“Simon is my professor. We started communicating as friends, and now things have progressed.”
“Progressed?” Dr Mellow frowned over the edges of his glasses.
“Yes. We can’t be just friends.”
“Emma, are you sure this Simon isn’t taking advantage of you and your situation?” Dr Mellow scribbled in his notebook, which unnerved me. I didn’t want any risk of this getting out.
“Can you not record this?”
“Pardon?”
“I don’t want to risk this getting out. If you write it don’t then there is a trace. There is evidence.” My voice became louder as I spoke. I suddenly wanted to take back the last few minutes. Why did I mention him? “You have to keep this to yourself by law, right?”
“Emma, this information won’t leave this room. Tell me more about this man. How does he make you feel?” I glanced uncertainly at his notebook. Hesitation overtook me before I continued.
“He makes me feel loved.” I shrugged my shoulders. “I can’t really describe how he makes me feel. There are no words strong enough to properly convey how he makes me feel. Nothing even comes close.”
“How long have you been seeing him?”
“A week and a half. Almost two weeks.”
Chapter Twelve
“So I have a rather strange question that might make you want to run for the hills.”
That made me sit upright in bed. I dropped my phone, sending it crashing onto the hardwood floor. I struggled out of the tangle of sheets, finally managing to scoop up the phone. I quickly inspected it for damage. I have no idea why I go through so many phones. Simon was chuckling when I put it back to my ear.
“Sorry.” I mumbled, embarrassed. “You have a question?” I repeated.
“Right.” He paused, like he was thinking the best way to word what he wanted to say. The silence naturally made me panic. Silence was never good. “I wanted to know if you'd like to meet Maddie.”
Wow. I had not been expecting that. Did I want to meet his daughter? That made everything that much mo
re real. I didn't doubt this was a huge step for him too.
“Wow.” I managed. That is all I managed. I didn't know what else to say.
“Em, even if we just end up beings friends, I think you're the type of person I'd love for my daughter to know. You are an amazing woman, regardless of what you think.” I was speechless. How could I say no to that?
“I’d love to meet her.”
“You’re meeting his kid?”
“Yes. Is that weird?”
“A bit.” Cass replied. I clutched the phone tighter and paced the room. Cass was supposed to be reassuring me, not making me want to lock myself in the cupboard. “But I guess it means he is really into you.” It did, didn’t it? I smiled as I felt myself relax. What I needed was to approach this like it was a good thing. Which it was.
“It is a good thing.”
“Right.” Cass chuckled. “So keep it that way and stop trying to make it into a bad thing.”
“You are the best.” I declared. “Seriously. Best friend ever.” Cass laughed again.
“I will tell Tom you said that.” Her mention of Tom reminded me of the weirdness between them the other day.
“Speaking of Tom. What was with you two the other day?”
“What do you mean?” Cass knew exactly what I meant. Her voice became low and tense, like it did every other time she was stressed.