An Adults Views

Charlene inhaled the aroma of the apple pie she had just laid on the counter to cool. It smelled wonderful and she couldn't wait to serve it. Her baking skills were among the best of anyone she knew and her delicious desserts never failed to impress. It had been such a long time since Charlene had invited a guest to dinner and she wanted desperately to make a good impression.

It had been many years since John had passed away. Charlene had never imagined being widowed in her forties but it had happened and she'd been faced with spending the second half of her life alone - or so she had thought. Although Charlene took her wedding vows to heart, she had great difficulty accepting "until death do us part." She had never fathomed a relationship with anyone else because John had been her first and only love. But, over the past year or so, Charlene had becoming increasingly lonely. It was easy, at first, to honour John's memory but, as everyone knows, time marches on. Her entire social circle was made up of married couples and, although they still included Charlene in all their plans and invitations, she certainly felt like a third wheel. In fact, at a recent bridal shower, Charlene had been asked if she ever looked at any online dating sites. She was embarrassed by the question and took it to mean that she was less than welcome if she didn't have a partner. Admittedly, she had gone home early, hurt feelings and all.

Once she'd had time to mull it over, Charlene realized that the act of pointing out dating sites as an option wasn't necessarily hurtful at all. Her friends knew she was lonely and she knew they just wanted to help her. There was really not a lot of opportunity to be "fixed up" by her friends because they were all in the same group. Charlene wasn't interested in the complicated situations that could arise in dating someone's cousin or another person's brother. So, she had finally come to terms with the proposal of dating sites as a viable way for her to meet someone new.

Charlene had taken her time and reviewed many dating sites before actually deciding to delve in and create a profile. Although she had initially received little response, she had finally struck up a friendship with an adorable man named Jack who was a few years her junior. At Charlene's insistence, they had kept in touch only through the website for many months. Finally, she consented to Jack's repeated requests to chat on the telephone and, once they had, she chastised herself for time wasted. He was a wonderful friend.

Tonight, Charlene was taking her biggest leap of faith. She had invited Jack to dinner. They had long talked about meeting in person and, although she had initially thought it wise to meet in a restaurant or some other public place, Charlene felt more in control in her own home. So, here she was, set to dazzle Jack with dinner and a homemade apple pie. Looking at the clock, she realized he'd be ringing any time now. The butterflies in her stomach made Charlene smile and she felt giddy as a school girl. Only tonight did she realize how much she truly cared for Jack - and she couldn't wait to stand face to face with him and see if what they felt was real.