Chapter Six

Lisa looked grey, but then not only had she had an operation to fix her broken leg, but she'd inadvertently found out that she had an allergy to morphine after she'd been administered a few doses post-op.

"They ask you about allergies a million times, but as I've never had it before, how was I to know?"

Julia leaned forward and hugged her friend, "you've looked better, and I am so sorry for you."

Lisa fought back a few tears, "my fault for not taking care on the stairs."

Julia took her hand, squeezed it, "it was an accident. They happen."

"But now? Why now? Someone hates me, not only am I stuck here in pain, but now I can't help you in New York. I've already asked, I can't fly for weeks, and I could be immobile for months. I've let you down."

Julia sighed, "no you haven't. That's just bad luck. I'm sorry for you."

She sniffed at the tears that seemed determined to fall, "it's bloody typical. We graft for years in a drafty museum, we don't know anything resembling a perk...then this crops up, a trip of a life time. Work, the Big Apple and time away with my brilliant boss...and I fuck it up by falling down the stairs." She swiped at her eyes, the tears finally falling, "I'm so BLOODY gutted, I cannot explain."

"You don't need to explain, us hitting the city together...it was the greatest part of it all. But hey, it's life. We can't cry over it."

She whimpered, "I am so sorry. But before you go I need to give you my cousin's details, so that you can get in contact..."

Julia shook her head, "don't worry, that was a thing for us both. I can't afford that room on my own."

Lisa sat up, "Do you have somewhere else?"

She couldn't make Lisa take responsibility for her not travelling, so she shrugged, "it's all in hand."

Realistically, she'd accompany Bogda out to the museum, set her up, then teach the local curators as much as she could about the relic. She couldn't stay to give talks to colleges, universities and schools herself, to sell the beauty of her artefact to the American nation, but she could inject her enthusiasm into her temporary carers. It was as good as it could possible get. But she didn't need to land that guilt on Lisa's shoulders.

At her upbeat response, Lisa was smiling, "that's good. You have to send me pictures, updates...ok?"

Julia could only nod as inside she felt all her ambitions and hopes fade.

Sunday lunchtime in the heart of London was as busy as any other day. Busloads of tourists were crowding at street corners photographing everything. There was so much to see and do in the capital, and those living there often took it all for granted. Julia was guilty of that, she didn't appreciate all that she saw daily, but she did love the Thames. It was one of her most relaxing past times, to walk along the embankment, past sites that had been photographed more times than the greatest supermodels. It was cathartic, she could switch off as she strolled past Westminster, the Eye, the hundreds of tourists; and not think about anything but her next step.

Today it was almost essential. The slow movement of the London Eye, the steady chug of the boats along the water all helped ground her. Even the usual stream of tourists, stopping randomly in her path to photograph things didn't annoy her as it normally did. Instead she just focussed on every step, on the world turning, people breathing. Life moving on.

A persistent ringing disturbed her serenity. Reaching into her pocket, Julia pulled out her phone, then moved towards a bench as she answered the call from Abi.

"Hey Jules." Abi's voice was always happy, excited, "where are you?"

"The Embankment, near Somerset House. Why? Where are you?"

Her friend shrieked, "brilliant, we're at Tommy's." St Thomas's hospital was not far from her. "Will you meet me...and Luke? We've had an awesome idea. Can't wait to tell you."

"Can't you do it over the phone?" She had no doubt that their awesome idea wasn't really that, and she wasn't in the mood for company. Well, not Luke as well. Abi was used to her moods, but he wasn't.

"NO! Spoilsport. Just meet us in that bar we love on the Strand. We'll be twenty minutes tops, and dinner's on me. OK?"

For all her mumbling and groaning, her friend was used to her moods and ignored all protests, pretty much steamrollering over any plans she might have, but her intentions were always selfless, she really was a great friend. So as she stared at the phone, the call disconnected, she knew she had no choice but to cut up to the Strand as requested.

