Begin Again | Chenford (The Rookie)

Chapter 15

Lucy blinked groggily, her mind still foggy from a restless night of tossing and turning. With a heavy sigh, she reached for her phone, her heart pounding with anticipation and dread. But as she unlocked the screen and checked her messages, disappointment washed over her.

Still nothing from Tim.

No text, no call, not even a simple update to let her know how things had gone after they were abruptly parted by his urgent phone call. A sinking feeling settled in the pit of her stomach, and she couldn't help but wonder what was happening on the other side of town.

Her thoughts immediately drifted to Tim, Isabel, and Isla. They had a lot to talk about, she reasoned. A family reunited after months of separation would surely have much to discuss, much to catch up on. Perhaps Tim was busy helping Isla adjust to her mother's return, or maybe they were all sitting down for a heartfelt conversation over breakfast.

But as the minutes ticked by and still no word came from Tim, Lucy's anxiety began to mount. What if he was choosing Isabel? What if he had decided that his duty lay with his wife and daughter, leaving Lucy on the sidelines once again? The thought made her stomach churn with a mix of fear and disappointment.

After all, Tim was still married. It would be best for Isla to have her family back together, wouldn't it? Lucy couldn't deny the pang of jealousy that tugged at her heartstrings. She had allowed herself to hope, to dream of a future with Tim, but now she wondered if she had been foolish to do so.

Should she even bother to fight for him, or would that just be setting herself up for future heartache?

As the morning wore on, Lucy found herself caught in a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. Part of her wanted to reach out to Tim, to demand answers, to know where she stood in all of this. But another part of her hesitated, afraid of what she might hear, afraid of the truth that lay waiting on the other end of the line.

She busied herself with mundane tasks, trying to distract herself from the scary uncertainty that gnawed at her insides. But no matter how hard she tried to push the thoughts away, they lingered, stubborn and persistent.

With a heavy heart, Lucy decided to distract herself by heading downstairs to the bookstore. Chen's Corner would always be the place where she'd go to find solace. As she descended the stairs, the familiar scent of old books enveloped her, offering a sense of comfort amidst the chaos of her thoughts.

Tamara and Jackson were already hard at work behind the counter, arranging books and restocking shelves. They looked up as Lucy entered, their faces lighting up with genuine warmth and curiosity.

"Hey, Lucy!" Tamara greeted her with a bright smile. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be out enjoying your morning after with Officer Zaddy?" she teased, using the nickname she had jokingly bestowed upon Tim.

Lucy managed a weak smile in response, trying to mask the turmoil brewing beneath the surface. "Ah, well, you know how it is. I can never leave this place for long. Thought I'd come down and help out for a bit," she replied, hoping her voice sounded more casual than she felt.

Jackson raised an eyebrow, clearly sensing something was amiss. "You're here on your day off, something's up. Spill the tea, Lucy. How was your date?" he prodded, unable to contain his curiosity.

Lucy's smile faltered, her thoughts immediately drifting back to the previous evening and the unanswered questions that still lingered.