Relationships Blog
Dating Diary
June 13: happy endings
This week, Linda Franklin meets Mr Marvellous - and her friend Julie is getting wedded to Mr Wonderful
Blog reader: it was the perfect date! Martin was everything he said he was - and more! He was wearing a fabulous suit, and apologised for looking too formal (he'd just come from a meeting with a client) but actually he looked wonderful. And he looked like he knew how to use dental floss, which is a must, I think. And he smelt fabulous, a detail men too often overlook - it was, he said casually,when I asked, something by Creed... And he had a bottle of champagne chilling in a bucket.
'I'm tired of dating,' he said. 'All this tiresome getting to know people...' I just want to jump to the next stage of being - well, intimate...'
Ooo-er...
'I want to find someone I can settle down with,' he said. 'I need someone who's totally on my side and vice versa - always there for me, happy to drop everything and go off to the Bahamas or go skiing...'
'That sounds really nice,' I said. 'Personally - I don't ski: I have this bad back and I can't risk a fall...'
'Or stay in bed all day and only get up to make something great to eat - I love to cook and do a great tempura! - or go for a walk and cream tea in the country and just have a laugh...'
His voice was deep and very authoritative and the champagne was cold and crisp and I started to feel vaguely, well - thrilled by it all. But before I knew it, the doorman was beside him: 'Your driver's here, sir.' Our hour was up.
'Can I drop you off, Linda?' He asked.
On the way back home I asked him about his wife: 'Estella was lovely,' he said. 'But it was a a long time ago. I've moved on since then.'
And there I was, outside my house. 'Shall we do this again?' He asked.
'Yes,' I said. 'I'd love that.' And then he kissed me...
Next day I was waiting for Julie in a little pub in the North Laine. I could hardly wait to tell her I'd finally met someone gorgeous who seemed a real prospect - but I wasn't going to tell her now, or in a while until she was over Nelson. She was at his place now, picking up her lasagne dish and giving him in return a piece of her mind for having two timed her - and using her until his wife came back to him.
'I really cared about him,' she'd said on the phone last night. 'And I thought it was mutual - I just feel devastated. How could I not have seen the signs at this age? I'm not a young girl who doesn't know which end is up. How come I didn't realise he was cheating on me? Actually, I thought it was a real love match - and now it seems I was one of many...' She was near to tears.
'I'm sorry, Jules,' I'd said. 'But you will get someone lovely - who deserves you.'
'Oh dear - those huge lace knickers, Linda! Gawd! Maybe he's a secret chubby chaser! But to think his wife thought they were mine! Bloody cheek!'
I felt really sorry about the whole thing: Julie really did want to settle down. She'd adored being married and had been devastated when he died. And she had no children or prospect of grand children to love either. I was cross with Nelson for leading her on - he'd seemed so genuine.
She rushed in, eyes and hair wild, make-up smudged. 'Oh, Linda!' she gasped.
'Double whisky time?'
'Yes - but no ice.' She twinkled and laughed: 'I've got enough already!' And she held out her left hand and there, on the ring finger, was an enormous rock!
'Nelson said she's always trying to cause trouble for him, She hasn't been anywhere near his flat - she must have bought those big pants! He doesn't want her back. Ever. He wants me - For ever!
