Old life... New love..

He lives a sheltered routine life, used to order and schedule. That’s how it’s been since his wife passed. Before she died, they had the same routine and structure. Sex was for pregnancy and straight forward. His children, well mannered and reaching their early teens. 

She’s free spirited and clumsy. Travelling the world one month at a time. Her parents died and left her a trust fund for her to experience life at its best. She knows no schedule, and enjoys living. 

A job takes her to a small town, where she is to take photos of the beauty she finds. Renting a small house next to a large property. She goes over to introduce herself and finds the man less than pleasant.. but it doesn’t bother her and she soon finds herself annoying him for help each day.

How can he let someone new in his life when he had lost his only one. Everything she does, says, wears.. he compares it to her and when they become something more, he finds himself still saying she’s doing things wrongly.. can he let go of his past, and become something more with the future? and when he discovers old diaries in the attic that details a sordid affair with her ex boss, is it too late to see what he could have had.

NAME: Tessa Lane 
AGE: 22
BIO: Loves the ocean. Photos daily. Boho hippie. Vegan. Drives a combi van. Never stays in the one place for too long. Always tries to see the best in people. Never had a boyfriend.
LOOKS: Blonde long hair. Slim. Tanned. Green eyes.

Name: Greg Jennings 
Age: 36
Bio: loves routine, he is a writer, he has three children two boys one girl.  Doesn’t do change!  Is annoyed by free spirits.  
Looks: Umm I’ll send!

I turned off down the driveway, following the pathway to the cute cottage house. I was here for 6 weeks photographing the sights for tourists. Looking around, I noticed there wasn’t any keys but a note on the door saying go over to the neighbour, and he would have it. I fixedly shirt and climbed the fence, making my way to the back door and knocked “hello! Anyone home?” I called out cheerily.

I was in the middle of a good paragraph when some to happy voice called out.  I groaned and got up.  Walking to the back door shaking my head.  I swung the door open and saw a young woman as happy as can be oh great.  “You know I have a front door?”  I said then it hit me this is the lady I am suppose to give the keys too. Reaching in my pocket I pulled them out and handed them to her.  As soon as she had them I said.  “Goodbye.”  And shut the door needing to get my work done.

I stood there in shock. Did he really just close the door? I knocked again and waited, I could see him walking away through the window and i knocked again “Umm I have questions! Where’s a good place for food? Is there a beach close by? I was told there may be a shower leak and thought you could come help.” I rambled scratching my head. “I’ll keep knocking. I can see you, you know.”

I groaned.  I turned back around swing the door open.  “Look I don’t know about the beaches I don’t care for any of the food except Dolly’s and I don’t fix anything call a plumber!”  I shut the door again and went to go work only to hear her knock again.  I turned around and opened the door “for god sake what?”

“Thankyou. Umm, I’m only here for a little over a month and I don’t know anyone, so I’ll just pop over when I need some more help.” I grinned ignoring everything else he said “thanks!” I turned walking away “oh by the way, I’m Tessa. See you soon!” I waved and went back to climb the fence again, hiking my skirt up as I climbed and slipped, falling on my ass. I jumped up “I’m fine!”

I shook my head.  “Use the damn gate! Or better yet the front door!”  I called out damn woman.  I shut the door and went back to work.  Once I finished I started cooking dinner for the kids.  Thinking of my late wife and how she would have never done anything like that woman over there.  I shook my head what the hell am I doing comparing them.  The kids set the table and then we all sat down only to hear a knocking on the back door.  “Ignore it!  It’s dinner time we eat.”

I wasn’t giving up so easily. I knocked again and realised maybe it was because I was at the back door. Hmm, I took my cake and walked around to the front door where I knocked then rang the doorbell patiently waiting for an answer. “I know you’re home. You’re lights are on.”

I groaned. I looked at my kids they weren’t eating yet because of her.  I got up and went to the door.  “Look it’s dinner time here at my household and you are interrupting us eating!”  I slammed the door couldn’t she get it!  I went back and sat down realizing I didn’t lock the door.

