by Mj Fields
���Good morning Lila,��� London jumped down and hugged her. ���I made you breakfast.���
Lila smiled, ���Well then seven thirty is perfect.���
Brody cleaned his plate and thanked London, ���I have a few things to do this morning. I���ll see you ladies later?���
���Where are you going?��� London asked.
���London that���s none of our concern,��� Emma said, scolding her softly.
���It���s fine Emma, I have a doctor���s appointment,��� Brody smiled and briefly glanced up at Emma and raised his brow.
���On a Saturday, you must be sick,��� London jumped up to feel his head, Brody laughed. ���No, you���re not warm,��� London giggled. ���But my friends think you���re hot.���
���London,��� Emma gasped.
���Emma ��� she���s fine, and apparently her friends have great taste,��� he winked at London as he made his way to his room.
���Mom, I���m going to shower,��� London said when they finished dishes.
���Okay,��� Emma said and smiled remembering that just six months ago she insisted on bubble baths, and she had to help her wash her hair. London now only insisted on scrubbing her scalp three times a week.
Brody walked out and smiled at Emma, ���Good morning,��� he kissed her.
���Good morning,��� Emma looking down trying not to look at him as she smiled. ���You have a doctor appointment this morning?���
He laughed, ���Why do you sound shocked? You kind of insisted,��� Brody smiled as he lifted her chin and kissed her again.
���I���m pretty bossy, huh?���
���You���re wonderful,��� Brody kissed her again.
���Okay thank you,��� she said, trying to will herself to move out of his arms.
The shower turned off, and he slowly kissed her again and let go.
���Emma, I���m leaving to go to England in three days.���
Emma felt a lump in her throat and smiled, ���To finish your album right?���
���I would love for you to come Emma. I know you can���t, but I want you to know that I want you and your daughter to come.���
���How long will you be gone?���
���Three weeks and six days,��� Brody answered softly.
���Okay then,��� Emma smiled.
���Forged smile,��� Brody stepped towards her to kiss her.
���Mom!��� London yelled.
���Coming, good luck today.���
* * *
Emma helped London get ready, they had decided to go shopping. To Emma���s delight London was on a mission to pick out a disguise for Brody to wear at the show that night. They went and got pedicures and ate lunch. London all but begged to ride the subway but Emma didn���t cave.
They returned to Lila���s at three in the afternoon, three hours before the play. Brody and Lila were looking at something online.
���Hello, are you excited about Wicked?��� London skipped up to Lila and Brody.
Brody smiled, ���I need to talk to your Mom first okay? Emma, may I have a moment?��� He said as he walked towards the bedroom.
���I don���t think that���s a good idea, London is������ Emma started.
Brody smiled, ���Trust me,��� he pulled her in to the room he was staying in, ���sit please.���
���Okay,��� Emma blushed.
He smiled and shook his head as he sat next to her and showed her a website with a picture of the four of them taking the carriage ride. Brody was sitting next to London, and both were beaming.
���Well, you both look great,��� Emma took a deep breath.
���Does this upset you? Her privacy being violated ��� those scum taking pictures of her?���
���I don���t like it, but I bet she will,��� Emma smiled as she looked up at him.
���What about your divorce Emma?��� Brody looked apologetically at her.
���I���m not worried, he kind of sealed his own fate with that one, I hope anyway. I don���t know, are you alright with it?��� Emma looked confused.
���I���m never alright with my privacy being invaded,��� Brody scowled. ���I���m not alright with hers or yours being invaded either.���
���Okay, but really ��� what can we do about it?���
���I don���t think it���s a good idea for me to go this evening, Emma.���
���Oh,��� she said shocked.
���That upsets you?��� Brody took her hand gently in his.
���Well London kind of went crazy on a disguise today,��� Emma laughed. ���But she���ll understand I suppose.���
He smiled and shook his head. ���She did?���
���Yes, it was actually kind of funny,��� Emma smiled.
���Do you want to discuss this with her or maybe I could tell her my doctor wants me to stay in for a few days?���
���I don���t lie to her Brody. I answer her truthfully with age appropriate answers of course, hoping that will help her do the same in years to come.���
���Alright then,��� Brody stood up.
Emma smiled at him, ���Can I kiss you? I mean���sorry that was stupid, this is obviously a poor idea, I mean quit while you���re ahead������
���Are you done Emma?��� Brody scowled, and she shook her head yes, ���Would you like to know what the doctor said?���
���Sure, what did he say?��� Emma���s face started to turn red.
