I stood in contemplation, fingers lingering over the rows of corked bottles in front of me. I had a decision to make, was I going to drown my sorrows in white or red wine this evening. I still couldn't believe that Marcus had gone. I knew I'd been a bitch to live with at times, but I never thought it would come to this. It felt so final, especially now he'd returned for all his things. It was like part of the house was empty and now it would just be me and four walls to stare at. A life of meals for one and masturbation seemed to stretch in front of me like an endless road. I was 25 and it felt like life was over. A familiar voice broke my chain of thought.
"Don't take too long, we close in two hours!"
I turned to see Hayden grinning widely at me from behind the counter. The comedian of the corner shop, and probably the only 47 year old that I had ever had a girly crush on since as far back as I could remember. I had been so indulged in my own misery I had failed to notice he was there.
"Cheeky!". I called back at him, plucking an extra large bottle of red from the shelf. He laughed to himself before turning back to the little old lady he was serving. At least he'd managed to make me smile, despite having endured what could possibly have been the worst day of my life so far. By the time I had completed my shopping, which took all of five minutes, I was the only customer in the shop. Hayden was bent over, restocking the cigarette display, I got his attention by slamming down my basket on the counter.
"Bad day?" He asked brightly picking up my wine bottle to scan.
"Do you need to ask!" I snapped, and then regretting it added, "Marcus has left me." I felt my bottom lip wobbling as the words left my mouth. Hayden gave me a sympathetic look.
"Well,if you ever fancy some company call in to my place. " He offered. " I know what it's like, the first few weeks on your own." He glanced down at this point and I remembered that his wife had walked out on him a year or two ago. It obviously still struck a nerve, I didn't know the ins and outs of what had happened, only the village gossip.
"Thanks Hayden, that would be nice". I smiled at him, and headed home.
By ten thirty that night I was knocking at the front door of number thirty. Wearing my cropped jeans and white shirt, wine bottle in hand. A very red faced Hayden looked at me in horror as he opened the door. "Deanne!"
"You did say it was ok to come over."
He moved nervously from one foot to the other,looking sheepishly at the floor. "Yeah I know but.."
"So here I am and I bought a bottle." He remained motionless in the doorway, I could make out strange noises from the background.
"What's that?" I pushed past him into the sitting room. I found myself face to face with the television screen, moans of pleasure came from the blonde haired woman on the screen as a dainty Chinese girl thrust a large pink dildo into her gaping pussy. I covered my mouth in a snigger as I could feel Hayden behind me blushing to death.
"I guess it makes a change from football!" I joked,smiling up at him.
"I wasn't expecting you tonight" He replied,nervously running his hand through his hair.
