What could she want? ‘Ok, send her in, thanks Danielle.’
The door to my office opened slowly and Monica entered. ‘Wow, what a great workspace!’ she said before sitting down opposite my desk.
‘Hi, so what can I do for you?’
She grinned and spun around on her chair. ‘I think that should be what I can do for you!’
I was pleased to see she’d dressed appropriately for once. She looked nice in her jeans, t-shirt and trainers. ‘Ok. What can you do for me?’
‘Our mutual friend called me the other night. He told me that you are missing my brother. Is that right or not?’
She was making me feel really uncomfortable. ‘Of course I miss him. We had a laugh together.’
‘So that’s all it was then, a laugh?’
I knew she was pushing for more information. If Mark didn’t make it as a journalist she certainly would. ‘Well, it was a bit more than that. I like your brother a lot.’
She twirled around in her chair again and then leant forward on my desk, her dark eyes boring into mine. I felt like I was a defendant on trial. ‘So you would go as far as to say you love him then?’
My butterflies started dive-bombing again. ‘Well…’
‘It seems our mutual friend thinks you do.’ She picked up my stress ball and started to pummel it. ‘So, is it true?’
‘Maybe.’ I stood up and walked towards the window. I never got tired of the view. It relaxed me.
‘Mark misses you too, you know. He hasn’t said anything but he’s been so moody lately.’
I didn’t look at her. It was too painful – she reminded me of Mark. ‘Is that right?’
‘Yeah. Anyway, I’m fed up of him being so miz all the time. I think you two should get back together and I’m here to help.’
I turned to face her. She looked so young sitting there; she could have been a school girl. ‘And how are you going to do that?’
She grinned and put her finger to her lip. ‘It’s a secret. Let’s just say that if you two aren’t back together by the end of this week I’m losing my touch!’ She walked towards the door and then turned back to face me. ‘You do want to get back with my brother, don’t you?’
I nodded. ‘I really do, yeah.’
‘Great. Leave it with me, then.’ And with that she was gone. I felt a little unsure, though. My first impressions of her hadn’t been good and I hadn’t been impressed that evening at her parents’ house either. Had I made the right decision, trusting her to sort out my love-life? I decided to leave it in her hands; there was nothing else I could do anyway, was there. I got back behind my desk and resumed my poster designing, trying to take my mind off love. It was more trouble than it was worth sometimes.
Chapter Fifteen
Twists of fate
It’s so funny how things turn out sometimes. The Universe works in mysterious ways, so they say. Monica did try to sort my love- life out. She came to see me at the end of the week and told me she had officially lost her touch and she was probably going to fail her psychology exam now that she’d lost the power to interrogate people and persuade them to do her bidding. I told her she’d be fine and that if Mark didn’t want to get back with me then there was nothing she or anyone could do. I’d thanked her for trying. I didn’t ask her what she’d done to try and reunite us because she’d already made it clear that it was top secret. Although I’d had my doubts about trusting her, initially, I knew by the disappointed look on her face that she had done something to try and sort things out. The sweetest thing was what she’d said as she left my office. She told me she was upset that I wasn’t seeing Mark anymore as it would have been nice to have got to know me as a friend. I wished Mark felt the same way. I was surprised that he hadn’t wanted to get back with me; I was so sure he was starting to feel the same way I did. Maybe he was and that was why he didn’t want to get involved again – in case I cheated on him and hurt him.
Anyway, I’m digressing, it turns out that there was an interesting chance meeting that helped pave the way for our reunion. Doreen, bless her, helps out at church on a Sunday morning, baking cakes and serving tea and coffee after the service. Anyway, as luck would have it, Mark’s mum joined in last Sunday, as now that she was a confident cake maker, she wanted everyone to sample her delights and felt she should give something back to the community. You can see what’s coming can’t you? Yes, well Doreen, being the gossip she is, started telling her about me. She can’t remember how she got onto the subject (blaming her phantom dementia, as usual) but Mark’s mum put two and two together and realized it was me Doreen was talking about. It turned out that Doreen had told Mark’s mum how much I was missing my new man without knowing it was his mum she was talking to. When Mark’s mum twigged it was me she knew I really was in love with him and she went back home and told Mark. Needless to say he wasn’t impressed at first, he’d already told Monica he wasn’t interested, but what happened next was just so coincidental it made him consider meeting me again, to talk.
