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I pour myself a glass and make her tea, just in time to grab the chicken from the oven. I want to put an end to her working and watchThe Sopranos, so I deliberately move all her papers away to clear a space next to her, knowing it’ll irritate her.
‘Caleb!’ she groans.
I laugh inside. ‘What? Let’s watchThe Sopranos.’
‘You’re so annoying.’ She packs up her papers, stacks them neatly on her laptop and picks up her tea.
I chuckle and nudge her. ‘I bet you missed me.’
‘No, I didn’t.’ There’s her cute little frown.
‘Oh, don’t be grumpy. Besides, I bet you’re dying to see Bobby, and your new crush Artie Bucco. Why do you go for the losers?’
‘They’re not losers. In that environment, it takes strength to be vulnerable.’
‘It’s survival of the fittest, Ariella. Darwin—’
‘Are we going to argue, or watch the episode?’
‘I’m on it.’
The intro starts to roll. It feels good to be back home and settled. I’m also pleased to see Ariella seems to be moving on from Jasper.
‘Is she here?’ Jasper asks, standing in the doorway looking jittery.
It’s been raining all day but, even though he is soaked through, I have no intention of letting him in.
‘No.’
‘Are you sure?’ Panic crosses his face.
‘She isn’t here.’
‘Shit.’ His desperation comes through in that one word. It is loaded enough for me to change my mind.
‘Come in.’
He does so, and immediately starts pacing around the living area.
‘When did you last see her?’
‘She left a few hours ago for Zachary’s party. Didn’t she make it?’ He’s making me nervous.
‘No, she was there.’
‘Then what’s the problem?’
‘We had an argument.’
‘You’re not together any more. It happens. You people and your fairy-tale bullshit need to understand what it means to have broken up.’
‘It was bad.’
I feel the anger rise quickly inside me.
‘If you touched her, I’ll break your neck,’ I state calmly, for the record.
‘Of course not! She started having a panic attack and I walked away from her. I went back immediately and she was gone. Now I can’t find her. I’ve been calling and she’s not picking up.’
