by Harper Bliss
Claire manoeuvred her long limbs into the clothes, still feeling quite exposed afterwards, and followed Margot into the living room.
Nadia looked as if she’d been crying all the way over there, her face blotched, her eyes red, her trembling fingers curled around the tumbler of brandy.
“Oh god, I’m so sorry for interrupting—” She started to say when she spotted Claire.
“Don’t worry about it.” Margot kneeled next to her. “What happened?”
“I fucked up. Royally.” Nadia sipped from the brandy and pulled a face when it made its way down her throat. It didn’t stop her from sipping again.
Claire sat down in the sofa opposite her and wondered what state Juliette was in. She’d call her in a second, but wanted to hear Nadia’s side of the story first.
Margot patted Nadia on the knee. “You don’t have to say, if it’s too difficult.”
“I cheated on her. Months ago. Once. I told her tonight; she didn’t take it well.”
Oh fuck. Claire could predict exactly how Juliette would have taken news like that—by kicking Nadia out.
“Do you remember Doctor Dievart? The neurosurgeon we got to come over from Belgium a few months ago to consult on that little girl with the brain tumour. It was her.” Nadia shook her head. “I know it was a mistake. I know that.”
“I remember,” Margot nodded. “She couldn’t help Camille either. You were upset.”
“Hardly an excuse.” Nadia’s eyes landed on Claire. “You should probably check in with Jules. She’s, well, you know.” Nadia couldn’t continue, tears preventing her from speaking. She buried her face in her palms.
“I’ll take care of Juliette.” Claire rose. “I’ll go over there right now.” She found her blouse crumpled next to a standing lamp in the corner closest to the hallway.
“You’ve been together ten years, Nadz,” she heard Margot say to Nadia. “This will not be the end of you.”
Claire slipped into her wrinkled clothing and made her way to Juliette.
NADIA
“I’m so sorry, Margot.” As if she didn’t feel bad enough, Nadia was mortified to have, quite obviously, disturbed Claire and Margot right in the middle of the act.
“Don’t mention it. Seriously,” Margot said, but she couldn’t hide the look of longing she shot at the door Claire had just walked out of. “You’re always welcome here.” Margot rose from her crouched position next to the sofa Nadia was perched in and sat down in the spot Claire had been sitting in minutes ago. “Do you want to talk or just sit here? I’m fine with either.”
“She kept asking me to move back in. We even booked a holiday.” Nadia shook her head again. “I had to tell her. She had to know before I decided to go back. She truly believed we were on the mend, and we were, we were doing a little bit better, but I just, I couldn’t keep it to myself anymore. And maybe that’s selfish and maybe it’s all gone now, but I couldn’t… I just couldn’t.”
Nadia thought back to that fateful night she had ended up at a bar near the hospital with Doctor Marie Dievart. She had been upset and she had known full well that Juliette, who practically slept at Barbier & Cyr then, trying to hold on to one of her biggest clients, wouldn’t be home to offer support.
Marie was dashing, stylish, a little older, with pale green eyes that seemed to look right through her defences. She had the right words to offer. They had shared a bottle of wine.
“Outside of that hospital,” she had said, pointing her thumb to the door of the bar, “there is no one who understands what you’re going through right now.” But Marie understood. They had shared another bottle of wine. And it was more comfort than anything else. The deep desire to be with someone who knew what it was like to be in the business of saving lives and being so helpless at the same time.
After a quick bout of mindless, tipsy sex in Marie’s hotel room, Nadia had fallen asleep, tired from too many emotions and too much wine. She’d woken up in the middle of the night, in a panic, scrambled for her clothes, and taken a taxi home to find Juliette fast asleep in their bed. The next morning at breakfast, which Nadia had sat through with a throbbing headache and no appetite whatsoever, Juliette had just asked what time she got in.