You are dying to know what happened next, right? Well, I’m getting to it now. Mark had gone into work and that Les person was off sick again and so they sent Mark to the Women’s Institute to interview some of the women about all sorts of things, from hobbies to relationships and as unbelievable as it sounds, Doreen was there. I know; she gets around does our Doreen. Again, she didn’t realize at first that Mark was the one I’d been pining for; she just grabbed him (not literally) and started bending his ear about all sorts, including me. Why she feels the need to tell everyone about me I don’t know, but as with all weird coincidences, Mark felt like it was a sign. When He and Doreen worked out they were both talking about me they knew something special had happened; Well, Doreen made Mark see something special had happened. Anyway she talked him into meeting up with me tomorrow. I am so nervous now though. Keep your fingers crossed.
Chapter Sixteen
A happy ending?
I heard his car screech to a halt outside my door and my heart skipped a beat (I know it’s a cliché but it did, really.) I opened my door, checking my reflection first in the hall mirror. Catherine had taught me how to straighten my own hair and do my eye make-up and I thought I’d done a good job. I was wearing the black jumpsuit that gave me a confidence boost. He got out of the car and held the passenger door open for me.
‘You look nice,’ he said.
‘You do too,’ I said noticing he’d made a real effort. He wore a striped shirt and black jeans and he’d gelled his hair again. I could smell a strong smell of aftershave too.
‘This feels weird, you sitting there,’ he said.
‘Yeah. I’ve really missed you, you know.’
‘Me too.’ He continued to stare at the road ahead and I wanted him to stop the car so I could kiss him and tell him how I really felt but I managed to hold in my excitement a while longer. We pulled up outside the Chinese restaurant and he held my hand as we were led to the same table we ate at the last time.
Mark poured us both some wine and smiled. ‘I want us to be totally honest with each other tonight,’ he said, taking a sip.
‘Me too. Listen, I just wanted to say I’m sorry about not being entirely honest with you.’
He shrugged his shoulders. ‘I understand why you did it, but that doesn’t excuse it.’
I felt a little uncomfortable. ‘I know. I promise I won’t keep any secrets from you again.’
‘Let’s just see what happens tonight,’ he said, ‘I’m still not convinced we should start seeing each other again.’
I felt sick. ‘Why not?’
‘I don’t know. There’s a little voice inside my head telling me I can’t trust you. I’ve been cheated on so many times and I don’t think I can handle it again.’
‘You can’t go through life avoiding relationships, though.’
‘I know that, it’s just…’
‘Just what?’
He stared at me with those chocolate eyes and I literally swooned (I kno
w – it’s too corny, right?) ‘I was just starting to get really close to you and I thought we could get serious, you know?’
‘Yeah. I was scared of that at first, that’s why I kept pushing you away, but I’m not scared any more. I know that Monica and Doreen have already told you this, but I’m just going to come out and say it…I think I love you.’
The waiter picked this moment to bring over our appetizers and so there was a long silence while he did this. Mark’s face was expressionless, which made me nervous. When the waiter had gone he put his arm on the table and reached for my hand. ‘I was starting to feel the same about you, but there’s something stopping me.’
‘Stopping you from what?’
‘Stopping me from giving in to how I feel. I’m just scared it’s all going to go wrong. M life is running quite smoothly for once and I don’t want things to get spoiled.’ He started to eat some of his prawn crackers while I stirred my soup around, without putting any of it into my mouth. Here we go again, another ending.
