The Delivery Girl

67. Promotion

Callen

I stare at Julie's old desk. It still feels odd seeing it empty, same with leaving the office for the night without her by my side.

I've interviewed a handful of people for the assistant role, but I can't help but compare them to Julie. At this point, I should just get rid of the desk – but every time I try, there's a feeling that stops me.

I pack up my bag and head out. Before Julie, I never felt lonely. I never had the time to. It was just part of the routine. On most days, the only person I actually spoke to was Hayley. That was how I liked it.

Now, it feels like a part of me is missing.

Even when she's around, sometimes it feels like she isn't fully there. Like she's slowly fading away into work the way I used to.

Part way through breakfast, Julie gets a notification on her phone. She takes it out and checks it before starting to type. "Sorry," she murmurs, not looking up. "It's work."

I study her as she continues writing. Her skin looks a little more pale than usual, and I can see the dark circles under her eyes she's tried to cover with makeup. She told me things would get better, but they just seem to be getting worse.

I clear the table and bring our dishes to the kitchen. Her eggs are untouched, bacon nudged around, toast has one bite taken out.

"Julie?" I ask on our way out. "Are you alright?"

She nods. "Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

I pause. "I'm getting more worried about you," I say carefully. "You haven't been eating or sleeping properly."

Late last night, I woke up to Julie sitting up in bed. She was working on her laptop. I asked her to go back to bed, but she just gave me a weak smile and mumbled something about almost being done.

"You wanted me to support you," I say quietly. "I promise I'm trying my best, but I'm human, I have my limits. It's hard for me to watch you like this."

She stops outside her car. "I'm sorry. I appreciate you trying. But this is what I chose – I can't turn my back on it."

Her answer doesn't surprise me. I don't know what there is for me to say. What kind of boyfriend would I be if I asked her to quit? Especially after fighting so hard to show I supported her choices. I want to, I really do, but there's nothing tangible she'll let me do. I've always hated feeling powerless, now more than ever.

"Anyways, I have to go." She gives me a quick kiss before getting into her car.

I stand in the driveway, watching her pull out and head down to the gate.

–

"Hey Julie, how was work?" I ask as she comes into our gym.

She looks at me in the mirror and gives me a small, nervous smile. I put down the dumbbell I'm holding and turn around.

"I got a promotion. Starting Monday, I'm going to be a senior engineer." Her voice is excited, but I can hear the nerves. Almost like she's waiting for me to validate the decision before she can fully enjoy it.

I raise my eyebrows. "Wait really? You've only been there for a month and a half."

"One of the other senior engineers quit. Lawrence promoted me instead of hiring a replacement," she explains. She pauses, eyes darting around until she continues. "That um, means I have to be on call."

"On call?" I ask slowly.

She nods. "If something essential goes down, someone has to fix it ASAP, even if it's outside office hours." She seems to notice the look on my face. "Only every other week though, I'll alternate with the other senior engineer."