"Oh what a terrible dream!" said Julia out loud as she woke up. She blinked a few times and saw the hazy shapes and colours of her bedroom, made unclear because she hadn't put her glasses on yet.
She couldn't get the images from the dream out of her head, however. In it she was standing in a busy shopping mall, one that seemed to stretch on for miles and miles and a sea of people all walking in unison towards her with blank expressions on their faces. Julia in her dream was pushing against this crowd, walking in the opposite direction to an exit that never got any closer. As she pushed forwards the crowd became surly and would shove her back, further impeding her progress. Nothing in the shops was what she wanted or needed. There was no respite from the crowds and the store owners shouting at her from all directions.
The dream bothered Julia because she could never remember any dream she might have had beyond a few seconds upon waking up. Indeed she didn't believe she actually had dreams and was sceptical about the theories of Freud and Jung when it came to dream interpretation. But still the images of her struggle to make her way out of a shopping mall amongst zombie like crowds remained vivid in her mind.
She made herself some breakfast, which she forced herself to eat as she had lost her appetite. Even her home seemed somehow lacking in life. She had always liked the minimalist decor she had chosen for her house and didn't care for much in the way of homely adornments or creature comforts but looking around the place it suddenly seemed lifeless and devoid of character.
There was little time to wallow and once breakfast was finished she got ready for work. Often Julia liked to bury herself in it and she had an work ethic that bordered on single-mindedness. An unusual illness, a rare malady that she had special knowledge of or a chance to help one of the senior registrars would be ideal.
Instead she had to help a man who had a mediaeval knight's helmet stuck on his head.
"Hngghhh urungen hraneenenblarg"
"I see, Mr Locke, so it happened at a bachelor party. You're not the groom or best man are you?"
"Nrumen. Ngai nguffin aru dadoo middad"
"I'm relieved to hear that. Now I think it'll be a matter of applying plenty of lotion and loosening those screws on the side. I will need some assistance...Mr Marino, would you step into bay 6 please?"
Angelo Marino was a new hire for the hospital, an orderly who seemed eager enough to hit the ground running on the first day of the job.
"Yes Doctor Epstein?" he said, entering the bay and catching sight of a man wearing a hospital gown and a brass knight's helmet.
"Fetch plenty of baby oil lotion and a screwdriver from maintenance. Then I'm going to need your strength to pull this helmet off of Mr Locke.
"Stwenth? NGAI! Wilm if hrurrrrt? Ngai donna hrunt mgai fache do be dummaged!"
"If you hold perfectly still you should be alright, Mr Locke." She was getting frustrated by Mr Locke's flapping about in a panic when nothing had happened yet. It was if he actually wanted to keep the helmet on, she thought. Maybe they'd have to use the restraints if he started to panic again.
So this was the exciting and high status life of a city doctor in a top hospital...she thought, glumly.
The procedure went well enough and the helmet was eventually removed although Mr Locke cried like a baby and acted as if he was going to die at any moment. When it came time to write up her notes from the case it was a real struggle to find any motivation.
As she was struggling to type it all up her friend and work colleague, Harper Newell, stopped by to see how she was doing.
"Was it you who had to get that helmet off that guy's head, Jules?" Harper asked.
"Yes. And what a pain in the ass that guy was as well!" Julia replied.
"Wow, Miss Straight Arrow swears! It must be a rough day!"
"It's nothing major, Harps, it's just all the little things that I usually find slightly annoying are just really bugging me right now"
"Are you free to meet up after our shift? Get some drinks, unwind?" asked Harper.
"I've said I'd go along to the monthly Jokesters v Pranksters festival in town but I don't feel up to it. I would like to hang out with you afterwards though."
"How about I tag along to the festival and we can get some drinks and spicy food to help pick you up?"
"That might just work..." said Julia.
When the shift at the hospital ended both agreed to meet at the festival after getting changed and freshened up at their respective homes. Even with one of her closest friends along for the trip Julia was still dreading this evening.
She wore her everyday clothes, not bothering to doll herself up for the occasion. She needed the company more than the excitement of the festival.
Making her way to the Arts Quarter, she got herself some food...tonight there were a lot of Asian food vendors making very powerful Thai curries that caught a few of the other festival attendees by surprise. Julia had to admit the sight of a grown man freaking out over spicy food was funny.