Maybe I should avoid anyone with the name Mark in future. They were obviously no good for me. ‘Well if that’s the way you feel then why did you agree to see me again?’ I said.
‘I missed you. And it was weird how people were trying to get us back together. I just thought maybe we didn’t talk properly before. I don’t really like leaving things up in the air.’
‘I know. I think we should be together. I think someone has been trying to put us together for ages,’ I said, pointing to the ceiling.
‘I still don’t know, though. Terri.’ He scooped some noodles onto his chopsticks and twisted them around and around. ‘I like you a lot. I just don’t think I can trust you.’
I decided to try and eat my soup as it smelt absolutely delicious and mega-spicy. I wasn’t disappointed when I’d swallowed it. My mouth was starting to burn, though so I took a gulp of my drink. My face was probably flushed from the heat as Mark grinned. ‘How’s your soup?’ he asked.
‘Hot!’ I said.
‘I seem to remember that you like it hot, right?’ His eyes glinted.
I went along with his flirting. ‘You remember right.’
He picked up his wine and took a couple of sips. ‘What are we going to do, then?’
I didn’t know what he meant by this; was it a suggestion of taking things further or was it a question about our future together. I took it to mean the latter. ‘You know what I want to do, Mark. I promise you, I’m a one-man woman. I’ll never cheat on you. I don’t know why you won’t give us a chance.’
He placed his drink back down on the table and pushed his plate away. ‘I’m not hungry any more. What do you say we go for a walk by the river?’
‘Yeah, why not. I’m not that hungry either and that soup’s well too hot, even for me!’
He stood up and went to pay the waiter. I took hold of his hand when he came back to the table and we walked right out of the car park and down the path towards the river. It felt strange walking in the dark. It was getting colder; I could see millions of stars up above in the cloudless sky. I snuggled against Mark’s shoulder as we walked. I was glad that he didn’t try to stop me. We didn’t talk at first but it wasn’t awkward; if anything it was nice.
When we got to the river Mark took off his coat and placed it on the floor. ‘Sit.’ He said. I sat down next to him and he placed his arm around me. It felt so nice I wanted it to last forever. It was becoming clearer now that he was coming around to the idea of us getting back together. ‘I love to come down here when I’ve got things on my mind,’ he said, staring straight ahead at the rippling water.
‘I like it here too,’ I said.
‘Yeah. It’s quiet. I like the quiet life. No cares or worries.’
‘I bet you don’t have much to worry about. You have a great family and your job sounds interesting.’
‘It is yes. I am happy right now, that’s why I don’t really want a relationship. If it all goes wrong then my life will be ruined.’
‘You’ve been in relationships before, though and you’ve survived! When I first met you I didn’t want a relationship either, not after what my ex did, but now I can’t imagine life without you.’
He turned to face me. ‘You don’t know how much you upset me when I found out you’d only gone out with me because you wanted to get back with your ex.’
‘Ok, I’ve already said I’m sorry and, anyway, that was before I knew you. I swear on my life that once I got to know you I wanted to go out with you because I liked you and not because of Mark.’
He sighed. ‘You still tried to get back with him, though, didn’t you?’
I’d vowed to be honest, so what else could I say? ‘I did meet up with him, yes, but as soon as I saw him again I didn’t feel anything. Seeing him again made me realize that it was you I wanted, don’t you see? Even if he’d asked me to get back with him I’d have said no. I just want us to be together.’ I couldn’t help it; tears started to roll down my cheeks. I’d never felt so vulnerable – not even with ex Mark.
He pulled me to his chest. ‘Shhhh,’ he said, ‘it’s ok.’
I continued to cry, letting all my sobs out. I wasn’t just crying for him, I was crying for my ex too and the death of that relationship. I guess I knew that there was going to be no future with Freckly Mark after all so I wanted to make the most of our last night together and let him hold me. I breathed in the smell of his aftershave and I so wanted to go to sleep. I felt so safe with him. It was as though I’d known him all my life.
