Emily put the phone to her ear. "Hey, sweetie, done with work yet?"
"Um, yeah, I got off about an hour ago." It was five now. How come he got off so early?
"Where are you now?"
"At home."
"Great, do you want to come over to the Student Center before I have to go to the library?"
Silence for a moment. "I thought we’d have dinner together before you went to the library." Silence again. "I guess Zainab is welcome to come if she wants."
Emily looked at Zainab, who could hear everything. Zainab shook her head. "I guess it will be just you and me, but I’m going to have to meet Zainab at seven, so we’ve got to eat quickly."
Drew sighed. "Okay. I can boil up some spaghetti before you come over, but please don’t be too long." He hung up.
Zainab strummed her fingers on the armrest. "Am I meeting you at seven to study because you’re still concerned about my grades, or do you need an excuse to get to the library?"
Emily sighed. "A little of both, but maybe more of the second." Now it was Zainab’s turn to give her looks and Emily didn’t put up a fight. "It’s nothing. Really. It’s just that last night I wanted to go to the library so I could review some of my notes. Drew didn’t think that was a good idea."
"You did do all of the reading already."
"True," Emily said slowly. "And that was Drew’s argument. And it was sweet that he wanted me to stay with him, but... I’m going to have to do some work eventually."
"Is everything okay?"
"Yeah, it’s fine. Last night was the only time he was... weird. I’m assuming that once he gets more into his co-op and he’s a little over me, he won’t be so clingy."
"Em, does anyone ever get over you?"
"Maybe not, but you’re about to get over my knee if you keep sassing me."
"Careful, I might not make it to the library if I’m too sore to walk."
"Zainab, please-"
Zainab laughed. "I’ll be there, don’t worry. But what are you going to do if I have plans?"
"Give Joe a call and tell him to work out his social life on his own time."
"Why do I keep you around again?"
CHAPTER 34
Emily was worried by the end of the week. Drew seemed to expect that she should have all of her work done by the time he came home and pretty much jump into bed with him as soon as he opened the door. He was petulant when she had to leave for the library and didn’t understand why she couldn’t get her studying done while he was at work, especially since she had worked so far ahead. She found herself repeating more than once that she was hoping to be able to clear her schedule so that she could make time for a job of some sort. He would tell her that she didn’t need to make any money. He had everything taken care of, he assured her. Emily thought she did deserve to be taken care of, but only by two certain people. Otherwise, she wanted to take care of herself.
Once grudgingly convinced of her need to study, he wanted to know why she couldn’t study in their apartment. She’d be distracted by him, obviously. When he promised up and down that he’d behave, she still didn’t believe him. Not wanting to get into a fight, she told him that she had to meet Zainab to study. That was her golden ticket. However, for most of that week he insisted on coming with her. Which was fine, but at ten he’d start whining about how he needed to wake up early for work the next morning. Emily would invite him to return home, but he said it was too dark for her to walk home by herself. Zainab, not sure what to do, would mention that she needed to take the train home as well, so she should probably get going. Emily would frown. She knew Zainab would get her caffeine fix first. Emily wouldn’t have as much done as she hoped, but she didn’t want to get into a fight at the library. So they’d all head off, and by the time she got home Drew was affectionate and they’d be up well past when he said he needed to turn in. Fine, there was the weekend.
Or not. Drew was insistent that the two of them should spend the weekend together, as a couple. She could usually get him to agree to give her about three hours of study time, but since he threw such a fit if she wanted to leave for the library, she would stay there. Mostly, he was well-behaved, but sometimes he would be so nudgy that she’d give in and just resolve to be that much more organized during the week, when he was at work.
