A loving lovely mother, and her astonishing son come together by accident, coincidence, and fate.
Hi, my name is Linda Barker, and I want to relate to you an incident that happened to me recently. It was purely accidental, complete coincidence; the events that led me here could not have been scripted. It would be ludicrous to even suggest there was any intention for connivance on my part or anyone else's.
I am forty one years old, a married woman, happily I might add. I have been fortunate to be blessed by him up there, because of the way I am, who I am, what I am, and the way I look. I have had a happy life. And was blessed to have wonderful parents who treated me the way I was, their little princess.
I met and married my husband twenty one years ago, I had had a couple of serious boyfriends before him, but as soon as we met I knew he was the one. I have two children, both boys, Eric is the eldest, he is nearly twenty and at college, and the house is unbelievably quiet without him. I miss his boisterous ways; he would come bounding into the house after school like a whirlwind.
Luke, my youngest, is as opposite to him as can be, he is eighteen, going on nineteen, quiet, studious and always thinking, and I think there is more of me in him than his dad. He has terrific grades at school and we have high hopes for his future. He will be going to the same college as Eric in a few months.
Me? As I said my name id Linda, nearly forty one now, and looking forward to my own future, we have plans to see the world when the boys are off on their life's journey. I am five feet four inches, not as tall as I would have wished, but we can't have everything can we. I am very good looking even if I do say so myself.
I still draw looks and sneaky glances from men so I know I'm doing something right. My light blond hair isn't as long as it used to be, but it still comes past my shoulders. And Liam, my husband, tells me I am still the beauty he married all those years ago. And even though I would never say it, I agree with him! I have looked after myself, not religiously but carefully.
I'll have a drink when we go out, or at a do somewhere, but that's it. I don't smoke; I hate it, what an awful smell! My friends tell me I have a lovely face, I don't use a lot of make up, I don't feel the need for it. I have a good body, all my bits are there and still in good fettle. I still get those goose bumps when we make love, and I'm as sensitive now as I was twenty years ago.
I haven't been unfaithful in my marriage, although I have to admit there have been one or two times when temptation nearly got the better of me. So my virtue and marriage vows are still intact, or, should I say, were intact until a month ago when the incident I am about to relate took place.
Liam and I were invited to his company's do, he works for an international construction firm, has to travel sometimes, but its all part of the job. It's an annual thing this dinner dance. But the difference this year was, we were sat at the 'top' table with the directors and their wives and the senior people. It was a Friday night dinner dance, at the Carlton Hotel, set in the country, and the swankiest five star around.
He had told me he would be home by lunch time so we could prepare together for the night. I heard him drive up and went to greet him, only to witness him falling over our neighbours cat. I saw him actually fall through the hedge, I know I shouldn't have done but I laughed, it was so funny, and I wished I had had my video camera.
Then I heard him moaning loudly, "Jesus Christ!" he yelled. I hurried to him and he was laid on his side holding his right knee.
"What's wrong Liam?" I asked.
"My knee, bloody hell Linda, my knee, it might be broken!" he moaned out loud. I got to him, and after a while I helped him to limp into the house. From there we went to the hospital where it was x-rayed, and thankfully it wasn't broken, but badly wrenched. By the time we got home it was four o clock. Luke helped his dad into the house; and we got him upstairs and into bed.
"Well," I said, "that's the do over and done with, I can't go on my own."
Liam looked at me, and then said, "You'll have to go Linda, it's important to my, and our future, I have to be represented, there are politics involved, people may try to take advantage of my absence."
"But I can't sit there like a dummy," I told him, "I won't know what's going on anyway; I'm not going if you can't!" I retorted.
That's when Luke piped up. "What about me, could I go in your place?" His dad beamed, grabbed the phone, he explained the problem to someone, and smiled.
"Luke you are a diamond, its all clear, you're on my boy! And you are about my size now, so my Tux might just fit you, Linda go on, get him ready, let's see shall we?" I protested even more, but got drowned out in the argument and off we went to try his dad's things.
And my heart stopped when he presented himself, he looked fabulous, so manly, so good looking. I almost dragged him out of the house there and then to get there. He went to see his dad, I started to get ready.
I have a walk in wardrobe; with its own dressing table and chair, so I don't have to come out until I am done doing what I do best, making myself look good. And I had bought a new evening gown that showed me off marvellously, Liam had seen it and it had wowed him, so I knew before I put it on how good I would look.