Free The Last Word by A. L. Michael Page A

Rhi’s bike. She didn’t even look back to see his face as they entered the living room and saw Rhi sat in the middle of the floor, surrounded by cardboard for signs and pots of paint, with the windows flung open to ventilate the room.
    ‘What’s the march tomorrow?’ Tabby asked as she hopped over one of the signs.
    ‘NHS.’ Rhi looked up and saw Harry hovering in the doorway, looking around the room curiously.
    ‘Um, Tabby, I think a man followed you in the front door.’ Rhi pointed.
    ‘Oh, that’s just Harry. He brought us wine.’ Tabby grinned, holding up the bottle.
    ‘Um…thank you?’
    Harry seemed to snap back to consciousness and his usual grin suddenly appeared. ‘I work with Tabby. I was a bit of an arse, so I came to apologise.’
    He had his ‘Oh, what am I like?’ face on, which seemed to lead people to wonder how on earth such a lovely young man could be an arse. Tabby suddenly realised her mum would love him. She winced, and went into the kitchen to look for a bottle opener.
    ‘Oh, you’re the posh editor,’ Rhi said without much interest, and went back to her slogans.
    ‘I’m not posh, I’m from Yorkshire!’ Harry said indignantly.
    ‘Harry, I hate to tell you this, darling, but you’re posh. Super posh. Verging on pretentious.’ Tabby returned from the kitchen, twitching her nose at him as she grinned.
    He pouted. ‘What are you doing to that wine?’
    ‘I…uh…It’s not my fault!’ She helplessly held up the bottle with the opener attached, the cork halfway out. ‘I have no upper body strength!’
    Harry inelegantly jumped across Rhi’s signs and took the bottle from Tabby. ‘Could the problem possibly be that you’re using a bottle opener shaped like Betty Boop?’
    It was Tabby’s turn to pout. ‘Don’t insult my bottle opener. Betty has been with me through the highs and lows. It’s your posh wine’s fault, obviously.’
    Harry nudged her, focusing on the cork. ‘I imagine Betty doesn’t get out an awful lot, what with Lidl’s own-brand being of the more screw top variety. That’s why she’s not up to the challenge.’
    ‘I will have you know – ’
    ‘JEEZ.’ Rhi stood up, then carefully piled her cardboard signs to the side, and huffily put the lids on her paint pots. ‘Banter is what makes me glad I work in a library. I’m going to the pub. Try not to screw this one.’
    And with that, Rhi was gone, and Tabby was left feeling pretty hurt. Until she had the good sense to scrabble after Rhi and chase her down the front path.
    ‘What the hell does that mean?’ Tabby grabbed Rhi’s arm.
    ‘It means that I can see you heading down the same path you did three years ago: pretentious posh twat with money and power toys with you, uses you, and then fucks off again, leaving you in pieces. You’re doing the same bloody thing all over again!’
    Tabby took a few deep breaths. ‘I know it looked…what I mean is…I’m a different person now…’
    ‘Yes, one who should know better!’ Rhi turned to start walking again.
    ‘I’m not sleeping with him!’
    ‘It’s only a matter of time. I’ve known you for ever, remember.’
    Tabby narrowed her eyes. ‘You’ve known me seven years, and you’ve never let me forget one mistake.’
    ‘Well, maybe if you didn’t insist on repeating them – ’
    Tabby stilled, and tried to find the part of her brain that knew Rhi was doing this out of love, not because she was a mad cow who had a tendency to overdramatise.
    ‘Rhi. I appreciate you looking out for me. I’ll be careful.’
    Rhi looked at her, considering whether to continue in her hissy fit, or to back down. Eventually she just shrugged. ‘I’ll be there to pick up the pieces.’
    ‘There won’t be any pieces. Or any shagging of editors. Honest.’ Tabby grinned, and wiggled her eyebrows until Rhi smiled back, and reached out her hand to squeeze.
    ‘I still think you’re playing with fire.’
    ‘And I still think your NHS slogans are