Heaving, my body convulses over the bowl until I have nothing left. With shaking hands, I wipe my eyes and rub my palms over my face.
I must be coming down with something. Maybe I shouldn’t have reheated the rice I ate last night. Or maybe it’s the flu. It’s probably the flu. Whatever it is, I’m not going back to that meeting room.
Swilling my mouth out at the tap, I stare into the mirror. I’m pale but my eyes are bright and there’s a little color inmy cheeks. I don’t feel hot but I’ve also never had the flu before, so maybe that’s normal?
Taking a shaky breath, I leave the bathroom and slowly make my way to the meeting room. The thought of encountering the smell of that room again causes me to knock gently and quietly request to speak to Gareth.
He sighs and comes to the door where I linger on the threshold.
“Yes?”
I gulp. “I—I’m not well, so I’m going to go work from home the rest of the day.” He blinks at me so I add, “If that’s okay.”
He huffs and glances at his watch. “Fine, but make the time back before you log off.”
I nod. “Thanks, I will.”
He narrows his eyes. “Are you contagious?”
“Uhm, I don’t think so?”
“Let me know when you’re back online.” He turns back to the room, the door closing slowly behind him.
Before it closes completely, I hear a snort from inside the room. “Maybe she’s pregnant.”
I freeze, staring at the wood of the door as if I can see the words imprinted there.
No. No way. Absolutely not.
I stumble back to my station and gather my belongings, my mind swirling with the word.
Pregnant.
The thought is ridiculous. Me? Pregnant? I’ve only ever had two boyfriends and I broke up with Adam over a year ago.
It’s only when I’m on the tube, squished in the corner, that I allow myself to think of the only other person I’ve been with. The only person who I’ve ever had a one nightstand with. The only person who I fucked over a balcony in a French Chateau whilst he whispered praise across my skin.
No, it’s not possible, I tell myself as I stop in a pharmacy on my way home.
Not possible at all.
4
JACKSON
In my head,London is a mystical place filled with red telephone boxes and men walking around in top hats. In reality, the London I’m in is a large hotel next to a motorway near a place called ‘Uxbridge’.
My assistant Eric came recommended by Danny, and he assured me that this is the best place for me to stay. Close enough to the film lot and away from the hubbub of the city.
I did want to tell him that I wouldn’t mind the hubbub but I figured that was an argument that wasn’t worth the effort.
Instead, I gaze out of the floor to ceiling window and look over the gray landscape of tower blocks and terraced houses.
I wonder, not for the first time, whereshelives. How big is London anyway? Can I see her house from here? Maybe she’s in one of the tower blocks on the horizon, or one of the houses dotted along the motorway.
After the wedding, she made it very difficult to approach her. As soon as Danny and Anya escaped on their honeymoon, I tried nearly every door in the chateau hoping Iended up at hers. No luck, but I did spend at least thirty five minutes listening to Anya’s mother relay every aspect of the ceremony, reception and after party as if I wasn’t also there.
I should let it go, lethergo. It was one hook up almost two months ago, but I would be lying if I said that it didn’t have some sort of impact when my agent finally got this latest action movie over the line.