“Late,” Nadia had said. And that was the end of it. No further questions. Not even the tiniest display of interest as to why Nadia had stayed out so late. Juliette’s eyes had been fixed purposefully on the screen of her smartphone, reading e-mails that had come in during the night.
They might as well have ended it there and then.
Marie had gone back to Belgium the day after, which was a flimsy border away and sometimes, when Nadia was feeling extra-paranoid, she looked out for her in the streets, afraid to run into her by chance. But Paris was a big city, and the hospital hadn’t contracted her services again. Nadia hadn’t told anyone until Steph had opened up to her about Dominique Laroche. And maybe she should have told Juliette straight away, but, quite honestly, she had no idea when she should have done that, the way Juliette’s focus was single-mindedly aimed at work, and then the moment had just passed. She had buried the secret and let it fester. And now here they were and, of course, in Juliette’s eyes, it was all Nadia’s fault.
“Looks like I’ll be staying here for a bit,” Nadia said, after a while, staring blankly at Margot.
“Of course.” Margot refilled Nadia’s glass of brandy. “As long as you need.”
“Thank you.” The kindness in Margot’s words struck a chord. Claire was a lucky woman—but for how long? Nadia was holding on to another piece of news, one she hadn’t had the heart to deliver to her favourite co-worker just yet. She downed the brandy. It eased her shot-through nerves, calmed her down. “I think I’ll go to bed. See what good news tomorrow brings.”
JULIETTE
Juliette opened the door to Claire, relieved to see a friendly face.
“It’s over,” was the first thing she said. “There’s no way she’s coming back here after what she did. And the lies. How could she lie to me for such a long time?” Maybe it was overly dramatic, and drastic, but it was how she felt.
“Jules, you need to calm down.” Claire pushed her way into the living room. “You can’t just throw your partner of ten years to the curb because of one mistake.”
“Have you seen her?” Juliette asked. “Did she ask you to come?” The thought of Nadia was simply too much to bear at the moment. All Juliette saw on the back of her eyelids was a faceless woman slipping her fingers into Nadia. Although, knowing her partner, it had probably been the other way around.
“She’s at Margot’s.” Claire walked to the cabinet where they kept the wine glasses, took one out, and poured herself a generous glass from the bottle Juliette had opened earlier. “I understand you’re upset and shocked, but let’s not make any rash decisions.”
“She cheated on me, Claire.” Just saying the words caused bile to rise from Juliette’s stomach. She swallowed it away with another gulp of wine.
“I know what she did.” Claire sat down next to her, throwing an arm around Juliette’s shoulders. “And I know you’ll need time to let it sink in and get over it, but this is not the end of the world.”
“Easy for you to say, Miss Lovebird.” Juliette let her head fall back onto Claire’s arm. “Your world didn’t just come crashing down.”
Juliette heard Claire sigh. “Did it really?” she asked. “Because from where I’m sitting, this very much looks like a crash you should have seen coming from a mile away, provided you were paying attention.”
Juliette’s muscles tensed and she shot up, shrugging Claire’s arm off her. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Come on, Jules. You’re hardly the only victim here.”
Perhaps her friend was right, but Juliette had expected her to have saved the hard truths until tomorrow. “What has Nadia told you?”
“Nothing. I left as soon as she arrived and told us what she’d told you, but I have eyes in my head and I’m not stupid
. Neither are you.” Claire’s voice remained calm, but not calm enough to stop Juliette from shooting daggers at her.
“What? So it’s my fault for not suspecting sooner that she was cheating on me?” It felt as if her own best friend was turning against her.
“No, but it’s not just about that.” Claire tried putting a hand on Juliette’s shoulder again. “Look, I know this hurts, Jules. I know this was the last thing you expected and wanted to hear and it’s hard. And I’m not saying you should just forgive and forget, but nothing is a one-way street.”
“If you’ve come here still pissed about that business with Laroche, to work out that grudge on me now, you’ve come at a really bad time.” Juliette half-knew that Claire was right, but she had her pride and, at the moment, it was spectacularly wounded, and all she wanted was a little support, a little understanding from the other person who knew her best—seeing as she’d already lost Nadia.
