Bus Stop Tale

"James, please listen to Diane and enjoy your meal." She stood back and examined me.

"Good luck son." My dad said.

I arrived at the restaurant with a couple of minutes to spare. After parking the car across the street and spotted Diane waiting outside.

"Has Jane changed her car?" She asked.

"No that's mine."

I tentatively kissed her cheek.

"Very nice, Shall we?" She asked.

We found a table and sat.

"You look incredibly smart James!"

"And you look so different, when did you change the hair?"

She was dressed in a multi layered dress that seemed to float around her.

A waiter appeared.

"Can order for both of us, please?" She asked me.

I nodded. She ordered Carbonara for both of us.

"You remembered!"

"Would you like some wine?"

"I don't drink anymore." I told her.

"Why not?"

"I drank rather a lot the night...." I stopped myself.

"Oh" she paused "my hair? Well it was partly because of work and the fact that I hated my appearance."

As she talked, I noticed she had a ring on her left hand, a plain gold band.

"What's he like?" I asked.

"Who?"

I pointed at the ring.

"Oh! He doesn't exist, I wear it to keep the wolfs away."

"Sorry I thought you had someone." I replied.

"What about you, there must be someone in your life?"

"No, I dated twice, went for meals but it felt wrong, so I have stayed single" I glanced at her face "hence the car, that eats all my money."

I was not going to tell her that my sister and I had fucked like starving rabbits for a while.

The waiter brought two espressos to us.

"Joy told me you took the flat."

"Yes, I couldn't stay at Janes for ever, so it made sense" I drank some coffee "why aren't you living at home?"

"Well mum and I fell out big time, I live in shared accommodation now."

"Do you talk to her?" I asked.

"No, I haven't spoken to her for" she paused "well since a week after we parted."

"Di she's your mother, she must be worried?"

"I know, I still need time to sort myself out first!"

"Sorry I won't say any more, is the place you share nice?" I decided to change the subject.

" It will do, I should be getting my own place sometime next month."

The waiter appeared with food and by the time he had left I had forgotten what I wanted to ask.

"I love the food here!" She began eating.

I watched her and wondered if I should be here, was it a mistake. As we ate, I realised that I was still in love with her. Should I tell her?

"How's your job?"

Her question broke my train of thought.

"Great!" I sounded far too enthusiastic "I asked for long distance delivery's so I could spend nights away, it keeps me occupied."

"Oh."

"And the money is good."

"For your baby outside?" She joked.

"Do you think one of the waiters would put a blanket over it?" I replied.

She gazed at me, then giggled, I couldn't help but join in.

"That's the first real smile I have seen" she finished eating "you should do that more."

"I need something to make me smile."

"Glad it was me that made it happen."

"Diane?" I knew what I wanted to say but faltered.

"Yes?"

"Oh I feel awkward, I was stupid to cut you off the way I did, those letters should have been read, perhaps if I had read them we wouldn't be here like this" I looked into her eyes "It would be a lie to say that I don't think about you every day."

She was wringing her hands as she listened to me.

"What I want to say is could we start over?" The relief I felt after asking was incredible.

"We have both changed." She whispered.

"I know, listen don't answer yet. Think about it."

She nodded.

"Ok, have you had enough to eat?" I asked, glancing at the clock I realised we had been at the table for two hours!

"Yes, thank you."

I called the waiter over and paid the bill. We grabbed our coats and left.

"Please let me drive you home?"

"It would be nicer than waiting at a bus stop."

I opened the driver's side rear door for her then got in.

"Oh, this is nice." She said.

"Where too?"

She gave me the address and I set the sat nav up. When we pulled up outside, I got out and held the door open for her.

"I feel like a VIP!" She joked.

"But you are, you always were."

She smiled then kissed me lightly on the cheek.

"Thank you, James, I will think about what you said."

I watched as she entered the house. I sat in the car for a minute or so then programmed the cars sat nav to my parents' home. Just as I started the engine, I received a text from Diane.

"Don't go!"

She appeared at the driver's door.

"Coffee?" She asked.

"Another after that espresso will keep me up all night!"

She smiled as I undid the seatbelt.

"The others are out all night by the looks of it." She told me as we entered the house.

"Are you ok being alone with me?" I asked.

"I am" she walked to the kitchen "I should have told you this at work, and if you had opened the letters you would know, Joy knows but I asked her not to tell you."

I could not understand why she was being cryptic. She moved closer to me grabbed my hands and put them on her stomach.

"Your pregnant?" I gasped.

"Yes."

"Oh my God!" I gently moved my hands feeling her bump.

"It's..." she began.

"Shhhh" I dropped to my knees and placed my ear against her "It's our child?"

"Yes, and it's a..."

"Please don't tell me, not yet. I was weeping against her.

"That's the other reason I ran away, I thought you would go mad at me for not taking the morning after pill."

"Never!" I stood and kissed her.

"I wanted to tell you earlier, but I thought you would run."

I kissed her again.

"What can I do to convince you I love you, need you and have been so lonely without you?"

"Take me to bed and make love to me?"

"Is it safe?" I asked.

"It will if we are slow and gentle, it's been a long time....."

fin