sorry the bouncers haven’t done their job protecting you.”
I frown after him.
“Let me know if he bothers you again, okay?”
I nod and smile. “Thank you.”
I blow out a breath and head out the back. Time to get to work on my terms.
The alarm rings out. It only seems to wake me five minutes after I crawled into bed this morning. Owen is sound asleep beside me. I didn’t get home until 4am. It’s now 6.15am and already time to get up.
I’m delirious.
I crawl out of bed and open my blinds. I’m so tired and I feel like shit.
Just have a shower and go to work and then you have the whole weekend to sleep, I remind myself.
Thank God it’s the weekend. I really need some me time.
It’s been a long, hard week.
I trudge to the bathroom and shower to get myself ready for my day. I can’t do this for much longer. I am going to resign. This is bullshit, putting myself through Hell to prove a point.
I hate that he wins.
I’m sitting at the kitchen table eating my breakfast when Owie comes down for his morning cuddle in my lap.
“Good morning, baby.” I smile as he climbs up.
“Morning, Momma.” He smiles as he wraps his little arms around me.
“You have preschool today.” I smile. He’s not really liking it, but we are trying our hardest to get him excited about going.
“I might stay with Jenna today,” he announces.
My eyes rise up to Jenna across the table and she smirks while holding her coffee cup.
“No, remember you have to go to get ready for big school.”
He frowns.
“But I don’t like it.”
I smile. “You’ll like it if you give it a chance. Just hang in there. Plus, your friend Alison is going today.”
His eyes widen. “Alison is going today?” he asks in wonder.
I nod and smile. “Aha, and she is your friend.” I giggle as I tickle his chest. “You can play with her all day long.”
He smiles as he bites his cute little bottom lip.
“You’ve got to get going, Ash,” Jen murmurs. “You’re going to be late.”
I blow out a breath. “At least it’s Friday.”
“I have assessments due. Yay! Go me,” she mutters with an eye roll.
I smile as I stand and kiss them both. “Twelve months from now, this shit will be finished with.”
“Hallelujah,” she replies dryly.
I grab my lunch from the fridge and go take my phone off charge only to notice that in last night delirious state, I didn’t turn the power on.
“Damn it,” I snap, annoyed with myself.
Jen rolls her eyes knowing what I’ve done.
“Just ring me at the hospital if you need me,” I murmur as I grab my bag. “I’ll get Owen this afternoon on my way home so you can get your assessments done. Let’s get pizza for dinner.”
“Pizza, yay.” Owen laughs as he puts his arms in the air.
“Sounds good,” she calls from behind me. “Love you. Have a great day.”
I hotfoot it across the parking lot to my car. It’s been a bloody hectic day to say the least. Cameron had two emergency surgeries and I didn’t get to speak to him all day, although the look he threw me from across the room was scary enough. He went to his surgery this afternoon and I know he’s going to growl me out about going to work last night as soon as he gets the chance. I glance at my watch. 4.15pm. Shit, the bloody preschool closes at 5pm. I need to hurry. I pick up my pace and start to power walk.
Thank God. Pizza, wine, and bed tonight. I’m so excited to get home. It’s been such a long week. I walk up toward my car and notice that someone is parked behind me, just pulled up in the middle of the parking lot behind my car. I go over to the car and it is all locked up.
I frown. What the hell?
I look around for the driver. Where are they? I don’t have time for this shit.
I walk up and down the parking lot to try and locate the owner. Who the hell parks their car in the middle of a parking lot behind someone?
For fuck’s sake!
I see a man approaching. Oh great, this is him… but he gets into another car parked a few cars down. I run over. “Excuse me, do you know whose car this is?” I ask.