Sharon

At school she had felt she wanted to be part of a crowd , going along with he gang the odd smoke around the bike shed at senior school. Followed by college and yemp work. Meeting others in wine bars the odd glass of wine or prosseco weekends. Habit formed in her thirties the need to be noticed.

Excuses for headaches, not being able to face food mornings and skipping meals. Drink lunch time. Evenings to get noticed. Feeling groogy. Falling asleep on the floor of her small flat where Sharon lived with Moocha her persian cat. The friendly postie noticing the cat always meowing at the door. Looking through kitchen window seeing Sharon on the floor.

Her doctor had advised Counselling , Now Sharon thought long and hard. Moocha did not deserve this? The cat had probably save her life. He could have strayed heaven forbide if anything like that had happend? Thank s to the cat flap he had stayed to get her the help she needed.

Sharon looked at the boxes in the supermarket, they did not appeal packet meals. She had phoned her sister Maureen fifteen years older and married. Explaining the situaction , Maureen had listened not getting angry. After that the sisters had gone meat shopping, the food always tasted better if cooked by someone else.

Maureen and Brian often had iced water with their meals. Sharon found after a while she accepted this. Knowing that she must do more for herself. It was kind of Maureen and Brian to invite her over weekends, they were a couple. At counselling she cried, opening up about the way people had taken her for granted borrowing money for taxi fares and letting her buy them drinks. Where were those people male and female whom she had thought of as friends. Did they visit? Tears had come to her eyes. Each week she had set new goals for herself. Writing down how she felt and why.

A January to rememember and what a wake up call it had been. Stil Sharon was sticking to her principles. Walking away from Sluez Wine bar on the East of the city. Not that difficult although in the early days she had hoped Lilia, Lizzy Samuel and some of the others would have looked her up. She thought about the times she had invited them over to meet Moocha, they were not worth thinking about or raising a glass to. Sharon really had been lucky she had managed to keep up to date with her rent and household bills.

Although little savings. Lessons like this did not come easily. She would progress, she now had a better understanding of life and others. Opening up to Sharon and Brian, over the lose of her parents. She still had along way to go at the moment there was still pain to over come. What a burden she had been carrying never being able to settle hence the temping work.

Well housing benefit could pay the rent for a while on her flat. She may look into some thing diffrent or more regular. Her admin skills may help and a course to pep up her social skills at college. Thirty five was not too old to start over again.

This weekend she may cook for Brian and her sister Maureen and Moocha who would be first at the table for fish bless him. Dear sweet Moocha. With brown nose and paw markings.

She had also spoken with Jed the postman who had found her that day. He seemed to understand loneliness. Giving up his biking days as one of a gang of Hell Riders to deliver mail. A big change. "Do not tell any one he had said, winking his eye."

"Problem being after I broke my leg, I felt the need to consuder other options like you? The bike had to go. I nearly lost Lynda the wife . She had not known how to put a stop to us drifting apart. Stuck by me till the leg healed she did. Even got a job as a dinner lady. After a while my so called biking mates stopped calling. Now I am happier as a married man. You will get though this Sharon. Have to do my rounds." Said Jed smiling, if Lynda hears about work admin posts in school I will get her to phone you.

Sharon sighed talk about a silver lining help from an unexpected source. Not her so called mates. A new closer relationship with her sister. Why had she been so rude before? Not bothering to keep in touch. A new year. She hoped the rest of the year would yield good fruit, a step in the right direction.

Yea, a step in the right direction a new hair style at college. She not bothered to find out before that if she booked up in advance, She could getvher hair done by one of the trainees. Besides it would save time messing about herself with dye and a shower cap. A smile came to her lips, no green hair, although pink looked ok. She would think about over he weekend.

Sharon was certain that offering her a glass of iced water would be no problem arvthe college salon. Her confidence was growing and she may even lose a few pounds in weight? Not that she was big, it was a thought.

Tight jeans , a new me and Moocha of course. Jed who she had rarely noticed before her mishap was right. Life would get better? It had to, she was looking forward to a postive future. Not becoming a shrinking violet or a nun. Just a better person. Not that Sharon had anything against the church or nuns? It was just an expression of thought.

Looking at the clock, Sharon realised she had to prepare the fish and fresh peppers. If her sister and Brian where calling by for lunch. Maybe strawberries for dessert she would go to town on this meal. They deserved it for all the kindness they had shown her.