Not the only one (formally Chloe)

Part 13

"Finally time for you to go home Maya, you're not ready to go back to sixth form yet, but you can do schoolwork."
"Yeah, they've sent me enough." Maya smiled.
"Oh Chloe I did this for you." She gave Chloe a page ripped out of her sketch book. It was a wonderful picture of Chloe. "I know I've said it before, but Maya, you're so talented."
"Thanks, it's just a sketch, I've had enough time in here. I wrote a note on the back. And here are your headphones. I'll see you at outpatients next week?"
"You will indeed, bye Maya, look after yourself."
"Thank you for everything." Maya's mother Julia said. A porter came over with a wheelchair "No," Maya said. "I'll walk!"
"You are so stubborn." Chloe laughed. "You told me as soon as you came in you'd walk out. Let Tomasz go with you with the chair anyway just in case. Any concerns come straight back. If you go to A&E just tell them you're Chloe Goddards patient and me or one of the other cardio doctors will come and find you."
"Thanks Chloe." Maya said "and bye." Maya walked gingerly to the lift. Chloe took the picture to the staff room and read the back of the picture.
Miss Chloe Goddard.
Chloe thank you for everything you've done for me. I was always so scared of doctors until I met you. When the first time you met me and you spoke to me like an adult but you like related to me too. Asking me about sixth form and my friends. Thank you for helping me with my anxiety. Usually people just ignore it and hope I'll snap out of it. You're the first person who has actually helped me. I've found your breathing techniques super helpful and I've made an appointment with my GP about it like you suggested. And of course thank you for the new valve and giving me my life back. I'm so excited to be able to go running again. You're such an amazing doctor.
All my love Maya
Chloe felt great. Ben her old bully had been discharged the previous day and Maya's letter and picture had really given her a boost. She blu tacked it to the inside of her locker. While she was there her phone buzzed with a message .
Hey Chlo,
We're having a girls night at home today, even Riley will be there. We would really like you to come over. Love Hattie x
Chloe liked the idea of a night with the girls but she knew Evan wouldn't agree. He wanted her at his so he could protect her, but the girls were her friends. She thought she'd text him so she could be sure she'd told him, and, is she had any doubt she just had to look at her phone.
Hey Evan. I am going home to the girls tonight. We're having a movie night. I think I'll stay over too. Love you, Chloe x

Chloe was walking home. She was having a good day. Her letter from Maya, 3 successful operations a lunch hour where she'd worked on her clip project and grabbed a banana. It was December and she loved seeing the Christmas lights. Christmas had always been a time Chloe loved, even though her mother didn't feature in many of her childhood Christmas memories. Always Gran and Grandpa. Her big stocking hung on the fireplace, to be filled by Father Christmas and loads of presents from Gran and Grandpa under the tree, she was always totally spoiled. The perks of being the only child of an only child. She had no siblings or cousins. No Chloe thought. I do have a brother. I just didn't know it at that time. She felt a little sad about all the memories she'd missed out on with Dom , Christmases, birthdays, holidays. She sighed, what was she thinking, she'd had the most wonderful childhood, lonely at times but she was always fed, always clothed, always safe, and always loved. She knew her mum loved it but as a little girl her mum didn't necessary show it in a normal way, but Gran and grandpa always showered her with tender hugs and kisses. She suddenly realised Gran would be alone this Christmas. She knew she'd be working on at least one of the three days and so would her mum. Last year her mum was working in Scotland so had seen Gran and the year before Chloe had been there too for Grans first Christmas without Grandpa.  She got her phone out and texted her mum.
Hey mum,
I'm sorry I've been so distant lately, as I'm sure you can appreciate I've had a lot to process. I'm still processing it and am not sure how I feel about the whole thing, but I was thinking Gran only has us and will be alone on Christmas. Maybe you could invite her to yours and she could spend Christmas with us. I' hate to think she'd be on her own. Christmas is a time for family don't you think.
Chloe
She looked at the text and deleted the last sentence, family was complicated right now and wrote love before her name. 
She let herself in to the house and the girls were all there already in their pyjamas. "Hey girl." Riley said "you're finally home. Go get your Jammies on, we've got love actually ready and we ordered pizza. We ordered you pepperoni."
"Ah Cheers Ri." Chloe smiled
She came downstairs in her Scottish tartan pyjamas, "representing the homeland Chlo." Emma laughed.
"Something like that" she smiled.
"Look before we start guys. Look, my internship finishes mid January and I'm moving home to Leeds before I decide my next steps. And Ri has a placement with a graphic design firm in London right."
"Yeah. And I can't afford rent here and London prices." Riley said.
"So I've spoken to Mr Drummins the landlord and he's said we only need to give a months notice. He is being nice since he goes to the Church. So me and Ri have payed until 15th January." Hattie looked at Chloe anxiously
"And I can't afford half the rent Chloe. And I don't know if you can." Emma said "and one of the year 6 teachers I work with is looking for a lodger so I think I'll move in with her and her family. Sorry to leave you in the learch like this Chlo, but maybe you could move in with your mum....or your boyfriend?"
"Course. Oh girls I'll miss yous."
"Don't worry. I'll be back to see my parents every so often." Riley said "and each time I'm back we'll do something, me, you and Em and we'll have to get Hattie down from time to time as well!"
"Of course." Hattie smiled.
They watched Love Actually but Chloe wasn't really watching. She liked having the girls place to be her home. She felt she couldn't move in with her mum. She was still so angry with her, she needed to mend that relationship, slowly. And although she loved Evan she didn't want to fully move in with him. She needed somewhere she could be alone. She knew she had to choose, Evan or Ange.
She shook her head. She loved Evan and Evan loved her. Of course she'd move in with him. So   why did the thought of that make her so uncomfortable. She knew why. It's like Evan always said, any changes made her feel anxious. She'd be fine!