Second Chances

Chapter 2 - Dinner Date

Preparing for my first class on Monday morning, I find a self-absorbed grin spread across my face between sips of coffee as I relive my weekend. Aiden called me on Saturday night, after his children were sleeping in bed, and then again on Sunday morning before they woke, and finally on Sunday night, again once they were in bed. We talked for hours and hours, about everything and yet nothing, but it felt right. Comforting and comfortable. Aiden told me several times that he wished he was with me, that he could see me, but he couldn't. His children come first and as disappointing as that was it was also reassuring that he was a nice man and a good dad. My phone vibrates on my desk. I have a message, from Aiden.

I grin as I respond.

“Here she is,” calls Maxine as she charges into my classroom. “So?” she asks with a big grin and even bigger enquiring eyes.

“So, nothing,” I reply coyly making my friend laugh.

“Oh my God! Did you shag him?” The bluntness of her words make me laugh loudly.

“No, no I didn't, but I can't tell you that I haven't thought about it, many times.”

“Oh my God!” repeats Maxine making me laugh again.

“We're having dinner tonight and I will say no more than that. Now I have Year 10 bottom set for double English first thing so bugger off to your own classroom,” I say with mock firmness in my voice.

“You've changed,” my friend chastens with her own mocking tone making me smile as she leaves me alone again.

By the end of the school day I am sitting at my desk with a cup of tea and looking at a huge pile of controlled assessments to mark.

“Can I come in?” comes a familiar voice.

I look up and find Miller standing in the doorway.

“Yeah, course. You okay?” I ask wondering what my ex-husband might want, after all the head of PE is unlikely to have anything professional to discuss with me.

“Regan and I had a meeting this afternoon,” Miller reveals making me frown as I try to figure out how this affects me. “He said you went out with Maxine on Friday night, into town.”

“Right? And this involves you or Regan how?” I feel irritation rising.

“Just be careful, that's all I'm saying. You don't know this guy from Adam and well you're new to single life.”

I stare at my ex-husband giving me ridiculous advice and see red, yet somehow speak calmly to him. “You have no right to do this. You are my ex-husband, we are not a couple, we are not best friends and what or who I do is no concern of yours, so mind your own bloody business.” My snapped response is followed by the stacking of my pupil's work on my desk before grabbing my bag and grey jacket that matches the pencil skirt I'm wearing.

I push past Miller with an angry stare and shake of my head then turn to face him.

“Just how many women have you f****d since we separated? Or is that irrelevant and none of my business? Like your new girlfriend?” I ask knowing I’ve shocked him with that information.

Regan told Maxine who mentioned it to me, almost accidentally that Miller had met someone special after many months of shagging anything with a pulse when we first parted.

“I wanted to tell you. Not here and not like this,” he flounders making me even more irritated with him.

“Tell me what? That you have a new girlfriend? That she is everything I wasn't? That she is younger, thinner, prettier than me? What?” I ask with a raised voice now but am in no way prepared for his response.

“Zara, my girlfriend, we're moving in together. She's moving in with me, she, erm, she's pregnant, Nell.” He at least has the decency to look uncomfortable if not guilty.

“I have to go. I've got a date.” My voice is flat as I turn away.

I only get as far as main reception when Regan appears with a giggling Maxine.

“Early doors, Mrs Wilmott?” Regan asks using my married name that I'm still known by at school.

“Yes, courtesy of your friend, the head of PE!” I’m still snapping, I can hear it and so can everyone else. “You know the one, the one you've been discussing me with this afternoon.”

“Regan,” cries Maxine looking at me apologetically.

“It wasn't like that,” her husband protests.

“No?” I ask sarcastically. “Did you discuss me and my night out before or after you found out his girlfriend is pregnant?”

Regan looks down at his feet while Maxine speaks. “What? When? You knew?” She accuses her husband as my former husband appears behind us.

“Sod this. I am going home and I am very politely asking that none of you consider contacting me, none of you,” I say angrily with a glare in Maxine's direction. “I thought our night out was a girly night. I hadn't realised that you were planning on sharing every little detail of it with Regan who in turn thought it was anything to do with him,” I say with a sharp gesture towards Miller.

