Once I started working and living away from home, I would return maybe one or two weekends a month, for mum's cooking and a pint or six with dad! Or even to watch Blackburn sometimes! Oh, and not forgetting family dos or personal invites. So this was how I met...
The Again Woman, Again (1986 ~ 26)
It was six months after my farewell to Helene. Work had been hectic and somehow I didn't seem to have the time for any kind of female relationship. Then my mum told me there was a party I was invited to, for Chrissy's engagement. I couldn't not go!
On my weekend visits home I'd often meet up with Chrissy and we'd reconnect like I'd never been away. We shared our "life events" and gossip and laughed as we always did. I knew she'd been seeing Eddie for a long time and I'd met him a few times. He seemed OK, he had lots of local lads friends, which suited Chrissy because she had lots of girl friends too! Many a night out was spent separately!
Months before the invite, not long after Helene's farewell, I had told Chrissy about Helene and our liaison. I may have been a bit overly excited telling her about Helene's shaved pubes though!
"A girl can get jealous you know!" Chrissy had said.
"Chrissy," I replied, "you never need be jealous of anyone. You're my longest, closest, bestest friend. And remember, you'll always be my first real shag! Besides you know all my secrets!"
"I do, don't I!" she answered and kissed me softly.
At the party, Chrissy and Eddie's engagement was officially announced, though everyone already knew! The surprise was that their wedding was in four months time! "No she's not pregnant" roared her mum at the surprised murmur in the room.
I congratulated Chrissy and Eddie. They told me they were buying a house that was a "doer-upper" and should be ready by the time of the wedding. Plans were under way for stag and hen dos, as well as all the other stuff weddings demand. I was happy for her.
About a month before the wedding, I got a surprise telephone call at home one evening. It was Chrissy saying she wanted to come to Manchester the following weekend. She had some secret shopping she wanted to do and could she stop at mine? Of course I said Yes.
I managed to finish early on the Friday afternoon and zoomed home to finish sorting the spare bedroom and make a start on my best stew! Chrissy arrived about 5pm and the chatter began. I think I barely spoke a word in the first ten minutes, I couldn't get a word in!
I finally managed to interrupt her, take her overnight bag up and show her the spare bedroom, which was next to mine. Returning downstairs, we continued talking as I finished making the meal; we sat and ate; drank and drank. The alcohol certainly helped us giggle and relax into our long-time friendship.
Late on that evening, in a slightly saddened tone she confessed to a slight wobble on her wedding.
"It'll change us, Joe," she said, "our relationship, I mean. It's already changed. You live away, I'm getting married."
I tried to reassure her that it wouldn't, saying, "Chrissy, you've always been and will always be my closest friend. Nothing will ever change that. But it's true that our lives are changing. Some things though will never change. Like us and what we are to each other."
