Page 47 of Come Back To Me

“—Enough! We are not having this conversation,” I say laughing, but instantly regret it for the pain in my head. It throbs and feels as though my brain is rattling around up there.

She walks around her chair to my side. “Jokes aside, you’re not just thinking about you anymore.” We stare at each other. “You need to think about what’s best for the baby. The stress of Lauren, the pre-eclampsia… be selfish. That’s all I ask.”

Smiling, I nod knowing she’s right. “Okay.”

“I’ll see you Monday,” she says, before picking up her bag and leaving me in the room.

Thinking for a moment, I grab my phone from the table and open up my messages.

Me: Hey, you free any days this week? X

Her reply is instant, making me smile.

Jess: For you, of course. What day you thinking?

Me: I’ve been given the rest of the week off. Apparently, I’m stressed… so whichever you can do.

Jess: I love your boss. The world needs more people like her. Let’s say Friday?

Me: I know, right? Perfect. See you then x

Jess: See you thenx

I then open a message to Dean.

Me: Are you busy? We need to talk

No more than ten seconds after I hit send, my phone starts ringing. “Hello?” I answer.

“Don’t ever send me a message telling me we need to talk.”

I roll my eyes.

“And I heard that.”

Urgh. “Heard what?”

“The eye roll.”

“You can’t hear an eye roll.”

“You’re not denying it.”

Fuck. “So, I eye rolled you, listen—”

“—No, you listen.”

I instinctively cross my arms holding my phone to my ear, shifting my weight onto one foot.

“I need to apologise for Lauren being at the house this morning.”

I let go of some of the angst I’m holding. “What youneedto apologise for is letting her leave, and more so, not letting me go after her.”

“I’m not apologising for that.”

“Why not?”

“Because you shouldn’t be chasing after her. She’ll come to us.”

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