Page 82 of Ms Perfectly Fine
“Thank you for coming. I just needed someone I could trust.”
He smiled softly, and she recognised Todd’s eyes. “I will handle everything personally.”
She was grateful to have met Elijah if all his friends were this nice. “You have no idea how much I appreciate it. I wish I had listened to Elijah and gone with him this morning.” Why had she ignored what was right in front of her?
“If you had, you wouldn’t have been here to catch her, and we wouldn’t have two pieces of evidence to inspect,” he pointed out.
“Can I ask you a favour?”
“Anything.”
“Could we keep this to ourselves for now? I don’t want to make today about me when they’re finally closing with Nirosoft.”
Aiden looked unsure.
“We could tell Elijah together when we do,” she suggested. “I want him to have all the facts, and I think it would help him to know we’ve spoken.”
“Sure. It’s up to you, but I will need to stop by tomorrow and take a full report from you. Is that all right?” he asked, heading for the door.
“Tomorrow is fine. I just don’t want to take their night from them. They’ve both worked so hard on this deal.”
“That’s awfully kind of you. Francis and Elijah wouldn’t want you to keep this to yourself, but I thank you for thinking of them,” Aiden said, squeezing her arm gently.
He opened the door just as his colleagues were leading Heather outside. Autumn caught her pleading gaze. She wanted to speak to her, to demand answers, but she was too raw, and she wanted to confirm it first so Heather couldn’t lie any longer.
Aiden left with the other officers, and Sasaki joined Autumn in the office while Nina went to inform the others that practice would be delayed until the afternoon.
“I wish you had told me you were being harassed,” Sasaki said, sitting on the edge of his desk.
Far too overwhelmed to be scolded, she rubbed the tears forming in her eyes. “I thought if I kept it to myself, then it wouldn’t be happening.”
He swallowed her up in his embrace. “I want you to go home and get some rest. You can practise at home if you like, but you need some time to collect yourself,” he said gently.
Autumn found herself welling up, grateful for the fact that he always put her first. She wiped a tear with her sleeve.
“This is all in the past now. There’s no need to be hard on yourself.”
“Will you still let me play on Friday?” she asked, hoping he wouldn’t stop her.
“If that’s what you want, then yes, but I will be increasing security just in case,” he said, rubbing his forehead.
She hated to put more pressure on him, but it couldn’t be helped. “I never expected what was happening at home to spill into the theatre,” she told him.
The lines in his brow deepened. “I’m afraid it was the other way ‘round. To put you through this after everything makes me doubt whether I should have brought you back.”
His concern broke her heart. “Please don’t say that! I can’t live without music. You know that as much as I do. I’ve never been anything but grateful to you for giving me the courage to return. I won’t let her or anyone else stop me.”
“Okay,” he sighed. “If you want to perform, then I won’t get in your way; the show must go on.”
She laughed, almost in a daze. “Thank you for always being on my side.”
“Always. Now, go home and get some rest. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
When she left his office, Nina was already waiting with her things.
“Please tell me you aren’t being suspended?” she exclaimed, fretting by the stage door.
“Suspended? I haven’t done anything wrong.” Autumn didn’t know where she would have got such an idea from. She didn’t think anyone had been suspended from the theatre since she’d joined.
