Jenny was a lively, petite brunette who looked much younger than her fortyish years. Cheerful, easygoing and optimistic, she had always thrown herself into all her partnerships with men, and had often hurt herself in the process. But that had not stopped her picking herself up and trying again. For the past year she had been single again after a marriage break-up, and she had spent long months grieving for love lost. She had been glad that she had spent quite some time alone; able to heal her wounds, let time pass and be ready for the next phase of her life. She had friends and family, and a new job. It was through this job that she met a lady who encouraged her to start playing her recorder again, and come with her to music club. One music club led to another, and she met Mark.
Mark was a fellow musician in one of the music clubs. He could play several instruments expertly; in particular the recorder. He was a history teacher, knowledgeable in many fields, and he had reawakened her interest in all things mediaeval, and had encouraged her to explore early music. Over a period of months, guided by Mark, Jenny had acquired several mediaeval instruments and had made herself a mediaeval outfit, and they had spent many happy hours practising music. Mark had dark wavy hair and brown eyes, balanced by quite a fair complexion which made his features striking. He was not over-tall, but athletically built, quite muscular as his main hobby was gardening. His attractiveness was not lost on Jenny. Weaving all the components together was an intense daily correspondence on the e-mail, in which they had shared all their thoughts and their daily experiences, and they planned a musical future together, where they would perform their music in public.
So Jenny found herself in love with Mark, although she realised that due to things in his past which he had told her about, she received a sincere but limited friendship in return. There were a few times when she thought that he would cross over into something more physical, but each time she tried to encourage him, he backed off. A few hours before, he had sent her a very angry e-mail in response to one of hers, telling her in no uncertain terms that she must take on board his stance of being just friends. The e-mail contained some angry, emotive statements which Jenny felt were unjust, and she was shocked and deeply hurt. Hostilities worsened, and Mark told Jenny to do whatever she liked, but he was involved no more.
Jenny had phoned her old friend John and told him what had happened, and he had come to her house, talked over several glasses of wine, and had eventually insisted that she should go to bed and try to get some rest. He would stay with her until she fell asleep, and would then go back downstairs and let himself out.
John was finding this whole matter very difficult to handle. Outwardly he was a flamboyant character, full of banter and naughty jokes. Inwardly though, he was a shy man, who just wanted to find a woman who would love him, and whom he could love in return. He had spent several years in the Forces, travelling the world, lonely, as although he had been married and had children when younger, the marriage did not withstand the constant travelling.
Now John had a civilian job and a small flat of his own, and filled his life with his hobbies, never thinking that he would know romance again, as he was now into his fifties. He was still good-looking though, in a maverick kind of way, with a full beard which he sometimes allowed to grow long. His brown wavy hair was shoulder-length, and he often wore it in a ponytail. He regularly received admiration from women at various musical events, but was never seen to take up the many offers made. He had loved Jenny ever since he had met her at the music club. He was captivated by this shy, pretty lady, who played well but was far too modest, and who smiled bashfully when the audience applauded her work. He was devastated when Mark made a play for her and they had appeared to be an established item all this time.
Tonight John was struggling. He felt great compassion for Jenny's plight. He was relieved that Mark was no longer with her. He wanted to be the correct, proper friend who would be of comfort to Jenny. But his male urges were telling him that he had his needs where she was concerned, and he could feel a pleasant awakening beginning in his loins. Now he perched on the edge of Jenny's bed, a respectable few inches away from where she lay on her back in her pink button-through nightdress, staring at the ceiling and saying nothing. Not designed to allure, nevertheless the nightdress hid undiscovered delights which John began to wonder about.
Jenny thought of the unexpected emotional storm which had passed over her. She and Mark had been going on for months; she adored him and thought that they were such good friends that she could have said anything to him. It was true that she had felt the need to confess one or two things to Mark about her feelings, but she had done this once or twice before and he had taken it in his stride. She had come in that day from shopping and checked the e-mail, and was appalled at how hurt and angry he was. As those things were unjust, she could not resist a swift reply, and now here she was, trying to envisage her future without Mark.
