Simon woke up far too early. He checked his phone immediately as if to confirm that the text from yesterday was real: "Come over to talk tomorrow at 10". It was seven, but he felt nerves rising in his chest and he knew he wouldn't be able to get back to sleep. Simon rolled out of bed and started his morning routine earlier than usual even for a workday.
He spent the next three hours pacing and nervous. Jess had texted him, but he didn't reply. Not long later, he saw George's car pulling out of the driveway opposite. Time passed slowly. At half nine, he got another text, "Meet me at Hallham
Park instead. I need some air". Hallham Park was the local park for dog walkers. It wouldn't be busy on a Monday. He didn't understand, but immediately after reading the text he saw her car pull away. He waited another twenty minutes, then drove to the park too.
He parked and walked from the car park towards the park. The entrance to the park was a wide grassy area, and leading off from it were winding paths through some trees and around a pond. He spotted Lauren immediately, standing off to the side of the grass. Lauren was wearing a knee-length dress, and Simon couldn't resist looking her up and down and taking in her figure. She looked fantastic, but he kept himself to a short glance.
She greeted him, "Hi Simon. I thought we should meet in public. Being alone together has caused a lot of trouble."
Simon nodded, "I didn't mean for things to go too far for you. I'm sorry".