Chaelisa Diaries # 1

Winners Never Quit (3/3)

Warnings: 18+, g!p

13k+ words

DISCLAIMER: This is an adaptation of an original book by Whitney G.

*****

Lisa's POV

A few nights later, I woke up in pain—feeling massive heart palpitations in my chest. No matter how many doses of anxiety medication I took, they came harder each night, and they always brought along memories of my sister. They were always the same. Images of Irene and I fighting in our childhood backyard. Us fighting on the school bus. Us fighting about anything and everything.

Sighing, I rolled over and found myself face to face with a set of purple button eyes.

What the...

I sat up and saw Violet sleeping on the other side of my bed. This was the fifth night in a row that she'd snuck into my bed in the middle of the night, and I was still getting used to it. Kissing her forehead, I pulled a blanket over her and made my way into the kitchen.

Opening the refrigerator, I shook my head at all the juice boxes, fruit, and mini snack meals that were there for Violet. Thanks to Roseanne, she now had her own nutritionist who premade weekly meals and ensured that my refrigerator and freezer were always "eighty percent toddler and twenty percent adult."

I grabbed an apple juice box and a bag of animal crackers, carrying them over to my couch. I opened my laptop and looked for some work I could focus on for the next few hours, but for the first time in forever, the last thing I wanted to do was work.

Shutting it down, I pulled out my phone. I scrolled down to Roseanne's name and stared at it. Then I hit call.

It rang once. It rang twice. And before I could hang up and tell her that the call was a mistake, she answered in her familiar, breathy voice.

"Hello?" she said. "Hello?"

"Hello, Roseanne."

"Are you calling me about the Grand Rose's grand staircase remodel? I can get you those numbers in two minutes."

"Not at all."

"Oh, then this is this about my travel itinerary? I'm waiting on the Macedonia people to approve two of the final meeting spaces, but I have everything set to go for the Scotland and Amsterdam sessions."

"I'm not calling you about that either."

"Oh...Then what's this about?"

I sighed. "I can't sleep."

"I didn't know you were capable of sleeping."

"Contrary to the rumors at the office, I sleep at least five hours a night."

"I've heard you're supposed to get eight."

"I've heard that as well," I said. "But never from anyone successful."

She laughed. "That's exactly why everyone thinks you're an awful boss."

"Do you still think that?"

"Absolutely. You're the worst boss I've ever had."

"I'm the only boss you've ever had."

"Still doesn't change what I said." Her laughter came over the line again, and I realized that over the past two years, we'd never talked on the phone without work being the main topic of conversation.

"Were you thinking about your sister?" she asked.

I didn't answer.

"I'm sorry for asking."