“But what about you, Leslie? What have you been doing all these years?”
Regretting.
Leslie was a middle-aged woman who had three lovers in her life, but she loved only once. Fleming was her “one who got away”. He was attentive, loving, knew how to touch her, and laughed. But when the stakes got high and he was ready to truly commit to her, she froze. Whether it was because she was unable to bear his children or because she let her doubt take over, Fleming, her one love, was not willing to wait. He married someone else.
Ten years had passed, and she had yet to forget about Fleming. She regretted letting him walk out of her life. What was so admirable about Leslie was that homegirl was the walking definition of “shoot your shot”. Once she found out that Fleming was a widower, homegirl went for it. Now, whether or not it worked out in her favor...you’ll have to read to find out.
Regret is funny. Although it is an emotion that comes with many negative emotions, it can have so much value because it can truly be the ultimate teacher. In Leslie’s case, she gained so much insight about her relationship with Fleming that if given another chance, I’m sure she would avoid treating him the same way she did in the past. That’s what life’s all about, right? Learning from our mistakes and doing better when we know better.