Girl on the Bench [Completed]

Played

Rosa

"Rosa, it'll be alright. Lola told you she would keep you up to date with everything. Put down the phone," Soph said.

I grunted and threw my phone on the sofa grumpily, "I can't help it. It's been a month since I've heard from her, Soph. A month. I don't know what to do."

Soph perched on the couch next to me and pulled me into a hug, "I can't even imagine how you're feeling but I think you need to give Dominic some time."

"Fuck!" I uttered. I knew I sounded like a child but I didn't know what else to do. I stood up and walked over to the window and looked out onto the small patio. I'd rented a cottage on the edge of town after the accident. I didn't want to stay with Soph and Callie, nothing ruins the engaged couple glow like a third wheel who keeps bursting into tears. Everything was on the same floor with two bedrooms and a living room with large glass doors that opened into the garden. I'd foolishly thought Dominic would want to come back here with me.

Soph was talking but I'd barely registered the words until she mentioned Harry.

"What did you say about Harry?" I asked, jolting back into the present.

Soph rolled her eyes at me, "He called me to say that he's bringing your things down from the cottage. He's a nice guy. He asked about you."

I winced. Things had ended awkwardly with Harry. After Dominic's accident, I'd barely spoken to him and I think he knew what was happening. He'd returned home after making sure that I had everything I'd needed. He would be a great boyfriend to someone but it's not me.

"He'll be here in a few days, " Soph said.

"Right,"I muttered.

"Rosa, please. You can't keep doing this."

I sighed and rested my forehead against the cool glass, "I need to go, Soph. I have to check in on Bella's and do a stock take."

Soph rubbed her forehead in exasperation, "You'll come over for dinner tomorrow? Callie will be back from work by then."

"Sure."

The cafe was full and I breathed in the smell of coffee and cake, it felt like my mum was here. I slipped in between the tables and made my way up to the office. I sat behind the desk and stared at the numbers until they blurred. I remembered the last time that I was in here with Dominic. How he had pulled me close to him and kissed me like he needed me to breathe. A hard lump formed in the back of my throat and I pulled my legs up into my chest and sobbed.

"Boss?"

I lifted my head and wiped the tears away as I looked at Micah, one of the new staff I'd hired before I'd left. He'd towered over me by nearly a foot and had a rumbling laugh that had me joining in instantly and his lemon and toffee tower cake was the things of dreams.

"There's someone here to see you, do you want me to send them up?" he asked softly.

I pulled my hair up into a bun and rubbed the makeup from under my eyes. I knew I looked awful.

"Sure, send them up."

Micah flashed me a grin, "You look good, boss."

I grinned back and chuckled as I heard his booming laugh reverberate down the staircase. I fidgeted with the paperwork in front of me and patted my hair flat, giving up when I felt some curls fall out of the elastic. I thought it was someone from the wholesalers so I was surprised to see a tall, tanned man with his dreads pulled away from his face enter the room.

"Rosa, right?" He said, grinning widely and offering his hand to me.

I stood and gave his hand a brief shake, "Yes. I'm sorry, have we met?"

The man grinned again and I felt my cheeks flush in embarrassment, "I didn't know if you'd remember me. Actually, I don't know if we ever met at the hospital. My name's Lee. I'm one of the physiotherapists that worked with Dominic."

My hands gripped the edge of the wooden table, "Oh god, is he alright?"

Lee held his hands up, "Shit, I should have worded that differently. He's great, Rosa. He's been moved to a rehabilitation unit to help him learn to walk again and he has his prosthetic now. He's improving so quickly."

I exhaled loudly and loosened my grip, "Thank god. Why are you here? I thought Lola was going to keep me up to date."

Lee looked sheepish, "I know. We've spoken a lot, Lola and I."

"Oh really?" I said, arching an eyebrow.

Lee blushed and I smiled, so it was like that.

"I'm here to see you, not as Dominic's physio but as his friend. I think you need to see him."

The words fluttered out of his mouth and fell to the floor.

I sat down and massaged my temples, "Did he ask to see me?"

Lee shifted, "Not in so many words but he wants to, Rosa. It's so obvious. He spends most of time when he's not doing rehab looking at photos on his phone that he won't show anyone else and whenever anyone mentions you, he looks lost. He's lost without you."

I gave my head a quick shake, "I can't. He told me to leave."

Lee's eyes widened, "Good lord, woman. You're as stubborn as he is!"

My eyes flashed in anger and he roared with laughter, "He does that too!"

I fidgeted in my chair, "I'm sorry, I can't. He doesn't want to see me. He'd call me if he did."

Lee shrugged, "Alright, well can't say I didn't try. "

He waved and made his way to the doorway. I sank down in my chair, feeling the fatigue wash over me. I didn't think I could keep doing this.

"Oh, before I forget," Lee said, resting against the door frame. I looked up at him.

"Yeah?"

"He's getting discharged in a couple of days and he is determined to go back to his loft."

"His loft? How will he manage there?"

Lee shrugged again, "I don't know but he says that there's a red tartan scarf that he needs."

A red tartan scarf...My mind flashed back to the night we'd slept together, wrapped in each other and the next morning when I told him I was leaving. My red, tartan scarf. He'd kept it?

"Bye," Lee called and started to leave.

"Wait!"

Lee stopped and turned.

"What's the address of this rehabilitation unit?" I asked.

Lee grinned and I knew that he'd played me.

I could see why Lola liked him.