It's really strange how life works sometimes, one minute you're happy the next you're not.  This is what happened to Nicole.

She thought she had everything, they had bought a house together and were living a life.  Nicole had never owned anything before Jamie came along.  She had moved from one horrible council flat to another barely able to afford the rent.  Her furniture was donated from different members of the family and was all on it's last legs.  Jamie showed her that things could be different.

The house they had bought together was not flashy.  It was in a terrace of old colliery houses, with just two bedrooms, a living room, dining room, kitchen and bathroom. The decor of the house more than made up for this.  It was amazing and just the fact this beautiful house was theirs was enough for Nicole.

They both lived a good life.  The mortgage was small and because the two of them had good jobs they managed better than most couples starting out on their own.  Nicole threw herself into housework, it's incredible how if you love something that much you enjoy doing mundane things like cleaning the toilet or ironing Jamie's workshirts, nothing was too much trouble.  Nicole was happy.

Jamie felt the same.  Why shouldn't he?, he still went out with his mates three times a week sometimes more.  His dinner was always on the table, the house was clean and his washing was done.  To him it was just like living at home with the added benefit of sex on tap.

This happy illusion lasted for six months and then the petty little arguements started.

It began when Jamie's mum decided she would iron his shirts.  Jamie thought this was fine.  He couldn't understand why Nicole was upset.  Nicole felt that they were now independent and his mother should not just turn up when they were at work, take his shirts, change their bed and do the housework.

The amount of time Jamie spent away from the house was fast becoming an issue too.  Every weekend he would disappear with his friends for hours coming home drunk and expecting sex at two or three in the mornings.

This carried on  for another six months, but the arguements started over anything now.  Nicole would shout everytime he left the house which resulted in Jamie staying away all night.

The crunch came at new year.  They had both been out seperatly and Nicole was home first.  Jamie came home at two in the morning with a few of his friends who said they were all going to a party and Nicole should come too.  It was obvious to her that Jamie did not want her to.  She pleaded a headache and too much to drink and stayed home.

She woke the next morning to an empty house.  She wandered downstairs.  It was apparent that Jamie had never come home.

Nicole realised she could not live like this anymore.  The dream had become the nightmare.  She showered and packed a suitcase.  She never left a note.  She caught a train to london and stayed with a friend back into the routine of grotty flats and not being able to make the rent.

She never told Jamie why she left.  She thought he would know.  She heard on the grapevine that he had got married six months after she left and sold their house.

Nicole has stopped reaching for the dream.  She now realises that what you thought would make you happy is not always the best for you.  Sometimes being independent is the best thing you can do. 

Nicole wouldn't tell you she was happy but she's also not miserable and sometimes in life the best thing to aim for is the inbetween.