Restart (The Revival Series) (3 page)

Leah1982: hello nice to meet you

Leah swore under her breath thinking what a stupid reply it was, what a way to make yourself seem like an idiot. She sighed and thought there was no way she would get a reply. She went to put her phone down but before she had let go it vibrated against her fingers.

               
GregB: How are you today Leah?

Leah giggled to herself in shock that she had got a reply and decided to sod the housework as no one noticed she did it anyway and to have some fun and continue this conversation if she could.

                 
Leah1982: I’m very well thank you and yourself?

                  GregB: Not too bad I guess. Could be better.

                 Leah1982: Couldn’t we all

                  GregB: What do you do for a living Leah?

                 
Leah1982: I’m a stay at home mum at the moment.

                  GregB: I’m not working at the moment either. I was made redundant, and I’m in the middle of a divorce so trying to move at the moment.

                  Leah1982: Sorry to hear that.

                  GregB: You don’t know who I am, do you, Leah?

                  Staring at the question on the screen, Leah’s stomach turned. Was it possible she knew this man? Before she could type a response, her phone vibrated again.

GregB: Gregory Linton ring any bells?

                  Leah threw the phone down on the seat beside her as if it was suddenly made of hot coal. Gregory Linton had been her first boyfriend, her first love. The boy she lost her virginity to at fifteen, and who had broken her heart when he moved away and yet hadn’t stayed in touch.

                  It wasn’t long after Gregory left, that she had met Ryan and he had replaced Gregory in her heart. Hearing his name again after so many years stirred up so many memories she had kept locked up.

                 
Leah1982: So what does the B stand for?

                 
GregB: It’s my mother’s maiden name. It’s a long story but I decided to change to it after a falling out with my father.

Intrigued to find out more, Leah spent the day chatting to GregB on the app. She found out his wife had filed for divorce after he lost his job, as he couldn’t keep her accustomed to the lifestyle she was used to. Of course, she never told him that but that’s what he assumed was the real reason and not irreconcilable differences. Leah told him she was married and had two kids but didn’t want to go into too much detail about her life.

She found Greg very easy to chat to and found out that he was very bored at home; he had no family who lived close and was looking into moving back home and getting a flat near his brother, who lived in town.

School run time quickly approached and she had found out lots about GregB. Leah quickly typed goodbye to him, secretly hoping this wouldn’t be the last time they would speak as she had really enjoyed the interaction even if it had been faceless.

Sitting waiting outside the school for the kids Leah took her phone from her pocket and noticed a message on the screen. She unlocked the phone out of curiosity and wanting to know what he had said despite them both already saying goodbyes not long ago.

GregB: I really enjoyed talking to you today Leah. I hope we can talk again soon xx

She sighed and leaned back against the headrest hoping that they could talk again soon as well.

Chapter 3

Finally, the weekend came around and Leah was looking forward to a family filled weekend of fun, after booking tickets to the cinema and arranging for the kids to stay with her mother on Saturday night. On Sunday she had plans made to take the kids ice skating.

She had booked Ryan’s favourite restaurant for dinner Saturday night, and had been and pampered herself on Friday, having her hair and nails done, and treating herself to a new outfit and new lingerie. Hoping they could spend a lovely evening together and put some romance back into their marriage – at least for the one night.

As usual Leah’s ideas never went to plan. Ryan had work to do, and so she took Emma and Ben to the cinema by herself. Treating them to lots of sugary treats and to a pizza restaurant for lunch. On the way home, she dropped them to her mother's, making excuses that she needed to get ready for the evening so she didn’t need to stay and make conversation.

On the drive home, she heard her phone beep in her pocket. When she reached a red light, she quickly pulled her phone from her pocket to check it wasn’t an emergency or anything - she saw a message from Greg on the screen.

GregB: Hey beautiful, How are you today?

