One More Chance

~~~Well, here we are again. I guess it must be fate. We've tried it on our own, but deep inside we've known we'd be back to set things straight. After all the stops and starts, we keep coming back to these two hearts. Two angels who've been rescued from the fall. After all that we've been through, it all comes down to me and you. I guess it's meant to be, forever you and me, after all~~~

-Cher and Peter Cetera-

"Sam,"

I immediately turned the swivel chair in the door's direction when I heard Dana's voice.

"Yes?" I asked as soon as she came into my sight.

She has her phone in her hand and covering it with her other hand... which got me confused.

"What is that?" I asked again and she gave me a mischievous smile before opening her mouth.

"Luke is asking if they can have an outdoor business meeting here this afternoon?" She replied barely a whisper that made my frown deeper.

I stared at her, blinking my eyes for a few seconds not knowing what my reaction would be... if I was going to laugh at her, laugh at her question or kick her ass out of the mini-office.

"Why are you asking me, I mean, why do you have to ask me?"

"Because you are a co-owner of this shop." She shrugged.

"What?" I can't believe what she had just said. "My goodness, Dana! You're also a co-owner so why do you still have to ask me? Besides, what if they want to have a business meeting here or whatever meeting is that---just say yes! Tell them it's okay---" "Ohh... if that is so, then tell him it's okay with you." She interrupted me and in an instant, the phone she was holding was already in my hand.

"What am I going to do with this?" My eyes were round like saucers as I started whispering and she giggled at me.

"Uhm... talk to him and tell him you will get ready for their meeting." She whispered back with a wink.novelbin

"But why do I need to be the one talking to him? Why not you?"

"And why not?" she raised an eyebrow, crossing her hands over her chest. "As you can see, I'm very busy assisting our customers outside while you're only doing reports here, so yeah, it would be better if you're the one to talk to him." She smirked. My face twitched in a bit of annoyance, confusion, and a feeling I couldn't explain suddenly crept into my stomach.

"What makes it different if you talk to him instead of me? It will just take a few minutes." I insisted again.

"Oh, you're right!" Her eyes lit up as she laughed. "What makes it different if you talk to him instead of me when it will just take a few of 'your' minutes?" She just repeated my question emphasizing the word your'. "Besides, you are his ex-wife so you know him better than I do." She winked.

"Huh---?" But she has already opened the door and rushed out leaving it with a slight bang before I could even form a word. "Haist! You bitch!"

I just formed my hand into a hardball before taking a deep breath and promised myself to get revenge on her after the call.

"Hello, Dana, are you still there?"

"Hi, Luke, it's me." I tried to make my voice sound confident, but deep inside my ribcage, my heart started pounding faster than usual.

"Oh---hi, Sam," I heard the sound of surprise in his voice.

Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes tightly and started telling him the opposite of what happened.

"Yeah, hi, uhm... Dana wants to apologize because she's busy at the counter and couldn't talk to you, so she hurriedly handed me the phone." I bit my lower lip, waiting for his reaction.

"Ohh... it's fine, she doesn't need to apologize."

My eyebrow suddenly knew its way up as I suddenly heard the excitement in his voice.

"Anyway, she said you were asking if you can hold a business meeting at the coffee shop?"

"Yes, if it's okay with you."

"Of course! Actually, you don't really have to ask, you can have a meeting here any time you want but..." I paused as an idea came to my mind.

"But?"

"But of course, each of you should order and eat here during your meeting because we're not a multipurpose hall that accommodates people for free." I made sure to emphasize the last word. And his reaction shocked me and made my heart skip beating for a moment. "Oh, God, you haven't changed sweetheart!" He said before giving me a humorous laugh.

-'Sweetheart' my mind repeated.

It's been so long since I heard that word and I couldn't even remember when was the last time. Maybe that was before he met Cherry Peterson again. The time when I thought everything was finally falling into place but I was wrong. Suddenly, a bitter yet sweet smile crept into my lips.

"Sam, are you still there?"

And I was pulled back to reality when I heard his voice on the other line. Why am I still thinking those things?

"Y-Yeah, I just got a message." I lied. "Uhm... by the way, when are you coming here so we can reserve the tables and chairs?" I asked slowly releasing the breath I didn't know I was holding. "We will be there at 2 or 3 this afternoon."

"Okay," I nodded even though I know he was not seeing me at that moment. "How many are you?" I took the notepad from my left and started writing down all the numbers he was giving me.

"I think we are more or less 15 persons including me."

"I see, is there anything else you want to ask?"

"On, no, that's all, thank you, Sam."

"No worries," I smiled. "And thank you also for informing us ahead of time."

"Yeah..." I interrupted him, posting the note on the computer screen.

"Okay, if that's all you wanted to ask, I have to end this call. Bye, Luke." And I didn't wait for him to say another word as I had already ended the call.

I just bit my bottom lip because I know what I did was kinda rude.

"Woo!" I took a deep breath and released it loudly as I leaned back in my seat. I was about to close my eyes for a while when the door suddenly swung open.

"Eherm! Care to tell me what happened?" The beaming face of Dana appeared in front of me. She pulled the chair next to me and slumped herself with a smirk playing on her lips. "What did he say?"

I rolled my eyes, taking the note I had just posted on the computer screen, and gave it to her without uttering a word.

"What is this?" She asked, frowning and I sighed.

"The information you need, madam. Happy?" I asked pretending to be sarcastic, but she just laughed at me.

"But this is not the information I need nor do I want to hear from you." She leaned in her seat. The smirk on her lips never once disappeared as she talked. "I want to know his reaction when he heard your voice." "Dana!"

"Oh, come on, it's as if I didn't know he actually wanted to hear your voice, Tss!" she then laughed at her own words.

"What do you mean?" I frowned

"He doesn't have to ask that stupid question, duh! I know what he wants and he wants you." Flipping her hair over her shoulder, she winked at me which I noticed has become her habit lately. "Dana!" I playfully glared at her.

"Girl, I know your ex-husband was just making his way to be near you."

"How do you say that?" I avoided her gaze and turned my eyes back to the monitor. And a few minutes later, I felt her hand on my shoulder. I glanced back at her and found she had already gotten up.

"Since everything has been settled, all the wounds have been healed and forgiveness has been awarded to the person who broke your heart, I think there's nothing wrong with dealing with the old feeling that has been in your heart for a very long time." "W-What the hell are you talking about?" I gazed up at her with a nervous laugh. I suddenly got confused as to why our conversation turned into something like that.

"I know you know what I'm talking about, so I think I don't have to elaborate it." She smiled. "Anyway, I'll take this note and ask Arthur to set the tables."

And just like that, I was left speechless and confused at the same time.

"Haist! Why does she have to make this thing stressful? What is wrong if Luke wants to have a business meeting here and what the hell is wrong with her?" I just let out a frustrated sigh before continuing my reports.