Restart (The Revival Series) (4 page)

Chapter 4

Sunday arrived and as predicted, Ryan didn’t come out again choosing work over ice skating with the kids.

Leah took a slow drive over to her parents, planning her trip to Devon in her head and counting down the days until she could leave. She hadn’t even told Ryan she was going yet but she knew from past experience that he wouldn’t be bothered either way.

Walking up the drive to her parents’ house, Leah filled with dread. Her mother could always see through her if things were wrong and she had been avoiding spending too much time with her for that very reason. But there was only so long she could avoid her mother and she just knew today was going to be the day she would have to stay a while.

Knocking on the old style oak door, she took a step back and took in a deep breath hoping she could, at least, fool her mother into believing things weren’t that bad.

Opening the door, her stepfather Matthew smiled when he saw his daughter on the doorstep.

“Thank god you’re here” He chuckled “Those kids of yours are wearing us out!”

Stepping into the hallway, she could hear the kids arguing in the kitchen over something trivial.

“Thanks for having them Matt, have they been good?”

“Of course, they have Leah. They are always good for us; I don’t know what you complain about,”

Smiling Leah, followed him into the large airy kitchen, all decorated beautifully all in yellow.

“No mum?” Leah asked when she couldn’t see her mother.

“She’s just popped over to check on Betty. She had a fall last week and can’t get out,”

“Oh no, sorry to hear that, hope she’s ok.”

Betty was a neighbour of Leah’s Grandmothers, and her mother had been close to her growing up and kept in close contact, even all these years later.

Emma bounded up to her mother and gave her a big squeeze before rejoining her brother at the table. Both with magazines, pens and paper spread out in front of them. Leah sighed in relief that she wouldn’t have to face her mother, but felt guilty for thinking it at the same time.

“Is Dad in the car?” Ben asked, his eyes searching his mothers for an answer he knew deep down he wouldn’t get. Leah gently smiled at her son, not wanting to see the disappointment in her words.

“No sweetheart, Dad had work to do,”

“Are we still going ice skating?” Emma jumped in,

“Yes of course. Go and grab your things and we can get going!” Leah replied in a cheerful tone trying to lighten the mood.

Ben slipped from his chair and slowly walked from the room, disappointment etched all over his young face. He adored his father, and they had been so close up until a year or so. Now Ryan didn’t seem to have time for any of them. Emma skipped from the room oblivious to why her brother was so moody.

Leah turned to her stepfather and smiled.

“You need to tell that man of yours not to work so hard.” Her father said, rubbing a hand over his receding hairline.

“You know what he’s like, he lives for his job. He takes good care of us,” Leah said, forcing a smile.

“I don’t doubt that but he will regret it when he’s older and realizes he missed out on all these fun times you have with the kids.”

“He will make it up to us I’m sure,” Leah replied smiling, knowing the chance of that happening was very slim.

Once the kids were ready and had all their stuff, Leah gave her father a kiss on the cheek and packed them all into the car. Relief flooded her as she backed out of the drive, that she had avoided her mother, but made a mental note to call her later that evening.

*****

Standing at the edge of the ice rink, Leah watched the kids play about on the ice, racing each other up and down. Leah sipped her coffee slowly, carefully trying not to burn her tongue on the hot liquid, yet her caffeine addiction was not wanting to wait for it to cool.

Feeling a vibration in her coat pocket, she retrieved her phone. On the screen were messages from Greg and a text message from Ryan. Unlocking the screen she opened the message from Ryan first, hoping it was a message to say he had finished working and would come and meet them, but she should have known better.

On your way back can you grab some beer for the boxing tonight.

No please, no affection in his words, just quick and to the point, not even any kisses at the end. Disappointment and anger surged in her chest, but she quickly scolded herself knowing she shouldn’t have expected anything more, and that she should have known better from past experience, but desperation always kept the hope alive.

Clicking out of the message she opened the app Greg had messaged her in and opened up their conversation. She hadn’t opened it since the previous day and had four unread messages.

GregB: I hope you had a lovely evening. Talk soon xx

GregB: Morning Sweetheart. How’s the head this morning? Hung-over?

GregB: Coming home to visit my brother today, and going flat-hunting. Won’t be long and I will be living near you again. We will have to meet up for a coffee and a catch-up.

GregB: I’m guessing you’re busy being the weekend. Hope you're having a great day. Message me when you are free xxx

A nervous feeling crept over Leah. Greg was moving back into town. He had mentioned this to her before but she didn’t think anything of it but now thinking of it as reality both excited and scared her. But why? She was married now and Greg was in her past, so what if they were now friends, she was allowed friends.

Leah1982: Hey Greg, sorry I haven’t messaged, busy weekend with the kids. Hope the flat hunting went well xx

Placing the phone back into her pocket, she turned her attention back to the kids. Waving as Ben raced passed her and Emma took a tumble at the opposite end of the rink.

*****

Storming into A&E, Ryan glared at Leah from across the room.

“What the hell happened?” he shouted at her.

“Ryan, will you please calm down, she’s fine!” Leah replied, her temper flaring as Ryan seemed to be pointing the finger at her for their daughter getting hurt.

Emma had been showing off in front of some older kids, showing off that she was a better skater, and became too overconfident and had fallen, landing awkwardly on her left arm and managing to break it. The rink had called an ambulance and Leah and Ben had gone straight to the hospital with Emma. Leah had tried to call Ryan but just went through to his voicemail, so she had left a message explaining what had happened and that she would need someone to fetch her car before the rink shut the gates that evening.

