Page 91 of Endgame

‘I’m not your COO, Samir. You are yet to recruit your COO and I would appreciate an indication of when that will happen. The team really could use someone in that role.’

‘What aren’t you telling me, Ariella?’

‘Samir, I have answered— Excuse me.’

I walk quickly to our bathroom, where I vomit the contents of my stomach into the open toilet. The cool floor is welcome and, just when I’m thinking about standing, I throw up again.

‘Aari?’ I hear Lydia call.

‘In here.’ I unlock my stall for Lydia to push the door open.

‘Are you okay?’

‘Yes. Food poisoning, I think. I cooked some chicken last night and it tasted strange.’

‘Do you know?—’

‘Lydia?’ I hear Caleb call from outside the bathroom.

‘She’s fine!’ Lydia responds.

‘Can I come in?’

‘Yes.’

I retch as he makes his way to the stall.

‘Aari,’ Caleb says as he strokes my back to soothe me.

‘I think it must have been last night’s chicken.’

‘I’m going to get you a car. I think you need to go home. I’ll let MsPat know what has happened and tell Samir that I’m sending you home,’ Lydia offers before she leaves Caleb and me in the bathroom stall.

Caleb sits on the floor with me, rubbing my back gently as the waves of nausea arrive and depart, until the car comes. Lydia grabs my things and a sick bag from the medical box then sends me home with Caleb.

When we get there, Caleb holds me under a cool shower and, when I am feeling better, he makes a little bed on the living room sofa for us.

‘MrCaleb. I need ginger and fresh mint please,’ MsPat says, emerging from the kitchen and handing him a strip of paper. ‘You go, I look after Miss Ariella.’

I really don’t want Caleb to leave and, by the look on his face, neither does he.

‘MsPat, can we pick it up tomorrow?’ Caleb asks.

‘No, MrCaleb. Please go. Now.’

MsPat has never asked for anything, and looks after us so lovingly, the forcefulness of her request takes us both by surprise.

‘I guess I’d better go then,’ Caleb says and kisses my head. ‘I’ll be quick.’

‘Hmmm,’ MsPat says as she frowns at him. I must be imagining it. She loves him.

As soon as Caleb has left, MsPat returns to the kitchen quickly, then joins me on the sofa, holding a cup of fresh ginger tea.

‘Drink,’ she says as she sits.

‘MsPat, I really don’t feel like?—’

‘Drink.’

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