I walked inside, slightly annoyed and I never grew annoyed “Umm you’re being so rude to me. All I was doing was apologising and bringing a you cake, which im thinking you shouldn’t have any.” I winked at the kids “hi kids, dinner looks delish! Well besides the meat part” I sat the cake down on the table beside him “it’s gluten free, dairy free, sugar free and all natural raw ingredients. Keep refrigerated and eat before seven days, otherwise it’ll go all nasty.” I picked up my bag “oh it’s full of nuts, incase anyone is allergic.”

“We all are!”  I growled annoyed she just walked in.  The kids just stared not knowing what to do.  If this lady thought I was going to ask her to join she was wrong.  Who the hell doesn’t eat meat?  I gripped my napkin “You obviously saw yourself in you can see yourself out. Now that you put us of schedule!”

“What?” I looked at him and then around at the kids. “Oh I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt family time.” I faked a scared look at their dad. “Anywho, bring my plate back once you’re done with it.” I waved and saw myself out “toodles!”

Later that night I laid in bed and couldn’t get that annoying woman out of my head who the hell did she think she was barging in here like that.  I didn’t touch her Cake it sat there not even in the fridge.  Sighing I got up and put the damn thing in the fridge.  The kids were sleeping and I should be but I couldn’t take I kept thinking of Mary and how different she was than this crazy woman next door.

I’d woken early, gone for a run and was now sitting on the deck in my pyjama shorts and a singlet. I couldn’t take a shower until the water was fixed. I took his advice and called a plumber but he was sick. So, I walked back across the yard and over the fence. Walking up the stairs to find him on the deck with a coffee and the paper “may I please lend a wrench?” I asked “I’m going to fix the shower myself.”

I couldn’t help but laugh but I didn’t look up from my paper.  “One, front door!  Two what is with you interrupting my schedule!”  I ask angerily not caring.  “And three if I have one that requires me to get even more out of my routine to help you!  I just don’t have the time.”

“So you can’t take one minute of your important paper time to get me a wrench. Well if that’s the case, could I borrow your shower? I can’t use mine and I really need-“ I stopped talking when I noticed the shed. “Is it in there? Just tell me where and I’ll grab it if you’re so busy catching up on the world news.”

I groaned and looked up.  Fuck big mistake. My Mary would have never worn something like that.  “Look it’s not there and if you would please do not go near the shed it was my late wife’s and no one has been in there since!”  I took a sip of coffee.  “If I let you use my shower will you leave me alone?”

“I’m sorry.” I had no idea his wife wasn’t around anymore. “If you let me borrow the shower, then yes definitely I won’t bother you about showering anymore. I can’t promise about anything else though.”’I smiled with a little bounce in my step. “Umm, alright I need to run back over and grab my clothes and I’ll be right back.” I had raced away, not taking a chance he would say no. Then I came back, being shown to the bathroom but not realising I had dropped my tiny black thong before I stepped inside the bathroom.

I stood there staring at the garment for I don’t know how long.  What the hell is it and where the hell does it go and how?  I couldn’t figure it out.  I needed to go though because she would be done soon.  I went to the kitchen and started breakfast except I turned and my son was holding the strange woman’s weird garment.  “Umm Dad what is this?”

“It’s a hair tie!” The daughter rolled her eyes. “Clearly she ties her hair up in different ways. Right dad?” She snatched it and tried to show her brother and father how it would work in three pigtails.

I had a towel around my body, wondering did I forget my panties? I couldn’t have. I was going to call out to him but he didn’t tell me his name. I opened the door a little and said “Umm, father of the house can you please come here.”

I looked at my daughter not knowing what to do.  I walked over to the bathroom.  “What now?”  I asked trying not to look at her in a towel hair dripping making me mad cause it was getting all over the floor.

“Umm, this is embarrassing. But ahh, did I drop a pair of panties on the floor? I’m sure I packed them. They’re black.” I looked at him. “Could you please go check outside incase they fell somewhere? I’m wearing a dress that’s all.”

I gulped.  “That’s What is on my daughters head is your so called panties?”  I groaned “Kenzie come here please.”  I shook my head now all I could do is picture those things she calls panties on my late wife, then in her and damnit it all to hell.  This crazy woman needs to go I have never thought of another woman like this.  Kenzie appeared with Tessa’s panties in her hair.  “I like your hair ties they are cool!”  She said.