Текст книги "Heart Block"

Автор книги: Melissa Brayden

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Текущая страница: 14 (всего у книги 18 страниц)

“That sounds like the best offer I’ve had in a long time. You, me, and some amazing food.” Emory pulled Sarah’s hand to her lips and kissed the back of it. “Are you sure you don’t want Grace to come with us? She’s welcome.”

“Nope. She’s blissfully happy roughhousing with Carmen and her boys tonight, her idea of a walk on the wild side. She did send a gift for you, however, which I will give you later.”

“Now?” Emory asked hopefully, her right eyebrow arched.

“Later.” Sarah shook her head at Emory’s attempt to appear disappointed. “So incredibly demanding.”

Thirty minutes later, they pulled into the drive of Emory’s house. The idea was to make just a brief stop so Emory could change into something more appropriate for dinner and say a quick hello to Walter, who’d been tended to daily by Lucy in her absence. By the time they actually arrived, however, Emory was beginning to have other ideas. A passion had been lit when she’d first laid eyes on Sarah at the airport and that slow building fire was now going strong. She’d stolen glances at Sarah throughout their time in the car and just couldn’t get past how wonderful she looked in that dress. The occasional placement of Sarah’s hand on her thigh as they drove hadn’t helped her plight all that much either. “What time is our reservation?” she asked nonchalantly as they made their way up the walk.

Sarah glanced over at her suspiciously. “Why?”

“Just wondering how much time we had.”

A knowing smile took shape on Sarah’s face and she brought them to a stop on Emory’s front porch. “I know that look.”

“I have a look?”

“You have the best look. There’s this hunger that shades your eyes and every time I see it, it floods me with…”

“Floods you with?”

“All kinds of thoughts about you, us, together.” Sarah took a step into Emory’s space, her gaze taking on the heat Emory already felt. She slipped her hands under the front of Emory’s shirt and delicately moved her thumbs in circles across the planes of her stomach, not once breaking eye contact. “The reservations aren’t until eight o’clock. We have a little time, if you want to, you know, explore those thoughts I mentioned. God, you’re so warm.”

“Mhmm,” Emory murmured absently in response. “A lot of time between now and eight. A practical lifetime.” Emory closed her eyes, unable to take much more of Sarah’s teasing thumbs and the tidal wave of arousal they were unleashing. There was need coursing through her body and she had to act on it. She reached blindly for Sarah, catching her by the waist and pulling her in tightly until their bodies met. Sarah gasped and captured Emory’s mouth aggressively with her own.

Emory slid into the kiss.

Into lilac and cinnamon.

It had been too long, she thought, too long since she’d held Sarah this way, felt her all over like this. Emory took control, deepening the kiss all the while fumbling with her keys to get them inside quicker. “Damn it,” she whispered when her coordination continued to fail her over and over again.

“I’ve got it.” Sarah took the keys and easily let them in.

Emory followed her into the darkened house, and after only a few steps, wrapped her arms around Sarah’s waist, and she kissed her neck from behind. She snaked one hand up to cover Sarah’s breast, and with her other hand moved her hair to the side for better access to that neck.

“Baby,” Sarah breathed.

Stifled laughter emanated from somewhere across the darkened room. Emory froze. Sarah froze. The lights above them flashed to full illumination and a house full of seventy-five smiling faces screamed in unison, “Surprise!”

“Fuck,” Emory whispered.

“Oh wow,” Sarah echoed.

Emory took a moment to process the scene, pulling her hands from their blatant placement on Sarah’s body. There was a “Happy Birthday, Emory” banner across the mantle and a large, gourmet birthday cake on a table in the corner. Her closest friends and co-workers stood smiling in celebration of her, along with a few faces she was only vaguely familiar with. She managed to smile back at her unexpected guests and whisper to Sarah at the same time, “Did you know about this?”

“Not a clue,” Sarah whispered back, doing her best to straighten her dress.

What an embarrassing entrance they’d just made.

Lucy emerged from the crowd grinning. “Sorry to interrupt, lovebirds, but we have some celebrating to do.” That earned a collective chuckle from the crowd. Emory registered that music was now playing from her stereo system.

“Surprised?” Lucy asked. She pulled Emory into an energetic hug.

“You have no concept of how much. Was this your idea?” she murmured in Lucy’s ear.

“Guilty.” Lucy pulled Sarah into a similar embrace. “This dress is beautiful on you, Sarah.”

“Thanks.” Sarah smiled but still looked a bit off balance.

