Broken Wings

Part Forty Five - work, work, work

Chapter Forty Five

It had been a crazy day. Alex her boss had welcomed her back, asking how she was feeling after her bereavement. Aaron had more than covered for her, and she couldn't be more grateful for that. For the last ten days she'd not thought of work, and it hadn't been until just before the weekend that she'd even thought about her colleagues. She'd emailed Alex to say she was coming back, and had mentally prepared a story to explain why she disappeared so dramatically. She was almost wrong footed when Alex asked about her elderly Aunt.

When she finally got back to her own office, Taylor jumped up with a screech, "oh my GOD! I am so glad that you are back, girlfriend...there is FAR too much testosterone in this place."

Julia reciprocated the rather dramatic hug, then when it finally ended, smiled at her colleague, "sorry to abandon you."

She shook her head, "Not at all. I was so sad to hear about your aunt. You must've been close?"

It was easy to tell white lies here, than to explain anything else. So she pasted on what she hoped was a sad smile and shrugged, "she was elderly, but it's always a shock. So how has the exhibition been? Did you rearrange my Q and A sessions?"

They chatted for an hour, sorting through the diary, as the rest of the team arrived slowly.

Mid morning she checked her flight tracker app, Aaron's flight was due to land at around lunchtime, and she saw it was on schedule. She'd text him at lunch time, let him know she was thinking of him. After spending a few hours catching up with all that she missed, she was almost surprised when Taylor leaned into her office.

"Lunch? I'm buying...there's this deeeee-licious deli that's opened two blocks away. You'll come?"

Nodding she reached for her bag, she needed to keep her mind active...plus she wanted to know what had happened between Taylor and the rather quiet Jerome, when she'd walked out ten days earlier, they were going out, to talk. She had a lot to catch up on.

The sun was shining as they cut across a couple of intersections to a small deli with the word Sandy's emblazoned across the top, of the doorway. There were only a couple of tables inside and each was taken. Taylor shrugged, assuring Julia that they could take their food to the park, or one of the benches across the street.

It was the greatest sandwich she'd had in weeks. Hunger dictated that they chose the nearest bench to tuck into their lunch and for a few moments, they both almost inhaled their food. She'd chosen a Mexican chicken sandwich with extra jalapeños and guacamole.

She needed several napkins to mop up the deluge, but it was worth it. When half was demolished, she sat back and sipped at her diet coke as she turned to Taylor. "So...Jerome?"

Taylor blushed, "I was hoping you'd forgot."

Julia grimaced, "that bad? I thought you were going out for coffee."

"We did...but I don't know what happened. He kissed me again, it was amazing...but he hasn't said much thing. He's not avoiding me, but he's not said anything else."

"So what's your plan B?" Julia was hardly one to advise on relationships, but she of all people knew that sometimes life needed a kick up the arse.

"Nothing. I mean I've given him several chances..."

Julia shook her head, "he was DEAD jealous of you at that dinner a couple of weeks back. You need to start flirting more, push him into a corner."

She shrugged, "but that might make work difficult, it's not perfect, but it works."