A loving lovely mother, and her astonishing son come together by accident, coincidence, and fate.
Hi, my name is Linda Barker, and I want to relate to you an incident that happened to me recently. It was purely accidental, complete coincidence; the events that led me here could not have been scripted. It would be ludicrous to even suggest there was any intention for connivance on my part or anyone else's.
I am forty one years old, a married woman, happily I might add. I have been fortunate to be blessed by him up there, because of the way I am, who I am, what I am, and the way I look. I have had a happy life. And was blessed to have wonderful parents who treated me the way I was, their little princess.
I met and married my husband twenty one years ago, I had had a couple of serious boyfriends before him, but as soon as we met I knew he was the one. I have two children, both boys, Eric is the eldest, he is nearly twenty and at college, and the house is unbelievably quiet without him. I miss his boisterous ways; he would come bounding into the house after school like a whirlwind.
Luke, my youngest, is as opposite to him as can be, he is eighteen, going on nineteen, quiet, studious and always thinking, and I think there is more of me in him than his dad. He has terrific grades at school and we have high hopes for his future. He will be going to the same college as Eric in a few months.
Me? As I said my name id Linda, nearly forty one now, and looking forward to my own future, we have plans to see the world when the boys are off on their life's journey. I am five feet four inches, not as tall as I would have wished, but we can't have everything can we. I am very good looking even if I do say so myself.
I still draw looks and sneaky glances from men so I know I'm doing something right. My light blond hair isn't as long as it used to be, but it still comes past my shoulders. And Liam, my husband, tells me I am still the beauty he married all those years ago. And even though I would never say it, I agree with him! I have looked after myself, not religiously but carefully.
I'll have a drink when we go out, or at a do somewhere, but that's it. I don't smoke; I hate it, what an awful smell! My friends tell me I have a lovely face, I don't use a lot of make up, I don't feel the need for it. I have a good body, all my bits are there and still in good fettle. I still get those goose bumps when we make love, and I'm as sensitive now as I was twenty years ago.
I haven't been unfaithful in my marriage, although I have to admit there have been one or two times when temptation nearly got the better of me. So my virtue and marriage vows are still intact, or, should I say, were intact until a month ago when the incident I am about to relate took place.
Liam and I were invited to his company's do, he works for an international construction firm, has to travel sometimes, but its all part of the job. It's an annual thing this dinner dance. But the difference this year was, we were sat at the 'top' table with the directors and their wives and the senior people. It was a Friday night dinner dance, at the Carlton Hotel, set in the country, and the swankiest five star around.
He had told me he would be home by lunch time so we could prepare together for the night. I heard him drive up and went to greet him, only to witness him falling over our neighbours cat. I saw him actually fall through the hedge, I know I shouldn't have done but I laughed, it was so funny, and I wished I had had my video camera.
Then I heard him moaning loudly, "Jesus Christ!" he yelled. I hurried to him and he was laid on his side holding his right knee.
"What's wrong Liam?" I asked.
"My knee, bloody hell Linda, my knee, it might be broken!" he moaned out loud. I got to him, and after a while I helped him to limp into the house. From there we went to the hospital where it was x-rayed, and thankfully it wasn't broken, but badly wrenched. By the time we got home it was four o clock. Luke helped his dad into the house; and we got him upstairs and into bed.
"Well," I said, "that's the do over and done with, I can't go on my own."
Liam looked at me, and then said, "You'll have to go Linda, it's important to my, and our future, I have to be represented, there are politics involved, people may try to take advantage of my absence."
"But I can't sit there like a dummy," I told him, "I won't know what's going on anyway; I'm not going if you can't!" I retorted.
That's when Luke piped up. "What about me, could I go in your place?" His dad beamed, grabbed the phone, he explained the problem to someone, and smiled.
"Luke you are a diamond, its all clear, you're on my boy! And you are about my size now, so my Tux might just fit you, Linda go on, get him ready, let's see shall we?" I protested even more, but got drowned out in the argument and off we went to try his dad's things.
And my heart stopped when he presented himself, he looked fabulous, so manly, so good looking. I almost dragged him out of the house there and then to get there. He went to see his dad, I started to get ready.
I have a walk in wardrobe; with its own dressing table and chair, so I don't have to come out until I am done doing what I do best, making myself look good. And I had bought a new evening gown that showed me off marvellously, Liam had seen it and it had wowed him, so I knew before I put it on how good I would look.
It was made of silk, peppermint green, and in my opinion it compliments my green eyes. I had my hair up in wavy curls and a silver thread running through it. I had put my thong on, but you could see the lines, so that got thrown in the bin, my bra went the same way for the same reason. Putting my backless high heels on I inspected myself in the full length mirror.
What I saw looking back at me was a stunning sight, even if it was my considered opinion. 'If this doesn't keep Liam in the lime light, nothing will,' I told myself. 'They'll be swarming round me,' and I giggled happily. I went to see Liam to get his thoughts; he didn't have to say anything. The look on his face was enough, which in its self gave me all the confidence I needed to get through the evening without him.
He wished me well, kissed my cheek, mentioned a few things I need to know, or may have, and told me to 'break a leg!' the acting term for a successful debut. We both laughed at that, what with his leg up in the air and bandaged tightly around his injured knee.
Luke's jaw dropped when I went down, we inspected ourselves, I straightened him up, he just stared at me. 'Hmmmm, I thought he really is growing up?' I know that look in any mans eye, I took his arm and out we went to our car. Luke drove us there, it was an hour's drive and we were met by a valet who took our car from us. His eyes nearly popped out of his head when he saw me too. I shivered at the thrill coursing through me; I had made the right choice in dress sense.
I was on Luke's arm, and we entered the great hall, and I swear it went quiet when we walked in, 'but,' I thought, 'the women are looking at Luke,, and the men are staring at me!' I squeezed my son's arm.
"Luke baby," I whispered to him, "we are definitely going to be the best looking couple here, you mark my words!" And we were by a long way. I could also feel a degree of animosity from some of the wives and girlfriends. And Luke got his fair share of admiring glances too from the women. We had to spend time explaining here and there why I was here with my son and not my husband.
We had a drink, chatted to this couple, that couple, Luke amazed me with his conversational gaiety. He had the women giggling one minute, and swooning the next. And the men took to him like a long lost son, a fact I could see that wasn't lost on the people there that mattered.
We went into dinner, it was wonderful I've never been treated to such attention, and with Luke there I grew in my own confidence, usually I played the good wife, supporting my husband, laughing at his jokes etc etc. But now I found I was having chats of my own, and some even sought my opinion on certain things. I usually passed them to Luke for his expertise, but I more than held my own.
One woman made a beeline for Luke, she looked be in her 60s so no problem there, and she engaged him in chit chat. He had the same effect on her, she was truly enamoured bu him. After dinner the usual speeches were made, and I saw the wife of the Chairman of the company nudge him, and nod in our direction. It was the older woman who had kept him chatting. He looked over at us, smiled at the audience, and said.
"May I take this opportunity to thank Luke Barker, Liam's son, who as you are aware, has been injured and his son has stood in to bring his lovely mother to the dinner. He has impressed all us round, and I would like to add that if he so wishes, when he has finished in college and he has his degrees then he can knock on our door." There was applause, I nearly died with happiness, and I almost cried, but the chairman's wife rescued me and took me off to the comfort rooms.
When I returned Luke was on the dance floor, he had been commandeered by an executive's wife. I could see him chatting easily. I felt a tap on my shoulder and I was whisked away to dance too. As the night wore on, and I had fended off a few offers, I got to dance with Luke.