Honestly, mate, my luck has never been much to write home about. I was raised by my dad alone, who sadly had a bit too much of a fondness for the bottle, so from secondary school I was clocking in hours at a part-time job just to keep afloat. At uni, I grafted my socks off to win a scholarship and pay for my cramped student halls. I dated a few girls along the way; sometimes theyd make sure I didnt starve and help me muddle through.
Then, when Id just turned twenty-one, I met Joanne, who was fifty at the time. She was a professor at our university, though in another department which, in a way, was a blessing for us. Joanne took a real shine to me. I always knew about her husband, it was never a big secret, but honestly, I didnt care much as long as she was taking me for dinners and slipping me a few quid now and then.
I went into it thinking itd just be a quick fling over and done before you know it but Joanne actually fell for me, hard. She took care of me in every way you can imagine, sorted me out financially, even let me move into the flat shed inherited from her mum.
It was a funny one for me. I mean, that flat was miles better than student halls, and every week shed turn up with a food shop. Wed spend time together, but, truth be told, I was getting a bit sick of being around her. I really had to force a smile sometimes saying I love you when I was barely holding it together.
For four months that whole thing rolled on meanwhile I landed a decent new part-time job, uni got way less stressful, everything seemed to be looking up. But then her husband found out about the whole affair. Lawyered up straightaway for a divorce, funnily enough, and Joannes properly chuffed about it. Shes busy packing her life into suitcases, getting ready to move in with me, convinced that were going to live happily ever after.
But theres a massive difference between seeing her once a week and actually living together, isnt there? Im nowhere near ready for marriage, let alone tying myself down to someone twice my age. I never even considered that. Now Im completely stuck on what to do should I leg it now before it all gets too real, or hang in there and make the most of it while Ive still got someone footing the bill? No clue, mate.