“And about the party, I would have called to warn you, but I didn’t have your number. Plus, Emory informed me last we spoke that she’d be home to feed Walter before going anywhere tonight. I knew she’d also want to freshen up after the flight. If nothing else, that part was a sure thing.”

“That’s okay.” Sarah decided it wasn’t necessary to point out to Lucy that she could have easily called over to Immaculate Home if she were serious about getting in touch with her, or that the press release she’d sent out with the Global Newswire listed her name, phone number, and e-mail address under the contact information. Instead, she decided to look on the bright side of things and take advantage of this opportunity to get to know Emory’s friends. So this wasn’t what she had planned for the evening, big deal, but she could still make the night into something special. And she would.

“Speaking of freshening up,” Emory said uneasily, “I think I’ll head upstairs and get changed. Will you be okay?”

“Of course.”

Emory met her eyes apologetically and squeezed her hand once before heading further into the house and up the stairs.

“I laid out an outfit for you that I thought you’d like,” Lucy called after her. “And there’s a handsome someone up there who’s dying to say hi, but hurry back.” Emory shot a wary glance at Lucy as she ascended the stairs.

Lucy then turned to Sarah. “Come on, let me introduce you to some women you’re bound to spend lots of time with in the future. Most of these girls Emory went to school with. We sort of hang out in a group, but don’t let that intimidate you. Stick with me.”

Sarah smiled at Lucy gratefully and followed her across the room. She really did like Lucy, despite her audacious tendencies when it came to Emory.

After preliminary introductions were made and a few niceties exchanged, the redhead in the group turned to Sarah. While she was overly pleasant, confusion was written all over her face. “So are you and Emory an item?”

Lucy laughed out loud. “Geez, Mia, you know how to get to the point.”

“I’m sorry, was that bad? Sometimes I forget myself. It’s just that Emory hasn’t mentioned you. At all.”

“But we haven’t seen Emory much lately,” the woman named Barrett, chimed in. “That’s probably why.”

Sarah nodded politely and addressed Mia. “We’ve been seeing each other for a couple of months now. I’ve been anxious to meet you all.” That wasn’t exactly true. Emory hadn’t talked too much about her friends, a detail Sarah now found interesting.

Mia sipped from her glass and regarded her. “You have the slightest accent, am I wrong?”

A waiter whisked past with a tray full of white wine glasses. An actual waiter? Lucy snagged two and handed a glass to Sarah. “You may need it,” she whispered.

She accepted the drink and turned to Mia. “No, you’re not wrong. English is my second language, and sometimes, especially when I’m nervous, my accent peeks through.”

“Where are you from originally?” the blonde, Christi Ann, asked. She seemed to be examining Sarah as if she were a bug under a microscope. Sarah found this somewhat unnerving and chose instead to focus on Barrett and the warmth of her smile. Within the small group, she definitely seemed the most easygoing. “I spent the first part of my childhood in Mexico, and then my family immigrated to California.”

“How wonderful,” Christi Ann answered a little too enthusiastically. “I love this dress. Is it a de la Renta?”

Sarah glanced down at her outfit. “No. I wish it were.”

“Well, it’s very flattering. Who designed it?” Mia lifted the fabric delicately.

“Uh, I don’t know. I saw it at a department store in the mall.”

“Oh, fabulous,” Mia said brightly and exchanged glances with Christi Ann. Sarah felt her confidence flutter beneath her.

Barrett rolled her eyes at the exchange and that was something. Sarah was pretty sure she wasn’t the type to get caught up in fashion. She wore dark jeans, boots, and a sleek black shirt. Sarah could tell Barrett was a lesbian, but she wasn’t as sure about Mia or Christi Ann. She would ask Emory later. Emory, who was taking an awfully long time getting dressed. She glanced wistfully to the second level.

Upstairs, Emory surveyed her reflection in the mirror but wasn’t really looking. She was annoyed. Annoyed the night with Sarah had been so abruptly derailed, annoyed that Lucy hadn’t included Sarah in the party plans, and annoyed that she now had to go play nice with a house full of people she hadn’t invited over. Walter pulled her from her mental rant, whining softly from atop her bed. When she’d first entered the room, he’d greeted her with the enthusiasm usually reserved for a prisoner returning from war. Emory knelt next to him and scratched his fur, happy to be in his company after her weeklong absence. Lucy had dressed him in a smart red bow tie that he seemed to completely enjoy. “You look so handsome, buddy.” He licked her face in agreement. Emory was grateful for Walter’s recent presence in her life and kissed his soft nose now to tell him so. “Here goes nothing,” she whispered to him. “Wish me luck.”

