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There was a richness to it: mahogany accents, plush carpets, and matching accessories. Charlie thought about the track she was on. If she kept her head down and waited long enough, eventually all the old farts would die off, and this office would be hers. But she wasn’t going to wait for things to come her way. She’d made her mind up and needed to take charge of her own happiness. First step was telling Maureen to keep her career advice.
“Charlotte. I’m glad you came.” Maureen stood to greet her.
Charlie waved away the formality. She wanted this to be over with. “Thank you for seeing me without an appointment.”
“Not at all. I will always make time for you. Now, what is it?”
Charlie’s toes curled in her shoes. She hoped her nerves weren’t on show. “I’d like to take a break. A couple of weeks at least. Joshua is able to sort my current brief. It’s so early in the proceedings, someone else can take over.”
Maureen adjusted her spectacles, and there was a glimpse of a frown across her brow. “I see. This is unexpected, Charlotte. I must say, I’m disappointed.”
“I’m sorry,” Charlie said, infusing the words with a sincerity she didn’t feel. “But this is a matter of personal well-being. I won’t go into detail, but if I’m not able to take a couple of weeks, I will have no choice but to leave the chambers.”
“I don’t think that’s necessary. Let’s not get emotional.”
Charlie took stock, pinching her lips together so she wouldn’t be tempted to fill the void in the conversation. Maureen was underplaying her hand, but she wasn’t going to let her walk away completely. That was a good sign.
“I’ve heard your request. We’ll need to talk to the chief clerk and make arrangements. When did you want this break to start?”
“Tomorrow. My case is ready to hand over. Joshua’s on top of everything.”
“As always.” Maureen sat down, and Charlie sensed a hint of defeat. “I’m not going to attempt to dissuade you. Clearly, you have given this much thought. It’s unconventional, and I do not want to set a precedent for barristers to take time off, willy-nilly. You shouldn’t have any problems being discreet, I trust?”
“Not at all.” Charlie ignored the jab at her personal life. It was the least of her worries if she was able to skip out of the door tonight and get to Elda. “I’m very grateful for this, Maureen. It means a lot.”
“I have a clue, Charlotte. I’m not a robot, despite what people think of me.” Maureen smiled. “Now, please leave, and let the fine Joshua do what he needs to do. You’re good, Charlotte. You could be brilliant. Do what you need to do and come back. Keep in touch. I want to know exactly when you’re due to return so we can schedule your next brief.”
***
Charlie thought of herself as a pretty independent woman. There wasn’t much she hadn’t done by herself. But walking up to the Eurostar check-in desk, she wavered. She cleared her throat and reached for her passport, but her hand shook.Get a grip. You’re thirty-two. You can travel on a train by yourself.But this wasn’t a commute to London. Her stomach flipped another somersault. Every time she sat down, she needed a wee, and her mouth was like sawdust.
She settled into the train seat and replayed the last conversation she’d had with Elda. She’d let her go. She hadn’t fought hard enough for her. It was no wonder that Elda had felt abandoned. Charlie had spent the last two weeks going over what she had done wrong and what she had not done at all. Too much work, not enough time off. Rescuing Kim and the kids without telling Elda exactly what was happening. She hadn’t been at Elda’s side when she was battling one of the hardest fights of her life.
“Bonjour,” a man said as he sat opposite and stretched his legs beside hers.
“Bonjour.”
“You are English?”
“Is it that obvious?” She closed her eyes. The last thing she wanted was company.
“Yes, it is. Is your trip for work or play?”
Charlie held her breath for a moment. She could brush this off and ignore this guy for three hours, or she could be honest and he might leave her alone. “A couple of weeks ago, I let my girlfriend leave for Paris. I thought she needed space to grieve, but I think I let her go because it was easier than fighting with her. And I don’t really like dealing with loss, so it was simpler to turn away from the whole thing.” She grinned at her elevator pitch. “Now, I’m going to get her back.”
“So, not Disneyland.” He raised his eyebrow and smirked.
“No. Not yet.” Charlie laughed for the first time in weeks.
“I’m Vincent.” He extended his hand.
“Charlie.” She shook it then settled back into the seat. Maybe this journey wouldn’t be so awful.
“I’m going home. My brother had a baby, and the whole family is celebrating like he’s a king. I’m bringing bad habits from England, and no offspring. So, no Disneyland for me either.”
“Oh, disappointing your parents is so cliché. You can do better than that.” Charlie’s eyes were stinging from lack of sleep. She leaned against the head rest and surrendered to the rhythm of the train.
When she opened her eyes, they were in the tunnel, and it was black outside. A tiny bottle of red wine sat in front of her. Vincent looked up from the pages of his book and caught her eye. Without speaking, she twisted the cap and poured half into the plastic glass. She sipped, and the wine loosened her tongue from the roof of her mouth with a tingle.
