If Only, Old friend

There is no sex in this story. It is my first attempt at the romance genre.

This is the sequel to my story, 'If Only'. I suggest you read it first to make sense of this story.

'If Only' is about the widowed Michael telling his surprised daughter Natalie about his first brief early marriage to Julie. He tells her how it ended in her infidelity. He describes the humiliation, embarrassment and subsequent publicity of the court case after she stabbed her lover.

He went on to have a very happy marriage to his late wife, Jane. He wants to thank Julie for setting him free to meet Jane. He doesn't get the chance, but Natalie eventually relays his message. Many people felt that the ending was sad. I didn't see it like that. Michael was happy with his reminders of Jane and his little family until.....................

In the first part of my story, I didn't tell you much about my marriage to Jane. I'm not going to now, either. She deserves more than a few words on a page. She deserves an entire book. I will tell you that after I lost her, I thought I would be content to live with my happy memories. I felt that I might never open up my heart again. I am pleased to report that I was wrong. Very wrong.

I knew that my daughter Natalie wasn't happy that I was on my own. Jackson, her husband, told her to keep out of it, but there continued to be 'chance' meetings with people that she thought suitable. I never did.

When my grandson Noah started school, I was 57. I took him every morning. As I was now the manager at work, I allowed myself to start work at 9.30 am and worked later to make up the time.

It was in the playground that I met Gillian. She was Sophie's grandma. I thought she was lovely and she made me laugh. We enjoyed many chats, but I imagined that there was a lucky husband around. When I found out later that she was divorced, I started to look forward to these chats even more.

As time passed, I realised I was making far more effort with my appearance than usual. Although I had to be smart for work, I didn't usually go to work in my best coat or wear aftershave. I realised that I was making this effort for Gillian, even if I wasn't about to admit it to her or anyone else.

One Friday morning, after months of laughing and talking, Gillian mentioned that she had a date that night. I was consumed with a feeling of jealousy. It surprised me. I had no right to be jealous. We were just friends. Little more than acquaintances, really. We'd never even seen each other outside of the playground. This sudden surge of indignation made me realise the strong attraction I felt to Gillian.

Some tightness must have shown in my face or my voice as I said,

"Oh, I didn't realise you were on the market."

"I haven't been since the divorce until I met this amusing, handsome man. I have been waiting for him to ask me out."

My voice sounded strained, even to me, as I replied

"Well, I hope you have a lovely date with him tonight."

"I'm not going out with him. He didn't ask me."

"Well then, he's a fool."

"Please don't say that. He's a lovely man, and I've grown rather fond of him. I think he's just had some sadness in his past, and he doesn't realise how much I care about him. He's a lovely person."

"Where did you meet this 'lovely person'," I growled.

"By the sandpit, just over there. He's talked to me every morning for months, yet he's never asked me out," she smiled.

I took her hand and said,

"What would you do if he asked you out tonight?"

"I'd say yes, please, and I'd probably rush home to start getting ready now."

"What about your date tonight with this other man?"

"What other man? I told you that I have a date tonight, and I do. With you. Haven't I?"

"Yes, you have, you wicked woman. You got me all jealous."

"Well then, it worked, didn't it?"

With that, she slipped the card from a local restaurant into my hand and said,

"7.30 gorgeous and wear something sexy!"

I couldn't help but laugh as she walked away.

"Looks like you've just been played there, Noah's grandad," shouted Atlanta -- one of the young mums.

"Madison here owes me a fiver. I said you two would end up getting together. We've been watching you two lovebirds for months. We've come early some mornings, so we didn't miss anything."

"Well, I'm glad that we provided the cabaret for you," I said, laughing.

"Don't do anything we wouldn't do," they cackled as I retreated.

I texted Natalie with the news that I would be going on my first date in 30 years. She suggested I called into the barbers to have my nose and ears waxed. Rude -- just rude!

I must have walked into work with a renewed spring in my step as Maddie, my secretary, knew something was up straight away.

"What's put the smile on your face then, Mr Barnes?"

"I've got a date."

"Well, thank goodness for that. Perhaps your daughter will stop asking me if I have any friends for you whenever she rings. So, who is she?"

