Gerrit couldn't believe what just happened.


At first he was pretty convinced that Barbara would remain a one-off thing: he could get the semblance of the life he used to have, the feeling of caring for someone, and none of the risks attached to being actually emotionally invested.
Of course, she would get compliments, someone who would treat her with the respect and admiration she had been lacking her whole life. He wouldn't call himself manipulative - dating Barbara seemed like a mutually agreed upon arrangement, something they both could benefit from without getting hurt.


He couldn't have foreseen her developing feelings for him.


Weeks after she broke up with him he felt himself longing for what he had again. This curse - the constant accidents and mishaps - was really wearing him down. And whom could he really confide in? He didn't want to fish for pity with other Lost. For all they knew he could be the reason the Motley Pledge got broken.
He couldn't risk that.


So he tried talking to customers at the flower shop, just like he did with Barbara back then. Just try and get a connection, some sympathy. Maybe go on a date.
He just couldn't find the right words. He'd come off too strong, put his foot in his mouth or he'd somehow send the wrong signals.


Figures.


When he finally decided to sign up to an online-dating site he was sceptical at first. Obviously he was going to use as little real information as possible, he'd keep it vague enough not to put his life or freedom at risk.
And surprisingly enough, it worked. He matched up with an interesting woman, who seemed just what Gerrit was looking for: not too pretty, just as much in need of companionship as he was. They wrote back and forth a bit until they've agreed to meet up.


Unfortunately, an emergency in her family has kept her from showing up that time. Again, that was just par on course with how life has been treating the Ogre lately.
So he kept on chatting with her. He also didn't think too much of it when she asked him for a bit of money to cover the hospital bills for her sick mother. He was glad he could help and it felt like he had a real connection going on.


Except when he tried to contact her again, he found out she had blocked him. Not only that, but a small error in doing the money transfer led him to paying way more than he had intended to.


Gerrit had been scammed.
It went to show that even the best intentions - because he has been acting nothing but selfless during all this! - were sometimes repaid in spite and selfishness.


And that was a lesson he wouldn't forget anytime soon.