Strange [h.s.]

Thirty Six

Six months later...

Ella Frazier

Months ago, I gave myself the rule that I would let the phone ring a total of four times before I started to get worried.

I'm on ring number two right now, so I have some leeway. This is a new rule I've been trying to implement in my life, especially now that Harry and I are both working a lot.

It's far from the amount that it used to be for Harry and nowhere near as easy as I felt my workload used to be before. We both found a Happy medium with our careers.

Harry has been working a lot during the day at schools, giving speeches through Wyatt's company to talk to kids at the local high schools about what they do and how to get into the career if they are interested. From what he tells me when I get back from work, he's actually had a lot of the kids come up to him afterward, a few of them interested in getting into the business field.

It's so exciting to see him talk about work with a smile on his face.

As for me, my job couldn't be any better. A few months ago, they had me come into the main office to meet with my boss, which was initially alarming because I work from home, sending in my writing samples and whatnot for the company website. I was so worried, in fact, that I would wake up in the middle of the night thinking about it and would then wake Harry up to ask him what he thought was going to happen, which always resulted in him mumbling, "Ella I don't know but nothing bad." and then falling back asleep.

In the morning, he would reassure me better than he did the night before, telling me that nothing back could happen simply because I am the best at my job and they would be stupid to let me go.

It turns out he was right.

I walked into the meeting that day as a writer for the company and left being the senior writer and editor. They had told me that they were fascinated and impressed with the level of my work and had seen how the public took a liking to my work, leading them to their decision to promote me.

I don't remember driving home from the meeting. I don't even remember what they said to me after they offered the position to me. All I remember is the words, "Am I staying here?" leaving my mouth.

I hate that the fear coursed through me once I got the offer, but it is something that I do have to take into consideration. I don't even think it's the past memories of Harry leaving due to a promotion. It's just the fact that life is so great here now that I don't want to do anything to disrupt that.

My boss looked at me a little oddly, but I brushed it off. He told me I would remain here, and that was all I needed to hear.

The entire drive back home was filled with me trying not to put the gas pedal straight to the floor and fly home.

I remember racing upstairs to our apartment, opening the door, and seeing Harry sitting on the couch, his elbows propped against his knees and his chin in his hands as he kept his face in the direction of the door.

The second his eyes met mine, they widened, almost as if he was telling me to spit out what happened.

"I didn't get fired," is what I pushed out as I threw my arms out beside me. That was all Harry needed to hear before he was up off the couch, wrapping his arms around me and picking me up off the ground in a hug.

"I'm a senior writer and editor," were the following words to leave my lips. At that, Harry set me back down on the ground and pulled away from the hug.

His eyes stayed locked on mine, "They promoted you?"

I nodded, a smile popping onto my face. "Ella," Harry said with a laugh, "Ella, Ella, Ella, Oh my god."