NOT AS THEY SEEM (rough draft)

Suzanne stood overlooking the gardens from her second floor balcony. This was her favorite time of the year, spring. Everything was in bloom and the world all seemed happy and clean.

Suz was a writer, 40 years old, living in New Orleans. She and her husband, Paul and her Grandmama lived in the area of St Charles Ave. Paul was 20 years her senior. They had a loving marriage but over the years it had become more of a Friends relationship. Paul did his thing while she did hers; they just met in the middle at times when they were expected to be together at Social gatherings. Then there was Grandmama, the glue that held it all together. Her Grandmama had lived with them for years now. It was so nice to have someone to go to for hugs and nice long chats over cups of Hot Cocoa. Grandmama in her early years was the Belle of the Ball, so to speak. So Grandmama had been the one that lead her to all the right people and kept her going in all the right directions. Paul of course had helped in this way also, as he was a very well known and established investor in the New Orleans area and most of the Gulf Coast area. Paul traveled quite a bit as he was involved in many investment properties all over the world. Suz, once had traveled with Paul quite often, but in recent years, she had chosen to stay home. Suz kept quite busy with her writing and many obligations she had, but she had to admit she did miss the travel and did miss Paul. Yes even with all the activity around her, Suz was lonesome for Paul.

Today, Suz was researching ideas for a new book. She wanted this one to be different, nothing like her other books. She wanted to branch out into other things for now and just see what happened. But as these things do happen to writers, she had a block and nothing seemed to interest her.She was feeling a little adventurous, she decided to go online into some chat rooms and see what stories were hiding there. Feeling like a little girl, she giggled as she signed online, signed up for places to find chat rooms and was on her way.Some people and places on the internet can be very colorful and to say the least, interesting in an odd sort of way. Suz found herself spending hours reading the chats and moving from place to place. About a week into her research, she received an "IM" short for instant message. This is a private way that two people talk to each other without the other people seeing or taking part in the conversation. It said "Hi, I'm Dennis". Suz was shocked. She felt like a spy that had been caught. She sat there a few minutes then typed back, "Hi, this is Suz"

Her heart was beating fast. She only had come online to research other people and now this stranger had contacted her. Oh Well, she thought, she would be friendly. What harm could it cause?

Dennis said he has seen her name online a week or so back but noticed she never chatted in the chat room, and moved around to other chat rooms. Suz laughed and then asked him if he was following her. Dennis replied, yes, that for some reason, he found her to be very intriguing. Suz told him, thanks, and that she was a writer but was just merely doing some research. Dennis said he lived in New York, married with two children, was a computer tech and at this time was doing some work from home and preparing to take a test to move up in his career. Suz congratulated him on working so hard but wondered why if he was working and studying, WHY was he following her. She shrugged her shoulders and figured Oh well, none of her business.

Suz looked at the clock. Goodness they had been talking online for over 3 hours. Dennis was very easy to talk to and Suz found she was enjoying herself, even doing some innocent flirting.

This went on for months, meeting Dennis online. They talked for hours. She felt she had found a friend. They shared ideas, told of stories of their families. He told her about his children. It just all felt so good. They chatted, they emailed each other. She felt almost like a school girl again. Suz knew she was not getting any work done on her new book but she did not care. She mentioned this all to Grandmama and Grandmama told her to be careful, and of course gave her a lecture about it. But she was a grown woman and she said she was merely talking to someone and was doing nothing wrong.

One morning Suz's publisher called with great news about a book deal for her last book. She wanted her to come to New York to discuss and finalize the details. Suz was thrilled but the thought in her mind was the fact that she was going to New York and Dennis lived there. She could not wait to get online and let him know that they could finally meet face to face. She sent an email to him to let him know that she would be online later and had some exciting news to tell him.

She had appointments that had to be kept that morning. She had much to do before she could leave for New York. The morning seemed to drag by, while all she could really think about was getting home and telling Dennis about her trip.Finally the afternoon arrived. She was free to get back to her writing but mostly to talk to her friend online. Suz signed online, saw his name there and sent an instant messenger to him. They chatted about how the day had gone so far, and then she told him her exciting news. Dennis did not answer right away but when he did, he said that was wonderful. He did not stay online long that day, saying he had some studying to do. Suz felt somewhat let down that he did not show anymore excitement than he did.

The next few days were busy ones for Suz. Every time she sent an email to Dennis, she got no answer. Every time she signed online, she never saw his name. Suz figured he must really be doing some studying to get the test out of the way. She went on about her daily business, but feeling a pang of hurt that he did not even email.

The days went by fast and it was time to go to New York. She emailed Dennis and told him she would have her laptop with her. She told him she really wanted to meet him in person. In fact that was the only real reason she was even going. All the legal details on the book could have been done by fax, or certified mail but her publisher had thought the trip would be nice for them to have a one on one, face to face. The night before she left Paul took her out to dinner and asked her if she was okay. Certainly, she told him, “Why would she not be okay”? (Suddenly, Suz started feeling a little funny about the whole thing). Paul actually acted like he cared. They talked of the days they first met, when they married and went to New York together, what fun it had been how exciting and how in love they had been. Why had he not shown this side of him before? Here she was acting like a school girl and actually thinking she could have feelings for someone she did not really know.

Paul held her close that night. The closeness she felt between them was something she had truly missed, but by morning it was back to business as usual. So that morning, she left for New York. Grandmama gave her an extra special hug good bye and said she would be there with open arms when she got back.

She arrived in New York and the next few days were a whirlwind. She had meetings, interviews and all the excitement New York can offer. Suz kept checking her computer for an email but nothing. She checked the local directory to see if she could even find his name, she thought of calling him. Nothing listed.
She had other outlets she checked to find him. She called the company he was supposed to have worked for, NOTHING. In fact they had never heard of him. No trace of him in New York at all. It seemed that everything he told her was not true. It was as though Dennis never existed.

Late her last night in New York, she could not sleep so she got online just to see what was going on. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw his name. He did exist because there he was. Suz put in instant message to him. Nothing! Suz put in instant message several more times, NOTHING, no reply. He was ignoring her. She spoke to him in the chat room. Nothing! She repeated her message in the chat room (for all to see) She said was her last night in New York and she would be leaving the following afternoon. Could they meet? NOTHING! Then finally an instant message came onscreen for her.

It was not Dennis. It was a lady who lived in Portland, Oregon. She explained that she too once talked to Dennis online. He was not who he said he was, and he certainly did not live in New York. "Dennis" talked to many women online, giving them all a different story. When you got to close, "he" backed away. She said that she was not sure what if anything “he” said was true.

Suz felt like a Fool. She had been conned. Who was this person? So many questions went though her head. What kind of person could play such mind games with people? And here she was making a fool online in front of all these people.

Thank goodness, no one really knew who she was. Only Dennis knew about her. Thank goodness some personal things she had kept to herself. (Wise Grandmama) Suz thanked the lady, left the chat room, and cancelled her account. She had gone online for a story, and did she ever get one.
Suz left New York the next afternoon. Grandmama and Paul both were waiting for her at the airport with open arms. It was good to be home, it was good to be with her family. That evening she did tell Grandmama what had happened. Grandmama asked if she was okay and hugged her. They never spoke of it again. Paul told her how he had missed her. They even talked of taking a trip together and rekindling the past. Paul had missed her too. It was Spring again, all was fresh and clean. Suz smiled.

Suz did get her story. Suz learned a very important lesson;
Things may not always be what they may seem.

July,2008
C.C. Gough
© Copyright 2008 C.C.Gough