Chapter 1
"WTGTGLYB"
The text message from Andy filled Lina's heart with dread.
"Lina! Are you listening?" snapped Owen
"Calm down Owen, yes I'm listening, it's just…"
"Let me guess. Some sort of child care crisis?"
"It's ok, I just need to sort it out."
"Again. Well do it, in a hurry! Then sit with Ben and get this sorted before the whole case collapses!"
Lina went back to her office and choked back the tears. She refused to let Owen see her cry, but she was close to breaking point nearly constantly these days. She couldn't remember the last time she slept properly, she was missing deadlines and doing shitty work, and clearly motherhood hadn't got the memo that 'nothing ever happens on a Thursday'.
She looked at Andy's text again. Fuck. "Work thing, got to go, love you both." When she had a work thing that she had to stay back for, it involved lots of paperwork, reading and thinking. When Andy had a work thing, it involved baddies and guns and actual risk to life. Every single time she got that text she was crippled with fear; firstly because she was always worried it might be the last time she ever heard from her beloved, and secondly because it meant yet again she had to sort out daycare pick up.
Andy was supposed to get Amal today, so up until a few minutes ago she could have stayed late at work, but now she had to sort out something. There was no point texting Andy back - that message was their code which meant he would be uncontactable until he emerged from whatever crisis he was attending. She realised she was literally pulling clumps of her hair out trying to think of who she could call. Who would be available to pick up Amal, have the right car seat, be able to look after her until she was finished on this stuff with Ben and - she checked the time - all with 25 minutes notice before daycare closed? She tried a few babysitters but none answered. Fuck.
"Lina, conference room, now!" bellowed Owen at her door. Ben was standing behind him, encumbered only by an armful of folders.
Things had been a little rough for Janet being back at the DPP. Not only did she have to revert to adversarial justice after so many years of an inquisitorial approach, but working with Owen as her boss was less that delightful. When she heard him shouting at Lina, she walked out to the hallway.
"Ah, what's the problem?"
"There's no problem, and it wouldn't be yours to worry about even if it was," Owen spat back.
"No need to throw a tantrum. If there's no problem then why all the shouting?"
"Because Lina, yet again, can't pull her weight and get this stuff done. If Ben can manage with a three year old I can't see why it's such a problem for her."
"Hey, I can pull my weight, I don't have a wife to do it for me, I just need to get pick up sorted, give me a sec, then let's go to the conference room and do this," shot back Lina.
"You mean, you'll spend the next hour on your phone having half sentence conversations with me while you leave messages for people who don't answer and then you have to go early anyway, leaving me to finish everything?" quipped Ben.
"Woah woah woah, calm down everyone," said Janet. "Lina, you need to work and someone needs to get Amal, yes?"
"Yes, I just need to…"
"Well I'm just heading home now, so text me daycare's address, I'll get Amal, you can turn off your phone so this very important work that Owen is so panicked about can have your full and brilliant attention, and everyone is happy. Yes?"
Janet looked at Lina. She watched as Lina looked from Owen and Ben, to her, then back again. Janet could tell Lina was trapped in a corner, and she was trying to offer her a way out. She knew Lina hated to be seen as vulnerable or unreliable. Would she accept?
Janet looked at Lina, from one mother to another, and for a second Lina let her guard down and her eyes were a mix of gratitude and relief.
"Yes, that'll work. Texting you the address now, phone off. Come on boys, let's do this." Lina said with renewed, and mostly faked, confidence.
Janet covertly squeezed Lina's hand as she walked past, and Lina squeezed back her thanks.