Page 81 of Just Like You
Domestic bliss, indeed.
“So what did Bash say?”
“He was… talking to me like we were friends, or something, and it was strange because we never talk about personal things. We’ve worked together for years, and I wouldn’t call him a friend. A workmate. One that sometimes annoys the hell out of me, but he was a bit rattled by this reorganisation. Apparently, him and his Jake have just been approved for their first foster placement. They have two kids turning up tomorrow, and he was all twitchy, worrying if he’ll suddenly be out of a job by next week.”
“Like Juliet would do that.”
“She would. Nothing she hasn’t done before. If you underperform and take the piss? She has you out before you know it.”
“But…”
“Bash is our chief analyst. She would be mad to lose him. She’ll keep him, and Faye, and Jenna. Oliver? Trouble. Always in trouble, but he works like an Arabian stallion. Gets those results. Anil has been with us for years, so have Will and Jenna.And…”
“She’s not going to cut you loose.”
“She could. If she does what she’s mentioned and outsources the whole risk and data aggregation, then that makes me a spare part.”
“And would she?”
“Could be a smart move.”
“And?”
“And I wonder if I could just…you know. Let go. Start up my own small company and work from here. It would mean much less money, but more time. I could spend time with you, and…”
“And?” He sipped his tea.
“I would take Maura with me, because that way I could get her to slow down. She only has a few years to go before she has to retire, and she lives near here. It could work. We could think about a family. Perhaps get a dog.”
“I’d love a dog. But we’d have to have a good dog sitter on the books, so you could still come away with me.”
“Yes.”
He went quiet, musing for a while.
“Do you want kids?”
“I don’t know.” Truth. An absolute one. “I never thought I did, but then talking to Bash yesterday, how excited he was, and at the same time, how terrified the whole thing made him. The change to his life. Would Jake still love him, or would… the kids even like him? Kids like me? They change everything, don’t they? And I keep thinking, if Ralphie hadn’t taken me in, where would I have been? What would have become of me?”
“But we wouldn’t be on our own. We’d have a bunch of cool aunties and uncles to help us. I could take some paternity leave. Maybe go part time. Money isn’t everything, but it would change, of course it would. We would change. And we need to go see Ralphie this weekend. Bring him strawberries. He likes those.”
“He likes you. Every time you turn up, his face lights up. But seriously, Julian. For better or worse? Whatever you think. One thing, though, we’d never get bored.”
“I’m never bored as it is. I come home, and we have all these things going on. We travel, and we go out, and we run around and, even going to the supermarket is fun. Because you’re there, with me.”
“Need to convince you to come to the gym with me again.”
“Never.” He grinned. “Absolutely not.”
“You were cute.”
“I was terrible. Awful. I have zero skills when it comes to working out.”
“But you do,” I said, walking around the kitchen counter to where he was. Gently grabbing his elbows and turning him around. Standing up, with that dressing gown, which I untied, letting the fabric plummet to the floor.
I just wanted to admire him. Watch him. See all that beauty that was all mine.
“Naughty,” he whispered. “I know what you’re thinking.”