When I was all cried out I sat up and rubbed my eyes. He was looking at me with a solemn look on his face. ‘I think we should go back to the car, don’t you?’
I nodded and waited while he put his coat back on. He held his hand out and I took it, practically clinging on to him for dear life. When we got into the car he smiled and turned on the radio. ‘Let’s see if I can find something to cheer you up,’ he said fiddling with the dial.
He revved the engine and skidded away from the curb and as usual, I held on for dear life as he took the corner in third gear. The “Black Eyed Peas” pounded out of the stereo. As I listened to the words, “tonight’s going to be a good night” I really hoped that it was a sign that Mark had finally made up his mind to get back together.
He glanced over to me. ‘Are you ok, now?’ he asked.
‘I’m a bit better,’ I said.
He turned his attention back to the road. ‘I think I’ll stop the car just around the corner from your house if you don’t mind.’
‘Why?’ I asked.
‘I think it’s best.’
He stopped the car near the park and switched off the engine. ‘I know you’re upset about everything and I’m upset too but you’ll get over it. You got over your ex, right? I think I’ll get over it too. Let’s just say we did get back together and you cheated on me in a couple of year’s time. I don’t think I’d get over that.’
‘And I don’t think I would get over it if you cheated on me, either.’
‘So you agree it’s for the best to call it a day now?’
I tried to stop myself from crying again. ‘It doesn’t matter what I say. You’ve already made up your mind anyway.’
He didn’t say anything; he just kept staring out of the window.
‘I may as well go then,’ I said.
He unfastened his seat belt. ‘I’ll let you out,’ he said attempting to open his door.
‘No, you don’t need to get out. I can open the door myself.’
He sat back down. ‘Ok, you do that then.’
I opened the door and stepped out onto the pavement. I looked at him. He looked so gorgeous, yet so familiar at the same time. Why did I meet him at the wrong time, when I was on the rebound? I should have realized how special he was the night I’d first met him. ‘I guess this is goodbye, then,’ I said, hoping that he would suddenly change his mind, but he didn’t.
‘You look after yourself, Terri,’ he said, before switching on the e
ngine and driving out of my life forever.
I walked slowly down the path. I knew why he’d dropped me around the corner. He knew I’d not want to go straight into my house, to face my mum. He knew me so well. I decided to sit in the bus-stop for a while; it was quiet. All the buses had stopped running. I put my head in my hands and started sobbing again. If it was possible, I cried harder and longer than I did with my ex. I must have fallen out of real love with him ages ago. I was so glad he cancelled the wedding now. I just wish I didn’t have to go through the pain of another break-up. This was going to last for weeks; I didn’t need the hassle now that I’d got my promotion. If there was one thing Mia taught me it was not to bring your personal problems into work. As I sat with my head on my lap, tears pouring out of my eyes I sensed a presence enter the bus-stop. I felt scared. I couldn’t look up. I was scared they would make a fuss because I’d been crying.
‘Terri.’
I recognized that voice. It was Freckly Mark. What was he doing here?
I raised my head. ‘Mark?’
He sat down on the bench, next to me. ‘I was half way down the road and the DJ started talking about love, for some reason, and that’s when I knew what an idiot I’d been.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘Well, I just parked the car and ran back down here. I knew you couldn’t have got far!’ He put his arms around me. ‘Look at you, you’ve been crying!’
‘I know,’ I said, continuing to blubber all over him.
‘It’s ok. I’m here now and I’m not going anywhere.’
I looked at his face. ‘Do you mean that?’
He smiled. ‘Only if you promise me you’re not going anywhere either?’
I threw my arms around him again. ‘You know I won’t!’
‘Great. So, how do you fancy going for a walk around the nature reserve tomorrow afternoon?’
I saw a cheeky but totally sexy glint in his eyes. I knew what he was getting at and I couldn’t wait. ‘You bet! And I promise I won’t push you away this time!’
Getting him Back Page 7