Second Chance Romance

by Asrai Devin

  "No." She hoped he would drop the subject. "Do you want snack while we do your reading?"

  "Can I call Kip? I want to tell him about my science test." Kip helped him study.

  Mandy flinched. She hadn't told Colton about her fight with Kip. How could explain all that to him? She partially cursed herself for bringing Kip into their lives.

  "Can I?" he asked again, his voice turning to a whine.

  "If you use your regular voice. Yes you may call Kip."

  "Will you dial?" He grabbed the cordless phone and held it out to her. "Please?"

  She dialed Kip's number from speed dial and handed it to Colton. She watched his face carefully. "Hi Kip. It's Colton." He frowned a little. "No, Colton. Tressor. Kip, come on." He giggled into the phone. "Yeah she's here." He turned to look at Mandy, who's somewhat traitorous heart leaped with anticipation. She tamped it down, not expecting anything. "She dialed the phone for me."

  Colton covered the microphone of the telephone. "He says he doesn't want to talk to you tonight."

  Mandy tried to shrug it off. "That's fine. I'll talk to him later." Inside she was hurt. Of course, she said she needed space. "Tell him what you called about, it's getting late."

  Colton rolled his eyes, while he listened to Kip talk. A slow smile crossed his face. "Yeah, that's okay."

  Mandy stood and busied herself with fixing a healthy snack for Colton and her.

  "Well I called 'cause we got that science test back. About the water cycle, yeah. I got almost all the questions right. Well, two wrong. They were really hard questions. I dunno, I'll show it to you next time I see you. Cool. Thanks Kip. You sure you don't wanna-" He listened for a long time with a few nods and "Uh-uh's." Then, "Okay. Bye Kip."

  Colton handed Mandy the phone. She looked at it for a long moment, considering putting it against her ear, longing for a small taste of Kip. She heard the beep consistent with the other party hanging up. Kip was gone. She could call him back, later.

  No, she would get her head on straight again. She also had some marking work to catch up on. The end of the year was so close she could taste it. Most of her students had achieved their learning outcomes. The summer looked like a welcome break. An uncertain break, but a needed break, nonetheless.

  She turned to an excited Colton to catch his wave of energy. But her heart remained heavy in her chest.

  * * * *

  Kip dropped in on Corey the morning after the phone call with Colton. "Yo, man. What do I owe this honour? Come in." Corey leaned toward Kip. "Uh, do you mind if there's a chick in the kitchen?"

  Kip rolled his eyes. "Is she dressed?"

  "Uh, yeah. Sure." Corey looked over his shoulder as he tried to check.

  And Mandy felt sorry for this guy. Kip felt like slapping him upside the head, or cheering for him. He wasn't sure which. Either way the guy had the hottest women from the bar in his bed, most nights.

  Not that it appealed to Kip. Hopefully before the next season he'd be a married man. Settled and saddled. Ball and chain.

  He stopped short in the kitchen. A black haired girl, well sort of black hair, she had a lot of streaked colours, sat at Corey's table. Just because he was attached to Mandy did not mean he didn't have eyes in his head or a brain in his body. He wasn't sure where the blood had gone. Kip lifted a hand in greeting to the beauty. "Hi."

  "Hi." The girl tossed her hair over her shoulder. She had a bowl of some multicoloured, sugar filled children's cereal in front of her. Leave it to Porter.

  He turned to Corey. "Got any coffee?"

  "Yeah sure. I'll make us some. We kinda just got up." Corey looked sheepish.

  "I'm sorry, I should have called first. It's an emergency."

  "Mandy okay?"

  Kip filled him in the story thus far and his plans. "So I need to surprise her. Something big. A slap upside her head, you know. A romantic precursor to proposing."

  The girl at the table looked interested. "Calling it a slap upside the head isn't real romantic," she added, dryly.

  "Right. See, I came to the right place then," Kip said. He pushed Corey away while he gaped at the girl. "Let me make the damned coffee. Go finish your Lucky Charms."

  "Fruit-O's," Corey said, pouting.

