He opened the passenger door of his car and rested his folded arms on the top of it while he watched me sit. It seemed I always lucked out with the chivalrous dates. And who was I kidding, I loved it. I reached across and unlocked his door for him, nestling into my seat and fastening my seat belt. His car was smaller than mine, but that’s not news, as mine’s kind of a tank. Scotts’ car was a Saab of some sort, a car I’d never ridden in before. The ignition wasn’t up by the steering wheel like you might expect, but instead lower on the console. Pretty cool.
On the way to the lake we talked more, mainly about school. I listened to him, of course, but my mind started to wander. Would he try to kiss me? If he did, how would I react? Usually I knew the answer, but tonight even my own emotions, as they came, were unexpected.
The heat hadn’t dissipated at all, even by the lake, so no need for my sweater. I guess I’d become used to living by the ocean and the whole “breeze off the water” thing didn’t apply here. I slipped off my sandals as we walked across the grass. The cool grass felt almost cold underfoot. I watched each step for the bees even though I knew there wouldn’t be any lurking. Scott looked at me sideways with a grin.
“You know there aren’t any bees, right?” How did he know that’s what I was thinking? I let out a half-sigh, half-laugh and started walking normally. We reached a picnic table, and Scott sat on the top resting his hands beside him.
“What’s interesting,” I used the table seat as a boost to sit next to him, “Is how still and tranquil the lake looks. I don’t remember it like this, and I’ve been coming here for years.”
“You probably haven’t seen it at night recently.”
“I guess you’re right.” I leaned back resting my hands behind me. “It’s really pretty here. I almost forgot.”
“Yeah, I felt that way too. Now I really appreciate how peaceful it is here.” He leaned back.
“I haven’t heard many people say that, but you’re right. I can’t believe how much I took for granted around here.” It was nice we shared a respect for the area. I saw it with new eyes: I couldn’t explain, but he knew. It was quiet between us for a dozen or so seconds. My eyes were fixed on the water, until I realized we were both quiet. I looked at him, noticing he may have been looking my way for a while. I smiled, acknowledging his look, but my smile faded as I watched his stare travel from my eyes to my lips and back. He drew me into those deep green eyes of his and I felt hypnotized. I didn’t move. I don’t even know if I breathed. He moved closer. I felt the warmth of his breath on my neck, and the touch of his fingers on my hand, my wrist, my arm, until he rested his hand on my shoulder. When he moved away a little I put my hand on his arm. He paused with his face an inch from mine. He looked into my eyes waiting…just waiting. Then he swept his lips across mine. Moving his hand from my shoulder to my cheek he started to kiss me, gentle at first. Once I responded things changed and the kisses deepened. Then I panicked. I pulled away. I didn’t want to hurt his feelings, but I just couldn’t. Then I saw the look on his face.
“I’m sorry, I just...” I didn’t know what to say.
“No, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have assumed anything. We were having such a great time.” He looked wounded.
I was at a loss for words, but I wanted to fix this. I searched for what would help. “I’m having a great time.” I paused and found a little smile. “And it’s not like you took advantage of me or anything.” I tried to joke, but he didn’t appear to appreciate it. I thought I’d explain. “I like you Scott, and I really enjoy your company. But…”
“I know, Shayla told me.” At least I was off the hook for that explanation. I still felt badly. He continued. “Look, I know you’re leaving in a couple of days, I just really felt like, I don’t know, there’s something between us. I’m not trying to pressure you or anything.”
“There is something.” I relaxed. He was right, there was something. “But, our timing…” He nodded while I was in mid-sentence. I smiled. “It sucks.” With that, we both let out a nervous laugh and tried to recover the evening. I stretched my legs in front of me while he fidgeted, both of us trying to break the awkwardness. Then I had an idea that could turn this weirdness into fun. It was risky. Some guys would take it the wrong way. Somehow I knew I was safe with Scott. He “got” me. And that was rare.
