Pregnant Pause [H.S]

Chapter 14

Jumble

On a Friday, I received email notification from my boss, Alison, that my requested time off had been approved in August. That was just the news I needed to brighten my mood and carry me through the day. Fitz's birthday wasn't for another three weeks, but at least I had a mini vacation to look forward to.

"You're fucking shitting me!" Vic cried at the end of our lunch break. I was cleaning up the table and preparing to head back to my desk, but her exclamation made me pause.

"What is it?"

She was staring at her mobile with a scowl. "I swear to Lucifer, we've been planning this for weeks," she complained, slamming her mobile on the table. "My girlfriends and I have a horror movie marathon every summer. We buy a box of wine and a horrendous amount of salty food and get the shit scared out of us. It's tradition."

"Sounds sexy."

"Well, one of the girls cancelled yesterday because her boyfriend surprised her with a weekend away." Vic sighed. "Today, I've just learned that another is bailing. The reason? A boy. Boys are so stupid."

I shrugged apologetically. "We don't mean to be."

"My evening suddenly turned into a lonely date with a box of wine. Is this what it's like to be forty and single with all your friends hitched? Kill me, Harry. Kill me now before I have to live it."

I burst into laughter. "Perhaps you're being slightly dramatic."

"Easy for you to say, with your girlfriend and your social life," she grumbled. "What are you up to tonight? Romantic date? Dinner for two? Ride through the park on horse-drawn carriage?"

I snorted at the mental image. "Not quite. Actually, Niall's throwing a stupid party, so I have to hang around and make sure he and his tosser friends don't destroy the flat. More or less the antithesis of a romantic date."

"At least you'll be with other people," Vic said with a shrug. "My only chance of coming into contact with another life form is if my landlord still hasn't gotten rid of the mold growing on my ceiling fan."

I scrunched my nose in distaste. She laughed at my reaction.

"Hey, listen," I said as it occurred to me to extend her an invite, "if you'll be sitting around at home, why don't you..."

My words trailed as I rethought my intentions. Vic in my flat. Vic at my party. Vic and Fitz. I started to wonder if maybe that was the worst idea I'd had in a long while.

"... take a few extra minutes for lunch?" I finished weakly. Gulping, I added with a nod, "If anyone asks, I'll cover for you."

Vic's face fell, as if she knew what had sat on the tip of my tongue but had never seen the light of day. She gave me a close-lipped smile.

"All right," she agreed. "Thanks, Harry."

"Don't mention it."

I left her in the break room as I headed back to my cube, trying to reason why I hadn't just told her to come to the party.

In the end, I was left puzzling over whether it was because I didn't want her to see me with Fitz or if I didn't want Fitz to see me with her.

*

Fitz had messaged me a list of items to pick up before the party, so I arrived at the flat armed with a 40 of coconut rum along with two bags' worth of various chasers. As soon as I walked through the door and dropped everything but the rum to the ground, I caught an unwelcome glimpse of Fitz and Jamer giggling in the kitchen.