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The car journey home was quiet, and Francine took it much slower, allowing Alex to gather her thoughts. She hated being the centre of that kind of attention, and being in hospitals. It all creeped her out and triggered things she didn’t want to think about, but she was already in a state when she got there, so none of that really mattered. Dr Kelly, on the other hand…she hadn’t expected her, or the feelings she would evoke.

So, lost in thought, she barely noticed when Francine pulled the car into the drive and came to a halt.

“Right, let’s get you inside.”

“I’ll be fine,” Alex said, stepping out of the car quickly. The last thing she wanted right now was to be stuck in the house with Francine for hours. She loved the woman, couldn’t be without her careerwise, and if she was honest, she was her best friend, but at home, she’d just fuss around her and drive her demented.

“I don’t like it. I think I should stay.”

“Franny, I love you, but no. I’ll be fine. You can call me in the morning. I’m alright. I just want to chill on the decking, watch the sunset and then go to bed. Go spend some time with David; god knows that man barely sees you as it is.”

Francine huffed, and for a moment, Alex wondered what a full-on Francine tantrum might look like, not that she would ever witness such a thing. Francine got things done. She didn’t throw a strop over things not going her way; just deviated until she found the right path.

“Fine, I’ll call in the morning.”

Alex watched as she got back into the car, took eight turns to finally spin it around and drove off. Sand from the beach that had blown in and covered the road blew up in a dusty cloud. She stood there for a moment, the red lights of the car getting brighter in the distance as Francine applied the brakes to take the left turn, and then she was gone. Alexandra’s world fell silent once more, except for the occasional squawkingha ha hafrom the seagulls as they searched for morsels of food left behind by visitors.

By the time she’d showered off the stench of hospitals, gotten changed and brewed a cup of chamomile tea, she remembered that she hadn’t had her phone with her all day.Searching the house, she found it by her bed and carried it out onto the deck, taking a seat in her favourite spot.

The swing chair was like a giant bubble of softness that she could sit in and float above the world, the gentle sway often lulling her into slumber. She watched as the sun dropped lower in the sky and spewed hues of orange, pink and red out like layers in a cake. Picking up the phone, she pressed the button that lit up the screen and saw she had a message.

Laurel: So, miss me?

Alex sighed. Wasn’t this day bad enough already without her ex still bothering her?

Alex: No, and I’m not going to respond anymore, okay? You ended things a long time ago, and I’m okay with that. You don’t get to just waltz back into my life when it suits you.

The reply came back almost immediately.

Laurel: Okay, but I just wanted to say that I’m sorry and I miss you. If you ever want to talk again, I’m here.

Chapter Five

July comes to an end

Francine would be arriving any minute, and Alex wasn’t really in the mood this morning, but needs must. She had said Francine could come over and check on her, hadn’t she? Check on what though? It had been almost a month since the hospital visit, she couldn’t still be worried about that?But you’re still worried, a small voice in the back of her head said.

Maybe they needed a conversation on what Francine really meant.

Alex had finally managed to fall asleep around five, but the alarm going off at eight had cut short any opportunity to feel refreshed. She needed to be dressed, ready and focused. And not still be thinking about Morgan Kelly. The very reason she would need a nap later, the exact reason why she had lain awake half the night with thoughts one should definitely not be having about someone they only met once.

Gimme a call, she heard replaying in her head, and she had to admit, she was tempted to do just that, but then common sense had swept in and reminded her that it wouldn’t work. Apart from being way too old for her, their lives were so far apart, it could never work. But she couldn’t shake the idea completely. She’d felt so calm and relaxed around her; that was rare.

It was another beautiful day though, and Alex decided to focus on that. The sun was still warming up and had just caught the edge of the decking. Over the next eight hours, it would slowly move around until it was directly overhead, beating down its heat onto the wooden planks and anyone sitting out enjoying it. Slowly, she sipped her morning tea and watched as the early day trippers began to arrive and set up their tents and towels. Since when had sunbathing become such a production? She smiled as one of her neighbours waved at her, out on his morning constitutional.

There was a small boat bobbing about a little further out. They were out early, she mused. Maybe fishing, or diving. She couldn’t see anyone in the boat.

“Hey, where the hell are you?” Francine called from inside the house. Sometimes, Alex wondered what had possessed her to give Francine the codes and access to her home, but she smiled when the gregarious woman marched out onto the decking. “Oh, there you are, I should know by now, but hey, one day you’ll surprise me.” She flopped into one of the chairs that were still in the shade.

“Good morning to you, too,” Alex said before lifting the cup to hide the smile on her face.

“Yeah, well, I’ve been awake for hours. It doesn’t feel like morning anymore and I need coffee; you want another tea?” She stood up again, ready to march back inside and complain about the lack of decent coffee in the kitchen.

“No, thank you, I’m good.”

“You know, I think I’m just going to buy some good coffee and hide it in your cupboard for when I’m here,” Francine was saying as she sauntered onto the decking and nestled backdown in the chair she had previously vacated. Alex smiled to herself at the predictable comment.

Placing her book down on the table, Alex watched a seagull swoop down and flap its wings at some smaller birds before stealing whatever it was they’d all been happily pecking at.