"Hello?" Pt. 2

July 16th 2016

There won't be a chapter this weekend. I think we need a slight break from them, at least for one week. Instead, I'll be updating Good Morning, Beautiful tomorrow and writing a little more for Echo, which I'm hoping to publish on July 30th!

Sarah, xx

~*~*~

"What's this I hear about you hiring an interior designer?"

"What? Who ratted me out this time?"

"Don't pass the buck here, bucko! Did you or did you not hire an interior designer without consulting me?"

"Well..."

"Daniel, I have been more than supportive of you going in gung ho with this whole new house thing. I mean, we don't even own the house yet, but whatever... you seem to like turning it from a derelict building into a home, so go ahead. But I draw the line at you hiring an interior designer. There are some parts of this adventure that I want to be involved with."

"You want me to fire the designer?"

"Yes, I want you to fire the designer."

"Ok."

"Ok?"

"Mhm, I'll tell her on Monday that she's no longer needed."

"This was deceptively easy."

"It's called a compromise. You've let me have my own way with the architect, like you said, so I'm letting you have your way with the interior designer."

"This feels like a trap."

"It's not. Anyway, I don't think the designer quite understood what it was I was asking for."

"What exactly did you ask for?"

"Family orientated with a modern twist, that would include some French elements while blending it with the homely English countryside."

"Babe, not even I understood what you just asked for."

"Basically, I asked for a blend of your tastes and mine."

"Let me guess, the family orientated and French elements were for me, while the modern yet English countryside was for you."

"Yep."

"Not the easiest tastes to blend. I thought we were doing the London house in a modern style and keeping the country house cosy."

"Yes, but we both need to feel at home in whichever property we're in. You're going to feel uncomfortable if everything was minimalistic and I would feel uncomfortable if everything was too country. It's about balance."

"Ok, if you say so. Look, we can hire an interior designer if you want, but not before I'm back."

"But-"

"Not before I'm back. After that, by all means, we can look at hiring someone."

"Does this mean that you've found something in the plans you don't like?"

"What?"

"I compromised by agreeing to fire the designer, now you want the designer back. What do I have to compromise on, regarding the architecture plans?"

"Nothing. You said that I could have the fireplace back in the master bedroom, so I'm ok with the rest."

"... This conversation is confusing me."

"Tell the interior designer to come back in October."

"This is giving me a headache. I need to hang up and go lie down."

"What?"

"I need to give my brain time to process and rest."

"You're a strange one, Whitaker."

"Mhm, as are you, Clément."

"But you still love me."

"And you still love me."

"True."

"And on that note, I'm going. Bye, babe."

"À demain, mon chou."

(Until tomorrow, cabbage.)

"À bientôt, ma cherie."

(See you soon, my love.)

"Haha, your French is funny."

"As is yours."

"Never! I'll speak to you tomorrow, babe."

"Night, Soph."