Continuing the journey as a divorced woman who has found a new confidence. It's a second attempt at writing down part of my life.
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Wandering into the bar I took a quick glance around before ordering a glass of Sauvignon. I could see most of the room in the mirror as the barman poured from the measure, into one of the glasses he'd taken from the rack above my head.
"Put it on 301 will you please," I said as I turned to go to one of the tables by the window.
"I'm in 302."
It was the deep voice of the guy sitting on a stool a little further along the bar, producing a broad smile, and from the glint in his eye he thought his remark would leave me falling at his feet.
"Good for you," I said dismissively, "I hope you don't snore," and I walked purposefully over to one of the tables.
Then began the usual constant 'looking over' towards me hoping to catch my eye and continue the flirting.
I just looked at my phone, sipped my wine, or watched the people outside going about their business, ignoring everything else around me.
"Hello Louise, fancy bumping into you, what brings you here?"
I looked up, and for a split second I thought it was the guy at the bar chancing his luck again.
"Hi... oh my god... George!.. I might ask you the same question."
I half reached up as he bent forward to kiss my cheek and squeeze my shoulder.
"Can I get you a drink, although I see you've got one, what are you drinking, do you mind if I join you?"
I chuckled, "Okay go on, yes please, it's a Sauvignon."
I watched George go to the bar and reflected on the last time we'd met.
George was an old friend of David's, my ex husband. I'd known him for years and knew his bitch of a wife who constantly cheated on him whenever she could. I was certain that she'd fucked David while we were still married.
The flirty guy at the bar saw all of this and must have realised his chance of picking me up had dissolved into thin air.
"So you tell me why you're here and I'll tell you my excuse." I laughed as George brought two glasses of wine back to the table.
Strangely George went bright red and got slightly flustered. He stuttered over his reply and his jovial face began to disappear.
"George! You're not supposed to be here are you?"
I must have smiled triumphantly and he saw it. He replied almost in a whisper.
Leaning forward he said, "Actually I'm not, you won't tell Alice, will you... if you see her?"
We both knew I wouldn't for obvious reasons, but I was inquisitive to know the details.
"Of course not, she's not my best friend by any means!"
Our eyes met and he relaxed.
"I don't want to give you the old sob story... the 'my wife doesn't understand me' line."
He could see I didn't mind and continued.
"Well I've been talking to this woman online, she's called Fiona," he hesitated, "anyway we've arranged to meet and I've booked a room here." He halted again, "Oh god, you must think I'm such a bastard."
I pretended to look indignant and then I couldn't help laughing.
"Is this on one of those dating apps?" I asked.
"No it was in a chat room, on a website I found."
"And she's local? That's a chance in a million online!"
" I guess so..." his face looked questioning, "why have you been in those chat rooms?"
It was my turn to blush and George saw it immediately and chuckled.
"You're just as naughty as me Louise!"
"Yes, but I'm single so I'm entitled to chat to anyone," was my smart ass response.
Looking across at the bar where my flirty guy was sitting I nodded in his direction.
"That guy over at the bar tried to pick me up, I'm used to it by now."
George turned and glanced at him and joked, "He looks okay, you could do worse!"
I playfully punched him on the arm saying, "Stop it!" and then continued, "so are you meeting here? What time, what does she look like?"
"Hang on, hang on, questions, questions! And you haven't told me why you're here yet?" he replied.
"Oh I've treated myself to a show, West Side Story, the new production that's touring from London."
"On your own? That's a shame, couldn't you have got a friend to come?"
"I did but she had a family emergency and sold her ticket online, so here I am. If I'd got that spare ticket I could have taken you if your date doesn't show up."
I realised how cruel that must have sounded before I'd even finished speaking.
"Oh god I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have jinxed it by saying that."
George smiled ironically, "I'm prepared for that, but some of the stuff we've been saying online I can't believe she won't come."
I looked at my phone and swiftly swallowed the last half glass of wine.
"I must go up to my room and get changed, it's only a short walk to the theatre." I paused, "I hope she does come, if she doesn't I'll see you here when the show ends and we can drown your sorrows."
We both stood up. The wine had gone to my head a bit and I wobbled, George catching both my arms saying, "Steady, yes of course we can both get thoroughly drunk... now you go and enjoy your show."
Casually he kissed me on the cheek and I made my way to the lift.
The show was brilliant. After four encores and massive applause it was around ten thirty and by then I was tip tapping in my heels the hundred and fifty metres back to the hotel.
The hotel bar was busy, George wasn't to be seen so I was hoping all had gone well with his assignation. I decided to have a nightcap and went to order a cognac before I went to my room. However my lurking flirter was waiting for me.
"Hi gorgeous, had a good night out? Can I buy you a drink?"
The use of the word 'gorgeous' grated and made my hackles rise immediately.
"It's okay," I replied, "I'm not stopping long."
He didn't take the hint and took my arm trying to guide me towards the bar.
"And I'm not taking no for an answer, I've been keeping an eye on you and it won't hurt you to share a drink before bedtime."
His emphasis on the word bedtime sent a shiver down my spine, but I didn't want to cause a fuss by telling him to 'fuck off.'
Then another voice interrupted, "Hiya darling, did you enjoy the show?"
I hadn't seen George enter the bar and he'd summed up the situation pretty swiftly. As I turned towards him he cupped my chin in one hand and kissed me full on the lips for several seconds.
It killed the stranger's behaviour in a flash. He took a step backwards and was obviously quite shocked.
"Sorry," he blustered... he clearly didn't know whether to address me or George, "I didn't realise you two...."
The sentence drifted away and so did he, with George still clutching my arm and my lipstick on his top lip.
In a moment we were both in fits of giggles and eventually George was buying us both large cognacs. We found a booth at the other end of the bar and sat side by side looking out across the room.
"I take it she didn't turn up?" It was a rhetorical question.
George looked down into his bowl shaped glass and swirled the spirit around.
"No, and she's deleted her account and profile. I've probably been an idiot."
He took a gulp and looked at me and asked if I'd enjoyed the show.
I didn't exude the excitement it deserved, I simply said in a quiet voice that it was excellent and I was glad that I'd made the effort to go, and again I reassured him.
"And you're not an idiot, you did it because... well because something's missing in your life."
The alcohol had given me the courage to call his wife Alice out, but not in so many words. Without thinking I'd half turned and was saying what I thought, but with my hand briefly squeezing his thigh not thinking it other than a friendly gesture.
I snatched it away and he smiled.