Part 5

Part 5

Looking up at the familiar voices at the door, guilty faces showing traces of mischief. The discarded food containers having left a distinctly spicey odour.

"Someone's been having a nice snack." laughs Margaret as they enter the room. "It's just as well we took our time."

Helen smiles at her parents. They look fresh and relaxed having showered and changed.

She had fallen asleep as soon as Jane had left and was hungry when her friend returned with the spicy Thai food. The Tom Yum soup had cooled enough to be devoured immediately. Then they had divided and shared the chicken, beef and vegatables like always. Animated chatter had peppered their feasting. Never had they run out of things to say. Even everyday events became subjects for discussion and on occassion, debate.

"Well I must be off." says Jane, collection her things, including the remains of the food she may eat later. "I hope everything was okay at my place."

"Your home is so warm and comfortable Jane, everything is perfect." says Frank with a smile, as he envelopes Jane in a hug.

Jane smiles, says her farewells and is on her way. No sleep but with ample supplies she is about to once again enter the world of chat.

Spot greets her at the door. A quick cuddle for her, the opening of a window sees the black fur disappearing into the back garden.

Hasty preparations of snack food, water and coffee close at hand see her ready to chat. A glance at the clock, 5:52 pm.

With a whir the computer comes to life. Feeling more confident, she goes through the process of loggin on.

Notepad ready, she opens each message in ICQ, jots down anything noteworth then hits Ctrl + V to paste in the small message she has written to let each of Helen's friends know why their messages have remained unanswered. The name Sprint remains a dull little message, not the flashing yellow she is waiting for. She right clicks, hits message and sends:
Hi Sam. Helen sends her love & misses you. Jane

Opening the email program, she replies to each of the messages, taking down notes from the friends Helen has made online.

A familiar tinkling, with a flashing of yellow tells her Sam is online. A nervous feeling passes through her stomach, not a fearful nervousness, a joyful nervousness.

Hello lovely Jane
How was your day?
I've missed you!!
Did you get any rest?

No sam, not real rest.
I did have a wonderful time with Helen. She is in great spirits and we shared Thai food.

Bet the hospital staff loved that!! *LOL*

Oh I'm sure they knew what we were up to but helen has them all wrapped around her little finger already. We could possibly have a party and they would supply the music. *LOL*

More than likely knowing Helen's charm!
Do you have the CD playing now?

No, I haven't gotten that far on the list yet. *S*

See the CD ROM?

No. Oh yes, I see it
Well eject & see if there is a CD in it, if not put one in, then hit eject again and it should gp in and start playing.

Seeing a CD is resting in the tray, she pushes again to be surrounded moments later by the wonderful voice of Celine Dion.
Oh I have it now. It's Celine.

Perfect, I know the CD your playing well.
This is one of our favourites.

ours too but for different reasons possibly. *LOL*

Very possibly!!! *ROFL*

Helen knew all the words.
I often wondered how many times she had played it.

Constantly I'd say. She's play all different kinds of things somethings but kept going back to a few pavourites.
As soon as she put on a One Hit Wonder CD or a cheap compilation I'd know she was in such a terrible mood that we could possibly fight if I wasn't very careful.

You can tell too? *S*
if I got in the car and heavy metal was playing on the radio, I'd sit silently waiting for her to start cursing the other drivers.
Well better them than me!!

Oh yes!! I can sympathise.
it doesn't happen often but when it does .... WATCH OUT!! *LOL*

After all these years of knowing helen it's still a shock when she gets like that.
She's usually so calm
But when she blows, she really blows. *ROFT*

Poor Jane
It must be hard when that happens.
You are so warm and loving.
I can imagine you waiting patiently for the storm to end.
If I was there I could hold you close until everything was calm.

But if you were here you would be holding Helen. *S*

Not when she's in a MOOD!!!
I may love her with all my heart but there is no way I'd ever try to tame or calm the fireball!! *LOL*

point taken. We would both be hiding out till calm returned and it was safe to venture out again. *LOL*

You would be safe with me jane.
I'd never let anything happen to you.

I feel that Sam.
Talking to you isn't like talking to any of the men I know.
I don't feel afraid at all with you. Does that sound silly?

not at all
People tend to open up more here
maybe it's not having to face people, not seeing their eyes. It's stranger but sometimes people are so frankly honest it's scarey!!

Really?
Well maybe I can understand that better now.
Sometimes I'm afraid of my own shadow but I don't always tell people.

You know you can tell me anything Jane.
Yes I know that Sam, I really was afraid and you have made me feel so safe.

Jane I hate knowing you are afraid. I'd slay all your dragons my fair maid!! **Bending to kiss the hand of Lady Jane** I would be your knight, your champion, your servant.

*LOL* I'm sure you would Sam but I'm not so fragile most of the time. I can also be a force to be reckoned with. Helen isn't the only one who can have a change of temperament.

Like the garage that didn't fix your car? *LOL*
Oh no! Did Helen tell you about that? I was so angry with them. They charged so much. When it broke down again I was upset but when the road service man told me it had not been touched I was vivid. *LOL*
I don't think they would try that again in a hurry. *S*

My dynamo Jane. Good for you hon!!
Thanks, I was please with myself on that one.

Jane do you want to meet another friend of Helen's? He just came on and wan't to meet you. It's easy, I can drag him in.
Drag him in? I guess so.

Not really sure what to expect she sees a new window split the space that Sam had been, in followed by a crimson background and the words:

The Zen Master
May your life be filled with joy and love.
With all the paths your feet tread leading to wonderful places.
Hello Jane I'm Zen.
Hello Zen. It's wonderful to meet you.

When I got your message I asked Sam for more details
We told all of Helen's friends to ask him rather than confuse you with 100's of questions.
I hope that was the right decision.
Oh yes Zen.
I would have been unable to cope with it when I first started on here.

We all remember our first hesitant steps in chatting Jane.
Sometimes we get tired of answering the same questions over and over but we do still remember.

Hearing a meow, Jane reaches down to stoke the black cat at her feet. Realising she has been sitting for hours she sends a quick:
BRB GGP
to dash off for a much needed trip to the bathroom.
As efficient as always she has tasks completed, including a cuddle for Spot while Sam and Zen chat back and forth. Her text sits unmoving as theirs jumps up her screen. Reading she sees they have a shorthand she is still to master, names like Bo, Dee, K, pip and others flash by as they add a LOL and ROFL to animated chat. Unsure of whether she should interrupt, something catches her eye, a vieled but obvious warning from Zen to be careful causes her to scroll back to read what Sam has written.

Helen will be away sometime and Jane needs to learn all about real chatting
She stares at the words and wonders what Sam means to have Zen warn him to be careful. Confused by the comment but eager to rejoin the converstaion she types:
Back again. So what did I miss? *S*

Only the ravings of an over worked Zen Master who must leave you for now my fair Jane.
I do hope to see you very soon.
Bye Zen.
As the crimson disappears Sam is again filling the bottom of her screen.

Alone at last.
I've missed you Jane.