15.06 (#2)

Chapter 10

"Why don't you arrange to talk to her?" I suggested to Rori as we had lunch together.

"Maybe I should just give her some space. She seemed really angry."

"She's just upset that you didn't try to contact her. Give her some time but don't leave it too long. Trust me, it works out for the better if you just talk to her. Even though I don't understand why you didn't tell us you were leaving, I know that if you try to explain to her then maybe you can smooth out the air."

"Yeah..." She said hesitantly. To be honest I wasn't sure Jess would ever be okay with wanting to speak to Rori, however she was the most reasonable person in our friendship group. "Olivia, you're dropping everything on your top!" She cried, wiping the crumbs of her sandwich off the little girl's shirt.

"Sowi mummy." She apologised.

"It's okay. Just be careful." Rori smiled, and the little girl went back to chomping away at her lunch.

"What's it like take care of a child?" I asked.

"Hard work and patience."

"Both things you have already."

"It does help when you love your child unconditionally. I'm just worried that'll she'll grow up without a steady father figure because I've had to take up that role. I try to give her the best I can. When I'm travelling, which isn't as much as you would think she stays with Julia or Donny who love her to bits. Most of the time however I work from home so I can pick her up from school, drop her off in the morning, the usually motherly duties."

"Sounds like a lot of work for someone as young as you." I cringed as I said that.

"I haven't been young for many years Christian. I lost my childhood when my family were killed so there's no point in stopping what I'm doing to act like someone my age. That's not saying I wouldn't mind some down time."

"I don't know how you do it. You're practically juggling three jobs, a child and yourself."

"Running the orphanage isn't much work since I've placed people who I trust in charge. As for my career as a lawyer? Well it's not bad if I'm doing what I love. It's a joy to see us winning custody battles or rehousing children or even the adoption process. It makes the sleepless night all the more worth it. Olivia is an angel though, she doesn't give me much trouble. Now that's not saying she's a perfect child all the time." Rori grinned.

"Where are you based then?" I wanted to know how long she was staying in New York for.

"Big things have been happening in my company as well as the law firm I work in. I started out in Oregon because for a while it felt good to be home. When the memories started to hurt again I moved. Olivia was only young and she hadn't started school so it was easier to uproot our lives wherever my work took me. Now she has started her education it was difficult to decided where to settle. I've decided to stay in New York since dad and Julia are here it's easier for Olivia to be around family when I have to go somewhere. I couldn't bear to think about leaving her with a baby sitter."

"So you're going to be living here permanently?" Hope seeping into my voice.

"For the time being yeah. You have to understand Christian. It's hard for me to stay in one place long enough to get attached. My past hasn't made it easy for me to make relationships that I know will last. For it were up to me I'd be continuously travelling but now I have to think about Olivia and what's best for her."

"I understand." No, I didn't fucking understand. Why couldn't she understand that there were people who loved her, who would do anything for her. Why couldn't she just face her fears like the rest of us instead of running away? That question got stuck in my throat as I saw her beautiful face looking adoringly at her daughter. Some day she'll tell me what was in her mind.