Hi there, kind people. Thank you for your continued support and continued interest in this story.
Standard disclaimer.
Lance Wallenza's heart rate tripled, at the sight of his kids and his first love, as they walked across the small parking lot, towards the door of the café.
They were a sight for sore eyes.
His thoughts and emotions were all over the place. What should he say? What will they say? Should he hug them…her?
He stood from his seat, as they entered and made their way to him.
Gwen steered the kids to the table and immediately, awkwardness ensued, as Lance greeted them with fiddly hugs.
With everyone seated, he decided to break the ice.
"It's so nice to see all of you…looking well and happy." The kids eyed him silently, and then, looked to their mother for instructions.
"Thank you, Lance. It's good to see you, too."
"How is Merlin doing?" he asked. The kids' eyes lit up, at the mention of their god father…Uncle Merlin to them.
"He's doing great. He's in a solid relationship and has great job…" She paused and looked at the kids.
"They're probably wondering how you know Merlin." Lance turned to his kids.
"Uh…Merlin and I went to school together. He, your mum and I, were like three peas in a pod…Is there anything you'd like to ask me?" The kids looked to their mother.
"It's okay, you can ask anything you want," Gwen said.
"Why did you leave us?" Alex asked.
The question surprised Lance. He lowered his head for a beat, completely thrown and utterly ashamed. He chose his words wisely.
"I see you're a lot like your mum, you get right to the point. Uh…I have no answer for that…I was young and foolish. I guess…I let what other people said, get to me…but there isn't a day that goes by, that I don't regret it and I've never stopped loving you."
As he said the last part, he looked at Gwen and she looked away.
"Well, why didn't you come back?" Alexandria asked, her little face masked with curiosity.
"Again, I don't have an answer for that. It just got harder, as time went by and I felt…as though you'd all be better off without me."
"Didn't you love mum?" she asked.
His eyes snapped to Gwen's face, and this time she didn't look away. She held him in stare with a quiet defiance, waiting to hear what he would say.
"Yes…yes, I did...but, as I said before, I was a fool." He wanted to say, he still loved her, but the look on her face, told him, he shouldn't.
"Are you going to leave again?" Alex asked.
"I…uh…I don't want to…I want to get to know you guys and I need to make this up to you, somehow."
A small smile blossomed on Gwen's face. So far so good, she thought.
A waitress arrived at their table, took their orders and left.
"So, how is school? You guys getting good grades?" Both nodded.
"Making lots of friends?"
"Yes. Alex has girlfriend," Alexandria said.
"No, I don't. She's just my friend. Mum? She's doing it again."
"Settle down guys. Lexi, I told you not to fret your brother."
"Sorry mum…sorry Alex."
Right then and there, Lance felt like an outsider.
He could kick himself for missing out on so much, with his kids.
"Is it always like this?" he asked Gwen.
"Not so much, they do bicker, like all siblings, but they are good ninety-nine percent of the time."
"They get that from you," he said, and Gwen smiled.
"Maybe, but they have similar traits of both of us."
"You've done a really great job with them, Gwen. I mean that. I wish…"
The waitress arrived with their orders, unknowingly cutting him off. After she had gone, Gwen said,
"Look Lance, things are how they are…we can't change what's happened…but, we can certainly work together, to make their lives better. If you're serious about wanting, to get to know them, we can work something out. I will never keep them from you…not purposely, but you have to understand, they don't know you…they are young and vulnerable, but they're also very smart. We need to take one step at a time and go at their pace. Is that alright?"
"Yes, I completely understand and I agree. Whenever they are ready, I'm just a phone call, or a text away. And we can do whatever they feel comfortable in doing."
Gwen breathed a sigh of relief.
She just wanted her kids to be happy.
"So, tell me about this new guy you're seeing," he said. Gwen's face broke into a sweet smile and Lance could only feel a pang of jealousy.
"His name is Arthur Pendragon and he's a great guy."
"How did you guys meet?"
"Through his sister, Morganna…Merlin's girlfriend, at their company's Christmas party."
"Wow! If I may ask, how is he with the kids?"
"Course. He's wonderful with them. He cares deeply for them, as they do him."
Lance lowered his head.
