Not a Chance in Hell

It took me two months to find a house, but I found a place I liked and it was right on the waterfront on Marine Parade in Mount Maunganui. By the end of the year, the office was set up and well established.

The fact there was no WuShu club in town offered me another opportunity. I brought into a national franchise and opened my own club.

Life couldn't have been better, apart from love. Yeah, I dated a few women, but never really found the right one. The fact I wasn't really looking probably didn't help. Lee was a hard woman to replace, and I was still hooked on her. Stupid? Yeah probably, but unless someone has experienced that sort of love, they wouldn't understand.

Seeing Mum regularly, having attained a level of success, I should have been happy, but I was still missing one thing that would ultimately complete my world.

Late in December, my PA buzzed me. "John, there's a lady out here wanting a meeting. If you are available."

"Who is she?" I asked.

Her name is Lee, apparently you know her."

As I opened my door, I was stunned to see Lee staring hopefully at me. "Hi, John."

I welcomed her into a tight embrace. "What are you doing here?" I asked.

As I showed her into my office I took the chance to check her out. She looked as stunning as ever. Dressed in a dark navy blue dress that fit tightly. It showed all of her luscious curves. Her hair glistened and her eyes sparkled. Her flushed cheeks dimpled as she smiled. "I moved here, at least I should say. I am in the throes of moving."

Stunned I spluttered, "Here... Why?"

"I have a new job. You're looking at the new deputy headmistress at Tauranga Girls College."

"Wow, congratulations. What about Rafe, what's he going to do?"

She cringed, and replied hesitantly, "Rafe and I broke up not long after you left."

That ok me. "Why? What went wrong?"

"When you left, it threw my world into chaos. I couldn't settle. It felt wrong. Damn it, John, I missed you."

"But you had Rafe, it's what you wanted."

"No, that's not what I wanted. It was stupid. I see that now. I was selfish. I wanted everything, but what I really wanted was you. Rafe offered me something that you didn't. He is deep and passionate. I liked that. But it wasn't enough."

"I don't understand, Lee. You seemed so sure?"

"Yeah I know, but I was wrong. What happened is I split my love. I wasn't giving everything to Rafe, or to you. Rafe accused you of not being committed, well. I wasn't either, not fully. After you left I had an epiphany. It was you I wanted. I got lost along the way, and I apologise for that, but what I really wanted was you."

I sat on the edge of my desk as she stared at me. "I'm sorry for so many things, John. I screwed everything up. I don't know why I let Rafe get under my skin, why I let you down."

"I have thought about it a million times. I always blamed myself. I figured I wasn't enough for you." That was the truth, I guess everybody going through this, does exactly the same thing.

"John, you're wrong. You were enough. I just fell under Rafe's spell, it was childish, and stupid. I screwed up everything. Once you filed for divorce, I suddenly realised I had lost the most important thing in my life. I was scared, I stayed with Rafe because I couldn't stand being alone."

"But when I came back to Auckland. What was that all about?"

"I don't know. I think I was scared you'd leave again. I had to get you to stay. I let Rafe convince me that it was what I wanted. The truth is I wanted out, but couldn't think of a way to do it without destroying everything. Then when he started talking about children. I thought, Yes."

"What happened after I left?"

"It all just fell apart. You were the only thing holding it together."

"But you said you loved him."

"I know, yes, I had feelings for him. I liked him a lot, but it wasn't love. Infatuation maybe, or some stupid crush."

"Why did you come to Tauranga?"

"You... work. I don't know. I needed to get away. The house brought back nothing but bad memories. When I was offered this post. I jumped at it. I knew you were back living here, and I just hoped that you were still single."

I sniggered. "You think I'm single?"

"No, I said I hoped you were." She peered up at me hopefully. "Are you?"

"Jesus, Lee, you really don't think much of me do you? Do you think I have been mooching around here just pining for you? Christ, you're an egomaniac. You think you're that good I couldn't replace you?"

Her bottom lip trembled as she pouted. "I'm sorry, John, I should have known you would find somebody else. I'm glad actually. You deserve it. You deserve to be happy."

She fidgeted around, balancing from one foot to the other as she gripped her handbag tightly. "I should be going. Sorry for taking up your time."

"What, that's it? You're just going to walk away?"

Confused, she gasped. "But you said you'd moved on."

"No I didn't, but I am amazed that you're not even going to put up a fight."

"What can I do? If you're not interested, do you want me to beg? Is that it?"

Nodding, I sniggered. "Yeah, that would be nice."

She stood, rising quickly to stand right in front of me. Her face was close enough that our noses touched in a sweet Hongi. "Okay, John, you want me to beg, I'll beg. Will you please give me another chance? A chance to prove how much I love you?"

I chuckled softly. "Christ, you call that begging? That wasn't even close. You can do better."

A faint hint of a smile cracked her serious expression. "All right. Let me try this. If you give me a chance I will make sure that you never ever regret that decision. I will make your pleasure my obligation."

"Golly, Lee. You have a lot to learn about begging. What say we go out to dinner tonight, and I give you a chance to practice."

"I would have thought you would be out with your girlfriend."

Shaking my head, I said, "She's out of town."

"So you're going to cheat on her?"

"Nope, it's just dinner, and some weak begging. There'll be nothing else going on."

"Oh, I see. Funny, when I spoke to your mum. She said you hadn't been out on a date for months."

"You don't think I tell my mother everything, do you? She doesn't know who I am dating."

Our dinner date went well. We started slowly, awkward and uncomfortable. Slowly over the evening we worked through it. There were a few tears, some laughter and a little love. That night was the first of many. We went through the whole exercise of courtship, and I left the ball firmly in her court. She had to do all the chasing.

She was pretty good at it, actually. She took me to movies, restaurants, we went dancing, and picnics became the go-to for weekends.

Christmas was the final link in our reconciliation. Mum organised for the family to have a monster get together. Me inviting Lee was the final act. Lee and Mum had always got on well together. Mum, for her part, was happy for us to find love again. She didn't know all the details, but I think even if she did, she would still have wanted us back together.

The end