Page 87 of Loving Jemima

“So yourself. I’m obviously still alive. What about the office?” Ellie answered.

“The police came, Carys is fine. It looks like a burglary perhaps?” They shrugged. “There’s no real news yet. They took her statement and then rushed off. She’s on her way to the police station right now to try and find out what the next steps are here. Now, your turn.”

“I’m fine, it was a panic attack, I need to go see a psychiatrist and probably a psychologist too,” Ellie said.

“All of which you’ve known for a while now,” Mo pointed out, sitting on the edge of the bed.

“I’ve been too busy to deal with it.”

“You need to make yourself a priority. We’re going to make that psych appointment together when we get out of here, alright?”

Ellie nodded. “Alright. Thank you.”

“It can be a part of your big life change,” they grinned back. Then the smile slid from their face and they looked worried again.

“What?”

“Nothing, just, well, is all this a coincidence?” Mo said. “I mean, what are the chances that all of this all happens at the same time?”

“Bad things happen sometimes, Mo. And I suppose sometimes, two bad things happen in the same day. To be honest, it’s not like there was anything that important at the office. Even if it was burgled, my laptop’s in my flat, there’s little cash there. It’s not the end of the world. The insurance will pay for any damage.”

“Mmm,” said Mo. “I suppose. It’s like we can’t be safe anywherethough, isn’t it?”

“We have each other,” Ellie said. “And we’ll all be fine. Which reminds me, didn’t I hear something quite important back there?”

“Like what?”

“Like you loving Carys?” Ellie said, raising an eyebrow. “I was in the middle of a panic attack but I’m pretty sure that you said you loved her.”

Mo grinned sheepishly. “I suppose I should tell her, huh?”

Ellie nodded. “I would.”

“And what about you?” said Mo. “Any further thoughts on that whole calling Jem thing?”

For a moment, Ellie was about to give the same answer that she’d given the last time. Then she thought about it, really thought. She thought about how she couldn’t not think about Jem. About how things in her life had to change. About how frightened she’d been when she realized Paul was in her flat. About how quickly things could change.

“I might ring her,” she said quietly. “Later. In a few weeks maybe. Just for coffee. Just to be friends.” Just to have someone like Jem in her life to remind her that anything could happen.

“I would,” Mo said, with a grin. Their phone started to ring. “I’ll be right back,” they said, disappearing out of the cubicle.

She could be friends with Jem, she thought as she waited. Maybe even more, one day. Maybe it was time to stop playing by the rules and start doing things she actually wanted for once. And maybe Jem would change too.

“Um, so, here’s a thing,” Mo said, slipping back through the curtains, phone in hand.

“What?” Ellie asked.

“Someone wants to talk to you,” they said, handing the phone over.

Carys’s face beamed from the screen. “Hello,bach, you doing alright over there?”

“Fine, I’ll be fine. I’m sorry for your scare,” Ellie said. “But you really didn’t have to call and check on me.”

“Oh, I’m not the one who wanted to talk to you,” Carys said, still beaming.

“Really? Well who does then?”

“Your burglar,” laughed Carys, turning the phone so that another face materialized next to her.

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