As Emory descended the stairs, the room broke into spontaneous applause, and Sarah happily joined in. Sarah looked on with pride, taking in Emory’s graceful transformation into guest of honor. She’d swept her hair up into a simple twist and wore a royal blue cocktail dress that hugged her just so. Now that might be a de la Renta, she thought to herself, still not really knowing.

“She looks gorgeous,” Mia said to their small group, “but then she always does.”

Sarah turned back to Lucy, intent on asking what she could do to help with the party, but discovered she was gone. She scanned the room and located her easily at the bottom of the stairs standing next to Emory. With a spoon to her glass, Lucy dinged until she had the full attention of everyone in the room.

“I hope everyone has a glass,” she stated, once a hush fell over the party, “because I plan to offer a toast to this beautiful woman next to me. You know her as Emory Owen. I know her as my savvy business partner and best friend. Thirty-three years ago, this firecracker entered the world, and it has never been the same since. She’s amazing, smart, stubborn, funny, and confident. Unfortunately, in addition to all of those things, she’s now old as well.” The room erupted into laughter, and Emory turned to Lucy, looking appropriately offended. Finally, Lucy lifted her glass. “A toast to you, my friend, for your energy, strength, and the many ways you continue to inspire us all. We love you. Cheers.” They clinked glasses as Sarah watched, smiling.

Christi Ann shook her head as she looked on. “Tell me again why those two broke up?” Sarah felt as if she’d been punched in the stomach. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Barrett nudge Christi Ann subtly. “Sorry,” Christi Ann said to Sarah. “I didn’t mean that the way it sounded. Just a habit I need to break. They’re ancient history, trust me.”

“I do,” Sarah said as politely as she could manage. “If you’ll excuse me, I should go find Emory.” But it had been hard to hear. She struggled with the fact that Emory had once been with someone like Lucy. Lucy of the sleek, straight brown hair. Lucy of the sexy legs that went on for days. Lucy of the rich and successful. It was a lot to compete with. Hell, she knew who she’d pick between the two of them. No contest.

With a shake of her head, she pushed the intrusive thoughts from her mind and focused on the task at hand. Unfortunately, finding Emory proved more difficult than she’d anticipated. There was an expansive receiving line of people blocking her path, all waiting to wish Emory a happy birthday. Rather than interrupt, she decided to wait it out. Taking a seat in one of the accent chairs across from the sectional, she made small talk with Emory’s attorney and his wife while she waited.

When she found herself alone again just a short time later, Sarah couldn’t help but notice how unaware these guests seemed to be about the mess they were making of Emory’s home. Small appetizer plates had been discarded in a pile on the coffee table. One had overturned and dripped some sort of sauce onto the hardwood floor. Knowing Emory and her stringently ordered house, she decided to help matters rather than waiting for the caterers to get around to it. She gingerly stacked the small plates and carried them into the kitchen along with an empty champagne flute. At least she could make herself useful and help Lucy with the gathering she’d known nothing about.

Emory took in the state of things. Thirty minutes had passed since the toast, and she realized she was going to have to take drastic measures to get out of the endless receiving line. Who even did receiving lines anymore? Spotting Trevor next in line to speak with her, she seized the opportunity and whispered in his ear as they hugged. “You have to get me out of this thing.”

He didn’t miss a beat. “Ms. Owen, you’re needed in the kitchen,” he said in an overly loud voice. “And right away. Catering emergency.” Emory feigned surprise and took Trevor’s offered arm as he whisked her away. She smiled and said hello to her guests as she passed, all the while scanning the room for her wayward date. “I saw her head this way,” Trevor whispered as he steered them behind the bar and into the kitchen.

Sure enough, there she was, dutifully stacking dishes. “What are you doing hiding out in here?” Emory said, though there was a smile on her face. She took Sarah’s hand. “We can do those later, or someone can. Maybe Lucy. She owes me for this. Have you eaten?”

“Just a glass of wine,” Sarah said and covered Emory’s hand with her own. “It’s hard chasing down those waiters. They’re super fast.” And then, “I met your friends.”

“You did? Which ones?”

“Mia, Barrett, and Christi Ann. Lucy introduced us.”