���All the test results came back, and I���m healthy. Blood work was rushed so I should know in a couple days,��� Brody looked into her eyes and she knew he was trying to figure something out.
���Oh, a couple days?���
���Yes, why?���
���Well I���ll be home, and you will be in England right?���
���Oh, so we have to wait until everything comes back?��� Brody asked confused.
���Well, yes,��� Emma smiled and looked away.
���So no condoms?���
���I���m allergic to latex,��� Emma looked down.
���Good to know.���
���Are you monogamous? I mean������ Emma started and he interrupted.
���Emma, do you want me to be?��� Brody tried not to laugh.
���No, I want you to have sex with lots of other people while you���you know what? This is irresponsible. Let���s just forget it,��� Emma stood up.
���Emma,��� he grabbed her hand and pulled her onto him, ���I haven���t had sex in months. I���m particularly choosey now, and I���m choosing you, I trust you.���
���How do you trust me? How am I supposed to trust you?��� Emma said standing back up.
���Have I given you reason not to?��� Brody asked seriously.
���You didn���t tell me about your past,��� Brody looked hurt at her response, ���I���m sorry, but you should know the only person I did this with was Troy. I made him wait two years. I knew him pretty well. I���m not trying to hurt you. I���m just, not like that. I already feel like, I don���t know…a week is too soon.���
He looked down and didn���t say anything.
���Okay this is a bad idea, I���m sorry.��
��� Emma stood up and walked out.
She walked into the living room, ���Hey London, we need to chat,��� Emma said looking at her smiling.
Brody walked out and looked at Lila, his eyes wide and confused.
���Ok ��� some silly person took pictures last night, see right here?��� Emma said showing her. ���I���m sorry. Does it upset you?���
���No, it���s kind of cool,��� London smiled.
���Ok, so it bothers me, and it bothers Brody that someone would invade your privacy. He isn���t going with us tonight,��� Emma said.
���But we got him all this stuff Mom, it was going to be fun,��� London was upset.
���Sorry London, maybe I could wear it?��� Emma smiled and hugged her.
���Does he know it���s not his fault Mom?��� London whispered.
���I don���t think so London, but we aren���t going to cause a scene, it���ll be fine,��� Emma said and hugged her closer and closed her eyes.
���I need to use the bathroom,��� she whispered and stood up and walked away.
* * *
���You alright, London?��� Lila asked.
���I���m fine,��� London said and smiled just like her mom did when she was upset, and Brody noticed.
���Sorry London,��� Brody said. ���It���s not your fault; it���s those people who took the pictures.���
���It���s not your fault. But why is my Mom upset?���
���I don���t know.���
���Are you sorry about that?��� London looked at him raising her eyebrows.
���Well if I upset her, I am truly sorry about that.���
London smiled at him, ���She���ll be fine, she always is.���
London���s eyes looked into his for a while. He didn���t turn away and they both ended up smiling.
���We should bake cookies,��� Emma smiled at London as she grabbed her hand and pulled her into the kitchen.
Lila looked at Brody when they left the room, ���What���s going on?���
���She isn���t ready Lila, and I am.���
���Emma will never think she���s ready. They���ve been separated for over a year. She hasn���t dated or hooked up or done anything that wasn���t well planned, perfectly and precisely,��� Lila smiled.
���I get that, she just wants to know things Lila, things that I���ve put behind me and I���m not ready to bring back. Is it not enough that I care for her? I went and got tested for diseases today Lila ��� what is that about?��� Brody said shaking his head as Lila tried not to laugh.
London skipped in the room, ���Do you need anything at the store, Mom and I have to get a few things,��� she said waving the list.
���I need a lot of things at the store, how about we go together and let your mother start getting ready to bake?��� Lila asked and walked in the kitchen and told Emma they would be right back.
* * *
When they left, Brody walked into the kitchen and hugged Emma from behind.
���Brody, please don���t,��� Emma said softly and tried to turn around.
