Protecting Emma

by ML Michaels

  It was going to be a long week.

  ***

  Lily remembered the last time she drove down this highway.

  It was in the opposite direction. On the way to the airport.

  Ten years ago.

  She had gotten on that plane and never looked back.

  Holidays in college were a little tricky. Lily had to come up with every excuse in the book not to go home. She was studying or she was working. In reality, she was tagging along with her rich friends at her private college during their ski vacations at rental homes in the mountains and sunny popular beaches during spring break. In the summer she had internships. After college she immediately found a job in New York City.

  Her mother was afraid to fly so she bought her an iPad so they could Skype once a week, even if her mom had the camera turned in the wrong direction most of the time. Even if Lily missed most of their phone calls.

  She squeezed the steering wheel hard as she passed cornfield after cornfield, driving further and further out of the city. The sky ahead was clear and blue. Sometimes the sky in New York cleared up like that, but Lily was almost always in her office.

  When people asked her where she was from she told them Columbus. She got enough pitying looks as it was. But really, her hometown was about two hours outside of Columbus in the middle of nowhere, so podunk that her colleagues in New York would just cringe.

  Lily cringed herself as she pulled off the highway. The fastest way to her mom’s house was down a two-lane highway that was often backed up by tractors or horse-and-buggies.

  Luckily, this time the drive was smooth sailing. She found herself pulling up in her mother’s home about two-and-a-half hours after she landed in Columbus. Lily pulled into the gravel driveway and took a deep breath.

  The house was just like she remembered.

  It was a one-story ranch-style house, large and flat with a big wraparound porch like the house had been imported directly from the south. The shutters on the front were wide and white and matched the white front door. The rocking chairs on the porch reminded Lily of when she was little. She’d sit in the chairs, bare feet curled up under her, and rock back and forth gently, aided by the sweet summer wind, and watch the occasional cars roll down the street.

  Lily exhaled slowly.

  She didn’t expect to feel so much.

  The grass was cut neat, growing green and thick. The house sat on an acre of land. Lily used to frolic everywhere, hiding in the woods in the back of the house and giggling behind her hand as she heard her mom calling her for dinner over and over again, growing more irritated at every shout.

  Lily couldn’t remember the last time she even thought about these memories. Even the air smelled familiar. It was fresh, with the hint of pine and recently cut grass.

  She didn’t know why it was so hard to get out of the car. Lily knew how to handle a deposition. She knew how to handle another merger or anything else that came across her desk. Back in New York, it was easy.

  But she didn’t know how to handle this.

  Lily jumped in her seat and gasped when someone knocked on her passenger side window.

  “Hi!” the man said, cheerfully, his voice muffled as he spoke loudly through the glass. “Lily! Welcome home! We’ve been expecting you.”

  Lily couldn’t believe it as she stared out the window.

  Noah Jackson smiled at her from the other side.

  ***

  Lily remembered the last time she saw Noah.

  High school graduation. Her hands were shaking as she held her notecards. She knew the only way to permanently make it out of this small town was to be the best at school, to be at the top. But Noah was always one step behind her, threatening to overtake her at every turn.

  In the end, she won. Lily was valedictorian and Noah was number two.

  Still, he was smiling, and she was shaking. That was one of the things she tried not to like about Noah, but she couldn’t help it. He was a really easy-going guy. Things didn’t rattle him. The world could be falling down around them in the middle of a tornado and he’d be standing there with a smile on his face, saying everything would be okay.

  She definitely had a crush on him back then. And she hadn’t thought about it in a very long time.

  It was all coming back to her now.

  He still had the very same smile. Full and genuine, showing off his pretty, straight white teeth.

  Lily took another deep breath.

  She exited the car and forced herself to march confidently over to the other side of the car. Noah went in for the hug, but she shuffled a step backwards and stuck out her hand.

  “Noah,” she said, coolly, even though her heart was pounding a million miles a minute. “Great to see you.”

  “Lily, I’m so thrilled,” Noah said, still smiling as he enthusiastically shook her hand. He let the handshake linger. She pulled her hand away after a few moments.

  “It’s been a really long time,” Noah said. “I thought for sure you’d come to the ten-year reunion. We were all looking for you there.”

  “I was busy,” Lily said, briskly. It was better than letting her cheeks heat up and betray her feelings. She felt a little crazy that all of these emotions were coming back to her so quickly. She’d worked so hard over the years to tuck them all away.

  “Yeah, your mom was catching me up on everything,” Noah said, a warm smile still on his face. “She said you made partner at your law firm? That’s wonderful. Congratulations.”

  “Yeah, and I’m missing a lot of work by being here,” Lily said. She walked around to the back of the rental car to grab her bags. But as soon as she popped the trunk, Noah was by her side. He reached in and pulled out her suitcase.

  “I can handle that, you know,” Lily said, looking him over as he carefully pulled up the handle on her roller bag.

  Noah gave her a fond smile she wasn’t expecting. “I know. You’ve always been like that. You can handle everything by yourself.”

  Lily watched him as he easily wheeled her bag and carried her purse up to the front porch. His words were echoing in her mind. Then another question came to mind.

  “Wait a minute,” Lily said. Her heels scuffed against the concrete path that led to her mom’s house. “What are you doing here, anyway?”

  “Lily!” All of a sudden, the front door opened and her mom was standing right there with her arms outstretched. “Lily, you’re here.”

  Lily took a deep breath, so many memories hitting her at once. She remembered climbing up those steps so many times as a kid and launching herself into her mother’s arms. She couldn’t recall the last time she’d thought about those things. She had to take a moment.

