Christmas Heartache (Celebration Series 1)

Chapter Five-First Memory

First day in for the new year, and I always like to be here well before the crowds and demands of people. I had asked my secretary Sophie if she would be okay about an early start today, as I had 15 new students arriving at some point in the morning and depending on the demands of each and their parents would depend on whether or not the returning students got the attention from me that they would really need.

"Dave. Welcome back." Sophie breezed in. She had three grandchildren and didn't live far from the school. She was always such a help and went above and beyond. "I hope you had a good break away?" I nodded not wanting to get into it. I might have retrained in teaching, it didn't mean that I didn't take on the occasional personal humanitarian trip that I could fit into life, that was one of the main reasons I wouldn't be looking for a Principal position, assisting as Deputy suited me fine, and the pay certainly wasn't an issue.

A family friend headed up the Red Cross in the Phillipines, Richard Gordon, so I had headed over to see if there was anything that I could do. The earthquake that had hit the city recently was mind blowing. The heartache everywhere. There was certainly no christmas for many of the children I lived and worked amongst. We would often break out the soccer ball or do a bit of art to distract them from the horror all around. Charlie was a boy of eight that didn't leave my side even as I worked through the rubble. The highlight was being able to reunite him with his eighteen year old sister who had been evacuated to a camp on the other side of the city.Richard had given me a team and a section to remove by hand. The bodies were processed to the tempoarary morgue and tagged. We found four alive and three were still surviving when I left.

I find myself at least shoulders above most people I meet in New Zealand, but in the Phillippines my height was that much more pronounced. I could easily look over their heads and I enjoyed the physical work, the summer heat was pretty intense so I had to keep the water and food going in at a rate of knots. But I was up to it. Running and working out had always been part of my life even before the army training.

"Well before we get into the madness of the day. Do tell me, with all that emergency shopping last year that I had to go and grab for you, how was the party?" I smiled as I thought of delivering it all to Susie and the kids.

"It was great. Thanks for doing that. I just ran out of time, and what you got was perfect."

"I was a bit puzzled about you mentioning needing loads of basics. Did you do some baking. Unless there is a lady in your life that enjoys that sort of thing." She smiled in a cheeky daring way, challenging me to tell all.

"Don't ask and I won't tell lies." I thought of Susie backed into me in the kitchen. Why? all these years and I feel like this now? Why?

I had been married but apparently I came back changed from Iraq. That was her reasoning anyway for the affair she had with our best man, my best friend. So I came out of that mess needing to change cities, and careers. I had felt like the stuffing had been knocked out of me.

I can still remember the day. She was wearing a yellow summer dress. Her brown hair shining in the sun as the children ran out to the car to greet her. She had been talking and laughing with another mother as they waited. I had felt a lurch as something in me kicked to life, that I had walled away.

She was a mother and wife then. Now things had changed for her, I knew that she was still hurting if that christmas night was anything to go by. So timing was off. I needed to wait. But I couldn't escape my growing attraction to her. I was pleased to be able to find more teaching hours for Susie, and being my own worst enemy decided on doing some English teaching myself this year so that I could be in the department closer to her. She may never be ready to move on and her children were her life, I realised that. She had lost her soul mate as far as I knew and anyone being interested in her in that way might just be abhorrent to her. Patiece. I knew I had that at least

"So here are the files for all the seniors that will be in the top stream that will need to meet with staff for confirmation."

I started flicking through the alphabetically listed files. Almost to the bottom and stopped to look at Jessie Williams. This had become the pattern for me. Noboby else knew. But being the first to read their reports, or decide what teachers I wanted them to have. Jessie and Tom were great kids and I tried not be be a 'stalker' but it was hard.

"Are you ready for your coffee? because your 9 o'clock is an hour early." I groaned there goes my window, nodding I knew that the next week or two I would be chained to this place for long hours. But I loved it, and enjoyed being able to encourage students and parents alike.

I would have to be careful with Susie. For all I wanted to simply put.... yes hell, I wanted to bury myself in her, without apology and satisfy her in everyway, watch her, care for her, and grow to love her. Family and friends told me there was someone out there for me, I had hoped that it might have been in a bar or on a mission. I smiled wryly, there were some that thought I had found the right and latched onto me, but I had always been reasonably adept at getting out of unwanted entrapments. I had even had an unflattering nick name. The eel. Ha, but girls would put themselves in my way so often, and didn't appreciate it when I took what they offered and wanted to leave it there. I cringed, I had said and done some horrible things, as woman were inclined to remind me from time to time if I met them now.

No, I travelled the world, had been around New Zeland and here she is, first a wife and mother, then a grieving widow right in the school where I am working. But sexy as hell and I was looking forward to every encounter with her this year like it was my next breath. I would be patient, but I hoped I would know when she was ready.

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There you go. Dave's POV or at least some of it.

I hope that he can continue to be the gentleman and give her space. But unless someone breaks the silence they will never know how the other feels.

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thanks for reading.

Christmas 18 more sleeps...YAY.... pressie pile under the tree growing..... sooooo exicted.