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“Lyds—”
“If you don’t mind, I’d like to be left alone now. I’m tired.”
“Lydia, please.”
“You heard her, Halle. It’s time to go.” Lydia hadn’t heard Cathy return, but she was so happy to see her.
Halle clenched her fists several times before slowly standing. It was taking every ounce of strength Lydia had left not to reach out and smooth the harrowed look off Halle’s face.
“I’m sorry, Lydia.” Halle muttered in a voice no higher than a whisper.
When Lydia was sure Halle’d left, she allowed the tears to flow. It was the right call, of that, she was sure. But that didn’t stop it from hurting. It wasn’t just Halle and Fe; it was the last three years of menstrual torture, all her lovers leaving. Norris giving her shit. Lydia’s life being on hold.
All of it came flowing out, but this time when the tears dried, Lydia didn’t feel the oppressive weight anymore. It was time for a change. Time to leave all those things where they belonged. In the past.
There were still hard times ahead. Health issues wouldn’t just vanish, but at least Lydia had a competent doctor behind her. She had Cathy and Harrison, and Monty, of course.
Chapter 13
Changes were afoot. Well, the planning of changes was afoot. Lydia was determined to move forward with her plans to shake things up a little.
Nearly two weeks had passed since the operation and so far, so good. Elise stopped by after work a week after the op to check on Lydia’s stitches. The good doctor stayed for a coffee and a biscuit, which was unexpected but nice. They discussed Lydia’s progress on her new pill, which she’d only been taking for a few days.
Apart from a little nausea in the beginning, Lydia felt fine. She wasn’t bleeding yet, however Elise warned her that during her next period it was likely she would bleed for longer. Hopefully, though, the pain would be a lot less and the bleeding lighter. Elise’s primary concern was for Lydia’s hormone balance. It could take a few months for the pill to stabilise her moods, and Elise asked her to document her feelings throughout her cycle. Nothing that Lydia hadn’t done before.
Once the medical bit was out of the way, they chatted about daily life, agreeing to meet for a coffee one day in the week. Elise was a brilliant conversationalist, and Lydia didn’t get the feeling she wanted anything more than friendship.
True to her word, Lydia was focusing solely on her own wellbeing. It was nearly three weeks since Fe went off the deep end. No calls or messages. Even their mother had kept out of it, which was surprising. But that was fine. If Fe wanted to sulk, so be it. Only the thought of Halle’s dejected face sullied her mood. But she’d done the right thing, she was sure of it. Wasn’t she?
Putting the “Halle situation” to one side, Lydia felt good. The best she’d felt in a long time. Which is why she knew it was time to draw up some plans. Well, a list, to be precise. First item, look for a new flat or house. As much as she loved her home, it was time to move on. There was a constant stream of repairs, and continually having to call her landlord was a pain in the arse.
After spending over a decade in the area, she wasn’t in a rush to leave. So, the search for a new abode would be local. In fact, a couple of streets away was a lovely Victorian house for sale. It would definitely eat up most of Lydia’s inheritance, but investing in property was smart. Or so she’d been told.
Taking the bull by the horns, Lydia did a quick Google search and found the real estate company that dealt with the listing. A few short minutes later, she was grinning from ear to ear after securing a viewing for the following day.
Second item on the list: Appearance. There wasn’t a lot she could do to change her body. Eating well and doing some exercise was enough. Hopefully, her skin would clear up as the medication worked its magic. Her hair, though? That was a different matter. The last time Lydia visited a hairdresser was over a year ago, and that was to have a trim. Now she wanted a change, something sassy maybe.
Because of her work schedule, it would be easier to find a salon close to the museum. Another few minutes’ surfing Google and she was in business. Online reservation made, Lydia took a sip of her oat milk latte, sighing happily. Today was a good day.
“Lydia!” Spoke too soon Lyds. “You’re not paid to sit on your phone all day.”
Since coming back to work, Norris had upped his snark by 1,000 percent and Lydia was tired of it. He resented Lydia for taking time off to recover, even though she’d gone through the proper channels and got it approved.
“Norris, I still have 15 minutes left of my lunch break.”
“You’ve been gone for ages. We need you back on the till in the giftshop.”
“I have been gone for 45 minutes. My lunch is an hour.”
“Now listen here, Missy—”
Oh, I don’t think so! “No, Norris, you listen. I am entitled to take a lunch break. What is your problem?”
“I beg your pardon?” Norris’ face was slowly turning a deep shade of red.
“You heard me.” Lydia was now on her feet, hands on hips. “We all work hard here, but you’re never satisfied. Morale is in the toilet, and yet we still put smiles on and do a damn good job welcoming people to the museum. All you do is find fault.”
“I expect—”
