Please make sure you have read “Hi – I’m Linda” Parts 1 and 2 before reading this.
The police separated the two girls who were still fighting like cat and dog. They were quite rough in the way they handled Jane, and she shouted at them, “Get your hands off me, you’re touching my boobs, I can have you for assault.” “There’s only one person here who’s going to be done for assault, and it’s not me,” the officer replied. He lifted Jane up and held her while another police car arrived with a female police officer. “It was her,” Jane screamed, “that bitch there. She’s a maniac. She attacked me.” At that point, Rich stepped forward and said, “Officer, that’s wrong. This girl was running away from her and she tackled her to the ground and started battering her. She is innocent.” Several members of the crowd that had gathered stepped forward and agreed with him. The WPC then handcuffed Jane and led her to the police car, where she was read her rights and arrested. Rich stepped forward and helped Linda to her feet. “Are you Linda?” he asked. “Yes. And are you Rich?” “Yes,” he replied. “Come on, let’s get you inside and see what the damage is.” The security guards shouted, “OK folks, the show’s over, now move on please,” and they escorted Linda and Rich into the mall manager’s office, Linda taking Rich’s arm all the way.
Once inside, they were offered a seat. The manager said, “I have an appointed first aider in the centre. Please sit here while I put out a call for him.” “What just happened?” asked Linda to the room in general. “The other girl assaulted you and beat you up,” Rich answered. “Do you know her?” “Well, she was my best friend – in fact, more than that – she was my girlfriend.” “Oh dear!” said Rich. “What do you mean ‘Oh dear’?” “I see what’s happened here. It’s all my fault.” “How can it be your fault?” Linda asked. Then Rich explained. “I was waiting to meet you as we had arranged. I was looking for a girl with glasses coming into the coffee shop. That girl came in, and I thought it was you. I looked up at her and waved to catch her eye, and I shouted ‘Linda?’ to her. She came over to me, and just stood there with a curious look on her face. I was so nervous. I said, ‘Linda, it’s so nice to meet you in person. Can I get you a coffee?’ She sat down opposite me and said, ‘Sorry, I’m not Linda. Who is this Linda you’re talking about?’ I had no idea she knew you, so I said I had a date with a girl called Linda who I was chatting to on the Eyechat forum on Monday night. She was going to meet me here after she picked up her glasses from the optician after getting a new lens in them. She seemed to get very interested in me after that, and we chatted about our own glasses because I saw she was wearing bifocals. She took them off to show me, and then I took mine off to show her. It was at that point when you appeared outside, and then all hell broke loose.” “Oh God, what a mess!” Linda sighed. “She must have thought I was two-timing her. We were together, as partners, but as I told you online, I’m not really a lesbian. We just clicked with each other, sexually, after a lifetime of being best friends. I guess we’re no longer best friends, or partners come to that. And I’m sure I don’t want to be a partner of someone with such a vicious jealous streak in them as that. No thank you.” The manager brought them both a cup of tea, and the first aider arrived. He started to clean up the cuts and abrasions on Linda’s arms, legs and face with antiseptic wipes. “Ouch! That hurt!” Linda yelped. “Sorry,” he apologised, “I need to get you really clean as there are all sorts of germs out there. Just look at all the dog poo around.” Rich ventured to hold Linda’s hand while she was being cleaned, and she responded by holding his tight and squeezing it. This sent a thrill right through him, and he loved it. “I’m not bothered about the cuts and scrapes,” Linda said, “but I am REALLY worried about losing my glasses. I just got them back today, and I am completely blind without them. I mean COMPLETELY!” There was a knock on the door and the manager opened it. Two policemen came in and asked if they could take a statement from Linda. She said OK, and told them the story word for word as it happened. They asked her if she would like to press charges against Jane for assault, and she said “Yes. We can’t have this kind of thing happening in a public place. She’s well out of order and deserves everything she gets for what she’s done to me.” The policeman finished her statement and got her to sign it. Then they left, saying she would hear from them in due course about being called as a witness in the court case. She felt really upset, and started to cry. “Don’t cry,” Rich said, “it’s all over. The worst is over. You’ll be fine.” “I won’t, I won’t,” Linda cried, I’ve lost everything, and on top of that, I can’t even see to get home. I have a card for a taxi here; I’ll need to phone them.” “No, don’t do that,” Rich said, “I can take you home. But first of all I’ll take you to the optician’s now and we’ll order you new glasses.” “No. We can’t. I can’t afford them. I need to get money from my parents. They’ll be mad. They’ll probably hold my allowance for months to pay for new glasses. I don’t know what I’m gonna do.” “We’re going there now,” Rich insisted. “I’m paying for your new glasses. It’s the least I can do. It’s all partly my fault too. No argument.” “Are you sure?” “Yes. Absolutely.” And they headed for the optician.
“Back so soon?” the receptionist asked as they went in. “Is there a problem with your glasses? Oh my God, what’s happened to you, Linda?” Linda explained the whole story to her, ending with the fact that a dog now had her glasses! “Well, luckily we have a current prescription for you on file, so I can order a new pair right now. With your special lens requirement, it will take until next Monday until they are ready.” Linda started to cry. “Oh no, I can’t go about blind for that long. Can you make it sooner?” “I can do a priority order for you, but it will cost another £100. However, you will have them in 24 hours. “We’ll take that,” Rich immediately intercepted. “No time to waste – do it now.” “I can’t let you do that,” Linda said, “You’re doing enough already paying for them. I will pay you back – I promise.” “You won’t pay me back,” Rich insisted, “this is my gift to you for all the trouble that I’ve caused you. But if you really want to pay me back, there is one way.” “How’s that?” Linda asked. “Come with me now for that coffee before I take you home. In fact, better still, it’s 5 o’clock now, so would you do me the honour of coming for a meal with me to Frankie and Benny’s here in the mall? I’d love to get to know you better, and dispel any wrong ideas you might have got from chatting to me online. I’m really quite nice when you get to know me!” “I’d like that very much,” said Linda, “and you will let me pay for the meal.” “Nonsense! This is all my treat, and I will be offended if you don’t accept.” “Well, you do realise I can’t see to even walk safely, and I’ll never be able to read the specials board or the menu come to that.” “Don’t worry,” Rich assured her, “I’ll be your eyes for today. Mine work OK!”
Rich helped Linda to choose a very nice frame which he said suited her perfectly, and then they left for the restaurant, arm in arm.