It felt as if he'd received a stab to the heart.
He knew all about Arthur, after spending hours looking him up, and finding out he was indeed a proper man.
"I'm happy for you, Gwen. You deserve to be with a great guy." Gwen warmed to him in that moment, as she held his gaze, seeing honesty and of course, a little hurt.
"Thank you, Lance."
"So, how did they handle the move and a new school?"
"They were very excited…honestly, these two act like old souls sometimes. They took everything in stride."
"That was certainly a bonus…and you've changed jobs, also…"
"Yes, I did. Thanks to a little, gentle persuasion from Morganna, I now work at their company."
"Brilliant! Is it hard…what you do, I mean?"
"No. Not really. I actually got through my training, within three or four days."
"I'm not surprised. You were always a fast learner."
"Have you found a job of your choice yet?"
"Not really…I did a couple of interviews and I've had a few offers, but they weren't what I was looking for."
"Well, what are you looking for?"
"Good question. I like working with my hands…I like working with technical stuff…and I'm pretty good at figuring things out."
"That's a start…it limits the options, but it also means you can score a really good job and it'll be something you like."
"Exactly!"
Just then, Alexandria tapped her mother's hand and beckoned her closer.
"Can I call him dad?" she whispered. Gwen smiled.
"I'm sure he'd like that." She tapped her mother again.
"Will Arthur be sad, if I call him that?" Gwen was taken aback. Arthur and the kids had a special bond, but he would never try to replace their dad.
"No, love. He won't. He'll be happy if you are happy."
"Okay."
She looked at her father and back to her mother and then to her brother, who was scowling at her. Once again, she tapped her mother and whispered,
"Can we invite him over?" Gwen wasn't sure how to answer, but she'd do anything for her kids.
"Of course. Why don't you ask him?"
"Okay." Alexandria shyly looked at her father and asked,
"Would you like to come to our home?" Lance was pleasantly surprised. He smiled and looked at Gwen for confirmation. She nodded and he happily replied,
"I would, very much, Thank you." He turned to Alex and asked, "Is that okay with you…if I come to your house?" Alex smiled bashfully at him and said,
"Yes, please."
Once again, Gwen breathed a sigh of relief.
Lance seemed genuinely interested in their lives and the kids seemed comfortable with him.
They chatted for a while longer and wrapped up the afternoon, by making a date for Lance to visit the kids.
He walked them to the car and just before Gwen got in, he said,
"Gwen, I really want to thank you, for agreeing to let the kids see me…" he paused, seeing her hold up her hand.
"They wanted to, and I think you deserve a chance to get to know them."
"I don't know if I deserve this chance, but I'm grateful. Bear with me, I have to get this off my chest. As I was saying, thank you… And thank you for doing such a wonderful job with them, after I abandoned them…and you. When I read your letter and you said, you'd moved on, I couldn't handle it…hence the reason I took so long, to get back to you. But I realized…I'm the only one at fault here. I messed up…not you. You actually gave me a choice and I took the coward's way out. You deserve every ounce of happiness you get and more. I still love you…but I respect you enough, to behave myself and let you enjoy your life, with your new guy. I will try my best to make things up to the kids…"
"Lance, you don't need to make anything up to them…just be the best dad you can be, to them. As for the other stuff, thank you for your honesty…I hope you find, at least, half the happiness I have…and good luck finding that special job."
They said their goodbyes and Gwen drove off.
And Lance turned away with a contented smile, on his handsome face.
Back at the company, Arthur was still behind his desk, trying to keep busy and keep his mind occupied.
He was a bit on edge, thinking about Gwen and the kids' meeting with Lance.
A knock on his door, broke him from his thoughts and he called out,
"Come in." Mithian entered with a smile on her face. "Mithian, what can I do for you," he asked.
"I wanted your opinion about an idea, I have for the next company event."
"I'm listening."
"Well, I know there is talk about having a picnic…but…a picnic is so ordinary…it's almost as if, it's mandatory…or expected. I think this year, we should go in a different direction."
"What do you have in mind?"
"Well…I think a company retreat would be ideal. I think it's a good opportunity for the employees to get to know each other…in a relaxed atmosphere…where everyone would be…on the same level, so to speak."