The thought made Emory a little queasy. She’d wanted to control the flow of that conversation, as she knew how Mia and Christi Ann could come off. Plus, she felt so far removed from them lately that she now wondered what had brought them together as friends in the first place. Our parents, she reminded herself, our parents had been friends. “They have their good and bad moments,” she said neutrally.

“I thought they were nice.”

“Really? Sometimes they can be…I don’t know, hard to read.” Judgmental bitches. That’s what she wanted to say. Sometimes they could be judgmental bitches, and she wanted to keep Sarah as far away from them as possible. “I have an idea.”

Sarah eyed her. “I’m listening.”

“There’s a tray of hors d’oeuvres over there with our name on it. Why don’t we hit that up and have a nice little dinner in the laundry room, just the two of us, like we planned? Then afterward we can face the music and mingle with these people who have taken over my house.”

“Me and my crazy appetite like this plan of yours. Are you sure we won’t get in trouble? You know, for playing hooky from your party? You are the guest of honor.”

“It’s possible. This is a risky endeavor. Are you in?”

“I’ll take my chances.” Sarah moved lightning quick to the covered tray. Emory heard someone in the living room crank the stereo up another ten decibels. They were entering phase two of the party, which meant the more respectable types would head for the door, and the alcohol would flow more freely among the fun seekers. This was going to be a long night.

Alone in the laundry room, they dined on the floor facing each other, Emory enjoying their impromptu picnic.

Sarah grabbed for a napkin and raised a questioning eyebrow. “Why is it we eat on the floor so much when I visit?”

“Excellent question. Maybe it’s just our thing.”

She considered this. “I could be okay with that. It’s kind of fun. No one else invites me to eat on their floor.”

“I’m special then.”

“I’ve often thought so.” Sarah surveyed the plate of white bean and caper crostini, stuffed mushrooms, and jumbo shrimp cocktail. It was an eclectic dinner, but one she wouldn’t soon forget. Tasty too.

“I hate that we were interrupted earlier,” Emory said. Her eyes were dancing as she lightly dabbed a crumb from the corner of Sarah’s mouth.

“Me too.”

“I was thinking, maybe we can find our way back there later tonight.”

“Well, in my experience, when it’s someone’s birthday, they get pretty much anything they want.”

“Oh good, because I really, really want you.” Emory looked into her eyes. “In case you haven’t noticed, you make me happy.” Sarah placed a gentle hand on her cheek as she listened. “And I haven’t felt—”

“There you two are,” Lucy announced. She sauntered into the laundry room with her hand on her hip. “I hate to break things up yet again, I feel like I’m always doing that, but the birthday girl is sorely missed. Come on, woman, you’re in high demand out there. Step to it. You can make eyes at each other later, I promise.”

Emory took Sarah’s hand from where it rested on her cheek and squeezed it. “Guess our time is up. Join me?”

“Right behind you. I just want to freshen up a little first.”

“Okay, you can use my room. Oh, and maybe bring Walter back with you? He’s bound to be antsy up there all alone. He’ll enjoy getting to meet everyone.”

“Will do.”

“I’ll meet you on the front lines.”

Sarah grinned and offered a mock salute.

The party was boisterous, Emory noticed upon her return, but nothing seemed to be broken or in danger, the main reason she didn’t often give parties, so she decided to just let the night run its course. Someone had opened up the room to the outside, and many of the guests had taken up residence on the deck. A comfortable breeze moved through the living space, and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. She made a quick lap around the downstairs, saying a great many “hellos” and “thank you for comings,” before settling in with Barrett, who was generally a good person to stick by.

Barrett looked at her apologetically. “I told Lucy you wouldn’t be wild about a surprise party, but you seem to be handling it rather well.”

“Thanks, Bar. You’re right, it’s not exactly my thing, but I am happy to see you. I miss hanging out, the talks we used to have.”

“Me too. We should make time to get together more, though you seem to have more on your plate than usual. She’s gorgeous, by the way, and incredibly sweet.”

“She is.” Emory beamed. “Among other things. I think you’re really going to like her.”

“Like who? The mystery woman?” Mia sidled up next to Emory with Christi Ann not far behind.

“She’s not a mystery woman, Mia.”

“Then why haven’t you mentioned her before?”

“It didn’t come up.” Emory tossed away the comment as if it was the most casual thing in the world, but Mia didn’t seem convinced.

On the second floor, Sarah took a few moments to run a brush through her hair and greet Walter properly. After her cheek had been thoroughly covered with kisses, she ushered him down the stairs to the party. His loyalty was fleeting, however, as he made a beeline for the outdoors, clearly looking for a good frolic by the water. Such a beach dog, she thought, amused at his never-ending enthusiasm.

