Damn it.Why was everything so hard?
Erik was only shooting here for another few weeks.Justin would leave before that, so hopefully Erik would get over his hissy fit.I couldn’t understand why he wasn’t taking every chance he had to spend time with his son.He only had these few weeks.Why not enjoy them, instead of getting pissy over Justin?
At least there wasn’t much he could do.
“What’s wrong?”
I jerked at the sound of Justin’s voice.I’d been lost in thought and probably been scrubbing the coffee pot long after it was clean.“Sorry, just daydreaming.”It wasn’t his problem, and I didn’t need to burden him with my latest drama.There’d been a tangible drawing of the lines of separation since Cooper had been here, and that was fine.Totally.
“If you don’t want to tell me, just say so.”
Damn it, the man knew me too well.But this was supposed to be a professional relationship.Which was almost over.After a couple of weeks of exercising his hand, he’d regained a lot of his motor skills.Not everything, but he could tie laces and even handle buttons.I was contracted for two more weeks, but I wasn’t doing anything necessary now.From the beginning, I’d known this contract could end sooner, and maybe it was time.Then I’d have no reason to see him again.
Just another thing to look forward to.
“What’s Arne up to?Would he like another chance to skate?”
Yeah, one cheerful thought led right into another.“He’s away for the weekend, so we’ll have to see when he’s back.”Ifhe was back.I wasn’t sure of my legal standing if Erik decided to keep him longer.
“Is that why you’re upset?”
I turned to Justin.“Why do you think I’m upset?”I’d been mostly doing a good job of hiding it.No one at home had noticed.
He shrugged.“The line on your forehead.The frown on your face when you forget what you’re doing.Your shoulders are high and tight.”
I rubbed a hand over my face.Justin remembered me better from eleven years ago than the people I lived with.Iwasupset.I hadn’t spent more than a day away from Arne since he was born, and now… Was he missing me?Was Erik taking proper care of him?Would he bring Arne back?But I couldn’t let that worry impact my job.
“You don’t need me here anymore.”Changing the topic.I’d rather deal with that issue than keep dwelling on Arne.
Justin didn’t react at first.Finally, he spoke.“Are you worried that I’m going to tell you not to come back, or hoping I will?”
I didn’t have a good answer to that one either.“I’m wasting the team’s money.”
He frowned.“Believe me, they’re not hurting.Unless…are you bored?Do you have another job lined up you want to get to?If you want to be done, you can be.We’ve paid through the end of the month, and you’ll get your money in any case.I can get someone to come in for a couple of hours if I need to.”
Now I felt worse.“I’m sorry, I’m taking out my bad mood on you and that’s not fair.”
I could almost feel his gaze as he checked for what was bothering me.“If you need to vent to someone, who else have you got?”
I dropped into a kitchen chair.How pathetic was it that he was right?My coworkers I normally saw for a few minutes at the start or end of a shift, or in passing at the office.There was Tonya, but I didn’t like to take any more advantage of her.She’d been great with giving me rides while the car was in the shop, until I started driving the Subaru.At least I got my car back yesterday, after almost igniting my credit card.
There was no one to talk to in my family.Mom would end up spilling anything I told her to Bruce.And Cora and Dorian were too much like him—selfish and spoiled.Erik?He was the current source of my worry.
“Erik took Arne to visit his family,” I blurted out.Guess I was sharing with Justin.
He narrowed his eyes, focused on me.“That’s not a normal thing?”
I shook my head.“They, his parents, flew out when Arne was born—they live in Manitoba, so it’s too far for them to drive.But they couldn’t afford to stay for long, and by the time Arne was old enough that I’d even think of visiting anyone, Erik had left.I had too much to do here to take him to Gimli, and they wouldn’t have wanted me there, just Arne.Over the last couple of years their health has deteriorated and they couldn’t handle a flight here.They call sometimes, send him birthday and Christmas cards, but that’s about it.”
“This is the first time Arne has seen them since he was a baby?”
I bit my lips.“Yeah.And his first time on an airplane.”
Justin ran his hand through his hair.“Why didn’t you go with them?I’d have given you the time.”
“I wasn’t invited.”I hadn’t even been asked.
He cocked his head.“Did you want to be?”