“I’m here for you, Jules. I always have been. You know that.”
“Yeah, well, you have a really crappy way of showing it.”
“Do you want me to stay tonight?” Claire shuffled a little closer. “It’s going to take a lot more abuse to get me out of here, is what I’m saying.”
Juliette was touched by Claire’s words and they wormed their way into her broken heart. “I’m sorry. I—” She leaned her frame against Claire’s in the sofa. “It’s such a bloody mess and I’ve no fucking clue what to do about it.”
“I hear swearing helps.” Claire chuckled. “Remember when you’d just met Nadia and you were so blown away by her?”
“And you were so jealous.” Juliette turned to face Claire.
“The hell I was.” The smile on her face betrayed the lie she just told.
“You were so jealous you slept with Steph just to get back at me.”
Claire put her hand on Juliette’s forehead. “I think I’ll call Margot. You must have a fever, the way you’re rambling.”
Juliette grabbed Claire’s hand and pressed it to her chest. “Thanks for being here. I know I’m not always an easy person to be around.”
“But you’re worth it in the end.” Claire nudged Juliette in the ribs lightly with her elbow. “And Nadia knows that, too.”
The tears that Juliette had held back since Claire’s arrival started coming, tracing thick tracks down her cheeks.
STEPH
Steph was on the warpath when she arrived at work the next day. Dominique had heard back from the manager of the building at Avenue Foch and no one fitting Sybille’s description, or name for that matter, lived in the building. She knew Sybille arrived early every day, before most people—probably to snoop. The plan was to corner her well before Juliette arrived.
“Hey,” she said, leaning against the flimsy wall of Sybille’s cubicle. “I bet you’re surprised to still see me around.”
To her credit, Sybille didn’t flinch. “Of course not, Stéphanie. And good morning to you too.”
“Cut the niceties and stop following me.” Rage boiled in Steph’s blood. “Whatever you’re up to, it ends now.”
“Oh, but I wasn’t following you.” She waved her hand as if Steph had said the most ludicrous thing ever. “I live there, you see.”
“No you bloody don’t.” It was impossible for Steph not to raise her voice.
“What’s going on?” Juliette’s voice beamed from behind her. What was she doing here so early?
“Nothing I can’t handle, Madame Barbier.” Sybille rose from her desk and shot Juliette the most calculated, saccharine smile Steph had ever seen. Surely Juliette would see through it?
“Steph, my office, now.” Clearly, she didn’t.
Steph followed Juliette, who looked a bit worse for wear. Steph had hoped she would have processed the business with Dominique by now, not because it was all her fault, but because that’s what she was used to from her boss.
“Close the door.” Juliette’s tone was decidedly unfriendly.
Steph did as she was told and leaned against one of the visitor chairs instead of sitting down, not wanting to stay in the office for too long. She decided against launching into a tirade against Sybille straight away. Juliette didn’t look as if she would open-mindedly listen to anyone’s opinion today.
“Leave Sybille alone. I mean it.” Juliette crashed down in her chair with a loud sigh, but not less authoritatively.
“But—” Steph started.
“I don’t want to hear it, Steph. She has done nothing wrong, except blab about you and, in the process, done us all an enormous favour. Wouldn’t you think so?”
The aggressive approach clearly wouldn’t work. Steph shuffled to the front of the chair and sat down. “No offence, Jules, but you look like shit. What happened?”
“Couldn’t sleep.” She sighed, deeper and sounding more desperate this time. “It’s all gone to hell.” She avoided Steph’s gaze. “Nadia cheated on me and, the worst part is, I think it’s my own damn fault.”
Oh shit. That cat was out of the bag, too. “I’m so sorry, Jules.” A twinge of relief lodged itself in the back of Steph’s brain. One more secret she didn’t have to keep.
