Mixed Signals.

7.

"Hello how can I help you today?"

"Good morning. Can I talk to ranger Jay Halstead please?"

"Can I ask who you are please?"

"Of course. I'm his ex partner - Erin Lindsay."

"Okay my love. I'll put you on hold while he answers the phone for you. Just don't hang up." Then come the hold music. The horrid hold music. I just sat there at my desk waiting. Everyone was also sat around doing their own thing. I decided to eat some of my noodles and chicken for lunch.

"Hello?"

"Oh hey." I didn't even mean too but I smiled.

"How are you?" He sounded quite chirpy.

"I'm good thank you. How are you doing?"

"I'm good actually. Everything's been good. My stitches are fully healed." I laughed.

"Good. I'm so glad your doing okay. How are you honestly though?"

"Struggling." I sighed.

"Yeah I know. So you've been drinking? Hank rung me and told me."

"Oh so that's why he suggested I ring you." I sighed.

"Yeah probably - I mean how bad has the drinking got?"

"A everyday thing. I'm drinking then surviving on tablets and painkillers and a lot of sleep, I need sleep." I yawned.

"Yeah exactly. You need to stop, get some therapy and then we need to sot ourselves out." He whispered.

"Why are you whispering?"

"Because I'm in a warzone and I don't want to be shouting about my ex fiancée being a alcoholic on the phone in front of people."

"Oh I'm sorry.. I'll go now anyway. I'll see you later."

"Love you loads."

"Love you too." I sighed. Then the line went dead. I put the desk phone down and carried on eating lunch and looking through the work on my laptop. The entire office was silent. Apart from the typing and laptop clicking no one was doing anything. I felt so tired as well.

"Boss?" I called.

"What's up my love?" Hank smiled coming to the door.

"Well can I take my case's homes please? I'll take my files home and continue because at the moment I need to go home sleep and get myself to full health."

"That's wonderful. Type stuff up and email it to me." He smiled. He patted me on the back as I made up a cardboard box and lifted all my work stuff and my laptop in the box.

"I'll see you guys later." I smiled.

"Yep see you soon." Adam smiled. I put my coat on and carried my box down the stairs and packed the car. Finally after 3 hours sitting in traffic I got back to the apartment. Setting my laptop and folders up at the table and making a pot of coffee. I sat back down while some bacon was cooking and my phone pinged.

'I'm all ready so give me a call when you are.'

'Coming now.' With that I set up the laptop and tucked my hair behind my ears. My finger hovering across the mouse debating whether to press the call button...I sighed and pressed it. In seconds Jay appeared in front of me with a smile.

*

"Hello sweetheart." He smiled.

"Hiya. How are you doing?"