With a pint of lager and the menu, she found a small booth that was still vacant at the back of the bar. As with everywhere else in town, it was busy, filled with what seemed like a broad sweep of inhabitants of every continent on the earth. Food here was ok, but they really liked the bar as a "Friday night after work drinks" place and rarely ate there, but Julia was actually hungry, so she would give in to her friend's whim. She had half decided on the pie of the day when she heard rather than saw Abi. Her friend burst through the door, then when she spotted Julia, dispatched Luke off to the bar before heading across the room to give her a hug.

"How was Lisa?"

Julia rolled her eyes, "devastated, and allergic to morphine."

Abi grimaced, her doctor persona only ever just below the surface, "she just found out?" When she nodded her head, she added, "nasty. She ok now?"

"Fine. A cast up to her thigh, weighs a ton, so she's not sure how she's going to get around."

Again Abi grimaced, "the poor thing, I'll ask the physios I work with if they have any tips. Sounds like a nightmare, will she get much sick time?"

Their employers weren't the most generous, "a couple of weeks. She lives out in Brentford too, miles away. She'll never manage Tube or bus."

Before either could say anything else, Luke appeared with two beers, grinning at Julia, "you want another one?"

Hers was only just started, so she shook her head, then looked to Abi, "so what's this awesome idea?"

Luke squeezed into the booth opposite them as Abi clapped her hands in excitement, "well, I was telling Luke about your conundrum. And he had the best idea."

Luke nodded, "you need somewhere cheap to stay in New York, right?"

"Duh!" Julia exclaimed almost aggressively, "doesn't everyone?"

He rolled his eyes, "well, my brother lives there. He has a spare room."

That was NOT what she wanted to hear, saying that, maybe he had two brothers who live in the States?

Abi was clapping, "yup, Aaron is more than happy to return the favour you showed him. He's not a stranger like Lisa's cousin, and he's it won't cost you the anything. Isn't it perfect?"

Julia shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts, "I thought he lived in Seattle."

Luke gave his head a shake, "no, Brooklyn. He flew in from Seattle the other week as he was on business there."

"He stayed here two nights, why would he want me cramping his style for six months. He doesn't owe me anything, definitely not six months...rent free you say? That's ridiculous."

Abi shrugged, "not at all. Luke spoke to him; he's up for it, more than happy..."

"...yup. He's away a lot, he says it'll be a help as he worries about the place when he's away." Luke finished Abi's sentence, which would be cute if the topic wasn't so worrying.

"So what do you think?"

Julia looked between the two excited faces and felt sick. She wanted to get away from all this, from her family, from her past, New York was the answer to that, but she was also running from the first man who made her question herself. This plan ran her straight into her path, and it terrified her. She couldn't even begin to imagine moving into his house. This wasn't a solution; this was a disaster, an accident waiting to happen.

"Look, I really appreciate the offer..."

Abi reached for her hand, "it's not an offer, this is a solution, Jules. You need this trip, babe. You have planned and fantasised about it for almost a year, it's everything you've wanted. This is a way to make it happen."

"I don't know your brother, Luke. I can't spend six months with him."

Abi rolled her eyes, "Jules. Look. You'll get to know him better, he's not a complete stranger, and to be honest, Luke says he works away a lot. It's an answer, and if you don't like it once you're there...then you're in a perfect position to either look for something else, or come home earlier than planned."

The tone and topic of the afternoon didn't change, and whilst she didn't roll over and accept it was the greatest thing in the world, Julia suggested that she'd think about it. That was as far as it went. She wasn't completely stupid and this was everything she really did dream about. If it was torture, then she had more chance of finding somewhere that was more suitable. That was logical and it made sense.

All the way home the thoughts ransacked her brain, could you do this?

Later, back at home she sat in front of the TV; Julia could curl up and pretend that the past twenty four hours hadn't happened. Abi had stayed out with Luke, meeting some friends across town and was staying at his that evening, so she was watching back-to-back episodes of a new British thriller than she'd been recording over the last few months. If she moved to New York...and it was a big 'if' still, she'd need to catch up with all her viewing stuff as she had no idea what she'd be watching across the pond.

