eyes widened in shock at the image on her phone and she panicked, releasing Lewis’s hand. But however much she fumbled to close the app for fear of her kids — and Sam — seeing what she was seeing, her phone had chosen this moment to freeze on her.
“Are you okay, Mummy?” Lewis looked at her with concern. He made a move to see what she was doing on her phone. She held it to her chest. Sam, Chloe, Amber and Lewis were all staring at her.
“My damn phone…” Maya mumbled frantically.
“Did you want me to take a look?” Sam stepped closer, holding his hand out.
“No!” Maya held her phone tighter to her chest. Sam frowned. “Sorry, sorry…” She slipped her phone into her handbag, zipping it up firmly, and tried to gather her composure.
“Are you okay?” Sam’s expression still showed confusion.
FYI1234 had sent Maya another message, and by doing so he had alerted her that he’d changed his profile picture. No wonder women were reporting him! His jean-clad crotch shot had changed to an open-jean shot revealing a rather erect penis.
She’d officially seen her first dick pic! It wasn’t pleasant.
“Yes, yes, just having phone trouble. Unwanted caller.” Maya plastered on a fake smile and even though it was bitterly cold out, she knew her face must be shining, hot with embarrassment.
Why did some men even think women would want to see that? That part of a man’s anatomy was only attractive if a woman was also aroused. And right now, standing on Portishead marina with her two beautiful, innocent children, and a man who thought she was irresponsible, Maya couldn’t have felt less horny.
Sheneededsomethingstrongerthancoffeenow.
Selina had warned her. And now she had learnt the hard way that however much she was tempted to respond to these dickheads, she shouldn’t. Later, when she was back home, she would go back on to Find My HEA and block FYI1234. A part of her wanted to reply with ‘is that it?’ But she knew better now. It would probably only encourage him to send even more indecent photos. Do not provoke the weirdos!