Julia didn't have to wait long until Harper showed up. "Hey Jules, how's things going here?"
"I haven't been here long but the most amusing thing at the moment is how strong this curry is" Julia replied.
"Don't remind me..." said the man who couldn't handle it.
The man got up to leave and rushed to the nearby public bathroom and Harper sat down next to Julia to chat with her friend.
"So I forget, which team are you normally on: Jokesters or pranksters?" asked Harper.
Julia let out a sigh. "I forget...Jokesters...no, Pranksters. As a matter of fact my head is in such a jumble I can't think straight about teams."
"It's worse than we thought! So what's brought this all on, Julia? You're not usually melancholy. Indignant at improper behaviour, yes, but depressed? That's not the friend I know."
"This is going to sound silly"
"Try me"
"OK, I had a dream last night that bothered me. I was being swallowed up by the crowd, I couldn't make progress and I was becoming a nothing, a nobody."
"Sounds like an anxiety dream. We all get them. I sometimes dream that I show up to work in only my underwear."
"That's a common dream" commented Julia.
"But the thing is they're someone else's underwear!"
"Oh..."
"OK so work's not firing you up at the moment, is it?"
"No."
"And your music?"
"The gigs have dried up since my partner, Joelene, turned pro. I still practice but the fire still isn't in the belly when I play."
"OK...you're going to hate me for mentioning this but: Social life."
"OK, I'll refine my question...social life that involves men."
"Well...that's another matter. I mean, I have followed everyone's advice and tried dating a few times but each time has been a disaster or at least a massive let down. I've had a teenager who's besotted with me and wrote a folk song in my honour..."
"Oh if only a handsome guy would write a folk song about me" said Harper, wistfully, as she looked up to the sky.
"A man who my parents set me up with who's main concern is promoting his business. Then there was the guy with anger management issues and the man who's having a messy divorce but he's the messy one."
"Well, there was one other guy who was an absolute dish if you ask me..."
"HE'S IN THE CONGO! He thought saving civilians in a war zone is more important than taking me to dinner. Well, it is, but that's not the point."
"But that is the point, Julia. I've known you since you were an ambitious intern, pushing aside any thought of romance, marriage or family and completely focussed on your career. And then Vincent entered your life and you haven't been the same since."
"Pshaw! I'm not in a funk because of a man!" Julia scoffed.
"Aren't you? Think of it logically. Have you noticed any changes in you since you met him?"
"Well, we all change a little over time. I mean, what struck me about him was his dedication, earnestness and gentlemanly manner. Yes, I suppose I value those characteristics in someone and they are hard to find these days."
"OK, leaving aside for one moment just how handsome he is *sigh*, how did you feel when you were around him?"
"I felt energised, admittedly. His intellect and approach to medicine was such that I found it invigorating working alongside him. And he's also a man of culture so I enjoyed non-work time with him as well. Again, stimulating..."
"And that's what's missing in your life. OK, forget romance...let's put that aside for a moment. It's the intellectual stimulation you're missing. Since he left for the Congo there's not much replacing that vibe, that buzz you and he had. Murakami is more of a stern taskmaster than a work colleague, Fran and myself are nurses, not top doctors and those who the hospital has brought in since Vincent left are all a bit bland careerists who don't provide you with the same excitement. And that, Julia, is what's eating you: That without someone to bounce off of and share a wavelength with you're worried about being one of those cyphers we work with day in, day out. You've got a fear of going from promising hot shot to career mediocrity."
"Wow, you should be a psychiatrist. Seriously. That's spot on analysis there. Yes, that makes sense!" said Julia, her eyes lighting up.
"Glad to be of service, Jules. Now let's get a drink!" replied Harper.
The two young women stood up and walked towards the bar. "Maybe I should go to the Congo, what do you think?" asked Julia.
"To a warzone? Are you really cut out for that?" Harper replied, cynically.
"I need that intellectual fizz Vincent provided...where am I going to find it?"
"Well instead of jumping on an airplane and landing in a civil war how about writing to him instead? Have you written to him since he's been gone?" asked Harper.
"Well...no. But that's a good idea. I shall write to him. I will ask him about his work over there and about what I've been working on here..."
"Great idea, that's a good place to start. While you're at it why not ask whether he'll be back in America any time soon? Maybe you could meet up if he's back in town, even if only briefly. See how he thinks about you."