She easily located Emory, engrossed in conversation with Mia and her set. She stood off to the side a moment and watched, proud of the confident manner in which Emory carried herself, complete with the dazzling smile that never failed to make Sarah’s knees go weak. She was lucky, she thought, very lucky to be with such an amazing, intelligent woman.

“So where exactly did you meet Sarah, if you don’t mind my asking?”

“She’s a client,” Emory offered, refusing to give Mia too much information. Flashbacks of her sister’s pretentious comments about Sarah raced through her mind in rapid succession. She wouldn’t allow that kind of judgment at Sarah’s expense to happen again, especially not from Mia.

“Well, that’s not exactly true,” Sarah said. She joined the group and handed Emory one of the glasses of wine she’d snagged on her way over. “You were my client first, remember? Don’t forget that part.” Sarah shot her a questioning look, clearly not understanding the omission.

“Really?” Christi Ann chimed in. “In what regard? As you can see, Emory never tells us anything anymore.”

“With good reason,” Emory answered icily, a plastic smile in place.

“Unfortunately, it was shortly after Emory’s mother passed away,” Sarah began. “I was hired to help prepare the house to be sold.”

“She impressed me to no end and the rest is history. I’m keeping her. What about you, Barrett, I heard you were also seeing someone. How’s that going?”

Sarah was again puzzled. She looked at Emory, who seemed incredibly eager to move on from the conversation, and it slowly began to make sense to her. Emory didn’t want her friends to know that Sarah worked for a cleaning company.

She felt the blood drain from her face and she stared, lost, into the depths of her glass.

Before Barrett could answer, Christi Ann held up a hand. “Wait, so Sarah was your realtor?”

“No,” Sarah answered, raising her head confidently. “I was her cleaning woman.” She faced Emory fully.

Emory practically flinched at the words. “Organization mainly.” She turned quickly to the group in explanation. “Sarah actually runs the reorganization branch of Immaculate Home. They do some amazing closet designs. It’s revolutionary what she’s accomplished in such a short time.”

“But back then, I worked for you, cleaning and packing up that house.” Sarah emphasized each word.

“Right. I know.” The smile slowly faded from Emory’s face and she nodded. “You’re great at everything you do.”

Silence followed and Emory felt all eyes boring into her, but her focus was elsewhere. It was clear that the way she handled the situation had upset Sarah, hurt her even, which was the opposite of what she had intended. Her instincts had failed her again.

Barrett graciously picked up the conversation and moved everyone into a teasing discussion about Emory’s new dog that Sarah only half participated in. Eventually, she excused herself to call over to Carmen’s and check on Grace.

Emory found Sarah on the deck a short time later and waited briefly for her to finish her phone call. As she clicked off, she turned to Emory. “I’m so sorry to have to do this, but Grace is allergic to cats, and I forgot to send her allergy medication that lets her be around them. I think it’d be best if I just picked her up from Carmen’s and took her home.”

“I understand. I’d go with you, but—”

Sarah looked around. “You have a house full of people.”

“Right.”

“It’s okay.”

Emory placed her hand on Sarah’s forearm. “Can we talk before you go? About in there.” She inclined her head in the direction of the party.

With the breeze from the beach lifting Sarah’s hair gently, she looked breathtaking and a little sad. “Sure.”

Because there were people nearby, Emory walked them a short distance away from the house to the water’s edge. The sunset was all but gone, but lights from the deck allowed her to see Sarah’s eyes. They seemed to be silently searching hers for some sort of answer.

“I’m sorry. About the conversation back there and how I handled it. You don’t know these girls, but I do and I just didn’t want them to rush to judgment. Mia’s the type of woman who enjoys making other people feel small and I wasn’t going to let her do that to you.”

Sarah seemed to ruminate over the information. She looked skyward before settling her gaze back on Emory with purpose. “Can I let you in on a secret?”

Emory nodded.

“I don’t think I care what people like Mia think of me anymore. Which is new, because I’ve more than cared my entire life. But I no longer feel like that kid in junior high, who just wanted to fit in, and would go to ridiculous lengths to do it. Because since you’ve come into my life, I feel like I’ve learned so much about myself. And for the first time ever, I fit.”

Emory felt that wistful lump rise up in her throat because what Sarah was saying to her was wonderful and terrifying at the same time.