Arthur pondered her idea, allowing everything to sink in.
"Sounds good. But I have to run it by my sister, and of course, Guinevere. She does most of the co-ordinating and if she thinks it's possible, then we'll make a go of it."
Mithian almost rolled her eyes at the mention of Gwen's name, but caught herself and schooled her features.
"Of course. But, I hope you can help sway her…this could be good for the company, in terms of better work-relationships, a more efficient company, you know, stuff like that."
"Hmm…I see what you mean. Let me get back to you on this. I promise to speak to them, as soon as possible."
She flew around his desk and threw her arms around him, saying,
"Thank you! Thank you!" Surprise masked Arthur's features. He gently grasp her hands and pried them from around him.
"It's not official yet, Mithian. Besides Morganna and Guinevere, I need to consult with the board…"
"I know that, but, you're the boss, and if you think it's a good idea, then everyone else will think so too."
"As I said before, let me get back to you on this matter…shouldn't take more than a week or so, to run it by them."
She smiled widely, still standing beside him. As politely as he could, he asked,
"Is there anything else I can do for you, Mithian?"
'You can dump Gwen and her baggage for me.'
"Uh…no…that's it. Thank you for hearing me out, Arthur."
"You're welcome. Now, if you'll excuse me…I have some things I'd like to get done, before I call it a day."
"Okay. I'll still be here, so if you need anything…" She left the sentence hanging.
"Thank you, but I think I'll be okay."
She went out the door and ran right into Morganna, who gave her a hard look and entered her brother's office.
"What did she want?" Morganna asked. Arthur rolled his eyes, thinking about Mithian and said,
"She wanted to propose an idea for the company."
"Oh? I'm intrigued."
"She thinks instead of a picnic, we should do a company retreat this year."
"Hmm…that is actually not a bad idea. What are your thoughts?"
"Well, she did raised some notable points…all aimed at benefiting the company and bettering employee relations…I thought it was a good idea, too."
"Yes, it could work. But, Mithian doesn't do anything, unless she can benefit. My spider sense tells me, she's up to something." Arthur laughed.
"Your spider sense?"
"You know what I mean…she's doing this for a reason and my guess is, it involves you."
"Me? I believe she knows better…but this is Mithian we're talking about. I'll take it to the board and Guinevere, now that I have your opinion and see what we come up with…And I'll keep an eye on Mithian, just in case."
"Good. Me too. So, have you heard anything from Gwen yet?"
"No…nothing yet," he answered, looking a bit dejectedly.
"She'll be fine, Arthur. If there was a problem, she would've called already…plus, Lance would be an idiot, if he doesn't use this opportunity to get to know his kids."
"True. And I know she's okay…I can feel it. But...I just wished she were here, or I was there…" Morganna smiled happily.
"You have it bad, Arthur. Wherever Gwen is, you're bound to be, aren't you?" Arthur's face coloured. But his sister was right, and he told her as much.
"There's no sense in denying it, Morganna. I think everyone knows how much I love Guinevere and the kids of course. She's exactly what I've been missing in my life. And I want to be around her as much as I can."
"Well, I couldn't be happier, for you, or for Gwen. You two deserve to be happy."
"Thank you, Morganna."
Just then, his phone rang and he went to answer it. His face morphed into a smile, as he looked at the screen.
"I know who that is," Morganna started, smiling. "I'll see you later. Tell Gwen I said hi, will you?"
Arthur nodded and answered his phone.
On the outside, Mithian was packing up for the day.
Morganna's presence unnerved her, so she decided it was best to leave.
"Mithian, leaving already? I thought you wanted to hang around until Arthur left."
"I…I…Yes I am. Turns out I really have to go."
"Oh…well, good for you. Arthur is pleasantly occupied right now, anyway. You should've seen his face, when Gwen called just now. I think she's the one…"
She turned on her heel with a smug smile on her face, and entered her office, whilst Mithian's face was masked in anger.
She slammed her drawer shut and marched out of the building.
I hope this is good enough. I just wanted to put something out there, so you guys wouldn't think I've abandoned my favourite couple.
Until next time, much love to you. Stay safe.