Chara had been her friend since their university days, she had actually been the first friend she had made in Athens, when she moved there to study, and they had been roommates for quite a long time. Funnily enough, they couldn't be less alike. Chara had studied art history, had remained in Greece, and had gotten married to her long-time boyfriend as soon as she got out of uni. Yet, she was a good listener and gave the best advice in the world. Ismene realized that they didn't talk as much as they should, but it was as if time hadn't passed when they did. She texted her friend to ask her if she was able to Skype with her. Chara texted her almost instantly telling her to get online as soon as possible. Ismene turned on her laptop and opened the software, which started ringing straight away.
-Is! How are you? I miss you, you know? You shouldn't go so far away from everyone!- a talkative Chara told her.
-I'm fine. Actually, I need your advice. But first, how are you? How are things?
Chara's face lit up at the question, she covered her mouth with her hands, and let a squeal escape.
-I can't believe I haven't told you yet! I'm pregnant!
-You are? Congratulations! Do you know if it's a boy or a girl?
-Not yet, I'm only three months along, you can't even see it yet, but be sure I'll tell you as soon as I know. But you said you needed advice, men?
-How did you know?- Ismene laughed.
-Is, sweetie, every time you need advice it's about men. So who's the unfortunate soul you're going to devour this time?- Chara had always made fun of her for not being happy enough with her boyfriends, for wanting always something more, something better.
-Souls,...
-Is! How long have you been there? One month? And you already managed to mess up with the lifes of more than one man?
-To be fair, I haven't messed up with anyone's life,... Yet.
-Well, tell me about those two little lambs.- Ismene couldn't help but imagine both of them as lambs and had a laughing fit.
-I wouldn't say any of them are lambs. If anything one would be a fox, and the other one, I'm not sure, maybe an owl, but one of the big ones or something.
-Skip the animal comparisons, and get to the point. You've two men in your life.
Ismene explained her everything that happened during those two weeks, her dates, her encounters with Leo, Frode's bookshop, everything she thought could be relevant. She finished with her date of the previous day with the bookkeeper.
-Hmm, so not only do you have two men in your life, but you happened to snatch the two more eligible bachelors in the city. I don't know how do you make it to always get in so much trouble, Ismene.
-I wish I knew. What do I do?
-I think that you should start making a list of what do you like of each of them.
-Mmmm, with Leo I don't feel pressured to be someone else, I can be natural, I have lots of fun, he doesn't judge me for my lowest impulses. Also, the sex is incredible, and he understood it when I told him I needed to take it slowly. Frode is an intellectual equivalent, he's stimulant, I could spend hours talking to him. Each of them gives me something I need. I can't give up any of them. What if the sex with Frode isn't as good? What if I need to have deep intellectual conversations and only Leo is around?
-Well, maybe you need to get to know them a bit more before you take a decission. Maybe you will be able to talk with Leo the same way you talk with Frode, or maybe Frode will be able to give you what Leo does.
-So, I should date the both of them until I am ready to make a choice? What if I'm never ready to decide which of them do I want?
-We will cross that bridge when we get to it, there's no point in worrying now.
It could work, Ismene realized, after all she hadn't known them for such a long time, she still needed to see their darker sides.
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