  Once Kip had the coffee brewing, he went around to the table. He held out his hand to the girl, "Kip Turner."

  "The goalie." She looked impressed. At least Kip hoped that was it.

  "Exactly."

  She took his hand and shook it. "Abby." She removed her hand quickly, glanced at Corey then returned to her cereal eating. Oh the poor girl, she had a crush on Corey, who probably saw her as nothing more than the one-night stand she was intended to be.

  Kip looked at Corey. Maybe he was the soul to be pitied here. He decided to ignore that aspect for now. He had a woman to woo and little time to make it a surprise. He'd said too much to Colton last night already. Kip went back to the kitchen and looked for some mugs. "Anyone want a cup?"

  Corey and Abby met eyes for a moment. They looked away quickly. Interesting. "Please," Corey said.

  "Yes, please," the girl said. Kip almost laughed. They acted like a couple of teenagers. He managed to hold back as he delivered the steaming mugs.

  Kip sat at the table. "Anyway, everything else aside, any tips on how to get the girl of my dreams?"

  "A big present?"

  Kip dug in his pocket. "I have this ring." He threw it on the table. Abby glanced at it, letting the case snap shut. "Bigger. Diamond, too. And you should take roses."

  "Bigger ring?" On Mandy, he considered it. Well, he could get her one, if she insisted he could always take it back. Abby nodded emphatically. "Okay, bigger ring. And roses."

  "Lots of roses," she intoned. Corey squirmed in his seat, uncomfortable with the subject.

  "Anything else women want?"

  "Tell me about her. What's she like?"

  "She's a single mom. She was my high school sweetheart."

  Abby wrapped her hands around her mug and leaned back in her chair. She settled in like it would be a long uphill haul. "Well, hell. You should know everything about her. What's taken you so long to propose?"

  "That is a long story. Maybe I should offer to retire for her."

  Corey looked panicked. "You signed a five-year deal man."

  Kip laughed. "I'm joking. Mandy wouldn't ask me to quit. She'd walk away from me. Again."

  "I gotta pee." Abby giggled and skipped away from the table. Kip and Corey took advantage of her departure to admire her tight backside. She had nothing on Mandy's sweet curves, but he could look damn it.

  "So you done pumping my one night stand for information so I can take her, uh, home?" Corey smiled weakly.

  Kip laughed. "She offered. Is it bothering you?"

  "For Mandy I'd do anything," Corey said. "Honestly. Trust me, you die tomorrow, I'm asking her out after the funeral."

  "I don't doubt anything." Kip leaned back in his chair to take a sip of the coffee. The light bulb went on over his head. He straightened which caused him to slosh his coffee over the side of his cup. "Shit. Shit." He set the mug down and wiped his hands on his pants.

  "What?" Abby bounded back in the room.

  "I spilled my coffee. After I had an idea. I gotta go and do some shopping." He stood quickly. "Thank you both."

  Corey looked at him pleadingly. Begging with his eyes. Kip was tempted to leave him alone. Let the dummy figure it out. He took pity on Corey instead. Kip dropped his shoulders. "Corey, I need you to come with me. Seriously."

  Abby looked from Corey to Kip, who took pity on her as well. She obviously wasn't ready to leave. "Abby, you've been a great help. Do you need a ride somewhere?"

  She looked as if she might cry. "Sure."

  Chapter 14

  Mandy's first class was a normal Friday class. During the second class, however, a student was called to the office. When Ginia returned she held a rose, carefully in her hand, with a note.

  I love you

&nb
sp; That was all. The note written by the school secretary, Donna Richerds. And Ginia couldn't say anything more about the rose. Just that Mrs. Richerds asked her to bring it.

  Twenty-five minutes later, a knock on the door brought another flower from a student in a different class. Morning recess brought three more flowers from various students all with notes.

  Donna Richerds refused to say anything about how she got the flowers and notes or where Kip was hiding. The principal was in a meeting in his office, so she couldn't demand to know from him. Mandy got a mug of tea and returned to her room. She arranged the notes on the desk in front of her. Each seemed a little more cryptic than the last.

