Nigel was going crazy. It had been weeks since he visited his uncle, Gideon and saw Ruth. She didn’t call or text him and many times, he wanted to call or text her but he didn’t. He didn’t want to pressure her but it was hard. He thought about her all the time and longed to be with her. During the day, it was bearable because he had his job to keep him busy but at nights, it was sheer torture.
Lying in the bed where they made love was bittersweet. Whenever he closed his eyes, he saw their naked bodies entwined, her fingers clawing at his back or her hands gripping his arms or his hair as she moaned softly, driving him insane with desire. Frustrated, he would jump out of the bed and go into the living-room to watch TV. He would end up falling asleep on the sofa.
He thought of forgetting about her by going out with other women. As he tried to figure which of the women he knew he would go out with, he bumped into Danielle one evening when he was coming out of the grocery store. She was surprised and very pleased to see him. They chatted for a while and then parted company after he asked her to have dinner with him.
Danielle was a friend of a mutual friend, in her mid-thirties and still single. She was beautiful and easygoing. He always suspected that she was attracted to him but he hadn’t been interested because of…Ruth. He wonder what Ruth would say and do if she knew that he was taking another woman out for dinner. Would she get jealous or would she encourage him to move on with his life?
He had to stop thinking about Ruth. Maybe, Danielle would be the women who would help him to forget…He moved away from the spot where he stood at that moment and headed to where his car was parked.
Danielle was ready and waiting when he went up to her condo unit. She looked great in a black knee length dress with a pencil skirt and high heeled boots. After greeting him warmly, she put on her coat, grabbed her handbag and they left the unit.
The restaurant was about twenty minutes from where she lived. As they waited for their orders, she leaned forward and asked, “So, how have you been?”
“Fine,” he replied. “I’ve been on mission trips and I spent Christmas with my family in Cardiff. That’s my father’s hometown.”
“How is your family?”
“They’re fine, thanks. My parents are looking forward to going on a Spanish Transatlantic Cruise on March 9th and both of my sisters are working now. My uncle Gideon and his step-daughter, Chelsey spent some of their summer vacation in France.”
“That’s nice. I remember meeting your uncle once. He’s very nice.”
“Yes.”
“Does he have any other children with his wife?”
“No.”
“You mentioned that he and his step-daughter went to France. What about his wife? Didn’t she go with them?”
“No. She stayed here in London.”
“I wonder why she didn’t go with them. I would have jumped at the opportunity to go to France. I’ve never been there but have always dreamed of going. What about you? Have you ever been to France?”
“Yes, a long time ago with my parents and sisters. We spent the summer there.”
The starters arrived. She had the Wild Mushroom Soufflé and he the Salad of Confit Duck. “I spent the Christmas holidays with my family in Edinburgh. Last April, I attended a friend’s wedding in Nassau and in June, I spent two weeks in Lisbon. How’s work?”
“It’s fine. I recently got a promotion.”
Danielle smiled. “Congratulations.”
“Thanks. Are you still a lawyer?”
“No. I’m teaching Law at the University of Cambridge.”
“Good for you.”
“So, how come you’re not married?” she asked.
“I could ask you the same question.”
“Touché. I’ve dated several men but it didn’t work out.”
“And I’ve dated several women but it didn’t work out either.”
“My family and some of my friends are concerned that by the time I get married, I wouldn’t be able to have any children.”
“Do you want to have children?”
“Of course. Most women do. Unlike men, women can’t have children after a certain age without complications.”
The main course arrived then. He had the Roast Fallow Deer and she the Poached Cornish Cod. “My mother has friends who married later in life, have no children but they’re very happy. Not all women will be mothers. Some of them prefer to wives instead of mothers.”
“I would like to be both.”
“I hope you get what you want.”
Danielle studied him. “What about you? Do you plan on getting married one of these days?”
“Yes, if the right woman were available.”
“You can tell me that it’s none of my business but, is the right woman currently in your life now but unavailable?”
Nigel nodded and admitted quietly, “Yes.”
“So, she’s currently in a relationship.”
“She’s married.”
“Oh. Are you and she…?”
“No, we’re not having an affair.” That was true. Ruth and he had made love only once and they weren’t seeing each other.
“Do you love her?”
“Yes.”
“Does she love you?”
“I don’t know.”
“My advice to you is that unless she divorces her husband, you must forget about her and move on. You can move on with me or with another woman. It’s up to you but, don’t waste your life hoping for something that may never happen. She might decide that she’s better off staying with her husband.”
Nigel dragged his fingers through his hair and sighed. “You’re right, of course.”
Danielle reached out and gently patted his hand with hers. “I know that right now it doesn’t seem possible but, you’ll eventually get over her. Life is too short and precious to waste on a married woman.” Nigel didn’t answer and she withdrew her hand.
He finished his main course. Danielle encouraged him to have dessert. He had the Bramley Apple Pie and she the Lemon Meringue. After dessert, they sat there for a while, then he paid the bill and they left.
He took her straight home although the evening was still young and outside of her door, she thanked him for dinner.
“You’re welcome,” he said.
“Shall we keep in touch?”
“Yes.”
“Goodnight, Nigel.”
“Goodnight, Danielle.” He waited until she went inside her flat before he turned and walked towards the bank of lifts.
Source: The Pem Restaurant
Notes to Women 