Second Chances

Chapter 47

 Autumn was fully setting in. The temperature had dropped and there was a chilly air circulating that had replaced the summer heat and the leaves of the trees were gradually turning into a beautiful kaleidoscope of shades of yellow, orange, red and brown. They were yet to fall from the trees' numerous limbs, but it wouldn't be much longer before the branches would be completely naked.

I pulled the zip of my coat further up, covering my chin, and buried my hands deep in my pockets as the chill found its way through the openings of my outerwear. Taking a long, deep breath through my nose, I felt my lungs expand to welcome the cool air. My favourite scent of summer had been wiped away by the earthy autumnal scents of wet grass and pine cones, mixed with takeout coffee as people walked around and sipped from their plainly decorated cardboard cups in an attempt to warm themselves.

It had been two months since I had told Leon I wanted to give things another go with him, and so far they were going really well. He'd respected my wish of taking things slow, and so far, we'd only gone as far as groping. In all honesty, there was a number of times when I had wanted things to go further, but I was somehow able to control myself. Although, I would occasionally test Leon to see what he would do. He didn't disappoint and remained level-headed when things were heated, putting a stop to anything progressing. His resilience proved to both himself and me that he was a changed man and that my wishes were always being put first, and I appreciated his strong resolve.

While I slowly made my way home from a clients' house after a rather intense workout, I cast my mind over the past couple of months. Fi and Everett were incredibly supportive of my decision, and they were over the moon that me and Leon were back together. Though, I think it's more relief that neither of them had to deal with Leon's moping anymore and that his smile and jovial personality had returned. Fi had told me about the panic attacks he'd been having, and while I felt bad that I had been the cause behind them, I couldn't help feeling a little smug. He'd peered through the window of my world and could now somewhat understand how it had felt like for me because of him. Thankfully, I'd found peace with the past and no longer had panic attacks, and since our reconciliation, Leon hadn't had any more either.

I was proud of how far the pair of us had come, both as a couple and individually. Things were different than the last time and it made our connection deeper and stronger. Over the period of me being away, we'd both become different people, and so we now had to learn to love and accept the new aspects of our personalities. He'd always put me first and had held me in such high regard, but his reverence and commitment towards me and us this time around was second to none. He showed me just how much he loved me every day. Whether it was cooking dinner for me, sending me a sweet text to let me know he was thinking about me, or even just rubbing my feet after a long day, there was never a moment where I felt unloved, unappreciated or unwanted.

Soon enough, I was rounding a familiar corner and began walking through the park. This was my usual route for my daily walks and runs, and it was a destination that I never tired of visiting. The trees were a patchwork blanket of red and gold, with the odd green leaf dotted here and there. Some of the crispy leaves danced in the air as they performed the waltz before settling on the damp ground. The sky was turning peach with thin white clouds stretching across the ethereal celestial dome, as the sun was setting earlier and earlier with each passing day. Occasionally, a flock of birds traversed the plains above, forming an array of shifting shapes as they migrated to warmer countries.

The vast area was calm and blissful. There weren't many people around as it was getting darker earlier and the night cold had started settling in. But despite this, there were still the odd few people enjoying the mid-late afternoon. I found myself smiling as I watched a couple of young children run and jump into a mass of leaves, with a few strays being ejected into the air at the force before floating gracefully back down to the ground. Their sweet, contagious and free-spirited laughs rang throughout the park as they were submerged in the leafy pile. In a few years, that could be mine and Fi's children. If by some miracle I have one by then that is.