“Come on.” I took his hand and led him down by the water. “Turn around.” He looked confused but turned around anyway. I slipped out of my dress, staying in my bra and panties and jumped into the black lake. It was bold, I know, but we needed to stop being so serious and have some fun. And that’s exactly what happened. The tone changed fast. He turned around at the sound of my splash, surprised and smiling. He started to unbutton his shirt then paused waving to me to turn around. I did, treading water to give him privacy. I heard him jump in, and he was next to me in a flash. We swam out to the dock just splashing and playing. It was light and exactly what I needed. It was then that I knew I was on the mend.
FOUR
Back to LA
The week at home was just what I needed. I felt the rotation of the earth increase as I headed south of the Bay Bridge as I usually did. I was a girl on a mission: start my internship and focus on the events ahead. I was going to work hard, and make sure they didn’t regret giving me this amazing opportunity. I’d left early, really early, hoping to miss the traffic. My brother taught me this little trick, and although I hated doing anything at four in the morning except sleeping, I got up and headed out. As I left the Bay Area behind me, the fog lifted and the sun reflected off the bay in my rearview mirror. I thought of Scott and hoped maybe someday our timing would be better. Meanwhile, I was warding off all men and concentrating on me: always a good idea in the wake of a bad break-up.
Since I’d left so early, I had the rest of the day and evening to prepare for my first day at The Wilkins Partnership. Mr. Ryan always referred to it as TWP, so I imagined I would call it that as well. Then I realized I’d be working with Mr. Ryan for the remainder of the summer and possibly into my second year. I wondered what that would be like. He made a huge point of making the distinction between student and teacher in class, but he wasn’t my teacher anymore. Interesting. I had no idea what was ahead of me.
***
At the apartment, I opened my door to a huge mess. I’d left in such a hurry that there were none of the usual preparations. First, my apartment smelled like a dump, since I’d forgotten to empty the trash; yuk. There were clothes everywhere and my beach bag still sat inside the front door. Wow, I really did bolt right out of here that day. The fact that I noticed what a mess it was, and had the immediate urge to clean made me feel like maybe I was getting past my depression. I spent the next hour doing just that. I filled a basket with dirty clothes and headed to the laundry room. It was a beautiful day, not as hot as it had been in Two Rivers but still warm. I plopped my basket on top of a washer and dug in the pockets of my jean shorts for quarters. I only had three loads to do, whites, darks and one load of sheets and towels. Then all would be back in order at the Parker place. I chuckled to myself at my ability to label my apartment like it was one of my home-town ranches.
“Something funny?” A voice I didn’t recognize asked from behind me. I whipped around and saw the new guy who had moved in a couple of months earlier. I had seen him struggling with boxes one weekend morning.
“Oh, no, I was just… oh nothing.” It’s always a little embarrassing when someone catches you talking or laughing to yourself. I felt the heat creep into my face.
He looked amused by my flushed cheeks. “I’m Kyle.” He put his basket of laundry on the machine next to mine, extending his hand.
“Hi.” I shook his hand, returning his smile, forgetting that I was a dork for an instant. “Emily.”
“Well Emily, care to give a guy a quick lesson in the laundry department?” He held up his bottle of detergent and shrugged. I knew this was probably a ploy, but why not help the guy. I knew my way around a wash
er and dryer. Which, I thought to myself, was kind of sad. I proceeded with the basic instructions anyway. While our clothes washed, we talked. He was starting at California West University in the fall, and moved here before classes started to get a job. He had taken the year between high school and college to travel around Europe. I was immediately intrigued and envious. What an adventure. I always heard about people “backpacking across Europe,” but never actually met a person who had done it. I sat with my legs crossed on the counter and my chin propped on my fist, listening and hanging on every word. The way he described the hills of Tuscany and the clear, blue waters of Greece enthralled me.
