Two lost souls, that's what they had both thought of themselves.
John had moved to Charlottes Ville population 8.467, well that's what it said on the welcome sign as he drove into town so he figured that made him number 8.468. So far he had learned two valuable lessons in his adult life, the first was he should never have married the bosses daughter, the second and this one John learned the hard way, when the bosses daughter wants a divorce, it's not only the judge that can screw you over, he had never blamed her for the divorce, they had both wanted children and when the fun of trying had waned and the curios looks that soon followed took hold, it was time to see a doctor.
John was diagnosed with a low sperm count, his wife didn't hear that instead all she heard was the word, sterile. Soon after the accusations started that blame game that sadly gets played out to it's destructive end, the 'your not a real man' was even thrown into the arguments that rapidly followed and no matter how or what John did to save the marriage with her family deciding there was only one side to take, they took it, he was outnumbered. That slippery slop just got more slippery, the divorce was more of a relief than a surprise, it was then his ex father in law called him into his office and although coated with sugar, prity much read as, a transfer to one of the other law offices in the middle of nowhere or leave.
There was only one option left, leave. With no family to speak of and just about everything he owned now rammed into the back of his car he drove away, today he was doing something he had never ever done in his life, he had always planned everything, what exams to take at high school, what he would do to help himself in Uni that would get himself his law degree, down to what he would wear each day. Yet today he was just taking roads that he had never taken before, his planning had got him nothing more than a woman who as soon as she decided he was sterile had taken up with one of there friends, that great planning had gotten him nothing but pain now.
He was on the road for a week, sleeping in motels and just driving, seven days behind the wheel not knowing were he was going while he reevaluated his life and on that seventh day he came to one conclusion. His life sucked, a shocking realization for him, all those great plans had ment nothing anymore, he was now 38 and according to his ex wife, half a man. It was then that he decided that he would rather be half a man than none at all and so the sign for Charlottes Ville came into view, a picture postcard town if ever there was one, all picket fences and white houses.
John was smitten, feeling suddenly hungry he pulled alongside the diner in the center of town and sat at one of the corner tables. His original thought was to eat here and move on to the larger town down the road, whilst eating he read the paper that was on the table when he came in. Glancing through some of the stories flicking through the paper really, it was then he spotted the realtor's notice for one of the picket fenced houses on the way into town, he hadn't noticed the waitress standing at the end of the table getting ready to ask if he wanted more coffee.
He jumped and she giggled at his embarrassment, she looked down at what he was reading and mentioned that the realtors was just across the street if he was interested. John's mind had already started to do the planning thing again, he would really have to keep that in check, so with a coffee as a take out he walked across the street to see what the realtor had to say. She was Josie 'call me Jo' and I think she had realized that day was going to be a real good day for her and indeed it was, we looked at the house, I made my decision there and then and the house was off the market later that afternoon the paper work made easier because of me acting as my own lawyer.
I was in within three weeks, fully furnished less than a week later, I still had money in the bank so work wasn't one of those rush to do thing's, while at school I liked track, by no means a jock but I held my own at distance, so now the town of Charlottes Ville got a new sight to shake there heads at, me running every morning, I even had my own route I took as well, from my house down to old Mo Blake's barn through the lanes and come in through to top end of town, stopping at the diner for breakfast and a chat with my new friend Jeanie the waitress, she had soon found out I was a lawyer and didn't waste any time in asking advice on anything and everything she could think of, I swear she had a pipeline to everyone in town and they in turn got her to talk to me.
It was there I met Terri, Jeanie had known Terri all through high school and confirmed my suspicions that she had been feeding Terri advice I had given her on one of those 'what if' conversations. I spotted her coming through the door, her shocking red hair aglow with the sun behind her, I felt a stirring in my loins and was incredibly grateful that I was sitting down with a table to hide behind, both the girls talked for a few minutes and I could see Jeanie nodding her head in my direction. I couldn't help myself as I watched her walk to my table, her hips swayed so gracefully, she sat across from me without even asking if she could, such was the confidence that exuded from her.
It's times like these that physics bends to it's own will, I could swear she sat there and stared at me for hours, I didn't mind, I didn't even feel uncomfortable about her doing it, I got the chance to look at her, the red hair was natural, her eyebrows where slightly less shockingly red but not by much. Her dark eyes I originally thought were brown but there was a hint of green there as well, the light sprinkling of freckles across her nose and cheeks only helped to extenuate her natural beauty, I doubted very much if she ever wore make up or if she did it would have been very little.
Then she smiled, oh what a smile. My heart did miss a beat and that stirring had now become a full blown erection that I was so desperately hiding beneath the table, she put her hand out for me to shake, it was then I noticed her other hand and a fading band line that was on her wedding finger.
"The names Terri I would like to thank you,"
I held her hand shook it gently and said, "the names John and your welcome."
With that she got up and just as she was about to leave, leaned in and said, "it's a good thing I've seen you jogging around town, or I would have serious doubts about your personal hygiene,"
I'm sure she still heard me laughing as she left the diner, without even realizing it, I had become part of a community, accepted as one of Charlottes Ville 8,000 plus family. I was head hunted soon after in fact, the town law firm consisted of one lawyer, Charley Harris, born and bread here he proudly boasts, only ever left to fight in Vietnam and then on to become a lawyer when the army let him go on a medical, he was a bull of a man, stood six foot tall a barrel chest with a full head of very gray hair, he always said he has two loves in his life, his wife, a small framed woman no more than five foot two who he dotted on and Charlottes Ville, his great plan was for me to become a partner and then take over entirely so he could retire
I didn't see Terri for weeks after that initial conversation and although I had replayed what had happened and had been said in that very short conversation in my head, there was something else. I'm slow sometimes, ok were women are concerned I'm slow all the time, I suppose I was so wrapped up in her looks that I didn't notice something else about her, her handshake was soft but there was an underlying, shock almost. Something akin to static, I noticed she had felt it as well because she raised her eyebrows, as if in shock but instantly dismissed it, which is why I didn't give it a thought either, until sometime later.
Although I seemed to spend my life talking to Jeanie and eating at the diner I do take trips to the store, empty shelves in the kitchen and a fridge that had more light than food in it took me back to the days of Uni, so the single man paid for the single meals in his trolley headed for his car. As I approached my car I slowed, there leaning on the hood was Terri, arms crossed and what I later become to realize, one of those grins on her face, she was full of mischief.
