“So, tell me!” Rose implored.

She had called to Andy’s house to see how he was doing as she did most weeks.

She always knew when Andy was holding back something on her, and she knew he would spit it out eventually especially now that he had started turning red.

“Well, we’re texting each other regularly enough.”

“And?”

“And nothing. I’m sure she has a boyfriend already. We’re just mates.”

Andy was trying to look everywhere, except at Rose.

“Yeah, yeah I believe you,” Rose teased deciding that she had put him under enough pressure for one day.

“She is quite a pretty girl though, if I was so inclined…”

This raised a laugh from Andy. Of course, she was pretty, Charlotte was one of the most beautiful women that he had ever met. He thought so from the first moment he had set eyes on her in that niteclub. He had actually seen her before Ed, but didn’t have the confidence to approach her. Ed had no such problems.

If he couldn’t win her heart then, what chance had he now with his paralyzed body?

No, better to just stay friends. At least then, he could have his dreams.

Late that night, Andy is once again texting Charlotte. Then he receives a text that suddenly brings him to a halt.

• So do you have a gf?

It was the perfect way to end what had been a blistering hot day – having a nice pint with his female friend Rose. They had decided to go to their favorite pub, The Cavern after a trip down town. Well, by favorite, what they really meant was to the only easily wheelchair accessible one with no step to try and get up or one with impossibly tight angles to try and traverse through. No better way to saviour an incredible summer’s day. They decided it would be best to head out back to the smoking area where they could enjoy their beverages in the shade.

Andrew, better known as Andy by his friends was having his favourite tipple, a nice cold pint of Guinness. Rose, on the other hand was having the much more sophisticated glass of red wine.

“So, any luck on the jobs front?”

Andy had not worked in the over three years since his accident – A car crash. Not his fault. A car swerved onto the wrong side of the road, the driver had fallen asleep at the wheel killing her, and her two daughters. There was nothing that he could have done, even the Gardai (Irish police) said so. No human could have reacted fast enough. Still, at times he could not help but feel guilty that he had survived and they were now buried in a remote graveyard outside of town. He was left though paralyzed from the waist down and that was after many broken bones, including a pelvis had gradually healed.

But, he was trying not to think of all that today. It did him no good to the focus on such things.

“No, nothing yet. I’ve only just started sending out some CVs. I’m expecting it to take some time. After all, Mullingar is quite a small town. Not a huge amount of opportunities, but hopefully I’ll find something. Life can be very boring without a job. You know what I mean? I felt now is the right time to start looking.”

“Yeah, of course,” she replied rubbing his arm.

They had much to talk about as they hadn’t had a proper catch up in quite some time. Rose was a great chatterbox. They had been best of friends since long before his accident. Rose was petite, thin with brown curly hair. Today, she was wearing a blank tank top and trousers. Time passed and they decided they should order some food. Andy told her what she wanted and in she went in to order.

The minutes passed and Andy started to wonder where and what she was getting up to. The entry door was heavy and Andy really didn’t want to strain of opening it himself or the awkwardness of asking somebody at one of the other tables to do so.

Then the door opened and in she came with a wide smile.

“Eh, I was nearly going to send out a search party!” Andy said with a smile.

“Oh sorry! I just got chatting to a lovely lady out there. You know me when I get in a natter! Actually, she says that she knows ya.”

“What’s her name?”

“Oh, what was it now. Charlene, no Charlotte. That was it. An old flame or something?”

“No, she used to go out with a mate of mine back when we were all doing the Leaving Certificate. Wow, that must be like ten years ago, how the years fly. Then, they broke up and well with college and stuff, haven’t seen her. We always got on well.”

Ten minutes later someone put their hands over over his eyes from behind the wheelchair

“Guess who?”

The feminine voice and soft hands gave it away.

“Eh, I don’t know Charlotte maybe?”

With that, the hands were taken away and she went to sit on the other side of him from Rose.

There she was. The last person that he had expected to see that day. She looked just as beautiful as he remembered, shoulder length blonde hair, eyes the colour of a clear blue sky. She was a black jacket, which gave her looks a dangerous vibe.

For the next ten minutes, the three of them talked. Charlotte talked about how she had studied physical education and was looking for work. He told her about his accident and painstaking recovery. Rose mostly just tried to take the piss out of Andy like blurting out that he could do with a good woman.

“Afraid I better get back to Leanne. She doesn’t like being left on her own,” Charlotte said somewhat contritely, “but we should keep in touch Andy.”

“Yeah that would be nice Andy replied.

With that, they exchanged mobile telephone numbers and then she was gone,