The Summer Deal

Twenty three - Red flags and out of limits

To: thornequincy@googlemail.com

cc: quincythorne@collingwood.com

From: drsarahjgrant@googlemail.com

Subject: Life Update

Dear Quincy,

If you haven't read your previous 37 emails, then you'll probably not read this one too. But since this has become a habit lately, I'll still carry on with it despite your sudden disappearance from my life.

Okay. So here it goes.

YOU STUPID HOE.

What were you thinking when you booked a non-refundable business class ticket to New Zealand for me? Alright. Fine. Even if you did, shouldn't it be your duty to inform me of my travel plans before I left London? And if I was to spend two weeks in Australia, two in New Zealand as a surprise, and be back home before Christmas, I don't want it.

I'm staying here. In Sydney. For as long as I want. Just don't ask me why.

Because the truth is, I don't either. Maybe it's because I haven't properly explored the places here. I have been hiding in the hotel for most of my time. Yeah, I'm still not a fan of traveling or exploring. I haven't been to the Opera House or the Botanical Garden. I see pictures of kangaroos and koalas on the internet. No deep sea diving for me. You forgot how terrified I am of boats.

I say I don't like to travel but then I travel around half of the city sitting behind a man in the passenger seat of a motorcycle that is older than my grandma Lucy's grave. I can assure you, he is nowhere near the reason why I am choosing to stay because if I was, which I am not, he would have known my intentions very clearly, which he obviously doesn't. You know I am not the kind of woman who expresses herself through words. I don't speak, I act. Actions mean everything. And when I act, people who are meant to be affected by my actions know that I expressed myself, whether they're on my good side... or not. Even though the list of people who are not on my good side is longer than the people who are, Noah has managed to add himself to the latter with very little effort.

I don't know how to react to that. Should I be worried? Should I not? Should I let him stop messing with my head with his smile, his looks, and his silly personality? I know he's not as silly and carefree as he acts around. I can't leave him high and dry with the agreement that we have. There is nothing that he can do from his end until you come back but I'm following my end of our deal.

I don't know how long I can survive here without a purpose. I sit and do nothing all day except smoke, eat and drink. I try to distract myself with anything which is related to work but I know it's useless. I can't go anywhere further in my research without my lab. It's a dead end for me and it's maddening. Dad called and he asked me to come home for Thanksgiving. Maybe I could have said yes if he ever decided to actually be in our home for the holidays and not in his office. Every time he calls from his office, he brings back memories I'm not fond of recalling. Mum's going bonkers with the preparation like every year and he needs me to help him keep her sane. I'll buy her a cookbook and find a celebrity chef to sign it, and hopefully, that should keep her down for some time. I don't plan on coming home or going anywhere else for now.

After all, I have a wedding to attend with someone.

So I forgive you for all the monetary loss I suffered in your absence and I hope you'll forgive me for calling your engagement to Adam and surprise pregnancy the worst things of life.

I was wrong.

Nothing is worse than your silence in my life.

With lots of love,