Chapter 2
Anna
It had been a few months since Anna had broken up with Tyron, and she was only now starting to miss the familiarity of having him around. Before that she was simply too angry to miss him. Of course, she wouldn't take him back, she was far too stubborn and proud to ever take back a cheater, but that didn't make it any easier to be alone. The worst part was that she didn't even know it was happening. She always wondered how someone could be so blind to their partner cheating, but when it happened to her she realized that some people were simply better at lying than others - and she had just been too na?ve to see it. It wasn't that she ever thought she would marry Tyron but she had liked him a lot and she had always wondered if maybe she'd go from liking him to loving him. Well I know the answer to that one now, she thought mercilessly.
Anna worked as an online content creator. Hired by companies who wanted to look good but who had no idea how to do it. She would use information that they sent her and simply 'fluff' it up - making them sound far better than they actually were. She liked to think herself as the word version of someone who photoshopped photos for a living, and every day she hated herself for it. It wasn't as if she made enough money to be able to choose her clients - instead she took on any job that came her way, whether she liked the company or not. It paid the bills, and she turned a blind eye to the way it made her feel. In the interim she concentrated on her own writing, working her way towards a novel that she had been working on for years, and various short stories. She didn't share these with anyone, often pasting them into her blog and them quickly deleting them before she could hit send. It wasn't that she thought she was a bad writer; it was more a case of feeling that she was simply okay. And she didn't want to be just okay. She wanted to be great - like all the authors that she admired and read. She kept telling herself that one day she would be great - she simply had to keep writing and to keep practicing.
Anna lived alone, in a small apartment in the city. She had moved into the first place that she could find on short notice the moment that she had discovered Tyron's infidelity. She hadn't taken the time to find out why the price was so low for an apartment so central but once she had moved in it had all made sense. The neighbors, on either side of her, were very young, and they partied hard. Anna had no idea why they were never in trouble for being so loud or why they stayed in two different apartments but she assumed that they knew the owner of the building. She had a feeling the only way someone was ever going to stay long was for the rent to be low. So it was a matter of putting up with the noise and saving money or going to find something quieter and pay more. Anna had decided to put up with the noise, because not only was the rent low, but they had also turned a blind eye to her having a pet - which she knew was not allowed in most of the city apartments.
Ruler the Dachshund had become the most important man in Anna's life since Tyron was no longer in the picture, and he certainly knew it. He had never been a fan of Tyron and he now loved all the extra attention he was getting from her. Now, he sat on her lap, his long body curled to fit on her as best he could, and he nuzzled his nose into her arm for comfort. Sometimes she wasn't sure who was comforting who.
She was trying to work on her novel, the one that she had been working on for the past four years, but stared at the screen in frustration. She had everything she needed for the novel - the beginning, the end and even the characters all sorted out. She knew what the big surprise was going to be, and she had a sufficient amount of happiness, tears and fears to make every reader happy. But the moment she sat down to write she couldn't seem to find the words to describe it all. Anna was a competent writer and when it came to her actual work she never had trouble finding the right words to say. Yet the moment she tried to write for herself she'd go blank. She knew it was because she was far too harsh on herself than she should be but knowing something and actually changing it were two separate things.
DKCOIE!! DKJVIJ WEW!! Wdkci e!!!! eeieiciieenci!!!!KHH
She hit the keys in frustration and Ruler looked up at her in surprise.
Her phone rang, and she knew immediately that it would be her mother - who called her at exactly the same time each evening. This equally pleased her and frustrated her. She wanted to tell her mother that not everything in life had to be so structured, and yet a part of her was also glad that when the phone rang at 7pm that it would be her mother. It was comforting.
"Hi mom." She said.
"How can you say 'Hi mom' when you don't even know who it is? What if it was your boss?"
"Mom, you call me at the same time every night. And anyway, why would my boss be phoning me at this time?" she sighed in frustration.
"Well, never mind. Just remember to have some manners. I did teach you about manners didn't I?"
"Yes mother."
"Good. So? How are you?" Anna was about to reply with a 'well same as yesterday when you asked me' but decided against it.
"I'm fine mom. Nothing new to report really."
"Well no news is better than bad news." It was an old adage that her mom used on a regular basis. It was followed closely by 'If you've got nothing nice to say then don't say anything at all' and the even more popular 'You better learn to cook if you ever plan on getting a husband'.
"Yeah, that's true mom. And you? Any news on your side?" Sometimes it was simply best to divert her attention somewhere else.
"Well actually, I do have some news. Remember Shirley? That woman from your dad's office with the big hair? Well she got caught with Russell in the print room! You know Russell? The bald guy. Sorry I don't know how else to describe him. The whole office is going mental with the news. Your dad says it's all everyone is talking about. I didn't think Shirley had it in her."
