Mandy goes dating and receives more than expected

Tom Hutchinson picked Mandy up outside the motorhome sales office and drove through the night until they reached a quiet country pub.

Before they went into the pub, Tom Hutchinson passed Mandy a package.

“This is for you,” he said, smiling.

“What you mean, for me,” Mandy said in surprise.

“You mentioned the other day you didn’t have a radio. It must be very dreary living in that motorhome with no music. It’s a wind-up radio so even if your electricity gets cut-off you will still be able to listen to the music and keep up with the news.”

Mandy opened the package and gazed at the blue radio inside. Experimentally, she tried winding the handle and watched the green charging light indicate she was charging the battery. She pressed the on switch, tuned and listened for a moment to some classical music.

“It’s beautiful and just what I need. Thank-you,  I really don’t know what else to say. It’s so expected.”

“It can be the start of your new collection of household belongings,” said Tom Hutchinson. “The first of many nice things I hope. Now, let’s eat!”

Inside the pub, it was warm and welcoming. There was a man sitting on a high chair singing songs from the ’60s. The menu was simple but looked inviting. They both chose chicken in a basket and shared a bottle of house white wine.

For Mandy, after days of surviving on omelettes and fruit, even the chips were very tasty indeed and she suddenly found she had a very good appetite.

They talked inconsequentially – about their previous lives, where they went to school, previous relationships but never about the future. For Mandy, the future was completely obscured as if by an impenetrable fog and Tom Hutchinson didn’t appear to want to share with her any of his dreams.

At the end of the evening, they drove back together and arrived at the motorhome sales just before midnight. For a few moments they sat in the campervan feeling uncomfortable.

Then Mandy broken the ice by leaning over, turning Tom Hutchinson’s face to hers and gently kissing him on his lips.

“It’s been a lovely evening and thank-you for the radio,” then she opened the VW campervan door and got out.

Tom Hutchinson waited until she’d got the door to the motorhome open before starting up the VW campervan and driving off with a cheery wave.

Inside the old motorhome, Mandy’s switched on her new radio to a music channel. It really lit up the small motorhome and made it a much better place. Clever Tom!

As she climbed into bed, she thought of Tom Hutchinson and that perhaps life really might get better for her sometime in the near future.

With the radio still on, she fell asleep and for the first time since moving into the old motor home between the trees on the edge of the wood, Mandy heard no screaming that night.