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14.Can You Believe It
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Better In Every Way 15. A Quick Detour
The past few days have been a rollercoaster of emotions for me; caught between feeling excited for the new business opportunity and sad about some of the things that came with it.Not talking to Rachel for the past few days has been a relatively easy task to accomplish. It was hard, emotionally, having our last conversation play in my head over and over like broken record; not allowing me to escape all feelings of that day. But both of us were genuinely busy during this past week, so there was no ducking or diving around the office to avoid each other. Neither of us just made the effort to reach out to the other, and that seems to have worked out best. We both needed the space.However, that comes to an end today.Today we were supposed to be meeting with the team from HephaesTech to discuss the specifics of the contract and for them to give us an actual project brief.I was in the main boardroom, going through a final round of checks to make sure everything was in order before every
Better In Every Way 16.How did you even get in?
I am woken up close to noon on Saturday morning by the sound of someone knocking at my door. I try my best to ignore it, choosing to cower under my sheets where its warm rather than going out there and facing the world that is becoming increasingly colder and colder. It may be mid-autumn; but the weather, especially in the mornings, was a biting prelude to winter.Besides, I am exhausted. This last, very busy, week had taken a lot out of me. Outside of the physical toll, everything that had happened had also emotionally exhausted me. Old feelings and very confusing new ones had my head in a spin by the time Friday rolled around. So much so that I couldn’t even make it to Melody Line.I wasn’t in the right headspace to be interacting with everyone, especially Rachel.I still very much needed that space that I asked her for, and I didn’t think it would be fair to subject Emma and Rory to the awkwardness that undoubtedly still exists between us.I just wasn’t in the mood for celebratio
Better In Every Way 17. Neutral Lip
The last few weeks had me embarking on a slow and tedious up and up. Before that day when Emma essentially broke into my apartment, I hadn’t realised just how much energy I spent trying to emotionally mute myself so I could put up a strong front for everyone else. Including my friends.Emma has known me my entire life. I don’t know why I felt the need for the performance with her. But she let me know that it is something I’ve done for most of the time that she has known me. Emotionally shut down and refuse to acknowledge that I even had them. It is probably a side-effect from growing up in a family like mine. Having everyone around you looking at you, studying you for weaknesses they could exploit or secrets they could sell to the highest bidder if they couldn’t extort you themselves. Naturally that didn’t breed an envrionment that could produce a person that was capable of asking for help.Emotions were a weakness. Just another thing that unsavory characters could use against you. M
Better In Every Way 18. Wonderful
It seems I may have underestimated what is going on between Rachel and Dominic as just a crush on her part. It appears as though the feeling is reciprocated.I have been staring at them for the last ten minutes as they were engrossed in their own conversation that Alec and I were not a part of. Seemingly too concerned with each other to remember that we were even there.“I thought this was supposed to be a meeting.” I say to Alec next to me.“It is.” He says, much too absorbed in the endless options on the dessert menu— even though we hadn’t even gotten our entrées yet— to even notice the two lovebirds at our table.“Then why do I feel like we are third wheeling their date?” I ask just as Rachel giggled at something Dominic said. Full on dainty schoolgirl giggle. A sound I haven’t heard her make since she was actually a schoolgirl.Alec finally looks up from his food quest to look at them and then me. “We don’t have to be third wheels, this could be like a double date.” He smiles.“Yo
Better In Every Way 19. Caldwell’s Conquer
Sunday came way too soon.I found myself sitting in the pews of the very same church I got cheated on in. Sitting in the row behind my parents. Close enough that people would assume the image of a perfect family that my mother wanted to portray, without having to sit next to her and subject myself to her direct scrutiny.Sunday mass has been a requirement that I did not miss fulfilling. Mass once a month and on major holidays; a requirement borne out of my duty to my brother, and no one else.If it were up to me I wouldn’t be here; not in this specific church, at least. I would have loved to completely sever my ties to my family’s public image. But when I tried, my mother absolutely hounded George, demanding he make attempt to drag me to this and that social event by my hair, kicking and screaming, if he had to. He’d always defended me against her, rebuffing her demands, but I could tell it really wore him out; and that made me feel bad. He shouldn’t have to suffer for my social fat
Better In Every Way 1.Best to worst day ever
“Cheers to the world’s most beautiful bride!” Exclaimed Emma, who is my maid of honour. The room erupted in cheers as everyone raised their champagne flutes. “Thank you, thank you.” I said, feigning shyness at their attention. I was so exited, today is my wedding day! I had been meticulously planning this day for the past eight months and dreaming about it for so much longer. I was marrying the love of my life, surrounded by the people we both love. Life was good. Me and my bridesmaids were all in one of the church’s prayer rooms that had been converted into a dressing room for us to do our makeup and get ready. The same had been done on the other side of the church for the groomsmen to get ready in.This cathedral was massive and it sat at the heart of our city. Getting ready here was a better option than doing so off-site and driving here as there was bound to be traffic with all the guests coming in coupled with regular afternoon city centre traffic.“I still can’t believe this
Better In Every Way 2.Holy Ground
“Rory, what’s going on” it was a stupid question really, anyone with eyes eyes and more than two functioning brain cells could probably correctly guess what had happened. But I didn’t want to assume, there was no way this stupid cliché could actually be my life. I was internally crossing my fingers in hope that there was a reasonable alternative to the explanation that my head is already conjuring up. “Baby, listen to me; I can explain—“ Camden began, before Rory cut him off.“When I got to Liz’s car I could immediately tell something was up. The car was moving a bit so I knew that there was someone in there. The closer I got, I could see clearer through the window and I could tell Liz was… bouncing up and down.”A huge lump began to form in my throat, and I closed my eyes trying to ward off the images that that phrase branded onto my brain. “I went to knock on the window, as a joke” Rory continued, “and to tell her and the– at the time– mystery man to hurry up. I knocked on the win
Better In Every Way 3. Lousy Character
The reception was in full swing. It actually was beginning to take the form of a fully catered rager. Since all the elders thought it would be in poor taste to celebrate a wedding that never happened. So it was just us– mostly– youngins.After I spent over an hour having what can only be described as an actual mental breakdown in the prayer room (aka the bridal dressing room) I had to face the reality that there was an entire cathedral full of people waiting for something that was not coming.I sent Rachel out to inform the people that the wedding was off. No details, just that due to unforeseen (damn near fraudulent) circumstances the wedding would not be happening; but they were welcome to enjoy the reception. I’d be damned if I was gonna let the open bar I paid so much money for to go to waste. Emma, the angel that she is, did all the heavy lifting when it came to re-organising the venue and catering so that the big round tables were cleared, and replaced with bar tables to make m
Latest chapter
- Better In Every Way 19. Caldwell’s Conquer
- Better In Every Way 18. Wonderful
- Better In Every Way 17. Neutral Lip
- Better In Every Way 16.How did you even get in?
- Better In Every Way 15. A Quick Detour
- Better In Every Way 14.Can You Believe It
- Better In Every Way 13.Our Professional Relationship
- Better In Every Way 12. Just Because
- Better In Every Way 11.Takeout and Tutorials
