Read Online Sign of the Times by Susan Buchanan - Free Book Online

about half nine, which meant he’d been chatting for more than three hours.   They’d chatted about walking and climbing and then about the cinema and books.   Now he came to think of it, what hadn’t they talked about?   She was very easy to talk to, this Climbinggirl.   Tom found himself wondering what her real name was.

    The next few days Tom got up at six, as usual, went to work, checked on the sites, did his paperwork, ate his TV dinner and logged on.   He spent longer and longer online.   By this time, Climbinggirl, or Shirley, had given him her email address and he found himself writing her ridiculously long emails late at night, after they’d finished chatting.   She’d introduced him to the delights of Facebook and Bebo.   He was a bit of an amateur in this respect and when Shirley first mentioned them, he had no idea what she was talking about.   Since then he’d registered and even started a blog .   It was good to have another friend to talk to.   He wasn’t sure if she was single.   It wasn’t important, as theirs was a platonic friendship.   But Tom thought it significant it hadn’t been mentioned.   Then again, neither had Holly.
    By this point, Tom had met with his bank manager and the news wasn’t good.    So, he felt entirely justified in indulging in a little bit of light entertainment to help take his mind off his depressing state of affairs.   The Chat thing was only a piece of harmless fun.

    As his computer booted up, Tom tidied up the excesses of the night before.   He’d almost polished off the Glenmorangie .   It was just so easy to knock back, whilst he tap-tap-tapped away at the computer.   After their first couple of conversations, Shirley had suggested they use Messenger and had helped Tom install it.
    When he saw Shirley wasn’t online, Tom felt a twinge of regret.   This chatting was becoming an obsession for him, reeling him in like a deadly opiate. Miffed, he decided he would check his Hotmail.   An email from Simon, with definitive details of their trip.   Just as he was about to reply, a beep alerted him he had new email.   Eagerly he clicked Inbox and saw it was from Shirley.   Like a child ripping open his Christmas presents, Tom greedily devoured the contents of the email.    Dismayed when he came to the end, he then noticed the PS.   “In case you feel like talking...”
    Her phone number !
    Suddenly, their chats and emails took on a different quality.   Wouldn’t that be betraying Holly ?   Closing down, he saw Shirley was now logged on.   Hastily he turned off his PC and picking up the remote, flicked over to Sky Movies.

    Tom half-heartedly watched Twister .   By ten o’clock he’d had enough.   He switched his computer on again.   Shirley was offline.   He checked his email.   No new messages.   Tom opened Shirley’s message, grabbed a pen and wrote her number on a Post-it .   With a generous helping of Dutch courage, he dialled.   A woman’s voice answered. “Shirley?”
    “Tom?” Shirley also checked to be sure.   “Is that you?”
    “Yes, sorry for calling so late.   I had a few things to do.”
    “No problem. How are you?”
    “Fine, thanks.   It’s strange to hear your voice. Not bad strange,” Tom hastened to add, “nice strange, like putting a face to a name.   I’m not explaining myself very well, am I?”
    Shirley laughed, “Don’t worry. You’re doing fine.   It is a bit strange hearing you too. You sound different to how I imagined.”
    “How did you think I’d sound?”   Tom was curious.
    “Well, less… I don’t know…this might come out wrong.   I suppose you have a more manly voice than I expected, deeper.”
    A little frisson of excitement shot through him.   He didn’t think that could possibly be construed negatively.   Bringing himself back down to Earth, Tom tried to concentrate on what Shirley was saying.   She had a lovely, melodic voice, quiet but firm.
    How surreal was it