Page 20 of Cougar Chronicles

ILoveCubs:Hi, Holly!

GoodtimeCharlene:Evening, Holly.

MrsRobinson:Hey there, Holly! Welcome!

Should she lurk? Only these three were in the chatroom besides her. She’d be very conspicuous if she lurked.

She’d log out. This had been a mistake. She was no cougar. Jack wasn’t a cub. It wasn’t going to work out anyway, due to circumstances way more important than their respective ages. Her mouse was poised over the logout link when the jingle sounded again.

ILoveCubs:Welcome to The Cougar Club. Is there anything we can help you with tonight, Holly?

Just click, Holly, just click.

As seconds passed, she knew she wouldn’t leave the chatroom, but she didn’t chat, either.

MrsRobinson:Or just feel free to lurk if you’re more comfortable with that. Charlene was just telling us about breaking up with her latest.

GoodtimeCharlene:Yeah, it didn’t work out this time. My first foray into cougardom. But I enjoyed his stamina :).

Should she? Why not?

HollyGolightly:If you don’t mind my asking, why didn’t it work out?

GoodtimeCharlene:Not at all. He’s only thirty-five, and he wasn’t ready to give up the dream of a white picket fence and a houseful of rugrats.

Holly’s heart sank. Jack was six years younger than Charlene’s “cub.”

ILoveCubs:And you’re not willing to talk about that?

GoodtimeCharlene:Hell, no. Been there, done that. I’m done being the soccer mom. My children are in college.

MrsRobinson:If he loves you, he’ll be willing to compromise.

GoodtimeCharlene:What compromise is there? He wants a child of his own. I already have children of my own, and my child-bearing years are rapidly coming to an end. I just don’t want to do it all again.

ILoveCubs:Understandable.

MrsRobinson:Never say never. There’s always a compromise available.

ILoveCubs:I’m not sure there is, Megan. Children can be an issue that ends a cougar/cub relationship. I’ve seen it happen too many times.

MrsRobinson:Katelyn, I don’t want to sound all Pollyanna, but if they love each other, they can work it out.

Holly made a mental note—ILoveCubs was Katelyn and MrsRobinson was Megan. She wondered how old they were.

GoodtimeCharlene:I have to side with Katelyn on this one, Megan. I just don’t think there’s a future with Bob. Yeah, I love him, but he’s not willing to give up his dream of being a parent, and I have to respect that. If I were twenty years younger, it would be my dream too.

A lead ball dropped to Holly’s stomach. It all came down to children for Charlene and Bob. That part of Charlene’s life was over, but it hadn’t yet begun for Bob. Children were the issue. And of course they were. They’d been Holly’s dream, too.

HollyGolightly:If you don’t mind my asking, how old are you, Charlene?

GoodtimeCharlene:Don’t mind at all. I’m forty-seven. How old are you?

HollyGolightly:Forty.

MrsRobinson:I’m fifty.

ILoveCubs:Me too. How old is your cub, Holly?

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