She did enjoy walking through Boston’s cold, wintry streets or visiting museums and window shopping together. More than once, when Drew saw her eyeing something in a shop window, he’d insist on buying it for her. Emily would turn him down. It was one thing to stay in his apartment; it was another for him to buy her clothes. But Drew would not let up, and he wasn’t above making loud and disparaging remarks about her thrift shop fare. With a little heat left over from the study battles, she’d tell him that if he didn’t like the way she looked he didn’t have to be around her. She’d walk away and he’d come running and apologize. Emily would forgive him, because in her mind the apology covered more than the clothes. That fight happened more than once a day on the weekends and by round three Emily would reluctantly allow him to buy something for her. She put her foot down once when he told her that she should throw out her old clothing and told him that if he touched anything of hers she would rifle through the apartment until she found and disposed of everything of value that belonged to him. To which he said… nothing, and in fact changed the subject. Emily didn’t understand, but she made note of it.
It was fortunate that Zainab was keeping herself so busy with SGC on the weekends, because Drew was not in the mood to share Emily’s company after having ceded so many hours to Zainab during the week. However, he jumped at every opportunity to see Richard. Emily chafed at the unfairness, but she liked Richard too. Also, in addition to being a good friend, Richard had used some of his contacts to help Drew land his co-op. However, Drew pleaded with Emily not to talk shop with Richard while they were out because, Drew said, Richard’s work was really stressful and once he got on a tear about it, it was hard to pull him off. Emily wondered at that. Richard had certainly come off as dedicated, but not obsessive and stressed, at least not about his work.
Despite the tension Jessie tried to generate between Emily and Richard, Emily had fun with him when they all went out. One night, the three found themselves in the same café in the North End that Emily had gone to with Mitch. She smiled, but said nothing.
"So," she said to Richard after they’d put in their order for drinks and desserts. "How is that cousin of yours?"
"I’m guessing you mean Jessie," Richard said as he tried to suppress a yawn.
"I try to forget you have any others."
Drew looked confused. "Do you mean Michael? What do you have against him?"
Emily hadn’t told Drew about Jessie and Michael. At first, it seemed like a violation of Jessie’s privacy. Then it was too embarrassing for Richard. She looked at Richard and shrugged. "I don’t know. Richard, what would I have against Michael?"
"I believe," Richard said after a moment, "Emily is referring to some of Michael’s unfortunate bullying of Jessie when they were younger. But he was pretty much an only child, you have to remember, and orphaned at that. No one ever taught him restraint." Emily heard Richard’s silent plea to leave it.
Drew scoffed. "That’s what kids in a family are going to do. It’s just good fun."
"Of course," Emily said after a moment. "But how is Jessie?"
"I think you’d know better than I would. Every time I call her she’ll tell me that she’s online with you and she’ll have to call me back. You may be the only person she won’t multi-task with." Surprisingly, Drew didn't complain about her little online chats with Jessie, but only because, Emily was sure, she was Richard's cousin.
"I have noticed that she’s increasingly coherent, but I’m still not always sure she’s telling me the truth. Everything at school okay?"
"I think she’s keeping the partying to, well, less than what it was last term, but we’ll see when grades come out. And she mentioned this o
ne guy-"
"Two, but only of them is serious."
"Hmm, good to know. I think she’s okay, and when she comes up, you can see for yourself."
"Huh?"
"Next weekend. I thought she told you..." Richard stopped and rubbed his eyes. "No, she didn’t tell you, because she was going to surprise you. I might have remembered that a couple of hours ago."
"Oooh!" Emily squealed with delight. "What are we going to do with her?"
"I’m going to need either coffee or sleep, but I’m pretty sure the plan was to have the two of you over for dinner."
Emily sat back for a moment, thinking it over. "I can’t let her surprise me. She has to be the one I surprise, okay? So you two are going to... I don’t know, pretend you’re getting ingredients or something, and stay out for a while, and then when you come back I’ll have dinner ready, okay?"
"Do I want to get in the middle of this one-upmanship between the two of you?"
Emily pointed a tired finger. "You already did when you agreed to help her surprise me."
"She is my cousin, but you do live closer, so we’re going to give you the home city advantage."