Leah had been speaking to Greg every day that week and had thoroughly enjoyed the conversations. Reminiscing about their past and about school, and she learnt all about his life after he had moved away. She asked more questions than she answered, not wanting to dive too deep into the depths of her life with Ryan.

Arriving home, she dropped her keys on the side table by the door and hung up her coat. Walking into the kitchen, she grabbed a glass of water and thought about replying to Greg.

She had promised herself she wouldn’t talk to him today and would focus on her family and Ryan in particular, however Ryan had blown them off once again and she felt hurt.

Leah1982: Hey, just got in from the cinema, and getting ready to go out for dinner.

She locked her phone and put it down on the table, taking another long sip of her water before placing the glass in the sink. Walking to the fridge, she opened the door and retrieved a bottle of white wine, before grabbing a wine glass from an upper cabinet and poured herself a large glass. Sipping the cool liquid, she could feel the alcohol have an instant effect on her. She wasn’t a heavy drinker, and nowadays wine went straight to her head.

Leaving the kitchen, with bottle and glass in hand, she went in search of Ryan, knowing he would be in his office. Knocking on the door before she entered, she slowly opened the door, to see her husband typing away on the computer, with a vast amount of papers spread out on the desk.

“The table is reserved for eight,” She said timidly, hoping he wasn’t going to blow her out again. Instead of answering her, without looking, he put his thumb up and continued to type. Leah left the room, feeling deflated and strangely determined all at the same time.

Entering their bedroom, she placed the wine and glass on her dresser and stripped off. She glanced at her naked form in the mirror. For her age, the woman looking back wasn’t in bad shape. She wasn’t overweight and physically she had the body of a girl years younger.  Grabbing her glass from the dresser, she finished her wine and poured herself another, taking a big mouthful for courage.

Smiling she walked to their bathroom and turned on the hot shower. Stepping in, she enjoyed the feeling of the hot water running over her skin, and began to relax slightly. Washing her hair and body, she stepped out and dried herself, grabbing her silk robe from the back of the door, and walking back into the bedroom.

Turning her attention back to the wine, she quickly devoured the contents of the glass, before grabbing a comb and gently combing her long hair, and then quickly added a layer of foundation and a slight bit of eye makeup. Looking at her reflection in the mirror, she straightened herself up and pushed her shoulders back before making a decision.

Before she could change her mind, she turned and walked out of her bedroom and straight to Ryan’s office. This time, she didn’t knock and instead walked straight in. Ryan glanced up from the computer, annoyance on his face at the intrusion.

Leah walked around to his side of the desk and pushed the papers to one side before sitting on the edge and maneuvering herself so she was sitting in front of him. He raised an eyebrow at her, waiting for her to speak.

Instead of talking, Leah took a deep breath and undid the tie on her robe, letting it fall off her shoulders, leaving her completely open and vulnerable to his stare.

Leaning forward, Ryan ran his hands up the outside of her thighs, till he reached her waist and pulled her from the table onto his lap.

“So, what’s all this in aid of?” He asked, before kissing her on the shoulder and planting small kisses up her collarbone to her neck.

“I wanted to see my husband. It’s not often I get you all to myself” She replied, goose bumps forming on her arms from his touch. Excitement surged through her at the attention he was paying her, and she began working to undo the buttons on his shirt. Without saying another word, he lifted her from the table, and she wrapped her long slender legs around his waist. He carried her out of the office and to their bedroom, throwing her down on the bed.

*****

Wrapping herself in the duvet, Leah couldn’t help but feel used, empty and frustrated. The most contact she had received from Ryan in months and as soon as he had his way, he had left and gone to have a shower.

Assuming dinner was now off, Leah climbed out of bed and put on her robe and left the room. She didn’t want Ryan to see her so upset and so went downstairs and opened another bottle of wine, not for courage this time, but to drown her sorrows.

Sitting at the kitchen table, she picked up her phone and unlocked the screen, to a few messages from Greg.

