HAPPY FOREVER AFTER

“Exactly. Your problem is, you’re afraid of everything, and I know you. You want to be with someone but the fear won’t just let you go”

“That’s crazy. What am I afraid of?”

“You might think you’re Miss Thing with your rebel-without-a-cause posture, but you’re not fooling me.”

Emma’s lips parted, but no words came out. She wanted to argue with Karen, tell her how wrong she was, but deep down a little nagging voice said her friend might be right.

“You are afraid that if you fall in love, you’ll be the one who gets hurt later. You’re afraid to put yourself out there.” Karen continued.

“So what’s wrong with not wanting to get hurt?” Emma asked. “I’m just protecting myself”.

“You’re not living! You have decided to keep yourself locked up in a prison of your own making. You are my best friend and I hate that”.

“No, I mean, it’s not true.” Emma said.

She couldn’t believe she was lying to her own best friend, but she felt as though her dirtiest little secret had just been announced to the world, and she’d been caught completely unprepared.

Karen’s eyebrows quirked, a telltale sign that she didn’t buy a word of what Emma said.

“Okay, let’s do a little ‘years in review’ then.”

“Let’s don’t.”

“Why not?” Karen asked.

“I dunno… You make me sound so boring.” Emma replied.

“That’s just it. You’re one of the most interesting people I know, and yet you’re living the most boring life. Don’t you ever stop to ask yourself why?”

“I just want to stay out of trouble.”

Oddly, unexpectedly, Emma was struck with a wave of sadness. It was as if she felt that she needed to mourn the life she’d been failing to live.

“Oh, sweetie, what is it? I didn’t mean to upset you.” Karen said. “I just thought you needed to hear the truth. I don’t want you to throw away your life trying so hard to stay out of trouble.

“I know” Emma said, “And I appreciate it. It’s just that I have learned how to control my impulses.”

“You just keep telling yourself that.” Karen said. “You can grow old, bored and alone. Is that what you want?” she asked.

Karen stared at her. “Of course not. I don’t want to be alone.” she replied. “It’s just that… There was this really beautiful lady that came to see Daniel at the office last week. His ex. She was so pretty, I felt so out of his league. What if he wakes up one day and suddenly I’m not enough. I can’t get hurt all over again. And to be honest I don’t think he wants a relationship”

“I understand babe,” Karen said. “But let it go. He wants you, you want him, so give it a try. Forget about the future and just enjoy this right now. Worrying has been the only thing holding you back. And if he decides he doesn’t want you, well, that’s his loss because you are amazing and he should be glad he has you”.

Emma smiled and hugged Karen. “Thanks, babe,” she said.

“Awwwwn” Monica said. “I know this doesn’t really concern me but I really need this hug too”. She flung herself on both of them.

They all laughed. When they released each other, Karen looked at Monica.

“Are you crying?” she asked her.

“No, shut up” Monica said and Emma laughed again.

“Alright girls… Let’s go get me drunk,” Emma said.

————

There was nothing Daniel Rohan hated more than missed appointments. He watched cars after cars go by. A station wagon crammed with squabbling kids and harried parents, followed by a convertible filled with college students. And then… Nothing.

But the person Daniel had been waiting for in the sun for the past two hours. The man was nowhere to be found.

He stopped pacing, reached into the breast pocket of his suit and grabbed his phone. He called his secretary. The office would be closed now so she wasn’t going to be at the office. So he called her personal line.

“Hello,” a familiar voice said.

“Mrs Darrin, this Mr Rutherford person didn’t show” he said.

“I’m fine, Mr Rohan, and how are you today?” his secretary said pointedly.

He scowled, watching as a car, its exhaust pipe coughing up toxic smoke, limped towards him. Music blasted from the open windows of the car. Daniel covered one ear with his hand so he could continue his conversation.

” Sorry to be short with you” he said, not sorry at all. He was too tired to be nice right now. “The man didn’t show”.

“Oh dear”. Mrs Darrin sounded distressed, but Daniel knew her well. She was probably examining her manicure as she talked to him. Maybe in front of her was a voodoo doll in his shape, stuck with pins because he had canceled her vacation due to a project. “I wonder what could have happened”. His secretary added innocently.

The noise from that car was annoying. He thought. “What’s that, Mrs Darrin? I didn’t hear you. I might be losing the damned signal”

“I said, the signal is so unreliable –“. The signal crackled, then died.

Daniel wanted to punch something. He still had to go pick some files from the office before going home. He sighed and got into his car. He hadn’t even been to the office that day. He planned to work from home the next day too.

He drove to the office parking lot. When he got down from the car, a movement caught his eye. It was Emma.

She wore a tight red dress that fit like a halter top. The hemline fell short enough to be declared illegal in some places. High heeled sandals enhanced the effect of long slender legs. When she bent over to inspect the engine, the pose made his mouth go dry.

She had that effect on him.

The office was closed and everyone had gone home. Two of the security men started walking towards the damsel in distress. Propelled by a caveman territorial instinct, Daniel strolled forward, reaching her first.

“Need some help?” he asked.

Emma turned around, surprised to see him. “Urmmm… I guess I do”. She replied. One hand propping up the rear hood, red painted fingernails drumming on the metal.Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

She took off her shades and folded them, tucking one earpiece down between the cleft of her breasts. With a frank sweep of her gaze, she studied him. She seemed faintly amused.