"She's called Gillian. She's a grandma at Noah's school.

"Would she be why you've been arriving at work with newly gelled hair and smelling of Armani?"

"Might be."

"Well then, you have got it bad."

Maddie was right. She was usually right about everything. I did have it bad. I think I could easily fall for Gillian if I haven't already. That made me think about Jane. I didn't feel guilty now, though, as I knew that she would be happy for me if that worked out. I had to admit she would probably have been cross about me being alone for so long. She had cast a long shadow, though. Maybe it was time I left the shadows behind and stepped back into the sun.

My strong feelings for Gillian did bother me a little, though. What did I really know about her apart from our chats and this attraction to her? That's what dates are for, I suppose, I told myself.

The day dragged on as only a Friday can. I had to work till 5.30 pm due to my late start. It didn't give me much time to go home, shower and get ready. I laughed when I saw that Natalie had been busy since picking Noah up from school. I found a newly-ironed shirt and chinos hanging up with my favourite blazer. I'm not sure if she had even polished my shoes. There was also a note attached to a box saying,

'Enjoy! Mum would be so happy. P.S. make sure you use these."

I was a little worried that I might open the box to find condoms. Natalie did tend to overthink things at times. I was very relieved to find some new nose and ear hair clippers. Obviously, my daughter wasn't going to give up on this particular quest. To please her, I did my best in the limited time I had left.

It felt strange meeting Gillian at the restaurant. I didn't feel I was a gentleman. Mind you, the world had changed since my last first date all those years ago with Jane.

Gillian was already seated at the table when I arrived. She looked absolutely wonderful.

"You look beautiful", I stammered as she kissed me on the cheek.

"Sorry, I'm nervous. I haven't been on a date in decades," I admitted.

"Well, you're doing very well so far. You led with how gorgeous I am. That's always a good start," she smiled.

"Michael, we've been talking to each other five days a week for months. Laughing, joking and being friends. I really missed you at half-term, you know. A lot. Why should this be any different? We're just carrying on our conversation."

"It is different, though, isn't it?"

"Why, because you know I find you attractive? Well, I thought that was obvious. Because you've told me that I'm beautiful? Is that what you mean?"

I took a deep breath and said,

"It's different because before, I didn't have anything to lose. Now I feel that I have a chance to really get to know you. For us to have something special together, maybe? I don't want to mess it up."

"Michael, after that little speech, I don't think that you could mess it up. We already have something special You've just not dared do anything about it. Obviously dazzled by my beauty," she laughed.

I looked at her and thought she was beautiful, but she didn't realise it. She thinks she's making a joke. She had silver blonde hair, blue eyes and was always beautifully dressed. She always seemed to wear pale, pastel colours. She never wore anything harsh, like red or black. Tonight, her dress was the palest blue.

"So, Michael Barnes, tell me your story. The one you couldn't tell in the playground due to little ears listening."

So, I told her a very brief version of my life story. I glossed over my first marriage, but I did tell her the highlights. I spoke about Jane and how happy we'd been, how hard it had been to lose her.

"I wasn't ready to even consider a new relationship until this gorgeous creature started chatting me up in the playground every morning. Then she tricked me into admitting how much I liked her. Made me jealous like a daft kid at school."

She laughed,

"Well, it worked, didn't it? I don't make a habit of being so manipulative, you know. I decided that you were worth the risk of making a complete fool of myself."

"Thank you -- I think."

"This is my first date in 28 years, you know. After Brian and I parted, I wasn't interested. I was busy and if I'm honest, it was nice to have only myself to think of at home. You'd think it would be lonely, but I wasn't. Of course, I still had the children and little Sophie. Although they're grown up with homes of their own, I'm pleased to say that they still need their Mum.

I had gone from living with my mum and dad to living with Brian; I had never lived alone. I actually liked a bit of 'me time'. I've done that now and...."

The waitress came with our dessert. Sticky toffee pudding for two. Gillian didn't finish her sentence, so I felt the need to fill the gap in the conversation.

"What about Brian? Was it amicable?"

"Yes, it was. We're still friends. We always were, really. We'd just grown apart over the years. Different interests then different friends. We ended up hardly seeing each other. Ships that pass in the night. We still cared about each other, but the spark had gone.

