𝘉𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳'𝘴 𝘉𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥 || 𝘈.𝘛

42

5 months later..

Brielle Helders

I tap my feet against the rough carpet of the dull hallways as I wait for my girlfriend to finish up with a client. My back is leant against the wall whilst my fingers rhythmically tap against the thin walls of the building, and I only stop my tapping when I hear the office door unlock. 

''Babe?'' Max's voice is calling out from inside the office so I step forward from the wall, a small smile erupting from her lips when I come into her view. 

Without saying anything, she steps aside to let me into the office before she shuts the door behind me. 

I wait for her to sit down before I walk towards the desk. 

''Please don't be mad.'' Is the first thing I'm spitting out and I don't miss the way Max's face slightly falls. 

Over the past few months of being with Max, I've learned that she has a tendency to have a short temper when it comes to things not going the way she'd imagined them to. 

''Okay...?'' She says out of hesitance as her hands come to clasp upon each other atop the wooden desk. 

''I really need to go to London.. like right now.'' I bite the bullet and get it all out at once. 

''What?'' Her brows furrow and I can tell she's on the verge of anger. 

''Listen, I know I'm working but please can you just book me off for now, tomorrow and the day after that? It's really important, M.'' I rush out in a shit attempt to try and get her to calm down, but it barely works because her head is shaking dismissively. 

''I don't understand.'' 

''Please, Max.. I really need to go, Katie is in early labour and I'm supposed to be her partner, I need to be there.'' 

''What, and just leave me here? Is that what you want to do?'' She frowns. 

''What?'' Confusion grows. ''You know that's not the case, Max. I just need to go.'' I sigh at the way she's trying to make me feel bad for something that's completely out of my control. This is something she always does- at first, I used to argue back, but there's no point anymore. 

''Well that's what it fucking seems like, Brielle.'' She huffs and my eyes roll at the way she uses my full name. Usually, she calls me by a nickname or a pet name, unless she's mad at me.

''You're being stupid, I never said anything about leaving you. You can even come, if you want, but I need to go. Now. I don't have time for all of this.'' My hands are shaky now. Just by standing here, I'm wasting time. I've got a two hour train ride in front of me that I booked as soon as Jamie called me twenty minutes ago, that's two hours of Katie's labour that I'm going to miss. 

''Oh, so now you don't have time for me and I'm stupid?'' 

''Max, please. I need to go, my bestfriend is about to have her baby and you're too bothered about picking at every little thing I say. You know I don't mean it in that way.'' My anger grows at the thought that I'm literally going to miss one of my bestfriend's first birth because of Max. 

''How am I supposed to know you don't mean it? It fucking seems like you mean it, Brielle!'' The volume of her voice is raising dramatically and I'm quick to shut it down.

''Fine, whatever. We shouldn't be doing this at work, Max. I'm going, okay? I'll see you in a few days.'' I shake my head before turning away to walk out of the door. 

''Yeah, yeah. Walk away like you always do, fucking pussy.'' I stop in my tracks when I hear the last part of her sentence that she mutters under her breath.