Chapter 12

"I'm home," I yell out into the apartment, dropping my keys on the hall table. There's soft jazz music coming from Sarah's room, the distinct smell of Marcus's aftershave in the sitting room, and a half empty bottle of wine and two glasses on the table. I sigh, bristling inside and ponder showing up at Jake's apartment for the night as he offered. I should have stopped over, instead of the extra car journey home; we'd be watching a movie by now. There's no response from the closed bedroom so I assume they don't want to be disturbed. I don't attempt to call out again. I just go to my room and dump my luggage by the bed, glad to be home, yet at the same time the familiar pang of missing Jake is already washing over me. We have worked together so much over the last few months, glued side by side, so being apart feels abnormal. Even though we do occasionally spend weekends apart, somehow the recent non-stop chaos of trips and work days flowing into each other has me