Brian was honest enough to come to me and ask for a divorce; he'd met someone else. There had been no affair, but he realised that he couldn't ignore the attraction. He didn't want to have an affair. He felt that I deserved better than that. So, clean break and he was free to pursue other interests without any stain on our marriage."

"So, he got with this other person."

"Yes, eventually. It didn't last, though. She was a lot younger than him. Once she'd had some money off him and some nice jewellery bought for her, she was off searching for her next conquest."

"Poor Brian."

"Well, he was devastated for a while. Hurt his pride as well as his wallet, I think. I was there for him as a friend, but there was never any chance we were getting back together. We both knew that. He is larger than life, Brian. He can be quite loud in company, but it's all an act. He's quite a sensitive soul, really. I know it hurt him, but if you were to ask him, he'd probably wink and say it was worth it to be a young woman's plaything for a while."

"I'm pleased that you get on. It must make it easier for the children."

"It does, and we are great pals. We're better at being friends than husband and wife. He was and is a great father. It also helps that he tried so hard not to hurt me. Even as we split up, he still cared about my feelings."

The rest of the evening went in a whirl. There was no more talk about the past. There was, however, talk of more dates, more fun. I wanted to walk her home.

"In these heels -- I think not."

So, we shared a cab. I paid the cabby and let him go so that I could walk her up her path.

"You naughty boy, you know you're not coming in. Don't you?"

"I wouldn't dare to presume. I just fancied a walk home," I smiled.

"I hope that isn't the only thing you fancy, Mr Barnes. Maybe next time I might let you in. if I let you in now, I am very afraid that I might not let you go for the rest of the weekend. Whatever would the neighbours say?"

With that, I very gently kissed her on the lips. She returned it with a passionate kiss that went on for some considerable time. She felt so good in my arms, the perfect fit.

She gently pushed me away and placed her finger on my lips,

"Enough, or I might forget my principles."

I watched her inside and then turned and walked down the path. I paused to adjust a certain part of my anatomy that had responded to that amazing kiss. Otherwise, I might struggle to walk home. I heard a loud laugh behind me. Gillian had opened the door again.

"I thought you'd gone inside."

"And miss that treat. I don't think so. It looks like I haven't lost my touch."

With that, she used the universal sign to ring me and gently closed the door again, giggling. I soon found myself at my own front door, but I didn't remember how I got there. My thoughts were full of Gillian.

That first night turned into more laughter, days out, nights out and soon overnight. We found that we were good together in every way. Neither of us had been intimate with anyone for a long time, but it all felt natural. Felt right.

The children approved too. Natalie was ecstatic and even Jackson gave his seal of approval when he met Gillian. Gillian's daughter Emma was as lovely as her Mum. She and Natalie were already friendly at the school gates, but this new development cemented their friendship further.

I was worried that Emma and her brother Jamie wouldn't accept me as their situation was so different to Natalie's; their parents were divorced. I was a widower. I needn't have worried. They had never been under any illusions about a reconciliation between their parents. They were just glad that their Mum was so happy. She may have enjoyed some 'me time' living alone, but they had worried about her. They were thrilled that she had found love again.

Yes, we were in love. That was quite obvious to everyone. Even Madison and Atlanta, the playground mafia, had commented.

Sophie and Noah's teacher got quite misty-eyed one morning when she told us how happy she was for us. We must have looked shocked at how she knew until she laughed and said,

"Don't worry; early years teachers know all the best family gossip. Four-year-olds tell us everything that goes on at home, good and bad. We get them when they are still too innocent to realise that some things shouldn't be shared outside the family.

I know all about the pet names parents use for each other. I also know all about the kiss you two shared by the lion enclosure when you took the children to the zoo. Good for you. I'm thrilled for you."

With that, she closed her classroom door, leaving two stunned grandparents in her wake. We turned away from the entrance to hear a very worried Madison ask Atlanta.

"You don't think that my P.J. has told her that his dad calls me Sugar Tits, do you?"

We started to enjoy some lovely weekends away together. This eventually led to a week in Spain. We spent a blissful week together: laughing, making love, lying in the sun and making love again.

