Cut & Blow (Cut & Blow #2) - Ashleigh Giannoccaro

One

Wheat Blonde

CHELSEY

I know what’s wrong with me but I just don’t want to admit it. Not to myself and certainly not to Sal. He will shit his pants. I plan to remain firmly in denial, that way I can just pretend everything is fine and get on with my life.

My phone is ringing somewhere in the next room. I can hear it but for now can’t move with my head poised over the toilet bowl, while everything I ate since my third birthday regurgitates.

It stops ringing and then starts again. Whoever is looking for me is obviously adamant to talk to me. I’m still retching my heart out, so they can fuck off. I’ll call them back when my body ceases this revolt.

When I feel somewhat human again, I get off the bathroom floor and brush my teeth three times to eliminate the rancid taste. My knees are weak and it takes effort to hold up the toothpaste. I have that hung-over feeling, the kind where you are so tired you are crippled.

Dragging myself to the small kitchen of my shitty apartment, I make a warm cup of tea and a slice of dry toast in an effort to calm the storm in my belly.

Balancing the plate on top of my mug, I search for the phone that was ringing while I tried not to die. The glitter-pink case glimmers at me when I spot it on top of the book pile next to the bed. My sister’s shit is all over the room we share, making it almost impossible to find anything.

I grab it and go sit on the window bench where the sun glows inside, making it warm and cozy. Today is day two of me being off from work and I know that tomorrow I’m going to have to suck it up and go in, no matter how sick I feel. I can’t afford the time off.

There is a good reason I am dating a man old enough to have fathered me, and it’s not just the sex. It has financial benefits. Sal likes to spoil me. It’s selfish of me, but after looking after everyone else for what feels like forever it’s nice to have someone who looks after me.

There are two missed calls from Ailee and a text from Sal. I slide my finger across the screen to open them. I call Ailee first; she’s obviously worried about me. I miss her and we have so much to catch up on. Her life turned into a soap opera overnight and I want to know more, but we’ve not had a chance to catch up and talk properly.

“Are you alive?” She answers on the first ring.

“Barely,” I say. My throat is sore from throwing up. “I’ll be back tomorrow, no matter what.”

“Okay, just checking in. You can take an extra day if you need it.”

I can’t, and I can’t tell her why either. “No, I will be there in the morning. Could you ask Alistair to make all my bookings for after lunch and I’ll just come in a bit later?”

“Sure, that’s fine. Did you go see a doctor? You sound awful.”

I didn’t. “Yeah, it was something I ate. I will be fine.” I lie. “It’s not catching or anything, so I’ll be fine to come in. I promise.”

“Look after yourself, Chels. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

She’s not buying what I’m selling. I can hear it in her voice.

“I will. Don’t you have stuff to do? A salon to run or something, anything better than checking up on me?”

“Bye, Chelsey.” I can hear her eyes rolling as she hangs up.

I turn sideways so I can look out of the window. My view of industrial rooftops and pigeons roosting isn’t much, but over the years it’s become my comfort.

I open the texts from Sal.

Are you okay? Want me to fetch you later, the wife isn’t here you can sleep over if you want to?

Bunny? Are you hiding form me? what’s going on? Can I come fetch you? ANSWER ME!

I’m fine. That would be nice, but I won’t sleep over.

Why not?

Because that’s just weird.

You’ve slept over at the hotel. What’s the difference?

That’s not your home, where she lives. Where your kids live. NO.

Fine, I’ll get us a room. I want you to stay tonight. I miss you.

I miss you too. What time?

Six?

See you later, Love <3

<3

Putting the phone down I rest my head on the wall behind me and close my eyes for a while. I will have to get

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