Page 75 of The Fallback

‘What post?’ Rosie said, her interest suddenly piqued, ‘Is everything OK?’

‘Yeeesss,’ said Jasmine cautiously. ‘Have you been on Instagram recently?’

Rosie felt her stomach fall, she knew from Jasmine’s tone that she was about to hear something that she didn’t want to.

‘Not today. What are you trying to tell me?’ Rosie asked in a flat tone. She knew – just knew – what was coming.

‘Well…’ hesitated Jasmine, ‘there’s a picture of him and a girl.’

Rosie waited for her to continue.

‘Oh,’ said Rosie as the air went out of her, she knew it was coming but that didn’t make it any easier to hear. ‘Jenny, I presume?’

‘Mm-hmm,’ confirmed Jasmine. ‘I presume so.’

‘What did it say? His post?’

There was an even longer pause, ‘She’s kissing the side of his face…’

‘OK. But does it say anything?’

‘To all the haters out there…’ Jasmine said reluctantly, tailing off.

‘Wow. Right.’

‘I’m sorry, Rosie, you know you shouldn’t read too much into it, OK?’

Rosie laughed hollowly. ‘I don’t know, Jas. I think his message is pretty clear. Hang on, let me look.’

Rosie took the phone from her ear and swiped. Opening Instagram, she searched for Mitch.

‘Rosie?’ said Jasmine. ‘Rosie, are you still there?’

‘I don’t understand,’ said Rosie putting the phone back to her ear. ‘He’s gone!’

‘Gone?’ said Jasmine in confusion. ‘what do you mean,gone?’

‘I mean just that,’ Rosie said insistently. ‘He’s disappeared, gone, I can't see his profile anymore.’

There was a very long pause.

‘Jas,’ Rosie eventually breathed, ‘He’s blocked me, hasn’t he?’ She gave a low laugh. ‘I feel so stupid even saying that. Why am I so surprised? He’s blocked me in real life already so why wouldn’t he block me online?’

‘Rosie, I’m so sorry, are you OK?’ Jasmine asked, concerned.

Rosie felt her voice catch. ‘It just feels really public, Jas,’ she whispered. ‘Now everyone will know he’s not talking to me.’

‘They won’t,’ Jasmine replied in her most matter-of-fact tone. ‘How will they know? In fact, who even goes on Instagram anymore?’

‘We do,’ said Rosie, flatly.

‘Well, yes,’ agreed Jasmine, ‘but I couldn’t see he had blocked you, could I?’

Rosie said nothing.

‘Has he posted anything else recently?’ Rosie asked, desperate for more information even though she feared hearing it would hurt.

There was a long pause, Rosie could hear her nephews in the background, it made her long for some familiarity and comfort.

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