  I love you

  I was wrong to let you make my decisions.

  I thought I was letting you live your life

  I'm letting go of the past.

  Will you grab the future with me?

  His decisions, since when had she made any of his decisions? Mandy wrapped her hands around her mug, as she reread the cards again. The grade one teacher, Lori Scott came in. She stood in front of Mandy's desk. "You have a secret admirer?"

  "He's no secret. Except, where they are hiding him in this school." Mandy leaned back in her chair and sighed.

  Lori laughed. "The hockey player you've been seeing?"

  "Hey they won the Stanley Cup you know."

  "I'm single. I don't have to follow that stuff. You have a fight or something?"

  "Well, somewhat. I was stressed and I snapped and told him I was tired of waiting."

  "Scary ultimatum."

  "Well, really, I was afraid he would leave anyway. If he had to leave, now was the time. Right? He's a hockey player. He might get traded."

  Lori raised an eyebrow. "Sounds like you are still scared. Look, he could get hit by a truck while he crosses the street next week. The next time he gets on a plane it could crash."

  "So I should stop worrying about the what ifs and take what I have in front of me?"

  "That's for you to decide. Remember life is fleeting, Mandy." Lori shook her finger at her as the bell rang. "He obviously loves you if he can convince Donna to disrupt classes to deliver you flowers and notes."

  Mandy laughed. The students shouted in the halls as they came into the classroom. Most of her students were seated, when another delivery occurred.

  Field trip to the parking lot.

  The note was on school paper and had the principal's signature, Henry Stewart, on the bottom. She held the note and stood. The children sat and the chatter ended. "Everyone take your shoes back off. We are having a field trip to the parking lot."

  Mandy shook her head. Her whole day was being disrupted.

  "Why the parking lot?" students asked they filtered past her. They echoed her question. "I don't know. Get your shoes on and wait in the entry way." She followed the students to supervise while they got their shoes on, trying to minimize the pushing that usually occurred while twenty-three students tried to use a five foot square space.

  Out in the parking lot, the office staff gathered around a newer green Civic. The same as her car, except this one had shiny paint and tires with tread left. Someone motioned to Mandy and her class. They walked over as a group.

  Henry Stewart handed her a set of keys. "I was instructed to give these to you."

  Mandy stared at the keys. "This is Kip's doing right?" She was met by shrugs, and smiles. "I dunno what to say."

  "Who's car Ms. Green?" one of her students asked.

  "Uh, apparently, it's mine. I think my boyfriend gave it to me," she ventured. Someone pushed her to stand in front of the driver's door. The key fit the lock. She opened it.

  "Get inside," someone said, which quickly turned to a chant. She climbed into the driver's seat. He'd stuck a note on the steering wheel.

  Hope you like it. K

  She was speechless. It had that new car smell, despite not being new. She ran her fingers over the seats and steering wheel, the grin on her face growing wider all the while.

  She climbed out of the car. "This is really quite something. Thank you for it. But now you need to tell me where he is."

  Henry shook his head. "Not yet, Ms. Green. I suspect there are more surprises to come today."

  Mandy wanted to stomp her feet. If her class had been inside, she would have. Instead, she looked at them. "Field trip is over. Time to go back for math review."

  Her students groaned and turned their reluctant feet back to the classroom. She locked the car door and closed it. She looked at the keys again, while she followed her students in as they chattered about who had given Ms. Green a car. Some of them were hockey fans and knew who Kip. With all the excitement, Mandy wondered if she would get any work done the rest of the day.

  At lunch, a grade five student came in and ushered her outside again. Someone had a picnic set on one of the tables outside. The student seated her and informed her waiter would be with her. Lunch was chicken for two, but after a few minutes her stomach growled and she began to wonder if she would eat alone.

  She heard the school doors open behind her and she turned to look. There he was, dressed in a suit. He kissed her cheek and sat beside her wordlessly.

  Mandy sputtered on all the things she'd had to say this morning. What did the notes mean? Thank you for the car. What the hell is going on? You've disrupted my school. I love you.

  Which thought should she start with? She wasn't sure. So she stared at him.