"Gosh. Golly gee. You know, I need to write to him...now, could you write down a few notes about what I should include in the letter?"
"Oh Julia...you need all the help you can get" said Harper, smiling.
It could have been Julia's imagination but it seemed of late that Dr Murakami, Scourge of Willow Creek Hospital, was acting nicer around her. No barked orders, no contradictory instructions, no stealing of Julia's patients in order to massage her casework statistics and no traps set for Julia to fail. Maybe, finally, Julia had paid her dues...
She was also allowed to diagnose and treat patients without having Murakami or some other doctor take over the case from her. Indeed, some of the more junior staff started coming to her for advice.
The first patient of the day was Candace Vargas, age 34. She had developed a nasty cough, aching limbs and was coming out in a rash as well.
Julia ran all the tests she thought might be relevant: Bloods, urine, x-rays and even a stamina and lung capacity check on the treadmill. By the time she was done with her patient, Miss Vargas was thoroughly exhausted.
The result was, however, that Julia's diagnosis was spot on. Even a second opinion by Murakami confirmed what Julia had thought. Another successful treatment and another feather in Julia's cap. All done by herself.
A rejuvenated and healthy Candace Vargas was prepared to be discharged but she had some last words to say to Julia.
"Dr Epstein; I was sceptical at times about all those treatments, scans and exercises you performed on me but I must say I've not felt better in weeks. I was wrong to doubt your judgement."
"That's alright Miss Vargas; I just like being thorough. The upshot is you're 100% healthy...although I would recommend you give up smoking."
"I'll bear that in mind, Doctor" said Miss Vargas, smiling.
Julia took a few moments to return to the staff room where she could write up her case notes. Sitting in her usual spot was senior orderly Mr Ghandi; who was spending every spare moment he had to study for his medical degree.
"Ah, Doctor Epstein, I hear you managed to cure a patient before lunchtime" he said in his strong Indian accent.
"It's been known before, Mr Ghandi." she replied with her tongue in cheek. "How are your studies going?"
"Very good, very good. I'm studying the cardiovascular system. Fascinating stuff. Maybe one day when I am qualified I will think about specialising in cardio-thorasics."
"Aiming high...that's what I did."
"Doctor Epstein, paging Doctor Epstein to reception" came the bored sounding drone of the Hospital's PA system.
"I am needed elsewhere..." she said to Ghandi and with that she headed off to reception.
Julia was being paged so she could attend to her next patient: A man named Jonathan Oglesby and his surname reflected his behaviour...he liked to ogle Julia as she examined him.
"Well hellooooooo" he said in a soft purr of a masculine voice. "Or should I say, 'enchante'?"
"No, just hello" Julia flatly replied.
"I can see I'm going to be in very capable hands, and so soft and delicate as well..." he said, reaching out to stroke one of her hands. Julia recoiled and became stern.
"Just cut that out, Mr Oglesby...it doesn't pay to annoy your doctor; after all there are numerous painful and intrusive tests we can perform on you!"
"Don't threaten me with a good time! Ah-fwa-fwa-fwaaaaah" he said in his lounge lizard voice.
"Why is it that 8 out of 10 male patients over the age of 30 try to hit on me?" Julia complained to her friend and colleague, Harper, afterwards.
"Those older guys struggle to come to terms with competent women in positions of authority" replied Harper. "They're trying to send a message to you that they're still in charge and not you. Plus, you're pretty. At the end of the day men are dominated by their eyes and Johnsons."
"So do you have the same problem as well?" asked Julia.
"I am a nurse so leering men tend to want to be babied and cosseted by me. That all changes when I take their temperature with a thermometer....and I will spare you the gory details about that procedure."
After her shift Julia got changed and headed off to downtown Willow Creek to catch up with friends at the Blue Velvet club.
However, just before she went inside she noticed George Sneedly standing further down the road and looking nervously around him. She wondered what might be bothering him and so went over to say hello.
"George! George, hello. I didn't expect to see you here." she said as a way of greeting.
"Oh, hello Julia...ah, yes, I was in this part of town on....erm...business. That's all. I'm afraid I got a little lost; I don't know Willow Creek very well." he said, haltingly.
"Where were you trying to find? Maybe I can help you?" said Julia; wondering what George was looking for. He did come across as nervous, almost embarrassed.
"Oh I'm fine now...fine....fine..." he said with increasing emphasis every time he said the word. "And you're keeping well, are you?" he asked, hesitatingly.