When he talked, he used his hands. His face lit up. He obviously had the time of his life. Sitting there with the hum of the washing machines and the smell of detergent, I watched and listened. His almond-shaped eyes narrowed when he smiled and his shiny black hair lay pushed up from his forehead and to the side like he had only run his fingers through it once when he woke up. His shorts were longer than ones he would probably have worn to the beach and looked seriously broken in. His tee shirt had something in French I didn’t understand, but I tried to read it anyway. When the wash cycles ended we simultaneously moved our clothes to the dryer and started our next loads. The change in laundry prompted a change in conversation.
“So, where are you from?” he asked. My story was much more boring than his, but he didn’t seem to think so. He listened and asked questions from time to time.
“Wow, you and your brother go to the same college? You two get along well?” I nodded. That got me thinking about Ethan and Allison. Then it dawned on me that I hadn’t called either of them to let them know I was back.
“Yeah, we’re cool. But he’s actually dating one of my friends right now, so it remains to be seen if we’re still cool.”
“Really? And you’re OK with that?” I almost said, Well I don’t think I’m an expert anymore. But I didn’t.
“Yeah, I’m fine with it.” He seemed to get my sense of humor. I smiled down at my hands in my lap and hopped down from the counter to pull the clothes from the dryer for folding.
I wrapped my arm around the basket of folded laundry. “It was nice meeting you Kyle, welcome to the complex.”
“Thanks. It’s nice to know someone around here.” He gestured to the complex with a circular motion.
“Yeah, it is,” I agreed.
Back at my apartment, I figured I better make some calls. I called Ethan first. He answered on the first ring.
“It’s Emily.” I would have gone on but he was instantly up-in-arms.
“The only reason Allison and I knew where you went is because Mom called. You should have told at least one of us. We were worried about you. Come on! What was that about?” Oh, he was pissed. But I thought I’d sidetrack him.
“You and Allison, huh?” I giggled into the phone. On purpose.
“Don’t try to change the subject. You disappeared and we were freaked, Emily!”
“I’m sorry. I needed a break. And trust me, as much as I pissed you off that I left, you wouldn’t have wanted me here in the state I was in.”
“Yeah, Allison told me about you and Graham. I really am sorry, Sis. Are you are feeling better?” His voice softened.
“Yeah, I’m going to be fine.” I needed to change the subject. I would be fine but talking about it again wasn’t the answer. “So, were you ever going to tell me about you and Allison?”
“Of course, but we talked about it and she wanted to tell you.” He sounded so sincere.
“Really, you two talked about it? This must really be something, Ethan.”
“Allison is great. We like being together.” I knew that was all true. How could you not like Allison?
“She’s one of my best friends. Which reminds me Ethan, I need to call her. I better go.”
“No need, Em, she’s here, just in the other room.” Well of course she was, I thought. I smiled, thinking it was a relief to know they were together. I wanted someone great for each of them, and who would have thought they would’ve found it in each other.
“OK, well tell her to call me later when she’s not staring into your eyes.” Yeah, I was teasing him; what are little sisters for? “I start my internship tomorrow and I want to get together with her afterward.”
“That’s right. Your internship. I’ll tell her. Bye, Em.”
“Bye.” We hung up, I put away laundry, made the bed and the grocery list. Overall it was a very productive day, and by six o’clock I was bushed. I needed to grab a few things at the store and figure out what to wear my first day. First impressions were a big deal, and I wanted to make a good one at TWP.
FIVE
The First Day
Allison called from her dorm that night. We had a great talk helping me to prepare mentally for my internship. We agreed to meet the next evening for a first-day recap and catch-up. I was happy that I had a busy week ahead of me, without a bunch of time to think about Graham. At night before I fell asleep was the hardest. I missed him and thought about him all the time. It was hard to avoid, but I was excited about starting the internship so I tried to focus on that. In what seemed like only minutes, it was morning.