                  Ryan left shortly after with Ben and called a friend to help him fetch Leah’s car, dropping it back to the hospital so Leah and Emma didn’t need to get a cab home. Although Leah could tell he wasn’t in a good mood about it.  Luckily A&E wasn’t very busy and Emma was seen quickly and her arm plastered, so Leah and Emma could leave.

                  On the way home Leah pulled into the supermarket, parking as near to the front doors as possible.

                  “Do you need to get a lot mum?” Emma asked, clearly not excited at doing any shopping.

                  “I just need to get some bits for your father. I tell you what; since I’m going to be quick today do you want to stay in the car?”

                  A happy smile spread across Emma’s face. “Thank you, mum, would you grab me a magazine?” Emma asked with a cheeky grin.

                  “Ok but on one condition, you know the rules, no talking to strangers, no getting out of the car, and if anyone tries anything you push the horn and get everyone’s attention,”

                  Emma rolled her eyes at her mother. “Yes mum, you have told me the rules a thousand times!”

                  Leah left the car, a nervous feeling in her stomach. She hated leaving the kids alone in the car and probably always would, no matter how old they got.

                  Leah rushed around the supermarket, grabbing a girlie magazine for Emma, a gaming magazine for Ben, beer and nibbles for Ryan for the boxing that night, and she treated herself to some scented candles and bubble bath.

                  Walking to the checkouts, she was completely in a world of her own, the events of the day taking their toll on her.

                 “Leah?”

                  “Oh my god Leah is that you?”

                  Spinning around, at the sound of her voice, the breath caught in Leah’s throat. Standing in front of her, was a reminder of her past, and he had hardly changed over the years; still ridiculously handsome, with short dark brown hair, and a light dusting of stubble across his face.

                  “Greg,” Leah muttered, completely stuck for words, and shocked to be bumping into him in such a setting. Leah suddenly felt very self-conscious and tried smoothing down her top with her hands, aware that she must look awful after the day she had had.

                  “Wow this is mad, I would say what are you doing here, but I guess that is pretty obvious, although I never took you for a gamer.” Greg chuckled motioning to the magazine in her trolley.

                  “Oh erm, no, err, that’s for my son. Sorry, I didn’t expect to bump into anyone. This is crazy.”

                  “Very crazy!” he smiled at her and Leah felt her stomach flutter in attraction, she wanted to scold herself. She was a married woman with children, it wasn’t right to feel an attraction to another man, even if she didn’t plan on acting on it.

                  “I’m sorry, I need to run, as I’ve left my daughter in the car,” she murmured, gesturing towards the front of the store.

                  “Not a problem, I will message you later. It would be lovely to meet up when you are free. Catch up on old times,”

                  Leah smiled at Greg, finding herself excited at the prospect of seeing him again.

                  “I would really like that,” She said, pushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

                  “Talk soon then Leah,” he said, leaning in and giving her a kiss on the cheek, before turning and walking in the opposite direction. Leah’s cheeks flushed, and a tingling warmth spread through her body at his lips touching the soft skin of her cheek. She put her fingers to her face, to the spot where he had kissed her.

                  Pulling herself together, Leah quickly went to the checkout and paid for her shopping before making her way back to the car and to Emma, who had changed every single radio station Leah had programmed into the radio.

When Leah and Emma walked through the front door, Ryan was leaning against the door jamb to the kitchen, as if he had been waiting for them.

                  “Emma, go and get settled and get some rest sweetheart, you’ve had a traumatic day,” he said in a near whisper.

                  Emma nodded at her father and gave her mother a shy smile before turning and making her way up the stairs to her room.

“Where’s Ben? Upstairs?” Leah asked, trying to make conversation.

                  “Yes, he’s doing his homework,” Ryan replied turning sharply and walking into the kitchen.

Leah sighed and dropped her bag by the door, hung up her coat and kicked off her shoes. Praying it wouldn’t be long before she could go and relax in a nice hot bubble bath and wash away the stress of the day. She followed Ryan into the kitchen, putting the shopping bags onto the table; he was leaning against the sideboard by the sink, his head bowed.

                  “Coffee?” Leah asked, walking across to the kettle on the counter. Ryan spun around so fast it made Leah jump.

                  “Our daughter just spent the afternoon in the hospital and all you have to say is ‘coffee’?”

                  “Ryan please don’t shout, it was an accident, but she is fine..”

“FINE! I somehow don’t think coming home with a broken arm is FINE! She has school, she has gymnastics, and she will get behind in everything all because of an ‘accident’. This isn’t good Leah not at all and you don’t seem like you care,”

“Of course, I care! She’s my daughter, I hated seeing her in pain, but what can I do! It’s not as if I pushed her is it! It was an accident, she will need a short time away from gymnastics but it won’t hurt her, in fact, the break may do her good. As for school it’s her left arm not her right, so she shouldn’t suffer there,”

“Oh well that makes everything ok then doesn’t it!” Ryan spat back at her, causing Leah to take a step backwards. She hated Ryan when he got in one of these moods. It had been a while since he had been so angry but each time he scared her. She knew he would never hurt her but the venom in his eyes made her want to cower away from him.

Tears streamed from Leah’s eyes, unable to hide the hurt and anger no matter how hard she tried.