"Yes...work is intense but that's the way I prefer it and I still get time to play the piano. I've missed our society meetings; are there any plans for one in the near future?"
"I think so. Edna's handling that side of things right now. I've been very busy with work...and...other...things..." he said, again his voice trailing off as if something was on his mind.
"George, are you feeling well? You can tell me, I am a doctor after all"
"Well, I've been a bit under the weather of late but I don't want to bother you with it"
"It's no bother, George..." but as Julia was trying to talk to him his attention was being drawn to other young women walking along the street. She wasn't even sure if he was even listening to her as she spoke.
"All these young people out in their trendy clothes...I suppose it's the done thing these days." he mused.
"I thought you didn't approve of the latest fashion trends?" said Julia, puzzled by George's behaviour right now.
"Oh normally I don't...I'm just making an observation" he said, his attention focussed on two young women who were wearing cutting edge designer outfits.
The conversation dried up and Julia said she had to get ready to perform at the Blue Velvet club and said her goodbyes to George. He appeared to be under some kind of stress but she didn't have time to dwell on his issues.
It was really buzzing in the Blue Velvet and Julia made lots in tips from her playing. It was a double bill that evening as her set took place after local music star, Bakko Jang, opened the evening. After both sets they got together for drinks along with Julia's good friend and neighbour, Barbara.
"Great set, Julia" said Barbara.
"Yeah, you were smokin'" said Baako.
"Is that good?" Julia asked, not knowing a lot of slang.
"That's real good. We should perform more together" added Baako.
"I'd be up for that" said Julia. The three of them chatted some more but Barbara noticed George Sneedley warming his hands over the fireplace.
"It's that Sneedley man over there. You know him, Julia?" she said.
"I do. It's strange he's warming his hands when it's August" Julia replied. It was even stranger to find George alone in the Blue Velvet bar. The man cut a solitary and unfashionable figure in this vibrant and sociable venue.
Barbara continued speaking. "He's been in my shop a couple of times over the last two weeks, shopping for his wife although I've met her as well and she's stick thin so what he's buying for her is too big."
"Maybe he isn't buying for his wife..." said Baako. "I don't know the man but if he's like a lot of middle aged men who act strangely then it's about cheating on the wife."
"Edna and George are very devoted to one another" Julia said as a rebuttal. "It can't be that..."
"Well those clothes aren't for himself either!" said Barbara. "I mean, he's not into modern fashions...he's made that clear...and where Mr Sneedley goes Mrs Sneedley isn't far behind."
"She ain't here at the moment" said Baako.
"True...but...I mean, there's got to be something up with him. There's too many things not adding up here" Barbara replied.
Julia thought about it. Yes, something was off about George but she couldn't figure out what. Maybe things would become clearer at the next League of Decency meeting?
Summer Holiday had come calling to Julia one morning. This didn't usually happen; the two of them were friends and neighbours but not especially close. The Foundry Cove community had two tight social circles. There were "the guys": Jeremy, Action and Travis and the "fashionable girls"; Suzy, Barbara and Summer. Julia felt she didn't fit that mould and Liberty was someone she knew even less as between her work and her boyfriend she was the one who hung around the Cove the least.
But they were all good neighbours, a cosy, friendly bunch and Julia liked the equilibrium of the little community and depended on the solidity, dependability and stability of it.
"Did you hear the news?" said Summer, excitedly. "Suzy and Neil are moving to Courtyard Lane!"
"What? No! They can't!" exclaimed Julia. "I mean...things are perfect as they are! Why move?"
"They need a bigger place, that's all. They're getting very busy with work and Neil needs a studio." explained Summer.
Julia sighed and her shoulders drooped. "Oh well, it makes sense but still....I mean, what will happen to their old place? Someone's going to buy it and move and goodness knows who THAT'LL be!"
"Someone exciting, hopefully. Did you know, Julia, that I've been living in Foundry Cove the longest and I've watched all of you move in and now you're all my friends! That's what's exciting about this place. We've got Jeremy, the sweetest guy in the world except for Travis. And he found Barbara who is just adorable. Then we've got Suzy, the most beautiful and vibrant person and Neil who is a dish and so talented! Action...well, I mean, he's is just the most virile man I've ever met and then there's you...our own genius and moral compass."
"I sound dull compared with the rest of you" said Julia.