Emily giggled and hugged Richard impulsively. She could feel Drew’s eyes on her, but she was too tired to care.
CHAPTER 35
Emily spent the next week coming up with, emailing and then changing shopping lists. She also came up with several plans for how she was going to get in the house while the other three were out. Richard ended up dropping a key off with her at the student center on Thursday. "Cook whatever you want. I think I’ve bought every ingredient they sell at this point. Just don’t plan anymore, okay?"
He left just before Zainab arrived. "My goodness, Em! Is that you, out of class and out of the library, and unshackled, no less?"
"You are not funny, especially since you aren’t coming with me on Saturday night," she whined. "We finally have an opportunity to get together with Jessie and you have to do some commando work for General Welles. How is that going, by the way?"
"If Joe doesn’t win this election, he is still going to be the most popular guy on campus. I don’t think anyone in the school’s history has made as many appearances and speeches as he has. But enough about me. Are you nuts?"
There it was. "I know what you’re going to say."
"Good. Now what are you going to say?"
Emily slumped like a rag doll. "I don’t know why Drew’s like this."
"Who cares? He is, and I don’t think I’ve ever heard of anyone changing that. What are you going to do?"
Emily was too tired to think of something witty or sarcastic. "What do you think I should do?"
"I think you should pack up and come and stay with me."
Emily hugged Zainab. "You are the best friend ever."
"So does that mean that I should clear off my couch?"
"I love you for making the offer, but I don’t think it’s that bad yet. I think I can fix it. I don’t want anything to be weird anymore. But I can’t do this if he’s going to be crazy and possessive."
"So what are you going to do?"
"I’m going to tell him to stop following me to the library."
"And what will you say when he asks why?"
"That he’s keeping me from studying."
"Okay, try that. But you’d better do it, or you’re going to hear from me, okay?"
"Yeah, okay. Okay."
~~~
Emily resolved to wait until Sunday to have that conversation with Drew. If it didn’t go well, she didn’t want weirdness hanging over their heads during dinner with Jessie and Richard. But she was almost excited to lay down the law.
Emily went to Richard’s house on Saturday afternoon, as planned. She was grateful that Richard had bought everything she had asked for without question. Food since her move into Drew’s place had consisted mostly of oatmeal, beans, rice and the occasional pot of noodles Drew would cook up. She thought it was sweet when he cooked for her, but he did it so badly that she cringed when he volunteered.
Food was another source of tension for the two of them since Drew didn’t "get" vegetarianism and kept badgering her to eat meat. However, although the beans and rice were starting to wear her down with boredom, she couldn’t argue with the miniscule amount of money she was spending on food (even with the occasional piece of fruit). Considering how much money she didn’t have, there was no turning back. So she continued to argue with Drew about it, because this was going to be the one area where he wasn’t going to win. Tonight, she thought, would be a respite from boredom and general conflict. Tomorrow would be "the talk," and as she chopped away she resolved that if she didn’t get what she wanted she was going to take Zainab up on her offer.
Emily had just started setting the table when she heard the key in the door. She threw down the silverware and then opened the door. "Surprise!" she laughed when she saw Jessie’s face.
"You jerk!" Jessie said, throwing her arms around Emily. "I was supposed to surprise you!"
"Yeah, but this way Richard doesn’t have to cook."
Richard sniffed the air. "Ooh, something smells good. What did you make?"
"Couscous with chickpeas, raisins and almonds, spinach and garlic and strawberry shortcake."
Jessie ran into the kitchen, leading Richard by the hand. Emily was about to follow when Drew pulled her by the waist. "Don’t I get a kiss hello, my little domestic goddess?"
Emily kissed him. This was when he was sweet, not clingy. "Isn’t she great?" she said.
"Who?"
"The girl you came through the door with?"
"Oh, right." Drew straightened up. "She’s okay."
"Just okay?"
