She, almost 35 years old, sunny, 2 young children, the father (separated) cocaine addict, totally irresponsible, her last ex beat her, she left him after a year.
I meet her at my vacation spot. We have a drink.
She's struggling alone with her children.
Me, M52, two big teenagers, independent, they live their lives all day, We meet at mealtimes.
We talk, I give her some advice, some reading, she shows me what she's reading, how she approaches life, often her gaze wanders into the distance.
I didn't expect such an encounter, for it to be so touching, for me to want to help her, I wasn't looking for any of that.
I'm not even trying to flirt with her. She tells me she's single, that she met a nice guy a few months ago but that it's over. At the same time, she texts him every 5 minutes, it's cute.
Her kids like me. I almost feel like I'm their grandfather…
We live 1000km from each other, it was the coincidences of life that brought us together, in 3 days we will each go back to our lives. I'm very confused, I don't know where to go, or if there's anywhere to go. And I can't just leave her in her disastrous life alone, not now that I know she exists and that she's going through this.
I can see that she's doing everything she can to get by but that she doesn't have all the keys.
I want to take her in my arms and tell her "Come on, you'll see, it's not that difficult."
And at the same time, who am I to dare tell him that?