Anna's mother used to work in the same office as her father but left when she had her children to become a housewife. She might've left the company but she never left the gossip and still took great pleasure in finding out who did what with whom. Anna was always the recipient of these stories even though most of the time she didn't know who her mother was talking about. Of course, she always pretended that she did.
"No ways! Are you serious? With Russell?" Anna exclaimed and whistled to add to the authenticity of her response.
"Seriously! Well I say good for her. It's about time she had a bit of fun in her life. And Russell's a nice guy. Not sure if it's anything serious, but I think it's great. Which reminds me, what's happening with your love life? Have you been going out at all? You're not going to meet a man by sitting at home you know."
Anna groaned out loud, "Yeah I know mom. But I'm not looking for a man right now."
"Listen Anna, I'm sorry about what happened with Tyron, you know I am. But your dad and I never liked him anyway. He was always a bit too big for his boots. Speak to your friends; see if they have anyone they can set you up with. Go out a bit. It'll be good for you. Just don't sit around by yourself all day and night. It's not good for you."
"I'm not alone mom. I have Ruler on my lap. And he's one of the best guys I know."
"You know that's not what I mean Anna."
"I know mom. Don't worry about me. I'll phone Carla up and go out with her soon. I promise."
"Good. You keep me updated then, alright?"
"Of course Mom. I love you."
"I love you too."
Anna sighed. She did love her mom and she counted herself lucky that she actually still had parents that were happy and in love. She was starting to see that that didn't happen all that much these days. But sometimes the evening conversations were too much to handle. She'd tried ignoring them once, but her mother had arrived at her doorstep an hour later in a panic and then proceeded to tell her that she should never make her so worried ever again. Her father had been standing behind her at the door, mouthing a 'I'm sorry' and she had vowed always to answer the phone from then onwards.
She quickly called Carla, her friend since school who knew her mother almost as well as she did.
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"Yo! Carla speaking."
"Seriously, that's how you're answering the phone now?" She was aware that she sounded a bit like her mother in her accusations.
"Yeah, I'm trying out a more 'street' vibe. Do you like?"
"Hmm. No, not really. Try something new next time. I'll tell you which is best."
"Okay deal. Ha! I'm already thinking of some new personas to come up with. I like this game. So? let me guess? your mother just called you and now you're so wound up you needed to vent?"
"You do know me far too well," Anna sighed, "She's trying to get me to go out again. To meet a new guy. Which I am seriously not ready for yet. I mean, I am ready. I just don't really want anyone, you know."
"You mean you don't want to fall in love with someone and then have him hurt you again?"
"I wasn't in love with Tyron!"
"Well, okay then, but you were in serious like of him. And he did hurt you badly even if you don't want to admit it."
"Okay. He did. But I'm really just not looking for someone now."
"I hear you! But listen, come out with us anyway. There's a group of us going to some comedy show on Saturday and at least it will placate your mother for a while."
"Ah I hate comedy shows!" Anna whined, "Especially when I don't find it funny! Because then I have to pretend to find it funny. And pretending to find something funny is just exhausting!"
"Oh you're exhausting! Stop being such a grump and come with us. It'll be fun. I'm paying."
"Well? in that case. Okay, okay, I'll come. But it better be funny!"
"It will be after a few glasses of wine."
"Good point."
Anna wasn't sure if she should've phoned Carla now. Carla and her boyfriend Danny were always trying to rope her into doing things with them. She loved them both but hated feeling like a spare wheel and so tried to make excuses each time. But she knew she couldn't avoid them forever. She wished she had asked Carla who else was coming but she had already committed to it and couldn't bail out so it didn't really matter.
She sighed and went back to her computer, looking through her Facebook and checking her emails. In other words, doing everything except what she should be doing - writing her novel. Looking at her emails she saw that she had one from someone that she didn't recognize and she was about to send it straight to her trash folder when she curiosity got the better of her and she opened it up instead.
Dear Anna. I'm not quite sure how to word this without you thinking I'm a creep or a weirdo. Which I'm neither - I promise. I work in the computer industry and recently came by your blog. I was immediately impressed by your writing and your way with words. As you can see - I'm not so good with them myself. Admittedly I looked you up on Facebook (Again, this sounds strange, but don't we all do this?) and I think you are absolutely beautiful. I'd love the chance to get to know you. If you don't want to meet me, I understand. If you simply want to chat over email, that's fine by me too. I don't take many chances in life but for some reason I thought I'd take a chance on you.
Regards, James.
Anna read through the email in surprise. She wasn't sure if she should be freaked out or complimented by what she had read. She also wasn't sure if she should delete the email or reply. But there was something about the words 'I don't take many chances in life' that rung true to her and she knew that she was going to reply.
Dear Readers
It means the world to me that you read my book, The Retreat. Writing is my passion and I look forward to your feedback.
So if you liked this book, I am asking you for a small favor. Would you be so kind to leave a Review? It would be much appreciated.
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