GregB: Sounds like a nice evening. Hope you have a good time x

GregB: I know I shouldn’t say this but I miss talking to you this evening. Hope you're having a great time x

Taking a deep breath, Leah responded, saying she didn’t end up going out, before drinking the rest of the glass of wine. Hearing Ryan coming down the stairs she put her phone on silent, locked it and put it in the pocket of her robe.

Ryan entered the room and grabbed a beer from the fridge and leant back against the counter.

“Want me to order a pizza?” he asked, not even looking at Leah.

“Sounds fine,” Leah whispered back, trying hard to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall.

“Usual?”

“That’s fine.”

Ryan pushed away from the counter and made his way into the hall to the house phone to call in a pizza order. Leah looked down at her hands and started picking at her nails, wondering how things could really be this bad.

As the evening went on, they ate pizza in silence, with the television blasting the usual rubbish Ryan watched. Leah picked at the peppers on the top of the pizza, her appetite nonexistent. Ryan, however, didn’t have the same issue and stuffed piece after piece into his mouth, whilst texting on his phone, a sly smile crossing his lips.

Leah sat wondering who he was possibly texting and found the green eyed monster of jealousy flaring up in her chest. Was it possible that he was seeing someone else behind her back? Not wanting to think anymore she took two big bites out of the slice she was eating and left the rest on her plate, before standing and taking the plate to the kitchen and grabbing another glass of wine.

When she returned to the living room she found it empty. The pizza box and Ryan’s plate left empty on the coffee table. Sighing Leah cleaned up the mess before curling herself up in the chair and sobbing, silent tears.

Retrieving her phone from her robe pocket, she unlocked the screen and cancelled a message from Greg, opting instead to open her contacts and to scroll down the numbers till she reached Carrie’s house number. It was the only number she could reach Carrie on as where they lived there was no mobile phone signal, so her contact was made either with the house phone or through Facebook online.

It only took a few rings for Leah to get an answer.

“Hey, Leah,” Daniel’s deep voice answered the phone.

“Hey,” Leah replied in a confused tone “How did you know it was me?”

“We had caller display put on the house phone; Makes it easier to avoid the nuisance calls. Hang on I’ll grab Carrie for you,”

Waiting, Leah heard Daniel calling for Carrie, his voice echoing from the old farmhouse walls.

“Hey, Lee! How are you?” Carrie’s cheerful voice filled the line and Leah felt a terrible pang of emotion at how much she missed her best friend.

“Hey babe, I’m not too bad how are things your end?”

“Oh, you know the same ‘ol same ‘ol routine. Trying to fit in work around Tyler’s activities and the farm; it’s such a juggling act, how you do it with 2 children amazes me,” Carrie giggled

“I don’t work though Carrie, so things are different for me, I have more time remember”

“Yes and you are much more organized than me, always have been”

“I was wondering babe, are you free for visitors weekend after next? It’s been a while and the kids have the following week off school and would love to come and see you all,” As the words left Leah’s mouth, she closed her eyes and she silently prayed they could go and visit. She needed space away from Ryan and picked at her nails nervously waiting for Carrie's answer.

“Oh my, yes that would be amazing!” Carrie answered, the excitement carrying through her voice. “Tyler would love to see Ben! He looks up to him so much! Plus it will be great to see you and have a proper catch-up. Will Ryan be coming too?”

Carrie always asked the question out of politeness but knew what the answer would be. Not once since she had moved to Devon, had Ryan accompanied his wife and Kids down to the farm.

“No, you know how hectic his work schedule is, it will be just me and the kids,” Leah answered swallowing the sadness, and the reminder that her husband never went away with them.

“Great! The barn isn’t booked next week, so you can stay in there instead of us all cramping in the main house will give you all more privacy too! Oh, Lee, I can’t wait now!”

Leah could practically see Carrie bouncing about in excitement, and it brought a smile to her lips. She needed this getaway, things would improve she just had to believe it.