Not only that but Frazer started avoiding the weekly after-work drinks with friends. Andy, Rob, and Daniel probably thought she was dead.

Yet that wasn’t the issue.

The issue was that she wanted to go out. She felt like being in a bar—the buzz of conversation, the alcohol, and the random music.

But she wanted to go with Cora, where there was no pressure, no discussing Frazer’s private life, her non-existent love life. It had been a strangely enjoyable evening. And it had been something Frazer hadn’t had in a really long time.

So, Frazer felt like meeting Cora again. And she couldn’t.

The struggle was real. And also quite ironic.

So Frazer turned to exercise. Always a fan of the odd swim in which she would usually float up and down with the seniors who, shamefully, often lapped her—Frazer had lately been at the gym every day swimming laps until she thought her lungs would burst. Most days, she made herself do tumble turns, twisting herself mercilessly underwater to kick off against the end of the pool and keep going, despite the burning in her chest and the strain in her legs.

The itch to see Cora didn’t go away.

What she really felt like doing was going back to that night in the bar. To chat with Cora, to see that side of her that Frazer hadn’t known existed.

Just to chat.

Not to admire the legs that Frazer was noticing more and more. Or to think about how warm Cora had been, wrapped in Frazer’s arms in a hug that had surprised Frazer with its intensity. There was a fuzzy memory of soft breath against her neck.

But Frazer couldn’t think of that.

Because, you know, married to the boss and all that.

The boss that they were still waiting to hear from about their project proposal.

Two terrible Monday morning meetings, and nothing so far.

For the last two weeks, the intention to organise a coffee date or a catch-up for drinks with Cora had been there, but somehow, it had never happened. It must have been a full moon or something two weeks ago, because suddenly women everywhere were going into labour that Frazer had to see and Cora was constantly pulled away to other parts of the hospital. Frazer had never really thought about it before, but social workers were busy.

Not that she cared. Because being attracted to this woman was a useless waste of time, and she had no reason to be around her; so Frazer would just avoid her.

Before, Frazer barely saw her anywhere. Now she noticed her in the strangest places.

Not that it mattered.

But it had happened a few times in the canteen, where they managed to say a quick hello before one was paged away. Then Frazer had turned the corner to see Cora standing and staring at the ground, a tinge to her cheeks as Alec hissed something at her. With flashing eyes, Cora had looked up at him and hissed something right back. With no reason to want to see an awkward couple argument, Frazer had slipped away, hoping Cora hadn’t seen her.