Me before you

chapter 6

It had been raining for two days straight.

Sana tried to focus on chopping the onions into equal sizes, and not on the rain pattering against the kitchen window. The bad weather just reminded her of Boston, where a day without clouds was rare and precious. She did not need to think about Boston.

Pushing those thoughts away, she turned up the stove to put the onions on to sweat. Then she let herself lean against the kitchen side and take a moment. It was a Saturday, and she hadn't been working, so she and Louis had taken most of the day to explore the town they'd not quite settled into yet, armed with umbrellas. They'd had lunch at that place Y/n talked about - Granny's - and then she'd bought him some comic books.

Lincoln was as welcoming as any small town, but she doubted whether she'd ever get used to the lack of traffic.

She pushed her hair back behind her ear, moving to boil the water for the pasta. In the den, she could hear Louis watching TV. He'd Skyped with Wonwoo when they got in: Wonwoo had promised to have him for a week or so near Christmas.

Which would be good for Louis, but she worried herself sick on the days he walked home from school by himself. She honestly did not want to think what kind of state she'd be at him staying the other side of the country, even if it was in the house they used to share. Or at least cohabit.

Stop thinking about Wonwoo!

Sana huffed, reaching for a pepper and holding it in place on the chopping board. That was when her phone buzzed to life, vibrating on the kitchen side.

Oh, for the love of God - Sana glanced distractedly over: the incoming call screen displayed the name of one Sarah Park. Well, she had to take it. If something had happened - she wiped her hands on a dishcloth, turned the heat on the stove way down and swiped answer as quickly as she could.

"Sana?"

"What is it?" Sana asked, desperate to get to the point - something she'd quickly learned Sarah was not very good at. She heard the mayor sigh over the phone. In the background, she could just make out voices like people arguing.

"I know this is horribly rude of me, but we really don't know what else to do -" Sarah rushed to explain. Her voice was getting progressively higher and more upset. "She got angry during her physio, it's been a really bad day and Marco's been called into work and I have so much contract stuff to sort out but I don't want to leave her alone, and I appreciate that you're busy but -"

"I'll be in as soon as I can." Sana told her heavily.

"Thank you, thank you so much, Sana, I am so sorry, I just -"

"It's fine. I'll be there." Sana assured her briskly, letting the mayor manage another thank you before hanging up the phone.

Sighing, Sana turned the stove off and covered the pasta with a saucepan lid, dropping her spoon into the sink and switching her phone back to messaging. She quickly began tapping out a hasty message asking if Chaeyoung could watch Louis for a few hours while she went to work. God, she wished she didn't have to bother Chae.

Not waiting for a reply, she moved back into the hallway, reaching for her coat and bag off their hooks and slinging them over her arm.

"Louis?" Sana called, heart sinking. No answer. "Louis," She sighed, pushing through into the den.

Louis was sitting with his legs up on the sofa, reading one of his comics. Captain America. In the background, some talk show was playing on TV. He looked up when she walked in, eyes wide. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, sweetheart, but I have to go into work." Sana told him, something in her chest breaking a little. If there was a way she didn't have to leave him... At least so suddenly. God. She sighed. "I'm so sorry but it sounds like they have a real situation over there. I've asked Chaeyoung if she can come sit with you until I get back."