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“Thank you.”
I go out, and close the door behind me.
*
When I get to my car, I’m shaking, and I sit there for a few minutes, trying to recover. While I’m there, my phone buzzes with a message. My heart leaps as I think it might be Henry, but it’s just my mum, sending me a song on Spotify that she thinks I’d like. She adds a message, How did the party go?
I let out a long sigh, then text back, Um…
Mum: Oh dear. What happened?
Me: Cam and I had an awful fight, and he left the bar.
Mum: Oh no. What about?
Me: Oh, just stuff. But I was miserable, and I got drunk, and…
Mum: AND WHAT?
Me: I went back to Henry’s hotel.
She knows all the guys I work with, and I think she’s also guessed that I like Henry.
Mum: OMG what did you do?
Me: You want me to draw a picture?
Mum: JULIETTE!
Me: Don’t shout. I have a hangover.
Mum: Are you okay?
My eyes water. Not really.
Mum: Aw, taupuhi.
It’s Maori for darling, and it’s what she always calls me.
Me: I’ll be okay. I’m just nervous about seeing him at work.
Mum: Was it… you know… good?
Me: It was pretty terrific, Mum. He told me he’s not going to let me go easily, either.
Mum: How do you feel about that?
Me: Mixed. I went home thinking it was all over between me and Cam, and he was there.
Mum: Did you tell him?
Me: No. I couldn’t. He said he’s sorry for making it hard for me, and he wants us to try to work it out. Now I don’t know what to do.
She doesn’t come back for a minute. I sit resting my elbow on the windowsill and my head on my hand, feeling miserable.
Eventually, a text pings up.
Mum: You remember what I told you when you were a teenager?
