Broken Wings

Part Fifty Eight - Being apart

Chapter Fifty Eight

The place was empty without Julia, that was a difficult thing to comprehend. The way things were going she was going to be leaving him permanently in less than two months. Tossing his phone onto the sofa beside him, Aaron rued the time difference, as they seemed to keep missing each other.

She's sent him a text when her plane landed, a rather chirpy -

Here, safe and sound. Speak later, x

It was informative, at best, but there was no personalisation to it, and that hurt him, more than he could imagine. He'd replied with a similar evasiveness, that he was glad to hear it, and he hoped she got some rest. Then he'd immediately regretted not being more friendly himself.

Since then, they'd missed each other. Her latest text sent two days after she left, had arrived when he was in a meeting.

Can't believe we keep missing each other. Going to a party with Abi in two hours, hope you're free for chat before we leave. Otherwise I'll call you tomorrow?

That had come through when he was elbow deep in managerial bullshit and it was hours before he saw it. SO another night would pass without them catching up. He was tempted to clear his diary the following morning, be available to take her call. But he also knew that wasn't practical. Maybe a gesture would be appropriate, flowers, a gift? But then he wasn't even sure where she was staying to do that.

Nope he had to speak to her.

Julia's head was hurting, not through the champagne and then beer she'd drunk, possibly through the lack of sleep, but also from the lack of contact with Aaron. She missed his quick wit, the way he got her, knew her better than her best mate, she had to acknowledge that leaving him for good was going to be really hard. She glanced at her phone, no return message. It was midnight. Seven pm back in the States. Maybe she'd catch him. Drunk calling wasn't the best idea, but she wasn't drunk, she'd had a few drinks, but that was all. Her argument was strong in her own head, and inn an unusual gesture, she threw caution to the wind.

She was at a hospital fundraiser and a lot of colleagues and old college mates of Abi were there, which meant that she knew lots too, but the varied and eclectic mix of friendly faces weren't enough to engage her. The ballroom was lavish, a top London hotel, most would love to be there, but Julia was bored.

Glancing around, she excused herself from the group she was with on the pretence of visiting the bathroom, but in reality, she detoured out to the large balcony that flanked one wall, overlooking the river. Out there, in the relative quiet, she pulled out her phone and called Aaron. No hesitation.

Only to cut straight to answerphone.

The anticipation in her whole body whooshed out in a sharp exhale, she didn't realise how much she needed to speak to him, it was so much more than a want, a desire. Sighing, she sipped at her drink, then turned to lean against the balcony and look back at the illuminated room through the windows in front of her. Glamour, money....it was a great evening, but she didn't feel part of it, instead, she longed to be somewhere else, somewhere across the Atlantic.

As she drained her glass and started to move towards the door, back into the ballroom, she felt her phone vibrating against her thigh. Rifling through her bag she almost cried with relief when she saw Aaron's name flashing on the screen.

"Hey you," he breathed as she answered the call.

His voice made her body tingle, "Aaron. How're things?"