Page 76 of My Merry Mistake
“Trust the team?”
I push a hand through my hair and sigh. I don’t trust the team. Not to do it the way I would, nor the way it needs to be done.
“I can practicallyhearyou spiraling,” Jill says. “You have four whole weeks to do whatever you want to do! Paid! Good grief, I wouldkillfor that. Take a trip. Find a beach. Something! Enjoy it.”
Right. Easy for her to say. “I gotta go. I have another closet to organize.”
“Lucky,” she says.
I roll my eyes.
“Have a great Thanksgiving, boss.”
I click my phone off. I hate this, and yet, as I sink deeper into the armchair, there’s a tiny part of me that knows it might besomething I need. Maybe what I really hate is that—I feel like I’m at war with my own body.
I open Justin’s last text and stare at it—then type:
Raya
You’re not going to believe this, but they sent me home. I can’t work for four weeks.
Justin
Whoa. Why?
Raya
For “my health.” It’s worse for my health to be stuck at home.
Justin
I thought you just had a headache.
I stare at the words. They seem cold.
But . . . that’s what I want, right? No emotion. It bothers me a little that he said it that way.
Raya
More involved than that, but yeah. The prescription is rest.
Justin
Yikes. Sounds brutal.
Raya
Yeah, I’m not one to sit on the sidelines. Do you want meet for lunch this week?
Justin
I’ll have to see how the calendar looks.
Right. Becausehestill has a job.
Raya
No pressure. Just let me know.