I selected a green silk blouse and a black skirt with my favorite black pumps. I assumed I probably wouldn’t wear a skirt and heels every day, but today it was important to look my most professional. I introduced myself to the receptionist and waited while she announced my presence to someone over her phone. I had no idea what to expect, and butterflies drifted around in my stomach. I shifted in my seat a couple of times while I checked out photos on the wall. The firm specialized in office buildings and performing arts theaters. I knew this when I applied, but had no idea of the magnitude. As I admired the buildings, a woman probably in her mid-forties approached me. She had short red hair, glasses and wore a cream-colored suit with two stands of pearls.
“Emily, welcome.” She extended her hand. “I’m Sharon, Director of Design. Let’s get you settled.” She walked ahead, and I followed, looking to the right and left at the sea of cubicles. They weren’t your ordinary grey fabric cubicles. They were chrome and maple with some really trick chairs that looked like they’d been stolen right out of the USS Enterprise.
She started to introduce me, walking up and down the rows of cubicles. I knew I wouldn’t remember everyone’s name but I was going to try. There was Ken with the pencil behind his ear, and Lori with the spiky hair, and so on. I tried to make associations I would remember. Then we came to someone I actually did know.
“And you know Colin.” She pointed to Mr. Ryan, who stood up to greet me. His name was Colin; I don’t think I ever knew that.
“Hi, Emily. Welcome.” That seemed to be the corporate salutation.
“Thanks, Mr. Ryan, I’m happy to be here.” Sharon watched us interact with the slightest smile.
“Please, you can call him Colin, everyone else does,” Sharon said jokingly. Evidently the propriety of being a teacher was limited to the classroom. I smiled at her comment but didn’t call him by his first name. I was a little old fashioned, and liked it when the person in question requested you address him casually himself. We finished the tour, and Sharon showed me to my desk, near two other interns and two junior associates. A girl with shoulder length black hair and severely cut bangs had the cubicle next to mine.
“I’m Whitney.” She leaned over the partition, letting her hands dangle on my side. “This place is great, you’ll love it here.” She was perky like a preppy cheerleader but dressed in all black with heavy black eyeliner like others I’d seen that called themselves Goth. She seemed almost a contradiction. I didn’t know what to think about her, but I was glad she was so friendly.
“Hi, I’m Emily.” I reached over and shook her hand.
“I’m a third year from the University. I take it you’re a second year?”
“I’ll start my second year in the fall, so I guess so,” I answered.
“Cool, I’
m glad to meet you, Emily. I have a ton to get done on this office building so I’m sure we’ll be working together.” She pointed to her computer screen.
“I’m happy to help.” And I was.
The rest of the day was about getting familiar with the projects and meeting more people. By the end of the day, I had to massage cheeks that ached from smiling all day. A good problem to have. It was six o’clock before I knew it, so I started to pack up while everyone was leaving. It wasn’t much compared to what I hauled from class to class at school, but I still had to power down my computer and grab my lunch bag and purse. As I watched my screen go black I sensed someone standing near my cubicle.
“How was your first day, Emily?” Mr. Ryan was standing outside my cubicle with his briefcase.
“Great. Thanks again for all your help.” I tapped the top of my computer screen. “I’m sure it’s going to be a great experience.”
“It was my pleasure. And Emily,” he rested his hand on my cubicle partition, “you should really call me Colin here. I’m no longer your teacher, you know.”
“Of course, Mr. Ryan.” Old habits. “I mean Colin.” I felt my cheeks flush just slightly.
“Are you ready?” He pointed to my purse in my hand. “I mean, can I walk you out?”
“Sure, that would be nice.”
As we walked through the office, no one looked up or even noticed us. For the first time in Mr. Ryan’s presence, I didn’t feel like I was associating with my teacher, but instead with a colleague. I felt OK calling him Colin now.
“I’m over there.” I pointed in the direction of my car. It was summer, so it wasn’t dark. Walking to my car was hardly dangerous. The idea that he walked me out didn’t feel like a protective gesture, but instead a chance to hear about my day. It was friendly, and I appreciated it.
“OK. You have a nice evening, Emily. I’ll see you in the morning.”
Emily Calls It (The Emily Series) Page 3
