A new CHAPTER

Physically distant, would the book-club friendships survive in the ‘virtual’ world?

- Raymond Jamieson

Liz couldn’t help smiling at the gallery of faces on her laptop screen. Somehow, with her embarrassingly limited technical skills, she’d managed to assemble her book club online.

‘How is everyone?’ she said, by way of opening.

She didn’t need to ask – every face bore evidence of the challenges they were all facing – but, here and there, she recognised the same relief she herself felt at being able to actually see her friends.

How long had it been? It was early March, she realised, when they’d all gathered at Tricia’s house to discuss the latest Marian Keyes novel. It felt like a lifetime ago.

Since then, the group had almost completely dispersed. Peter was living in Dublin for six months for work; Shirley and Thomas had moved to Truro to be closer to family; Clare had separated from her partner and was in the process of downsizing to start afresh. Meanwhile, Liz herself was struggling to adapt to life in a new village without her closest friends around to support her. She had never felt more alone.

Nobody answered her question, although Peter’s lips were moving and Clare was nodding her head.