The Heartbreak Factor - Part Four

Chapter Forty-Five.

“Sammy.” 

I turned around as I walked down the corridor proudly to see who was calling my name. As I realised who it was, I smiled back at them. Lisa was stood in the doorway of her office with a stern look on her face. 

“Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked as we walked towards each other to meet in the middle of the corridor. "I heard from Phil."

“I didn’t know how to tell you,” I paused as Lisa gave me a hug. “You’ve been there for me since I left the whole X Factor experience. This isn’t a last minute decision though. I’ve been thinking about it since all the Rio drama. I’ve got to start putting Katy first now – she’s my priority. I didn't want to be the one that broke it to you. I know it was the coward's way out, especially after everything that you've done for me, but I couldn't face telling you."

“I understand,” Lisa smiled to me. “I am really going to miss you though. You’ve been my favourite person to manage.”

“You’re the best manager any artist could ask for,” I grinned. “You’ll get a new prodigy though.”

“Prodigy,” Lisa laughed, gently hitting my arm in a friendly and joking manner. 

“I’m serious though. This was just one chapter in both our careers."

“What’s next for the Sammy machine then?” Lisa asked, pulling me into her office. 

“Getting home to spend time with my husband and baby,” I grinned. It still felt unreal to refer to George as my ‘husband’. I could feel myself erupting with pride as I said it.

“Just remember though that I’ll always be happy to manage you, regardless of whether you have a label or not. You’re not just a client, Sammy. You’re an amazing girl and it’s been a pleasure to work with you and see you get happier and happier.”

After a long hug with Lisa, I finally said my goodbyes to all the administration staff who I’d grown to know over the past five years before rushing down to the front of the building where Chloe was waiting for me. 

Clambering into her car, I laughed as her baby bump meant she had to push her chair right back. "Are you sure you should be driving?" I asked. "I can.."

Before I had chance to say anything else, Chloe butted in, cutting me off mid-sentence. "I wish to God everyone would stop telling me what I should and shouldn't be doing. I'm bloody pregnant. I'm not a bloody vegetable. I'm only carrying a baby. I'm not incapable of doing everything. I'm still able to drive. I'm still able to breath. I'm not a bloody vegetable."

I looked at her and couldn't hide my laughter as she scowled at me.

"What?" Chloe spat as she turned on the car engine. 

"You just sound like me when I was pregnant with Katy," I grinned. "I didn't realise why people found it funny when I said stuff like that but listening to you saying it, it's hilarious."

"You're no help," Chloe groaned as she drove down the road in the direction towards my house. 

"Trust me, Chloe. Get all the help you can now."

*

Running into the study, I grabbed hold of the chair that George was sat in as he worked away on his laptop and spun him around to face me. “What are you doing?” George laughed as he looked up at me with a huge grin across his face. 

“I’ve done it.”

George looked at me in confusion. “Done what?”

“I’ve quit.”

The confused expression didn’t leave George’s face as he questioned me again. “Quit what?”

“I’ve quit the label.”

George’s jaw dropped as he realised what I’d just said. “You’ve done what?”

I sat down on the sofa beside the desk and smiled at George as he continued to look at me in shock. I took a deep breath and looked him directly in the eye. “I’ve dropped myself from the label. The record label were on about taking me to America to release another US album to try and push my career worldwide, like we tried the other year, but I really don’t wanna do that. I’ve done enough. I’ve had two top five albums and that’s enough for me.”

George didn’t say anything; instead, he just continued to look at me in disbelief. After a few moments, he finally found the words to say as I sat on the sofa, looking at him in anticipation as I waited for a reaction from him. “Why?”

“I don’t know. I’ve been thinking about it for weeks. The label have asked if I can do one more album to finish the contract and I’m fine with that but then that’s it. I just wanna focus on us and Katy.”

“Are you really sure this is what you want?” he asked.

“Yes,” I smiled. “I’m really sure. I’ve done more than I ever thought I would and it’s not the end. I just wanna spend more time with Katy. She's at the age where she needs me around and I wanna be around to see her grow up.”

“As long as you’re happy, I’m happy,” George grinned, grabbing hold of my hand and dragging me across from the sofa to where he was sat on the office chair. As he wrapped his arms around me, I sat on his lap and put my hands on the back of his neck. “You know I love you, right?”

I looked deep into his eyes with a huge smile on my face. “I do.”

"One month ago today you said that," George grinned. 

"And I meant it," I smiled. "Together forever, Mister Shelley."