Pregnant Pause [H.S]

Chapter 30

Strangely, that comment produced the broadest smile of all. I was about to respond in all seriousness when she added:

How is your family?

I paused, taken aback for only a second.

Fine... as far as I know.

Have you not seen them?

Not really. Muffy always pesters me to visit, though. For some reason I thought she might have told you that.

We've been emailing a bit. I think she likes the company.

She does mention that you're difficult to get a hold of, though.

And what do you say?

I felt strange asking, like it was no longer my concern even though it was about me. With bated breath, I waited for her response.

I typically avoid responding to things like that.

A diplomatic answer at best. I bit my lip as my brow furrowed.

Ah.

As I thought about what else to add, there was a knock at my door. Niall poked his head in to see me tangled in my sheets, eyes trained to my lap where my mobile sat.

"You awake?" he asked groggily, despite the evidence that I was. "Aren't you usually leaving for work around this time?"

Startled, my eyes flew to the clock on my nightstand and widened when I checked the time. I cursed under my breath, flying from my bed and shooing him from the room. Even though I was stressed about my tardiness, I couldn't leave my conversation with Fitz like this. I had to close it off somehow.

You know youre going to be late to work when NIALL shows up in your room to remind you to get dressed.

Oh, right! You WILL be late! Go!

Yeah, I have to. And you should get some sleep.

Probably.

Okay. Good night, Fitz.

Good morning, Harry.

Feeling better about tying things up, I was about to set down my mobile... but I couldn't stop myself from typing one last message.

Its good to talk to you.

And I returned from my shower, drying my hair with a towel as I shimmied into my pants, to one last message:

You too. It's been a long time. It was really nice.

*

Two days went by, and just when I was beginning to think I'd never hear from her again... I heard from her again.

I just ate a peanut butter based chicken burrito for lunch.

It was nearly nine in the evening, and Niall and I were enjoying bowls of mildly heated canned soup in front of the telly. I checked my mobile and grinned in amusement, setting down my bowl to reply with both thumbs.

Thats odd.

Her response was instantaneous: You mean delicious.

I had a sandwich and a banana.

My lunch was better.

Maybe. Mine was eight hours ago so it doesn't matter much anymore. Its in the past.

Your lunch tomorrow won't be better, either.

Im stuffing peanut butter and chicken into a pita as we speak, Fitzpatrick.