“Ella,” calls Maxine as I step away.

“Max, no. I can't do this now.” My tone is a little more reasonable, softening, knowing that Maxine would never do anything to deliberately hurt me.

Two of my year 11's appear now, two of the big children, young people that do tower over me, and suddenly I think of Aiden and smile.

“You okay, Miss?”

“Yes, thanks.” I offer him a small smile.

“Do you want a hand, Mrs Wilmott?” asks the second boy, Steven Murphy.

“No, no thanks,” I reply. “Travelling light tonight, but thank you.” I smile again as I think how intimidating the two strapping lads might seem to anyone who didn't know them. I allow myself more of a grin as I think of Aiden's comments about teachers not looking like me when he was at school.

“Goodnight, see you tomorrow,” I call behind me and follow the two boys out of the building and hastily head to the safety of my car.

It's ten to seven when there's a knock at my front door. I quickly check my appearance in the mirrored wardrobe doors in my bedroom and smile. Tonight I am wearing an older dress, but a longer one; it's a knee length sleeveless fit and flair dress with a round neck and fitted waist. I have, yet again avoided accessories except for the plain black, heeled court shoes and small, black, across body bag. I grab the denim jacket off the end of my bed and almost skip downstairs flicking my loose hair that I've curled loosely off my face. Opening the door I am taken aback by the sight waiting for me; Aiden, with his mussed hair and sparkling smile. He's wearing black jeans and a white t-shirt that I can see is stretched across his chest and a casual, black leather jacket thrown over the top.

I feel sure that my eyes are illuminated with appreciation for the man standing before me and worry my bottom lip as I see it reciprocated in Aiden's gaze, full of desire and heat.

“Do you want to come in?” I ask but Aiden just shakes his head.

“Best not, or dinner will be off for tonight.” I completely understand the undercurrent of what he says, the threat of it.

“And food's necessary?” I enquire reusing the words from his earlier message.

“It is for me I think.”

I swallow hard and am sure I'm trembling on the outside, not just the inside now.

“Dinner.” He smiles and offers me his hand.

I have no clue where we're going, I just know it's dinner and half an hour later Aiden is parking his car and helping me out near a very unassuming looking bistro. We take our seats at a secluded, romantic table for two and make polite conversation, talking about our days, although I stop short of discussing Maxine, Regan or Miller at this point. We drink, and eat in a comfortable semi-silence until after we've eaten our main courses.

“Can I ask why you divorced?” asks Aiden a little nervously.

“I don't know. There was no, one, specific reason for it, not really. Miller is four years older than me and we met when I went to work at the school he was working at. My friend, Maxine and I were both on teaching practice at the same school and she met her husband who is deputy head there now, Regan, and they hit it off straight away. Miller is a PE teacher and he was full of himself and a bit over confident for my taste and although he asked me out lots I resisted all of his advances until one night Maxine invited me out and when I got there it was a set-up. Her, Regan, Miller and me. He was funny and made me laugh and we started dating, by which time I was a qualified teacher. Maxine was already working at the school where we work now, along with Regan and Miller. I joined them about six months later. We bought a house together and got married a couple of years later and began trying for a baby a year after that. Miller and I rarely argued until we didn't conceive. I think, with the best will in the world you end up resentful and apportioning blame, not that either of us pointed the finger. Then there was the IVF. I think I told you that neither of us were diagnosed with any fertility problems, so there was nobody to blame really, but, I suppose we did because it wasn't the miracle we expected it to be.” I smile weakly. “Then after round two failed we struggled to communicate at all. We agreed to take a break, from the IVF and we went on holiday and it was hell, to the point that when we came back we said it wasn't working. We barely spoke for the duration of our holiday and when we did it ended in a row. I can't even remember who said it but we decided on a trial separation. Within three months Miller had asked for a divorce and I agreed.”

“Do you still work at the same school?”

“Yeah, as I say we never fell out as such and we work in very different departments. I even work under my married name still.”

“Really? I imagine that must be awkward with adolescents watching that happening.” A frown mars Aiden’s brow.

“I dunno. I went to that school as Miss Statham, then became Mrs Wilmott, so maybe reverting back would cause more interest and knowledge. I'm not sure all the kids realise we were married to each other never mind divorced. What about you?” I ask hoping that he despises his ex-wife, although I think this is unlikely.