“And now what?” Juliette lifted her hands up in a desperate gesture. “How the hell do we get past that?”
Was she really asking Steph? She might as well have posed the question to the bookcase lining the wall.
But Juliette didn’t wait for her to reply. She was merely venting, shaking her head in disbelief, until she was interrupted by the beeping of the telephone on her desk.
“Oui, Sybille.” Juliette picked up instantly, probably happy with the distraction.
That little minx, Steph thought. That sly fox, interrupting my private conversation with Juliette. Steph wouldn’t be surprised if she’d been listening on the other end of the door, her ear glued to the wood.
“Look, Steph, I’d better get to work,” Juliette said after recradling the receiver. “I forgot to tell Sybille to come in here for a second. Could you ask her, please?”
“Sure.” Steph rose and thought it better to display goodwill until she’d gathered some hard evidence against Juliette’s new assistant. Either way, Juliette was in ruins, and now was not the time. “You know where I am if you need me.”
“Thanks.” Juliette looked as if she were about to burst into tears. Steph briefly considered going over to her side of the desk and hugging her, but she knew Juliette better than that.
Steph exited, coldly told Sybille Juliette was waiting for her, ignored the smug smirk on her face, and walked to her office.
She thought about Nadia and the conversation they’d had. A thought that brought her mind back to Dominique, and last night, and when she’d see her again. “Maybe this weekend,” she’d said. “Depends on the kids.” Steph tried to make up her mind if this was a good or a bad thing.
NADIA
Nadia hadn’t slept, and she was in no mood to have this conversation, but it was no longer fair to Margot to postpone it. She’d left her office door open, and even the slightest shadow made her pulse pick up pace. She looked at the résumé on her desk again. She hadn’t even met Inez yet—that would happen tomorrow, another reason to get this difficult conversation out of the way.
“Hey.” Margot knocked on the door frame. “You wanted to see me?”
“Please sit.” Nadia didn’t want to ask her to close the door behind her as well, out of fear that would sound too ominous.
“You sound very formal,” Margot joked. “Am I getting the sack?”
Nadia took a deep breath and slid Inez’ résumé over her desk in Margot’s direction. “Guess who’s back from saving the world?” She studied Margot’s face, waiting for a reaction, but none came. “I tried to fight this, Margot. Please believe me. When I got this job I was promised autonomy, but we both know that, when it comes to certain matters, it’s just a meaningless word. She’s Leclerq’s niece, and that’s the end of it.”
As if the news only just then re
gistered with Margot, her eyebrows shot up, making her face look more comical than worried. “Inez is coming here?” She looked Nadia straight in the eyes. “When?”
“She starts in two weeks. After the Quatorze.” This reminded Nadia of the holiday Juliette had booked for them. She doubted they’d ever make it to Barcelona again.
“Of all the hospitals in Paris, she’s coming here.” Margot’s voice was neutral, matter-of-fact, injected with the calmness she used to deliver a difficult diagnosis.
“I’m sorry. Leclerq said she had her heart set on it.”
Margot nodded, as if she understood. “Because I’m here,” she said. She found Nadia’s eyes again. “What are my options?”
“What do you mean?” A flash of panic fluttered in Nadia’s chest.
“She’ll be working in the ER, I presume. I doubt she has changed specialties in the third world.” Margot flicked the piece of paper away from her with her fingertips. “Which means we’ll be working closely together.” She pursed her lips before continuing. “Not something I look forward to.”
Nadia should have tried harder, but she had no real arguments. She knew that Margot would never have wanted her to use any personal information to persuade the board otherwise, being much too discreet and professional for that. “I’m sorry, Margot. There’s really nothing I can do for you.”
“I know.” Margot pushed her chair back and stood up. “I can handle it.” She turned her head away briefly before looking at Nadia again. “How are you holding up?”
“I’m in a facility full of doctors and nurses but none of them can heal a broken heart.”