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She missed him so much. Her head wanted him and her body ached for him. Sofia Costa had asked if she was coming down with something, and Zack had noticed too.
‘What’s up, sis?’ He wandered into her office now, carrying a packet of sandwiches, and plumped himself down, offering her one.
Marie took it, wondering whether he’d made extra this morning just for the purpose of sharing.
‘What’s this?’ She peeled one of the slices of bread up. ‘Ah...cream cheese and cucumber. Thanks.’
Zack nodded. He knew that was one of her favourites. ‘I’ve made egg and bacon as well.’
Zack was definitely on a mission to spoil her. Marie smiled at him, grateful for both the sandwiches and his concern. Her little brother had come a long way in the last few months.
‘Is something going on? Between you and Alex?’ he asked.
‘What...?’ Marie almost choked on her sandwich. ‘What makes you think that?’
‘Well, he’s never around any more. You know that’s always a sign there’s something going on...when two people start avoiding each other at work.’ Zack nodded sagely.
‘Where did you get that from?’ Clearly not from his own experience; Zack hadn’t managed to hold a job down for more than a week before he came here. Marie wondered if people at the clinic were talking.
‘It was in a film on TV. Two people started an affair and all the people at work knew because they suddenly started being really horrible to each other.’
‘Well, I’m not having an affair with Alex.’ That was strictly true—she wasn’t having one with him any more. And she wouldn’t be having one with him in the future, either. ‘And he’s not been around because he’s in Edinburgh at the moment, talking to people about possible sites for a new clinic.’
‘Only half an hour away by air... You were looking pretty tired on Monday—’
‘Stop!’ Marie brought her hand down onto her desk and Zack jumped. ‘I haven’t been sleeping so well recently.’
Zack frowned. ‘So what is it, then?’
‘Nothing. Really.’ Marie decided this was as good a time as any to tell Zack. ‘I’m going to be leaving the clinic.’
Zack’s eyes widened in shock. ‘But why? You love it here.’
‘It’s...not what I thought it would be. I’m not with the patients as much as when I was working at the hospital.’
‘I thought you liked it? You know...developing stuff. Finding solutions.’
She did. But it was the only reason that Marie had been able to think of which didn’t involve talking about her split with Alex. She wasn’t able to do that just yet without dissolving into tears.
‘It’s a lot of paperwork. But, Zack, this won’t affect your job here. That’s between you and Alex, and my going won’t make any difference.’ Marie knew Alex would honour his agreement with Zack, whatever happened.
Zack thought for a moment. ‘I want to stay. I like it here.’
And Zack had been more than pulling his weight. He’d turned into an asset for the clinic, and people were beginning to depend on him.
‘Like I said, my leaving doesn’t make any difference to your position here.’
‘Okay. Thanks.’ Zack was obviously a little unhappy with this, but he’d run out of questions to ask. Instead he offered her another sandwich. ‘Bacon and egg?’
‘Thanks. I’ll keep it for later, if you don’t mind.’
* * *
Their email conversation hadn’t been an easy one, but Marie had been determined. She couldn’t stay at the clinic. Even when Alex wasn’t there everything about it reminded her of him. She had to make a clean break. And it wasn’t fair that he was staying away, because she knew he loved the place. He’d built it and she wanted him to have it.
He’d protested, but she’d stood firm, because she knew it was the best thing for both of them. They’d agreed that she should stay on for another week, until he was back, and that he’d take on her current medical and management duties after that.
It was where he was supposed to be. It was where he’d always intended to be, and Marie was just making things right.