Summer touched Julia's arm "Oh no, don't think like that!" she said. "You're a doctor, a healer and a superb pianist. We all dig you, Jules. A party isn't a party if you're not there. You've got a mischievous sense of humour, a sweet charm and..."
"...not 'with it' like you, Barbara, Suzy and Liberty. I mean, that outfit you're wearing...I see it EVERYWHERE! But I don't see the appeal"
"Well, it's the in-thing right now. Jules, are you OK? You seem down"
"I don't like change and disruption, that's all. Fashion's like that, isn't it? Constant change."
"I guess. But that's why you're important to us: You keep us on the level, Jules. You're invaluable."
"Invaluable" That was a reassuring word for Julia. She might not have been the prettiest, or most glamourous or even the most sociable of the gang but she was invaluable to it. She had a double life as well; she was considered invaluable to The League of Decency as well for her research skills. It certainly meant a lot to her as she went to work that morning. There was another word she liked to use...professional.
"Doctor Epstein, may I have a word with you for one moment?" came the voice of Chief Surgeon, Dr Murakami. Normally a formal request by her made Julia's heart sink...she was a cruel taskmaster who often took credit for Julia's hard work. What did she want this time?
"Dr Epstein, I am very busy with casework and I have to prepare a presentation for the State College of Surgeons so I am entrusting you with the ward work today. I won't be supervising you today. Do you feel up to the task?"
"Oh yes, Doctor Murakami" said Julia, beaming, although she soon reverted to a more serious...professional...tone.
"Good. I'll leave everything in your capable hands." said Murakami before she went off to her office.
With the ward all to herself, Julia approached the task at hand with a sense of relief. There would be no Murakami to look over her shoulder and take the credit. Today, Julia was in charge.
She was a more wise and worldly doctor these days with a number of cases seen and cured over the last few months. Her first patient was a typical sort; coming in to sort out some mysterious problem that the patient didn't really want to talk about. Just a slight pain, Doc, nothing serious. Just give me some pills and I'll be OK was what they usually said. Always downplaying the problem...
But pretty soon the symptoms would get worse and that initial denial of the seriousness of the problem would come back to bite them on the butt.
The more symptoms the better it was to make a successful diagnosis. As long as it wasn't life threatening and time critical observing the patient for that just little bit longer could pay great dividends. It could mean ordering a range of tests to help reach a diagnosis and tests meant complex scientific analysis...Julia's favourite. Swab, examine, test, and write it all up using highly technical jargon.
And from there it was back to the patient to decipher that jargon back into understandable English and write out a prescription...along with advice not to do the very thing that landed them in hospital in the first place. Yes, this was the life of the medical professional and Julia was becoming very adept at it.
It wasn't a difficult shift today. No one needed surgery although some patients required more advanced tests than others...
She pushed on through her work day...missing the conventional lunch hour and finally sitting down to eat at the canteen at 3pm. Everyone else had eaten and got back to work so Julia sat there alone. Yes, she was a model professional. She had accomplished her goals and without having to seek help or advice from anyone. Yes, she was on top of her game.
But she also felt lonely. She was usually so self contained and didn't get lonely but today she felt the feeling of needing some company, having someone to have deep conversations with but there was no one. Harper and Francesca had eaten their lunches together and were now back at work. Murakami wasn't anywhere to be seen and Mr Ghandi was finishing his shift. And there was one person noticeable by his absence: Vincent. Julia was aware of a gnawing feeling in the pit of her stomach: When she desired some deep conversation and company, she thought of him first.
After she'd eaten she returned to one of the examination bays to check on one of the patients that she had been treating but once she got there, the room was empty. She checked the notes at the foot of the bed...the patient had responded well to treatment and had already been discharged....Julia had signed off on the paperwork but had forgotten to file it. She was too distracted now as she had thought about her own loneliness.
The shift was nearing its end as as Julia went to the front desk to see if there were any late admissions she bumped into her friend and colleague, Harper.
"Hello, Harper...did you have a busy shift as well?" asked Julia.
"Yeah, it was administrative hell; just pure paperwork and rotas that needed sorting out. Listen, Julia, I have some bad news for you." said Harper in a tone of voice that sounded like the news was going to hurt Julia in some way.
"What is it?" said Julia, maintaining her professional facade.