“So I guess what I’m saying is that I don’t need you to take care of me. But it would be nice if you could be proud to have me at your side.”

“I am proud, Sarah. You’re the best person I know. Please don’t doubt that.”

Sarah showed a touch of a smile. “See? Then that’s all I care about. And it’s time for me to start being honest about exactly who I am. With your friends. With my family.”

“Your family?”

“Uh-huh.”

“I don’t know what to say. That’s wonderful.”

Emory felt tears touch her eyes because she was so very proud of Sarah and the strength she saw taking shape within her. Proud and so much more. The well of emotion rushing through her after listening to Sarah was unique, foreign, and undeniable on every level.

Love.

And while the realization should make her want to pull Sarah into her arms and never let her go, instead it made her hesitate. It brought to the forefront everything she knew about herself and all the ways she’d fall short of what Sarah needed. So when she did finally open her mouth to speak, what she said was not at all a reflection of what she felt so firmly within her.

Because it couldn’t be.

“It’s getting late. I’ll walk you out.” She took Sarah’s hand in hers and walked her to the front.

The night hadn’t gone as planned. But Sarah, in her unwavering goodness, had rolled with each and every punch. It was yet another testament to her character. Back when she’d made decisions about her life, she’d never planned on a Sarah. Someone who would make her redefine her definition of just about everything. But here she was, standing in her driveway, looking back at Emory with sparkling hazel eyes. And then a dark reminder flared of the promise she’d made to herself not so very long ago.

Sarah touched her cheek. “I’ll call you tomorrow, birthday girl.”

Emory attempted a smile.

Sarah tilted her head to the side and studied her with concern. “You okay? I can see if my father’s free to pick up Grace. I was just worried that she might—”

“I’m fine. Go take care of your daughter.”

Sarah nodded and leaned in to kiss her good-bye. Emory wrapped her arms around Sarah’s waist and kissed her back for all she was worth, memorizing the moment.

Late that night, long after all the partygoers had finally vacated her home, Emory tossed and turned, but sleep eluded her. Frustrated and looking for something to distract her overly active brain, she crawled out of bed and fumbled through her bedside table. She came across the small canvas book, the last journal. She settled in and let her mother’s words take over.

*

Normally, Sarah loved a free afternoon. She could take hold of the opportunity to organize the chaos that life as a single mother brought with it. And she did, stacking art supplies, unloading the dishwasher, sorting through all the clothes Grace had recently outgrown—all while keeping one eye on her phone.

It’d been two days since Emory’s birthday party and the four text messages and a voice mail she’d left for her had been answered with only one clipped reply.

“Busy week. Will call soon.”

But Emory hadn’t called. And something felt off.

She’d give her one more day before taking matters into her own hands. It was possible that things at the office had truly picked up, and if that was the case she wanted to show Emory she was capable of giving her space to get her job done. She wasn’t a needy person, but she did feel she was owed at least a phone call in response to her messages.

But late the next day when she still hadn’t heard anything from Emory, she arranged for her parents to keep Grace an extra hour after work.

*

The sun slanted low in the sky as Emory set out for a walk along the shoreline to clear her head. She’d come home earlier than usual from the office, as the ever doubling pile of work on her desk couldn’t seem to hold her attention. There was too much on her mind. Once home, she’d swapped her business suit for a pair of cutoffs and a T-shirt. As she put on her shoes, Walter watched from a few feet away and panted hopefully as if his dream might actually come to fruition. “Come on, buddy,” she said, inspiring vertical leaping and all sorts of celebratory whining.

It was a clear September evening on the beach, and Emory was relieved to find she had it mostly to herself. The setting sun caught the water’s surface, and seagulls soared on the breeze overhead. Walter had tons of energy to burn and panted happily as they walked, but Emory couldn’t identify. She’d been ineffective at work all week and had carefully avoided contact with Sarah, no matter how bad she felt about that.

She’d needed the time. Her life over the past few months had been nearly unrecognizable. She’d let herself get carried away into a place she had no business inhabiting. It had been selfish of her. Sarah deserved someone who was capable of giving everything of herself and then some, and Emory just wasn’t equipped. Her mother’s words had reminded her of that just the other night.

“I was studying a photo of my father this afternoon and remarked how similar my brother looks to him now. Genetics is the most intriguing thing. My own daughters are the perfect example. Vanessa is an outgoing girl, the type who surrounds herself with the kind of people who can take her places. She takes joy in life, sometimes at the expense of others. In essence, she’s her father’s daughter to a tee.