"Oh Em, tell me you didn’t use red wine in this!" Jessie called from the kitchen. "Are you going to turn into an alcoholic now?"
"We’ll talk about it later," Drew said seriously. Emily raised an eyebrow. She couldn’t wait.
~~~
Drew spoke very little to Jessie during the dinner. Emily wondered if they’d talked at all while they were out. Richard, thankfully, was one of the best hosts Emily had ever met, and he pulled everyone into the conversation. Jessie did her best as well, but by the time they were ready for dessert, it was clear that Drew disliked her.
"Oh God, this is so good!" Jessie exclaimed as she shoveled forkful after forkful of strawberry shortcake into her mouth. "Is there more?"
"Better question," Richard said, waving his fork. "Is there a recipe?"
"Richard!" Jessie gasped. "Is there a special someone you want to make this for?"
Richard looked up at the ceiling and shook his head. "Jessie, Jessie, Jessie."
Emily was just about to thank Jessie when Drew said, "I think these would be great if the biscuits weren’t so dry."
Jessie stopped chewing. "I don’t think they’re dry at all," Richard finally said. "If they were any moister, the juices would make them disintegrate."
Drew shrugged. "Well, I guess I’m used to a little less juice in my strawberry shortcake. How come it’s so juicy?"
"Because," Emily answered slowly, "I had to use frozen berries, seeing as how it’s February."
"They still sell fresh berries in February. Didn’t you see any at the supermarket?"
"Actually," Richard smiled, "I’m the one who bought the berries. Emily just said strawberries, and I assumed frozen. Bachelor dilettante cook, what do you expect?"
"Yeah, I guess. But next time you shouldn’t make something like this in the winter."
"Em, you idiot. Didn’t you know that?" Everyone looked at Jessie. "What?" she said while she was chewing. "This is obviously really gross. Richard and I don’t like it at all, so why don’t we keep piling it on until Em feels like the idiot we all know she is?"
Emily couldn’t decide between hugging and throttling Jessie, so she just held her breath. Maybe she and Drew would have that talk right now.
Drew put his fork down. "Do you have something you want to say?"
"I think I just said it."
"That Emily’s an idiot?"
"Yeah, but maybe not for the same reason you think she is."
"Okay guys." Richard stood up. "Why don’t we clear off the table, I’ll make some coffee and then we can all calm down?"
Jessie stood up too. "Some fights need to be had."
"Not everything has to be a fight."
"That’s okay," Drew said with a smile so fake it hurt Emily to look. "Let’s hear what the high school set’s answer to Dr. Phil has to say about the adults."
"Adults?" Jessie repeated. "You’re not an adult. You’re a big overgrown bully. No wonder you liked Michael. For real, I can’t figure out why anyone would date you."
"You little…" Before Drew could finish that sentence, his phone rang. It was a personalized ring, one Emily hadn’t heard before. Drew’s eyes widened when he heard it, and he quickly walked into the kitchen to answer it.
Thirty seconds later, Drew burst through the door. "Honey, I have to go right now. How long are you going to be here?"
Emily looked at Richard and Jessie. "I, uh, guess I can go now if you need me to."
"No!" Drew said quickly. "I’m sorry, I mean, drink that coffee if you need to. Don’t rush home on my account, okay?"
"Okay," Emily answered, now completely confused.
"Okay," Drew kissed her on the cheek. "Sorry to run off like this and, um," he looked in Jessie’s direction, "sorry if everything got a little crazy there for a minute."
"Yeah, no problem," Jessie said in a monotone.
"I’ve gotta go- work problem- sorry!"
Jessie looked at the both of them once the door slammed shut. "Richard, you’re friends with this guy? And Emily, you live with him?" Silence. "Can one of you explain what his problem is?"
Richard shook his head. "Did he say work?"
Jessie scoffed. "Did you believe him?"
"Well, it’s just-"
The Smartest Girl in the Room Page 16
