“Never too busy for you,” he replies quietly. “And I can help you go through a few things at work and write some press releases for you and stuff.”
“Could you?” I whisper. “That… would be really helpful.”
“I will tie up things today and come tomorrow.”
I smile my first real smile in a month. “I will send the plane for you.”
“No it’s ok. Can you pick me up from the airport though?” he asks.
“Of course.” And for some strange reason I am filled with relief.
“Thank you, Nicholas. It means a lot,” I whisper.
I feel him smile down the phone line. “What are friends for if they can’t support each other through tough times?”
I feel the lump in my throat again and I nod.
“See you soon,” I whisper before hanging up.
I sit at my desk and put my head in my hands. Nicholas will be here soon and he can help me with the press. I’m so out of my depth here. The staff morale is at an all-time low and I don’t know how to pick everyone up because I
am struggling as much as they. Joshua has insisted on coming to work today… I don’t know why. He has hardly left his bedroom for the last two weeks since they got back. I’m so worried about him… everyone is worried about him.
I just need to keep him busy.
Joshua
With a heavy heart I put the last of Natasha’s diaries into my duffle bag. I have wrapped them all in brown paper and then stacked them in leather shoeboxes. I need to get them out of the house without being detected.
For the last two weeks I have sat on our bed and read every word written by my beloved and there is absolutely no way in hell I am going to let them become public property in an investigation. She has put her heart and soul onto the paper of these diaries and the level of intimacy that she writes about is nobody’s business but hers and mine. There is absolutely no evidence in them of who did this to her and I will not let them tarnish her in any way with her most intimate thoughts released to the press. I throw my gym clothes on top of the boxed diaries and take a deep breath. Just let me get them out of the house without being intercepted. I have arranged a safety deposit box in another name across town and have a courier picking them up from the office mailroom, but I need to get them there first.
I throw the bag over my shoulder and head downstairs.
“Good morning,” I smile at everyone sitting around in the kitchen. They all look around at me in shock. I have hardly left my bedroom and now I’m shaved and in a suit ready for work. Unbeknown to them I have a mission.
Bridget smiles warmly at me and jumps off her chair in excitement. “Are you going to work?”
I smile sympathetically. “Yes, Didge, I’m going to work.”
She holds her hands as if in prayer. “That’s good,.” she whispers hopefully.
I nod and smile again. Bridget really does want to see me though this. I don’t think I have ever been so grateful for having her in my life.
“Joshua, it’s too soon.” My mother frowns.
“No, it’s not,” I snap. She better not even think about telling me what to do. My contempt for my mother and the way she previously treated Natasha is a huge hurdle for me at the moment, one I don’t know how to get over.
I pick up the protein shake that Birgetta has made for me from the kitchen bench and I head to the door. “See you all tonight,” I call.
“Bye, bye,” everyone replies and I can hear the relief in their voices at my sudden turnaround.
I walk to the door with my duffle bag over my shoulder and Ben’s eyes scan the bag when I reach the car.
“What’s in the bag?” he asks.
“Gym gear,” I reply flatly as I throw it into the back seat and slide in behind it.
He narrows his eyes at me. “You hate the work gym.”