It was absorbing, at least. Her mind was focussing on who pushed a model off a balcony, rather than finding a way to live in the Big Apple for six months without being a proverbial fly entering the spider's web.

She'd ignored her phone most of the night, particularly the two calls from her mother, but she answered her single, "Are you ok?" text from Abi. As her best friend she knew that she was still reeling from their conversation earlier, it was typical of Abi to check on her afterwards. She was a great friend...and she wouldn't send her into chaos. That was a given. She honestly believed that this was a perfect solution.

But that meant Julia had to digest her own fears. Aaron was trustworthy, in the dictionary definition of the word, but to explain to Abi why she was concerned, meant she had to explain what happened between them...which was nothing. Not really. Nothing but the fact that he frightened her, that he made her feel things she hadn't felt...ever. Her logic warred with the emotions that seemed to control her every move, telling her that it couldn't work, and it wouldn't be good.

When her phone buzzed again, she snatched it up, presuming it was Abi texting her back. But it was an email alert. Opening her email app, she felt her chest seize at the incoming email address AaronHarding

She stared at it, then dropped her phone to the sofa. On the screen the murderer was about to be identified, everything was coming to a head, but she wasn't processing it. Instead her eyes were glazed and her heart racing. She rewound the TV, rewatched the same scene, but she still couldn't focus on anything but the phone that felt like a pulsating bomb beside her.

Eventually she paused the TV show, then picked up the hot potato that was her phone. It took several seconds before she opened the app again. Then with a deep breath she read the message.

Hi Julia

Luke called earlier, said he'd offered you my place for your upcoming trip but you're a little reticent. I get that. We had a rather tense introduction, that was my fault. And I'm sorry. Maybe came across as a judgemental bastard, but I'm not at all. I'm live and let live, I swear. I'll blame it on fatigue.

I'd really like the chance to make that up to you, and you staying here would go a long way to assuage some of my guilt. It's a huge place, far too big for one...not that I'm bragging. And I'm not always here...and if it's the money...I could do with help with my dogs. Abi assures me you are a dog lover.

Reconsider, because if you hate living here I have a friend who works in real estate and rentals. We'll find you something else.

Think about it?

Aaron.

She stared at the message, he apologised...he talked sense. He has dogs?

Shaking her head, before she could even formulate a decent response, she typed out -

Dogs?

The brief message had sent before she processed it.

The TV thriller didn't enthral her any more, her bottom lip snagged between her teeth, she sat and stared at the screen of the phone intently. After just a few moments, the screen lit up as the phone bleeped. A reply.

Ah, so it's the animals that pique your attention, not the 'huge' apartment, not the New York address...but the dogs. Typical.

They are two very manly animals who you'll struggle to manage, but they like walks and I have to pay walkers and sitters when I'm away. What do you say could you love these pair?

There was an attachment, so she clicked on it, and a picture filled her screen of two what looked like a Shitzu and a Yorkshire terrier. Cute, furry, but the least manly dogs she could see someone own.

Manly? Hmmm. I bet they look great peeping out of your handbag.

Julia filled her mug with coffee whilst the message spun its way through cyberspace, but her phone was already lit up with a reply.

Poor Cliffy and Coco. They will be so distressed hearing you refer to them as an accessory! You'd better be prepared; they like to sleep on the bed in the spare room.

She laughed out loud, Cliffy...and Coco? Had she got Aaron all wrong? Or were they the product of a previous failed relationship? The fact that she cared bothered her, and she wanted to drop the phone again, but she couldn't. She had to know.

Even more manly now you've named them.

She was smiling as she pressed send, and his reply started with a smiley emoji.

So I'm in touch with my feminine side. Anyway, they're the hard sell, I know you'll be knocking my door in a few weeks, and the boys can't wait to meet you.

It was cocky, over confident, but as she looked at the two cute pups, she knew that they may well sealed the deal.