"I looked at the work rotas for next month and noticed that Dr Bledsoe's name was nowhere to be seen" replied Harper, in a sympathetic voice as she knew...heck, all of Julia's closest friends knew...that Julia was keen on Dr Bledsoe.
"Vincent!" gasped Julia.
"So I checked to see what was going on and discovered that he has been seconded to a hospital in....The Congo."
"The Congo!" said Julia, with incredulity.
Harper looked downwards and nodded. "Yes. Apparently the situation out there is still bad: Katanga's launched another offensive at the mines out there in order to try and force the government to agree to their demands but in the meantime there are mounting civilian casualties and our government has agreed to send doctors, nurses and medical supplies to the region. Vincent, I mean, Dr Bledsoe used to work for the United Nations and they've called him up. Dr Murakami co-signed the papers releasing him. I'm sorry, Julia."
Julia said nothing but nodded at Harper as a thank you. She then clocked off, waved goodbye to her friend and then went straight home.
The Congo...a brush fire war that had been raging for six years now. It was in Central Africa where newly independent nations turned on one another over old tribal disputes; made more acute by the discovery of rare minerals, gold, diamonds and uranium there. There were factions, propped up by the use of mercenary units and the war there had already cost the life of Dag Hammarskjold, the UN Secretary General at the time. Julia was well read about world events and was now worried sick that something bad would happen to Vincent out there and she would never see him again. Heck, he could have been reassigned to a hospital in Cleveland and she might not see him again but the risks out in The Congo were terrifying.
When she got home she found Suzy waiting on the porch for her.
"Hey, Suzy, I hope you haven't been waiting for me long" Julia said.
"Only moments. Say, I have some important news for you...and for everyone and you're one of the few I haven't told yet."
"Come inside and tell me" said Julia, opening the door and ushering her friend in.
"Summer told me you and Neil are moving house." said Julia as they sat down together.
"Oh, that was the news I was going share with you. Are you OK with it? You seem a little down." Suzy replied.
"Well...I don't like change, that's all. No, I'm not upset; you have to move up and on and the new place sounds nice. I worry about who will move in next door though."
"Whoever it is, you've got a tight little community here. Is there something else on your mind? Work, perhaps?"
Julia drew a deep breath and sighed. "Yes...well, someone at work. This guy..."
"The locum doctor, Vincent? What's happened to him?"
"He's been sent to The Congo" said Julia, sadly.
"Wow, that's rough. I'm sorry, Jules, just as you were getting to know him well. I've not seen you broken hearted before."
"I'm not...broken....oh who am I kidding? He's the first man I've ever had...erm...you know..."
"Feelings for?" added Suzy, kindly, not wanting to embarrass her friend.
"Yes. Ugh, is this what love is like? I hate it!" said Julia.
"I'm afraid so. We've all had heartbreaks, kid."
"Not you, surely!"
"Yep...my heart's been broken many times; unrequited feelings for a guy, let down by others, two timed by a couple of real rats and not forgetting the time I spent months single without even being able to get a date! But..."
"Yeah, I know, you met Neil." said Julia.
"Yes I did...but even then I had to fight to win him over. He was a challenge at first but I got my man"
"So should I fly off to The Congo? Is that what you're saying?"
"Maybe nothing so drastic. I tell you what we can do right now: Let's go down to the Blue Velvet" said Suzy, standing up suddenly and grabbing Julia by the hand. "Let's go now"
Well, hanging out with a friend and dancing sure was a temporary solution. Julia thought she couldn't really miss something she never had and Vincent was a possibility, a fascinating man, but other than feelings she never knew she had being stirred, they were never a couple and he might not have even felt the same way about her.
Julia went to get some drinks for her and Suzy. Her friend had bumped into some old acquaintances and was chatting to them but when Suzy came and stood next to her at the bar she had a quiet word with her.
"Suz...was it the same for you, you know, the first time you ever liked a man?" asked Julia.
"Yes. His name was Derren and he was a year ahead of me at High School. He was everything I thought a guy should be and I savoured every moment he paid attention to this scrawny little 14 year old version of me. And then, the next year he moved state and that was that. It took me about 3 months to get over him...by then I was 15 and another guy popped up to take his place but you don't forget that first guy. I wonder if I ever cross his mind."
Julia nodded but Suzy waved the memory away with her hand. "Oh let's stop this! I want to introduce you to a great guy called Joachin...."