  "How is your day going?" He unfolded a napkin and laid it on his lap "I apologize for the lack of wine." He gestured to the apple juice in a wineglass.

  "Well, some asshole disrupted my day. But I did get some lovely flowers and a beautiful car." She smiled at him. "Thank you for everything."

  "I was told to do something big."

  "By whom?"

  "Corey's one-night stand."

  Mandy sputtered on her drink. "What?"

  Kip chuckled. " When Colton called, I decided I need to act, except I wasn't sure what. I knew I needed a plan. So I went to ask Corey."

  "Corey? Seriously? That's who you went to for romantic advice?" Incredible.

  Kip smiled. "Yes. And he had this girl with him. It was too funny to watch them together. But anyway, she told me to get you a bigger ring than the one I had. Which you've already seen so here." He pushed a black box across the table.

  "I thought this was an engagement ring."

  He reached into his pocket and pulled out a white box. "This is." He put it back in his pocket with a teasing grin. "I'm getting ahead of things. Eat your lunch. I've been working hard all morning, I'm starving."

  "Where were you hiding all morning?"

  "The principal's office. That's why he was in a meeting."

  Mandy shook her head. "Sneaky." She reached out to him. He laced his fingers with hers. "I missed you."

  "Me too."

  "I didn't tell Colton about my little ultimatum. And I thought I might cry when you didn't want to talk to me."

  "I'm sorry. I should have talked to you a little. But I didn't want to ruin the surprise. Which I nearly did by telling Colton I'd see him in a few days. And asking if I could marry you."

  "What did he say?" Mandy was shocked. Both by Kip asking Colton and Colton not spilling the beans.

  "He said it was okay with him."

  Mandy picked up her plate and moved around the table. She refused to be apart from him when he was sitting to close. As she sat, she noticed a couple of teachers with their faces pressed against the glass. She waved at them. They waved back before walked away.

  When she smiled at Kip, he bent and kissed her softly. "I like having you beside me."

  "Well, good 'cause I'm staying. Now explain everything to me."

  "Later. Eat." He kissed her again.

  Mandy ate quickly. She wanted to get to the explanation and maybe even the ring. When Kip was done, the students cleared away the table. Kip stood and excused himself. "Forgot something inside." He took a light jog to the school.
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  He returned with another rose. Then he got down on one knee beside her. The tears sprang into her eyes instantly. He set the rose on her lap. "Mandy, I've loved you for one third of my life. I want to love you for the rest of it. Will you marry me?"

  He pulled out the box from his pocket. She noticed his eyes were watery as well. He opened the box and Mandy thought she might fall off the sofa. "Holy," she whispered. "Wow." The ring was set with the biggest diamond she'd ever seen.

  "If you don't like it, we can take it back and you can choose something else," he said quickly.

  She wasn't sure about that. But she felt wary of wearing such a large gem, it would be nerve wracking for her.

  He prompted her. "Hey, I'm on my knees here."

  Oh right, she hadn't answered his question. "Yes," she breathed. "Yes, yes, yes."

  "I have to get up before I put the ring on you. Rings," he said, glancing at the black box. "My knee doth protest. Mainly because, I had the bad luck to kneel on a rock."

  Mandy was crying full out now. She wiped her face. He got up and sat on the bench. He took hold of her hand and slipped the ring on her finger. "It fits," he proclaimed.

  He put the other one on her other ring finger. It was a little bigger than her finger. "I'll get it sized. If you like it."

  She beamed at him through tears running down her face. "I like you. That's all that matters. You could have put a rock from the ground on the ring." She sniffled and wiped her face again. "Sorry. Are you going to kiss me?"

  He struggled to hold back any emotional expression. "Of course." He pulled her against him and kissed her. The teachers that were at the door came out of it, clapping. Lori and Donna among them.

  Mandy relaxed into him. Her being tilted, but her world had righted itself again. This was where she belonged. This was who she had always loved.

  * * * *

  Kip took Mandy and Colton out for supper to celebrate. He also hadn't finished asking questions either. But he would save the second part for after the meal.