���Please���just stay,��� he held her firmly. ���So my past is not something I enjoy talking about, at all. However, you are important to me so I will let you know a few things. My mother died when I was twelve. I was withdrawn; my father wasn���t home very much, if at all. My brother and sister moved out, and my father���s much younger girlfriend moved in. I left and lived with my Aunt and Uncle for a couple years and then started singing and partying and having lots of sex. I���m not proud of whom I was then or the amount of sexual partners I had. I hooked up with a seriously wild partner, and we partied hard. She died and I moved here,��� Brody said, and she could hear him trying to breathe calmly. ���I understand that sex is different for you than it has been for me: young, dumb, and reckless. All physical,��� he said, and she heard the smile in his voice, ���You see it as a sign of love or something special.���
���We went from your life to sex awfully fast.���
���Emma yesterday and last night, I thought that meant you wanted me as badly as I want you, and today you���re ready to walk. I���m confused.���
���You���re going to England. I���m going to try to fix this mess that I���ve made of my life so that my daughter can have a good life,��� Emma turned to him, ���Brody ��� wanting you and doing the right thing���I don���t know, they don���t seem to fit.���
���Maybe not when your head is spinning Emma, when your feet are planted solidly where they are meant to be: It will fit perfectly. It will feel as if they were supposed to be there forever. You may not want to hear this Emma, but I know I fit perfectly with you. It wasn���t planned, I didn���t search for this, I didn���t even know I wanted this or that I would ever immediately feel this with anyone. It just showed up and I literally ran into it, and I feel like I have been chasing you ever since. Emma I want more than one night, I want you to know that. I���m not going on a European sex campaign. I���m going to finish my album. After that, I���m going to take a break, a long break. When I return I would love to see where this leads. I know you���re used to making all the plans and decisions, but I also know you don���t like it. I want you now, and when I get back, and no one in between. I don���t need you to promise you���ll be here waiting when I return, I know you would be. I do not need you to put it into words. It���s visible in your face, your kiss, the way you look at me. You feel the same way I do. If things weren���t messy would you have given us a chance? Emma turn the hurt off and feel it, feel what we���ve both been trying to avoid that seems to only grown deeper.��� She stood on her toes and kissed him. He sat her on the counter and kissed her back, he pulled back and smiled. ���What did that mean?���
���I want you to dress up all stupid tonight and go with us,��� Emma kissed him again. ���I need to figure my life out, and I do believe you think you want this.���
���I don���t think Emma, I know. Emma, what do you want?���
���A happy life.���
���Alright then, me too,��� Brody kissed her gently.
They heard the door open and London ran in with the chocolate chips and real butter.
���Mom, you look happier. What did you do Brody?��� London smirked.
���Well London, I agreed to go tonight, for you,��� Brody picked her up and spun her around.
London smiled and let out a belly laugh that Emma hadn���t heard in months, one that she missed terribly.
���What do you say; shall you let me see what magnificent outfit you have picked for me?��� Brody laughed.
* * *
London stood in the hallway waiting for Brody to come out of the bathroom. Brody walked out and smiled at her. He wore baggy army green pants and a light pink shirt and matching green blazer.
���I kind of like this.���
���How about the hat, wigs and glasses?��� London grinned.
���I thought I should save those for later,��� he said. ���Are the cookies done?���
���Looking good Mr. Hines,��� Emma laughed. ���Put on the glasses.���
He put them on and Emma smiled. He looks good in glasses, kind of like Clark Kent, Emma thought.
* * *
He looked at her and wondered what she was thinking.
���Thank you Emma,��� he smiled. ���Where
are those cookies?���
���Lose the glasses and I���ll give you some,��� Emma said seriously and turned around.
���I think Mom likes the nerd look,��� London whispered, ���Maybe you should leave them on, I mean if you want to?���
���What do you think I should do London?��� Brody whispered back.
���Whatever you want to,��� she said and belly laughed again.
Emma turned and smiled, ���What���s so funny?��� She asked as she put cookies and milk in front of them.
London looked at Brody and smiled; he raised his eyebrow and peered over the glasses at her. ���Thank you for the cookies Emma,��� he said seductively.
She looked shocked and turned around, ���You���re welcome. I���m going to get ready.���
Brody and London laughed as she walked out the door.
���You like my Mom don���t you?��� London asked.
���She is very likable,��� Brody answered and took a bite of his cookie.
���But you really like her right?��� London asked with her eyes wide.
���I really like this cookie,��� he smiled giving her the same wide eyed look.
London rolled her eyes and groaned.
���Can you keep a secret?��� Brody whispered.
���Yes,��� London whispered back.
���Yes, I do. But don���t tell her please.���
���Brody, I think she knows,��� London smiled.
���Okay so what should I do?���
���Well I���m only seven, so I���m not sure…but don���t treat her like my Dad did,��� London whispered softly. ���He was, well, is ��� not nice to her.���
���He loves you though, the best he knows how, right?��� Brody asked and put his arm around her.
���I guess,��� tears began to form in her eyes. ���Mom doesn���t think I know but that night when you let them take your car to get me, he was doing drugs, and when we left the police were there, and well ��� I haven���t talked to him since.���
