Better the devil you know: Stick with Raymond

You think of all those countless pings your phone made after EDNA signed you up to the dating websites. Curious, you look through the phone, find and open one such dating app, (LoveMeet is its name apparently), and take a look.

First thing that hits you is the profile of an attractive woman. Employed as a secretary, single, hot, looking for a good man to date, largely for pleasure but open to something more serious.... a chill strikes you. It's you! You don't know how your own photo looks so alluring, whether EDNA snapped you at the right (wrong?) moment or edited the images afterwards, but all you can see in the photo is an engaging attractive woman and you have to make an effort to see yourself in it.

And then the messages...

Jim, Paul, Omar, Emilio... profiles showing men posing, or having a tender moment with a dog or kid, or flexing a muscle, or an "adventure activity" photo..... and the worlds "Hot girl" "Would love to meet such a stunning woman as yourself" "You. Me. Let's do it!" "You seem like a sophisticated woman who wishes to enjoy the finer things in life..." "I've seen a lot of women on this site, but there's something about you...." "Let's have sex!" "The man you've been waiting for has arrived." "I'd really just like to get to know you better..."

Shockingly, you can see you've responded to some of these messages already! Or at least EDNA has. "I would love to meet you, how about 7pm next Saturday...." "6pm Wednesday...." "Lunch this Friday...." "...I'm sure this will be something wonderful"

Some had already responded, "I will totally be there...", "It's a date", "You will not regret this" (you certainly found that last one unlikely)

Reading all this, your stomach sinks and you feel like you've opened the door to a big chasm that just keeps going down. You've been dancing from fire to fire ever since this whole thing started but now it feels like an onrushing firestorm.

You're not sure what's worse: An army of guys all trying to get close to you; or Ray who's waiting right outside to take you up to a hotel room!

You've got to at least do damage control.

"Delete all my Dating profiles... except..." a thought struck you, "are any of the interested men (gulp)... nearby? I mean, could they get here in less than 10 mins?"

EDNA was silent for a moment. "There is a Juan Castillo in this area who has expressed interest," EDNA replied. Juan's message and profile pop up on the phone. Looked like a tough guy but sweet, his message had a hint of romance but still easy going. You couldn't believe you were evaluating guys like this now.

You could send him a message asking him to rescue you from this date, say you're in a date with your boss and you just need help to get out of it with minimum friction. He may not get it, and even if he did, you have no idea what he would do (after all, you have no idea what is behind an internet profile), whether he'd be aggressive or smooth. Even if he helped you perfectly, you may feel obligated to him. Also, asking a man to rescue you from another man seemed so... well, it didn't feel good.... like you were helpless.

Dammit, why were you feeling victimised, just because you were wearing a squeezing corset and heels you could barely control! Sure Ray knows how to push things forward, but dammit you've got to stand up to him. He's not the boss of you! Well, at least not outside of work hours anyway. Whatever ideas he has, you've got to make your own decisions on this.