“See?” Tia said, “I’m fast like he is too.”

“And more blasphemous.”

“True.”

Frazer put the papers back on the table, straightening them into neat piles. “Any reason you wanted to give me a heart attack?”

“Just wanted to see how you are. After all the…drama.”

“There was no drama.”

Tia pressed her lips in a straight, judgemental line. “No, there wasn’t, really. You just…ended it? That easily?”

Easy was not the adjective Frazer would use. “Yes.”

Tia blinked at her, and Frazer sighed.

“Really, Tia. I’d known how wrong it all was. And the, the rest of it, it doesn’t mean anything.”

“Then why have you avoided me at any opportunity?”

Frazer cleared her throat. “Have not.”

“Have too. Since we had our nice shared cigarette, you avoid me at all costs.” Tia picked a piece of lint off of her pants. “It’s obvious.”

Frazer also avoided Cora. Unless she had no option. Then she smiled as widely as she could and said hello and tried to ignore the way Cora’s eyes tracked her around the room. It was irritating. She’d told Frazer to leave her alone, so that’s what Frazer was doing. Stop staring. It was just rude.

“I’ve been busy.”

“No busier than before.”

That was true. “Sorry.”

“I don’t want an apology, I need to know you’re okay.”

Frazer smiled. It felt too big, so she dialled it back a little. “I’m fine.”

Tia heaved a sigh that sounded like she carried the burden of suffering all the idiots in the world. “Sure. Okay.”

She stood up and walked out. Frazer heard her say, clearly loud enough to make sure Frazer heard it, “That was as convincing as when Cora said it.”

“What did you say?” she said just as loudly.

The damn woman kept walking.

About to get up and give chase, mostly to vent her frustration, Frazer slumped back in her chair when her mobile rang. “What?” she snapped as she answered after seeing her sister’s name on the screen.

“Well, aren’t you a bucket of sunshine this morning?”

“What do you want, Jem?” It took a lot of effort to dampen the anger that bit into her tone.

“Seriously, who peed in your cereal?”

“I hate cereal.” Frazer used her toes to push herself back and forth on her chair.

“Okay, your coffee?”

“No one. I have a busy day and I’m tired.”

“Tired of hiding from Cora’s I love you eyes?”

She grit her teeth. “Did you call for a reason?”

“Nope!” Her voice was far too chipper for Frazer. “Pretty much to ask if she’d confessed undying love yet? Or if you got caught in compromising situations again as you try to bury your obvious feeli—”

Frazer hung up. The phone rang again immediately. It rang for almost a minute before she caved and answered.