Shortly afterwards, Joe came across to Vince with a woman wearing a pretty summer dress.

"Vince, this is Anita, Anne Bowers daughter."

Vince looked at Anita and felt an immediate attraction. Anita was about his height, with dark hair and eyes and with a good figure.

"Thank you for coming, Anita" said Vince, shaking her hand, which despite the heat was cool and soft.

"My brother, Richard was coming," she replied, "but something cropped up. I was a bit nervous coming on my own, but it was a lovely service. I'm glad I came."

Vince saw sincerity and kindness in Anita's brown eyes and was rendered speechless, until Joe interrupted.

"Would you like to come back to our house, for the Wake?" he asked Anita.

"Yes," said Anita, "I would. Thank you."

Joes wife, Maureen, had supplied a good spread of food and drink and several people congregated at their house in Bristol for the Wake. Vince and Joe made everyone feel welcome and even got out photographs for Anita to look at, of her mother and grandmother with Vince's mother and they talked a lot about the past. So much so that Anita was the last person to leave the house.

Anita said her goodbyes and walked to her car. Vince and his cousin Morris, were standing at the door watching.

"Blimey, look at those legs!" Morris whispered.

Vince laughed. Anita's dress was knee length and did rather show off her lovely shapely legs.

"You liked her didn't you?" Morris asked.

Vince nodded and then Morris pushed Vince out over the doorstep, saying

"Then go and ask her out; go on!"

Vince threw Morris a glance and then hurried after Anita. Vince caught up with her just as she was putting her key into the car door.

"Um...Anita? Would you like an ice cream?" he asked. He had noticed an ice cream van further down the street. Ice cream vans had done good business lately, due to the spell of hot weather. Anita stared at him and for a short moment, he thought she would refuse the offer. Then she smiled. It was a truly beautiful smile he thought and she replied, "Oh, that would be lovely. It is rather hot today."

Together, they walked to the ice cream van. A small queue had formed so they had to wait their turn.

"What would you like?" asked Vince.

"A 99 would be nice." Anita replied.

"That's funny," Vince said "That's my favourite."

"Well, anything with chocolate." Anita laughed.

Vince bought the ice creams and they sat in the local park, choosing a bench at the side under the shade of a tree. They talked and talked and talked, about every subject under the sun and found that they had lots in common and seemed just to 'click' together.

"Now tell me Anita," asked Vince. "How come a lovely woman like you isn't married?"

"Well," said Anita, "I'm looking for a 'Very Special Person'."

Anita left later in her car having been asked out on a date by Vince... and accepting! He walked excitedly back to his brother's house and told him and Morris the news.

"You old dog, you!" Morris remarked.

"Leave him alone, Morris" Maureen remarked. She gave Vince a quick hug.

"I'm so glad, she's really lovely. You deserve a break."

Something good had come out of the most awful day, which lightened Vince's spirits as he drove home to Weston, still carrying his heavy heart with him.

The first date with Anita went very well. By the end of the second date, Vince felt that their relationship was something special and would last some time into the future.

                                                                     *    *    *    *    *    *    *

Anita was very excited. She had asked Vince over to her house for a meal and was hoping for a romantic evening, having bought candles and a new table cloth and adding little touches to make her dining room look really attractive. She had decided to cook Vince's favourite meal and she had bought a couple of bottles of his favourite red wine. There was also home made Apple Pie and cornish clotted cream for dessert.

They had been dating now for six weeks and were getting on extremely well. Vince had certainly put a 'spring' in her step. She hadn't understood what that meant before, but now she did! She had never felt so excited about a man before. She missed him when she was away from him and enjoyed his gentle, happy personality when she was with him. He was a very positive minded man with a similar outlook on life to her own.

The doorbell rang. Anita opened the door and there stood Vince, grinning, with a large bunch of very exotic, fresh flowers.

"I found these lying on my doorstep," he said. "You might as well have them."

He leant forward and kissed Anita's cheek. Anita had learned from the start, that Vince, like his brother Joe, had a very British sense of humour.

"Well, if you don't want them, I'll take them." she replied with a smile and she took the flowers and put them into two large vases.

Although Anita had been nervous about cooking for Vince, the meal turned out very well. Unfortunately, by the end of the evening Vince was taken ill. He was sitting now in the lounge, on the sofa, looking extremely pale.

"Oh no, I hope it wasn't my cooking!" Anita said sitting down beside him.

"No, I was feeling a bit weird this morning, but it passed off. I think I've got a stomach bug. I'm so sorry, I feel so embarrassed."

"Don't be silly, it can happen to anyone, but you won't be able to drive home in this condition," said Anita "You'd better stay the night."

Vince did stay the night and he never returned home. He moved in with Anita taking their relationship to the next level.