“Here you go, sweeties.” Placing the glasses on the coffee table, I manage a smile.
Gwen curls up in a ball, her blue eyes hollow pools reflecting back my own pain. Heather sips slowly, her forehead crinkled in discomfort. Meanwhile, Julian, who’s thankfully doing fine, remains satisfied playing with his toys on the floor. At least for now.
My phone buzzes. I pick it up and see the Slack notification glaring back at me. Slack is where Will and I keep our business communications, so this has to be him.
I click the notification to read his message and notice he’s sent me quite a few, asking for updates on the business plan. I was supposed to send over my approval two hours ago.
His last message reads:
Will
Is everything okay on your end?
I roll my eyes. No, everything is not okay, but then again, he has no way of knowing that, and I don’t have time to clue him in on how my life is a complete mess right now.
Instead, I reply with a simple message:
Sophie
I can’t cope right now the approval will have to come later
There. I’m the client; if he’s not happy about me being late, he can deal with it like a big boy. I’ve got more pressing things to worry about.
On one end of my couch, Heather is curled up, looking utterly miserable. Her cheeks are flushed, her little body shivering.
At that moment, Gwen, who’s lying on the other end of the couch, writhes around with a groan. She doesn’t look much better than her sister, her face pale and eyes glassy. “Mommy, my tummy hurts,” she whines.
As if on cue, I feel a painful gurgle in my own stomach. I take a few deep breaths, trying to fight the nausea. Just then, Julian begins wailing from the floor. It’s time for his feeding.
Shit.
I try to ignore the painful stabs in my stomach as I scoop him up, cradling his little body close as I make my way to the couch. As soon as I start nursing him, an intense wave of nausea hits me. I clench my jaw, willing myself not to be sick.
But it’s no use. I quickly lay Julian back on his playmat crib mid-feed, ignoring his angry cries. I sprint to the bathroom and barely make it to the toilet before vomiting violently.
My whole body shudders with each heave. Cold sweat drips down my forehead. I cling weakly to the toilet, feeling completely depleted.
In the other room, Julian’s cries grow more frantic, wrenching my heart straight out of my chest. I take a few deep breaths, then slowly get to my feet, legs trembling. After rinsing my mouth in the sink, I make my way back to hell.
But before I reach the living room, my phone rings. Will’s calling. Ugh. I’m not answering that. I can deal with him later.
I’ve already got one disaster on my hands.
CHAPTER 14
WILL
“You nailed it, Bill.” Ryan flips to the next page, nodding with an impressed smile. “Yeah, this is great.”
I lean back against the overstuffed chair facing Ryan’s desk. I have to admit, I’m pretty proud of this growth plan. Despite all the challenges lined up in Sophie’s way, I’ve managed to come up with a plan that addresses everything without sacrificing her growth goals. “I learned from the best,” I reply with a sly smile. “Also, the client hasn’t approved it yet.” Although I doubt she won’t. I worked closely with Sophie to make sure this plan suits her—and her kids.
Ryan looks up from the plan and raises his eyebrows. “Maybe. But honestly, looking at all this …” He gestures to the plan on his desk. “I don’t think I have much to teach you anymore.”
“I doubt that,” I say with a smile. A notification rings from my phone in my pocket. I take it out.
Sophie
I can’t cope right now the approval will have to come later
