Begin Again | Chenford (The Rookie)

Chapter 10

Tim and Angela sat at their usual spot in the dimly lit bar, nursing their drinks after a long day of work. The atmosphere was relaxed, with the low hum of conversations and the occasional clink of glasses.

Tim, engrossed in his phone, couldn't suppress the smile playing on his lips as he typed away. Angela, ever the curious friend, couldn't help but notice his distraction.

"Hey, Earth to Tim!" Angela exclaimed, waving a hand in front of his face. "You've been staring at that screen for ages. Are you even listening to me?"

Tim looked up, still smiling, and tried to play it off. "Of course, Ange. I'm just checking a message real quick. No big deal."

Angela rolled her eyes and snatched the phone from his hand. "Let's see who has you all distracted."

She glanced at the screen and saw the contact name 'Lucy.' Gasping dramatically, she turned wide eyes to Tim.

"So you finally made a move?!"

Tim, looking genuinely confused, responded, "What do you mean?" His brows furrowed as he tried to decipher Angela's reaction.

Angela couldn't hold back her grin. "Well, I have been waiting for you to get your head out of your ass and ask her out!" Her words hung in the air, a mix of teasing and genuine curiosity.

Tim's expression shifted from confusion to shock. His cheeks turned a shade redder, caught off guard by Angela's theatrics.

"What? No, it's not like that. We're just friends. She sent a video of a puppy. It's cute, that's all."

Angela arched an eyebrow, an amused smirk on her face. "Uh-huh, just friends sending cute videos. Sure, Tim. Whatever you say."

Tim sighed, realizing he couldn't escape Angela's playful teasing. "Just give me back my phone, Ange. I promise I'll pay attention to your thrilling stories of Jack."

She handed the phone back with a mischievous grin. "This conversation isn't over. You should ask her out, Tim!"

"I can't ask her out, I'm married!"

The weight of his words lingered, a heavy truth hanging in the air.

The bar, once filled with the hum of conversations and the clinking of glasses, seemed to hold its breath for a moment. Angela's gaze softened as she regarded Tim, her friend, caught between the past and the potential of a new beginning.

"Tim," she said, her tone serious and caring, "you know I love you, that's why I'm going to be very blunt here. Your marriage is dead... and you deserve to move on." Her words carried a mix of concern and encouragement.

Tim's mind swirled with conflicting thoughts, caught between the warmth of his connection with Lucy and the cold reality of his struggling marriage. Angela's words lingered in the air, challenging him to confront the unspoken desires and uncertainties he had been wrestling with.

He considered Lucy—her kindness, her genuine concern for Isla, and the subtle joy she seemed to bring into their lives. Tim found himself looking forward to their interactions, seeking her presence as a refuge from the complications of his own world.

Yet, the weight of responsibility as a father pressed upon him.

"What about Isla?"

Moving on would undoubtedly introduce a new dynamic, one that might confuse and disrupt the fragile stability they had.

Angela, ever insightful, responded to Tim's unspoken worries. "From what you've told me, Isla is as smitten with Lucy as you are. In fact, it would be good for her to have a female presence like Lucy in her life."