Rae's Theory

Mid-May had a way of arriving all at once, the light staying past nine, the schedule showing more appearances behind them than ahead, and Hattie had started, without quite noticing when, measuring the contract less in weeks left than in how much of herself she’d have to account for once it ended. Five appearances down. Seven to go, one of them a wedding she was already halfway through writing, and none of the remaining seven felt, any longer, like something she was merely getting through.

Rae found her with the wedding file open and the private document sitting beside it, unopened, both visible on the desk in a way Hattie realised, too late, gave away more than either file’s contents would have.

“I’ve had a thought,” Rae said, drawing the second chair round without waiting to be invited, “and I want you to hear the whole thing before you decide…