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‘Hi Mary. Everything OK?’
‘Jess, no, not really. Something strange has just happened, and it’s really stressed me out. Have you got a minute?’
‘Of course. What’s up?’
I tell her, and she listens, making sympathetic noises, but when I’ve finished she’s silent for a few seconds, before saying, ‘I hear you, and I understand why you’re still concerned. And I will of course pass this on to the team. But honestly, Mary, those two have been ruled out. There’s absolutely no evidence—’
‘But JESS! It’s the second time he’s asked me about that weekend. He’s trying to find out where I’m going to be. Surely that’s suspicious?’
I can’t keep the exasperation out of my voice, and Jess again falls silent for a few moments, then replies, ‘I just don’t think it is, Mary. I think you’re oversensitive and nervous, and nobody could blame you for that. Look, you know it’s going to be pretty much impossible for anything bad to happen to you on the 1st of April, don’t you? Just hold on to that, and try and keep your nerve. Just take a few deep breaths, make yourself a coffee, and focus on something else. It’s going to be OK. Trust me.’
‘I … OK, Jess. Sorry. I’m sorry.’
I stand in the kitchen for a full five minutes, leaning motionless against the worktop, trying to calm myself. Jess is right, isn’t she? It’s going to unfold how it’s going to unfold, and I need to keep it together. I only have to do this for two more weeks. And at least Satish is fairly likely to leave me alone from now on, after the way I just reacted. And so I do as Jess suggested. I take some deep breaths, make a strong coffee, and walk reluctantly back to my desk.
But I still feel horribly on edge, and I glance over my shoulder towards where Satish sits, and see that Edward has now arrived and is crouching by his chair, the two of them engrossed in yet another quiet conversation. They’re not looking in my direction, but even so a little tremor runs through me.
There’s just something …
I shake my head slightly, trying to suppress the feeling of foreboding. I’m going to drive myself mad if I go on like this. I turn resolutely back to my screen, and begin to type
