Scrolling through Facebook, I saw a message from my old friend Chilton and grinned. ‘Hello, it’s been a long time!’
I’d met Chilton through friends in 2002, when I was 20 and living in Durban, South Africa. He’d always been friendly and made me laugh, but we’d lost touch when I moved to the UK in 2005.
Though now, in December 2019, as I replied, I found he was still easy to talk to. But the more we spoke, online and over the phone, the more I realised I liked him as more than a friend.
‘Is it sensible to fall for him, though? We’re so far apart!’ I asked friends.
‘Go for it. Distance shouldn’t stand in the way of love,’ they urged. So two months later, in February 2020, I flew to South Africa. On our first date, Chilton picked me up for dinner. Only, the restaurant had unexpectedly closed down.
‘Let’s go for a drive instead,’ he laughed.
THINGS CLICKED
Joking and telling stories, it was the most fun and romantic date. Only, as we were falling in love, the world was falling apart.
This story is from the January 17, 2022 edition of WOMAN'S OWN.
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This story is from the January 17, 2022 edition of WOMAN'S OWN.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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