Deeper Healing

58| Greedy

Leilani Edwards

I slowly ran my hand over the photo frame, a soft smile touching my lips.

Isla had replaced it as quicker than I imagined within an hour although she wasn't the reason why I was smiling. I was smiling at the woman looking back at me I resembled so much yet character-wise, we were different.

I realised with time, looking at her photos with a smile got easier and thinking about her wasn't as painful anymore. Of course, the pain was still there, but it got tolerable and a source of more strength than regret.

I placed the frame back on my desk with a soft sigh, my eyes glazing across the room. Somewhere in between the small breaks I'd had trying to fit into my new team, I'd gotten a little creative and moved things around a bit to my liking.

I loved the simple yet aesthetic outcome.

Transferring to a new team meant new responsibilities and forming more professional relationships. I wanted to give this my best shot, a factor that contributed to me staying at the office as late as nine in the evening after my team's review dinner.

I had a few reports to write and I was happy I'd completed them within the day they'd been assigned to me.

A soft knock on the door drew my attention and I turned back to look in its direction.

"Come in," I called out.

I'd heard talking in the hallway earlier and people walking. It could be any of them or perhaps security checking in. I didn't really know who to expect.

Blake was the last person I expected to push the door open and peek inside as if waiting for my express permission to get in. "May I come in?"

"Of course," I smiled, walking in his direction to hold the door open for him while he entered. "Aren't you supposed to be resting at home?"

The last time we'd spoken, a day earlier, he'd been moving around in a wheelchair but tonight, he had a cane instead. The limp in his right leg appeared less prominent than when I'd last seen him on his feet when I visited him at home.

Seeing him recover made me feel relieved.

Blake cautiously walked around the small coffee table to sit in a chair with a heavy sigh, the frustration on his face instantly disappearing when he realised I was observing him. He must have been struggling and still feeling pain in his hip.

"I heard someone wowed the board today and thought I'd congratulate you in person for making a statement on your first pitch."

The smile on his face and pride in his voice tugged at my heartstrings. He had no idea how long I'd yearned to see him smile so warmly because of me no matter how cold I acted towards him.

"Well, thank you," I softly chuckled. "It wouldn't have been possible without you hiring me. Should I get you something to drink? Tea, coffee, water—anything?"

The least I could do was be hospitable and open up myself to him. I'd been doing great with him for days and I was proud of the level of comfort we'd attained in being around each other. Maybe if I'd opened up myself to him earlier, I would have started my healing and moving on journey earlier too.

"I'm good, thanks. I just had dinner with a couple of friends. I do wish you could come sit close to me if that's not too much to ask."

I didn't object, walking over to where he sat to sit in a chair next to his with my knees tilted towards him so we could talk facing each other.

"How do you like the new office and your new team?" he asked me. "You're closer to the director now and I know from experience he's quite a strict perfectionist," he humoured.