“I left university and having worked my way up had experience and cash so I decided to go it alone. I had just started my own business and was having a degree of success so engaged a temp through an agency as my P.A. and the girl, well woman that turned up was Jan. She was already seeing someone. They were engaged and I was enjoying single life, but we worked closely and shared a similar sense of humour so built a rapport and over the next year became friends I suppose. Then when we were both free agents we met at a club, by coincidence and that was it. We married quickly and Jake was born less than a year later followed a couple of years after that by Sophie. We had a lot on our plate and we were struggling a little in our marriage when Joseph surprised us, he was our happy accident, but sealed our family and our fate really. Babies have a habit of being the worst bandages and plasters for a marriage and we separated before he was born and divorced before his first birthday. Like you it was mutual and for us amicable, but it had to be with three children to make our priority.”

I stare across and wonder if this is normal behaviour for divorcees on a date, to discuss their exes and where it all went wrong.

“This could be a mood killer,” laughs Aiden and immediately I relax and smile at him as I nod.

He reaches across with the half bottle of wine I've been drinking in contrast to Aiden's mineral water and pours me another glass, the final glass.

“More?”

I shake my head, “Not on a school night.”

“Quite right too.” He grins, giving me a full flash of his teeth and I feel my skin come to life at the glorious image of a grinning Aiden, happy and relaxed running his fingers through his hair, twisting a couple of product coated strands.

I know I'm staring as I imagine my own fingers running through his hair as we lie naked together, Aiden lying over me and holding me firmly in place beneath him as he drives his c**k into me, hard. I flush now. I can feel the heat radiating from me at such thoughts, thoughts I hadn't planned on having and now can't shift. He simply smiles at me as I wonder if he’d run his fingers through my hair as he made love to me, maybe even tugging it a little, firmly, but not to hurt me, just to make me remember who I belong to at that moment.

Aiden is watching me intently and the pressure of his heavy gaze makes me hot, yet I seem unable to stop all of these erotic thoughts. Now I am imagining Aiden nestled between my thighs, using his tongue to pleasure me and I have no doubt that he is a knowledgeable and skilled lover. I swear I can feel his tongue lapping against me, licking, probing. I am clenching everything below the waist and am shocked to realise that I am moist and close to coming. I virtually throw what's left of my wine down my neck while Aiden simply watches me.

“What do you want to do?”

I swear he is toying with me, that he knows what I am thinking about and somehow he is daring me to admit it.

“Do? When?” I stammer and his amused eyes confirm that somehow he knows I am thinking about s*x, s*x with him.

“Now, after we've finished here. I'm guessing a nightclub is out of the question on a school night.” He's teasing me now and I like it, it makes me smile.

“Mmm. I can offer coffee back at mine, or something stronger if you'd prefer.”

“I don't usually drink if I am driving.”

I know where this is leading, I know the ball is definitely being put firmly in my court and I have the power to decide how this moves forward.

“Then don't drive. You could come back to mine and we can have a drink, talk, kiss,” I suggest with what I imagine is a beacon where my face once was. “And whatever else happens.”

“I can think of no better way to end the evening than drinking, talking, kissing and whatever else-ing with you.”

He has summoned the waiter for the bill and within minutes we are back in Aiden's car and heading back to my house at speed.

“Are you on the pill?” His question is unexpected and surprises me as it’s delivered between songs on his car stereo.

“Erm, no. Miller and I had no need and I haven't even had dinner with anyone since. I swore off men for a while, until…”

“Until?” he asks making me throw both of my eyes skywards.

“Until I met you,” I reveal with an embarrassed laugh.

“Condoms?” he asks revelling in my revelation.

“No, again, no need.”

“Then we'll need a detour,” he says and pulls off the dual-carriageway and parks at the 24 hour supermarket.

“I'll get a large box,” he says undoing his seat belt.

I arch a brow making him smile.

“We’ll need a large box,” he says pulling his wallet from down the side of his seat and opens it to reveal a single condom. “Ever the boy scout, but I don't think once will be enough, so large box.” he grins and seems about to get out of his car when he changes his mind and lunges towards me where his lips crash against mine until they soften, yield and open for him.