It had become apparent very quickly to me that my life was so much better with this wonderful woman in it. She enriched my life in every way. Even a simple walk became something special when she was holding my hand. It was time to 'seal the deal'.

We were walking on the promenade on the last evening when I decided to make my declaration and dropped to my knee.

"Gillian, I didn't think I could ever love someone again after Jane. I felt guilty for even thinking about it. I thought I was happy, but I wasn't. There was a missing piece of my life; when I met you, my heart saw what I needed long before my stupid brain caught up. I love you so much. Please, will you marry me?"

I realised that a small crowd had gathered around to await her reply.

"Michael, yes. I'm going to make you so happy."

She already had. Very happy. The moment was spoilt when a very large elderly lady beeped the horn of her mobility scooter.

"Congratulations and all that, but could I get past, please?"

We laughed all the way back to the hotel.

We rang and told the family. Natalie was ecstatic; Jackson, my son-in-law, shouted

"Way to go, Dad."

I loved him calling me dad. He'd lost his mum and dad young, as I had. That gave us an extra bond. I was honoured that he looked on me as his dad, too. He was the son I never had. Natalie couldn't have done better. Natalie wanted to wake Noah up, but I drew the line at that.

I told her I'd speak to him in the morning. We rang off to speak to Gill's daughter, Emma. She was thrilled too. She was eight months pregnant, and we worried her excitement might bring on contractions. We left a message for Gill's son, Jamie and his husband, Alan.

The next morning Noah was on the phone very early. He said he couldn't wait to tell Sophie that her Gran would be his Gran, too. He'd never known one before.

"Yes, Noah, but I will be her Grandad too."

"No, you won't; she's got a grandad. She's not having mine."

"That doesn't seem very fair, Noah."

"Well, you can be her Poppa instead. That's what Henry in Year One calls his grandad."

"Well, I'm glad that's sorted then, Noah. Would you like to speak to your Gran now?"

As I passed the phone over to Gillian, I saw a tear rolling down her cheek.

"Hello sweetheart, yes it will be lovely to be your Gran. I'll do my very best to be a good one, I promise."

We got a text back from her son, Jamie wishing us well. After our final holiday breakfast, we were packing up when Gillian got a call from her ex-Brian. It turns out that he had recently proposed to his girlfriend, but she had turned him down. She had agreed to move in with him, though. Gillian was laughing as she came off the phone.

"Silly devil. He says he is most disappointed that I have accepted your proposal before you have been subjected to his rigorous vetting process. He feels unable to offer his congratulations until you have been subjected to this process."

"Cheeky sod! What is this vetting process, then?"

"A pint down the pub with him tomorrow night. Don't look so worried; he just wants to get to know you. You should have already met; he's been so busy with his new lady. You'll get on like a house on fire; I'm sure you will be best mates."

I have to say I didn't share Gillian's opinion, but I could see that it would be better for us to get on as we would be sharing family times together in the future. I still felt a bit daunted meeting Brian, but of course, Gillian was right; we did get on like a house on fire. Although I'm quieter than him, (trust me, everyone is quieter than Brian), we did share a similar sense of humour. It soon seemed obvious that we were going to end up good mates.

"I like you, Michael. I'm so happy for Gill that she's found another good husband. I'm a hard act to follow, you know. I think you're up to the job."

He laughed at himself,

"I'm jealous, though, Michael, I must admit."

I was puzzled by this,

"You didn't hold any hopes of reconciliation, though, did you?"

"No, that was never going to happen. I'm jealous because my girl, my J.J., won't marry me. She loves me, but she'd holding back. It's like she feels she doesn't deserve to be happy."

"Gillian said that J.J. is moving in with you, though. That's something."

"It is Michael, but I want more. I want to introduce her as my wife, not my girlfriend. I'm nearly sixty. Men my age have wives, not girlfriends."

"I understand what you mean. I hate this 'partner' business too. I always want to say, 'Do you mean in life, or do you own a pet shop together?' It just sounds wrong."

We checked the time. Our quick pint in the pub had turned into several pints and several hours; we were a lot later than expected when we returned to Gillian's.