Third Time Lucky?

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Marie

The end of my work day could not come quickly enough for me, how had a request for a simple business meeting turned into a weekend away with my boss, it played on my mind as the bus made its way out of Oxford and down the A44 towards Woodstock and home.

Sitting and staring out the bus window, chin in the palm of my hand with my elbow resting on my thigh, I contemplated my life, how could it have gone from good to shit so many times and all because of one man, a man that haunted my life, whether physically present or in my mind and imagination.

I was that engrossed in my self pity party I nearly missed my stop and if Maisie from the flower shop hadn't caught my shoulder with her handbag and offered her apologies whilst she was getting off, I would have still been engrossed in my thoughts.

As I Skipped off the bus, I decided to push my working life to the back of my mind and enjoy my evening. I hitched my bag further onto my shoulder and did up my coat, whilst waiting for the lights to change so I could cross the busy main road and head off down Hensington Road to my parents small semi detached council house.

Yes I'm ashamed to admit I still lived at home with my parents, but the truth of the matter was, Oxford and the surrounding area was mind boggling expensive to even contemplating renting or buying my own property.

But had my life plan of taking over from Jonathan come to fruition then renting a small flat on the outskirts of the city had been top of my list and with the pay increase it would have made this possible.

However a certain member of the male species had definitely screwed up plan A, leaving me with no alternative but to resort to plan B, America.

Jasper and Mandy Jackson had spoken about an opportunity one evening during the weekly pub quiz as I was now a fully fledged member of their team, this was due to stepping in one evening to help them out when their team was one member short and they were impressed with my general knowledge, so I became a regular stand in and soon a permanent member, when Claire left to be with her new husband in London.

It had come up in the conversation that I hoped to get my own place once the top job became available when Jonathan decided to retire, but I didn't know when that would be, it was then Jasper had offered me a position within his film empire, I could choose to work in London or Los Angeles and at the time, believing him to be joking, I said I would love the opportunity to work in America for his big studio.

Little did I realize that he was far from joking, as a few months later he bought up the subject again, he had hired Whitlock Media to do some work for him in the past and I had led the team on the project and Jasper had fed back to Jonathan how impressed he was and that he wished to continue to do business with us.

This had earned me a nice bonus and the lead when called upon to work for Jasper's company.

This in turn led to me getting to know him and his lovely wife Amanda.

Anyway I had thanked Jasper for his kind offer, but told him I was happy with Whitlock Media, whereupon he gave me his business card and said the offer still stood and if I were to change my mind give him a call.

And that was precisely what I did after blurting out to Richard in anger at lunch that day, praying the offer was still on the table.

Thankfully it was and it was agreed that I would start in six months, giving him and me time to sort out all the paperwork that would allow me to live and work in the States, so an extra two months pay was a blessing in disguise.

So here I was with that infernal man entrenched in my thoughts again, would I ever be rid of him.

Three months that's all it will be three long arduous months of his sexiness around me, that's if I can survive this weekend with him present.

A deep sigh rumbled up from my chest, as I pulled the coat tighter around my neck, to keep out the early evening chill.

It wasn't until I stepped through the front door and the smell of freshly cooked chicken hit my nostrils did my mind focus on something more than him!

"Hi mum I'm home" I know so clichéd.

"Evening dear how was your day."

well it started of good but soon went south and ended up shit. Was what I wanted to say but this was my mother.

"It was fine, you know normal day at the office"

"That's nice, be a love and shout your father in, before you change"

"Sure thing mum, DAD, MUM WANTS YOU!" I bellowed out the back door.

"Alright Marie I'm not deaf yet"

"Sorry dad thought you were down the bottom in the shed" I mumbled in way of an apology.

Rubbing his hands together to get off what dirt he could, before brushing his trouser legs, then removing his gardening shoes, he stepped in the house plonking his footwear in the rack, before making a beeline to the cloakroom to wash up.

Yes my father was an avid gardener and when he was not working at the Blenheim garden centre, he was tinkering in our immaculate back garden.

"When you're clean dear can you mash the potatoes please" my mother called out to my father. "And Marie dear can you set the table when you have changed"

" No problem mum, give me a couple of minutes" I shouted over my shoulder as I rushed upstairs.

I envied my parents, they seem to be a perfect match for each other, hence the reason they had been together for over 35 years and were disgustingly happy, a little old fashioned in their outlook, but it worked for them.

I couldn't help but wish I would find my ideal partner to settle down with in the near future, but when I had these thoughts my mind always seem to picture that one unsuitable person who had let me down twice in my life.

Life sucked, well at least it seemed that way to me.