A group of young men walk past a few minutes later and after a succession of cat calls walk on leaving me hot and embarrassed once more but sure that I want whatever Aiden has to offer me tonight and then he is running across the car park and disappearing into the store. Whilst waiting for him to return I question whether he is over prepared, but seeing Aiden heading back towards me as I sit in his car I decide it doesn't matter. We both know what is going to happen. The real fun will be in the details and I haven't had details with anyone who wasn't my own hand or my vibrator in a year or more, so I’m looking forward to this. I need this.

The remainder of the journey home is tense and the air between us is heavy with expectation. When Aiden's car finally pulls up in front of my house I feel as though I can barely breathe. My chest is constricted, heavy and tight but I know that the nerves I'm feeling, twisting and turning inside me are a mixture of nausea and excitement.

I throw the passenger door open and virtually propel myself from the car and up the path to my front door. My hands are shaking and trembling as I attempt to put the key in the lock. Aiden is suddenly behind me, his body pressing against mine as his hand covers my own and guides it into the lock, some subliminal message registers in my mind now, the key slowly, surely fitting into the lock so precisely and snug. I know my hand is still shaking as I pause before turning the key, opening the door and accepting whatever is going to pass between us. Aiden strokes his thumb across my knuckles and I moan. I hear it and am beyond shocked by it, but am further shocked as I realise that his touch has made me hot and achy as he repeats the move and another low moan echoes in the minimal space between our bodies.

“If you don't turn that key soon and you keep making those horny noises I will be pulling your skirt up, pants down and f*****g you on the step.”

Even though Aiden's tone carries a threat and a warning I can't deny how excited I am by his words and intentions. My body is responding quicker than my mind and a pool of moisture is accumulating in my pants making me consider being f****d on the doorstep for the neighbours to see.

“Allow me.” Aiden’s still pressed against me as his hand closes over mine and we turn the key together until my door is flying open and I am propelled through it followed by Aiden who kicks the door shut with a loud thud before he is spinning me round and colliding with me until I am backed against the wall. I am beyond turned on now, desperate for him to touch me, not just pressed between the wall and Aiden's body. He is teasing and taunting me as he seems to be moving his lips towards me, moving in to kiss me, and then, he withdraws.

“Aiden,” I say, calling to him, trying to encourage him to give me more, asking for it. “Kiss me, please.”

“With pleasure.” He grins and then crushes my lips with his own.

I open for him immediately, my mouth greedily pulling him in, trying to consume him, encouraging him to consume me. I feel light headed, breathless, as though I am having some kind of out of body experience. Desperately I pull Aiden closer until there is nothing between us; I can taste him, toothpaste, the wine only I'd drunk at dinner and Aiden himself. His scent infuses my nose and bombards my senses, his woody aftershave, and the citrus of his shower gel or maybe his shampoo, both. Either way, I can't get enough of him, his smell, taste and most of all the feel of him. Issie meows loudly, rudely gaining my attention as she jumps up to brush against my leg, a demand for supper, a demand I ignore.

Suddenly, I feel vibrations and wonder, what the hell is the matter with me? I am intrigued as to why my whole body is reacting to Aiden like this but before I can answer my own question I realise that the vibrations are becoming stronger and are localised, it's not me. The gentle shuddering is coming from Aiden, his pocket that is pressed against me and is quite obviously his phone. He seems to realise now and pulls back from our kiss, allowing us both to laugh.

“Now that is seriously impressive and if you can keep that going all night.” I tease him with another laugh.

“Only if you keep me on speed dial,” he jokes as he pulls his phone from his pocket and gazes down at the screen. “Sorry, it's Jan. I need to take it, in case it's one of the kids.”

“Of course.” I smile, trying not to look as disappointed as I feel that if it is 'one of the kids' my evening may be about to end leaving me frustrated, high, but God, nowhere near dry.

“Ella, you just hold that thought for all night.” He answers his phone with a warm, “Hi, Jan.”

I smile at him and point down at Issie and then towards the kitchen to indicate my intention to feed the cat. He smiles and nods and appears to be listening to his wife, his ex-wife.