CHANCES (Andrew Lincon Romance)

Chapter 17

It was becoming late fall and I was beginning to wonder if it would ever quite raining. The prospect of building Noah's arch was becoming a real necessity. Especially tonight as tonight was the start of the girls regional dance competition. We were racing around getting everything ready when the door chime went off. I pushed the buzzer to see who it could be at the most inconvenient of times.

"You have to help me. Her mom got held up at work and she missed her last train. I watch the dance competitions I have no idea how to get ready for one." Jeremy sounded panicked.

Laughing I buzzed the two up. Moments later the two stood before me looking frazzled and wet. "Did you bring all her costumes?"

"I think so," Jeremy handed my the black dry cleaning bag with the embroidering HAPPY FEET DANCE STUDIO across the front. I unzipped the bag and checked to make sure all seven outfits and accessories were there.

"Perfect now let's head to the bathroom to get your hair and makeup done. The girls are already in there." I had just placed my hand on her back when the most god awful sound fallowed by running water came from my room.

Giving Jeremy a questioning look we all ran for my bedroom. To my confused horror there was a giant hole in my celing and water was pouring onto my bed.

Grabbing my phone I dialled the buildings care taker frantically. He was somewhat baffled and unbelieving over the phone. When he walked into my room he was clearly surprised and speechless but set to work right away.

In the confusion of trying to strip and move my bed as well as find a bucket I could have sworn I heard my phone ring. "Hey Jeremy was that my phone?"

"No it was my phone tho." He said handing me my phone. I pushed the home button but when nothing appeared I assumed it was my imagination.

Moments later the building supervisor appeared in my doorway. No one is home in the loft above you but a pipe has split between your floors. It must have been slowly dripping for sometime and rotted out the wood. Tonight when it fully broke everything came crashing through to your level. I can have crews in here to fix and repair but not until tomorrow morning. For now all I can do is turn the water off. Do you have a place you can spend the night?"

"Thanks and we will figure something out. For now we are late and have to rush off." I smiled at the slightly pudgie man.

Strange I thought that Andrew hadn't phoned to with the girls luck. Oh well maybe he got held up and would phone after. I knew they were working an intense schedule trying to finish the last of the episodes.

Jeremy dropped us off at the front doors and with umbrellas popped open we did out best not to get soaked. Racing down the hall to the doorway marked Happy Feet. This is were true controlled kayos at its fines found its name. There were girls dressing, redoing makeup, changing costumes, having nervous breakdowns and practicing dance moves. Anything could and usually went wrong. Each parent was assigned a group of children and a task. It was to be a moving assembly line for the next four hours. If we won and advanced the fallowing day would be a repeat of the same

Six hours later we waited on baited breath for the judges qualifier announcements. Oh course they did the bla bla portion of their speech thanking everyone for their hard work in getting this far. There was twelve teems to begin with and by the end their would only be seven starting tomorrow's competition. They announced the seven up to the third place qualifiers. Holding our breath as this either meant we qualified or were out. . The first place goes to HAPPY DANCING FEET STUDIO. We erupted in joy, hugs laughter and tears. The girls had worked so hard and they deserved it.

Everyone was so exited and on such a high I nearly forgot to turn my cell phone back on. When it lit up there was two missed calls from Andrew with no messages. Looking at the time I knew he would be sleeping so I didn't call and wake him. Besides I still had lots of stuff to pack and change for tomorrow's competition. Six thirty was going to be bright and early especially since it would be after midnight when I got to bed.

There was no break in the down pour if rain the fallowing day either. Nothing like trying to fight the elements that either got costumes wet or frizzed and puffed the girls hair out. In order to keep it slick, smooth and in place I swear each kid gained five pounds from the amount of hair product. Especially those with naturally curly hair. It had been a long morning and when one of the other moms asked if i wanted to go on a coffee run I jumped at the chance.

There was a local vender just outside the the dance hall that sold snack food, magazines and coffee. Cuddling under our umbrellas we dashed over placing our order. As I waited for the the guy to get our order I let my eyes cast across the magazine covers.

My heart stopped and sunk shattering into a million pieces. I tried to blink back my tears as I reached forward grabbing a copy with shaking hands. Plastered across the front was a pictures of Andrew passionately kissing his ex wife. The caption below read...Wild Night In Atlanta. I opened the magazine to find picture after picture of Andrew holding and kissing her.

These had to be old I thought at first. That was until my eyes caught sight of the key pendant I had bought Andrew dangling from his neck. Trying to act like nothing was wrong I carried the tray of coffees back into the dance hall. My mind was whirling in a depressing pain. I knew now why out of the clear blue I had not heard from Andrew. He was to busy getting it on with his ex wife.

The rest of the competition was nearly more than I could handle. It took everything I had not to just break down and fall apart. The images of him holding her, touching her, and kissing her played over and over in my mind in vivid detail. Even as the judges announced that our dance troop would be moving in to finals I clapped only because it was expected of me.

Finding a quiet corner while everyone packed up I called Tammy. "Hey the girls were amazing In so proud that they are moving on."

I could hear the hum of the audience as they were filing out. "Tammy," I tried to control the shake in my voice. "Go out to the news stand and look at the bottom row."

I couldn't say more because the tears were on the verge of falling. Fifteen minutes later a text came through my phone.....that fucking son of a bitch. Send the girls to my place for the night and I'll go buy some Baileys and chocolate ice cream. I love you. Stay strong I'll be at you place in the next few hours."

I couldn't explain why I did it but I bought a copy of the magazine as well as a few others that had their pictures. Morbid fascination or a glutton for punishment you decide. Either way I guess the other shoe had finally dropped crushing my broken heart.

When I got home I changed into the frumpiest close I could find. Grabbing a box of Kleenex I sat on the couch, hiked my blanket up and began to cry as I flipped through the magazines.

Try as she might there was nothing Tammy could do other than cry along with me. Saying she was sorry and that she wanted to rip his balls off. At least when she left she took the magazines with her. Not that it would help cause come tomorrow the painful reality was they would still be on every news stand.

I crawled into bed broken and defeated listening to the sound of the rain. My pillow became soaked with tears but I didn't care. When my phone rang waking me from my sleep it was the only light illuminating the room. Looking at the name I began to cry all over again. I didn't answer the call or check the message. I didn't want to give Andrew the satisfaction of knowing I was crying.