  “Lily,” her mom said again, taking a step into the light. That’s when Lily noticed how frail her mother was. When had she gotten so pale and skinny. Lily rushed up the steps, stumbling on the wood in her heels.

  “Mom,” she said. “Mom… be careful. How are you? Are you okay? Mom…” Lily let her voice trailed off as she stood in front of her mom and looked her over. She couldn’t help staring at the sling.

  “Oh Lily,” her mom waved a hand. “Stop looking at me like that and give me a hug!”

  Lily stepped forward again. At first, the request sounded so foreign. A hug… when was the last time she had one of those. Then her mom wrapped her good arm around her, and Lily remembered how to hug pretty quickly.

  Her mom had always been an expert hugger, and even after all this time away from home, this was no exception. In fact, it was even better than before. Lily tightened her grip around her mom and breathed in the familiar scent of her mother’s perfume and potpourri that wafted over from inside the house.

  She finally asked the question she should have asked from the start.

  “Are you okay?” Lily murmured against her mother’s hair. Her mom’s one handed grip felt surprisingly strong as she pulled away to look at her, holding Lily at an arm’s length.

  “I’m right here,” her
mom said. “I’m fine. Don’t you worry about me. You didn’t have to come.”

  Lily looked over her mom as she stood there in the doorway. She was pale, skinny, frail and she had a broken arm.

  All of a sudden, Lily felt very guilty.

  “You shouldn’t be out here,” Lily said. She stepped inside. The smell of potpourri hit her hard. Noah trotted out from around a corner. Lily almost jumped.

  “I put your bags in your old room,” Noah said, with a goofy smile. “It’s cute in there. Your mom showed it to me earlier.”

  “What is he doing here?” Lily asked.

  “Noah has been such a great help,” her mom said. “I would probably be on the floor still if it wasn’t for him.”

  “I was just doing my job, Mrs. Harris,” Noah said, charming smile still in place.

  “I told you to call me, Cindy,” Lily’s mom said, emphatically. Then they both laughed like old friends. What was happening here? Lily frowned.

  “Noah found you?” Lily asked.

  “Yes, he was coming to check on the property!” Cindy said, impatiently. “Didn’t I tell you about this? I thought I did.”

  “No, you didn’t,” Lily said. Her mom definitely hadn’t mentioned Noah. She would remember if his name had come up.

  “I’m so sure I did.” Cindy seemed to ponder it over for a moment, then she gave a shrug. “Oh well.”

  “So explain it again, please?” Lily said, gritting her teeth.

  Noah gave a gentle chuckle. “There’s a lot to explain,” he said, giving her mom another secret smile. Lily didn’t like those at all.

  “I wanted you to look over the paperwork,” Cindy said. “That’s another reason I’m thrilled you could come down here, Lily.”

  “Paperwork?” Lily echoed. “Mom, I thought I was going to help you put the house together so you could sell it. This place is way too big for you. All those stairs on the porch have got to go.”

  “Noah has an even better idea,” Cindy said. “I know I told you about this, honey. I just can’t imagine that it slipped my mind.”

  “You did not tell me,” Lily said. “I would have remembered.”

  “Noah, you have to tell her your wonderful idea!” Cindy exclaimed. Her eyes lit up. Lily didn’t like that look at all. She had seen it before.

  “Noah…” Cindy sidled closer to Noah and placed her good hand on Noah’s arm. Lily didn’t like this at all. “Why don’t you take Lily out? Show her around, tell her the plan. I’m sure she’d love to hear it.”

  “I’d be honored,” Noah said. “A lot has changed in ten years.”

  “I just got off the plane,” Lily said. “I’m tired, I’m gross.”

  “Darling, you are beautiful!” Cindy said. “All you need to do is change into something comfy. You don’t have to wear those big city heels here. All you need is a pair of flip-flops and some sturdy sneakers to get around here. Even if you go out to the bar!”

  Cindy and Noah laughed together like old pals. This was hard to get used to.

  “She’s right,” Noah said. “You are beautiful.”

  Lily was caught off guard. Her heart felt like it stopped for a moment, and then it started beating double time. What was wrong with her? She wasn’t sixteen years old anymore.

  “I--” Lily stuttered.

  “Then it’s settled!” Cindy tugged on Lily’s wrist and pointed her in the direction of her room. “You freshen up, and we’ll be out here waiting for you. Noah, would you like a slice of pie.”

  “I’ve got it, Mrs. Harris,” Noah said. He disappeared into the kitchen.

  “Cindy!” Lily’s mom called after him. Then she turned to her with a happy smile.

  “I’m so glad you’re home,” Cindy said, sliding an arm around Lily’s waist. “I’ve been wanting you to see him again. You always cared for him. And he’s done so much for the town. He’s got boatloads of money. Millions. Maybe billions even.” Cindy giggled like a young woman.

  “Mom,” Lily said, sternly. “I didn’t come back her for romance. I came to look after you.”

  “Nonsense!” Cindy said. “I don’t need looking out for. Now go to your room and get ready for your date.”

  Lily froze, hearing the dreaded D-word. She just stood there and looked after her mother as Cindy laughed her way into the kitchen.

  ***

  Lily couldn’t believe this.

  Exactly one hour into being back home she was being set up on a date.

  That was the word her mom used. Date. Was her mom crazy?

  She’d had a plan. She came here for one reason. She was going to help her mom pack up her belongings. They were going to put the house on the market. She would bring her mom back to her place in New York and then find her a very nice retirement community to settle down in. It sounded like the perfect plan.

  She didn’t come here for a date.

  Lily sat on her bed and kicked off her heels. It was kind of crazy, being in her childhood bedroom again. It looked exactly the same. Her mom left the posters on the wall, the desk in the corner. It still had her senior year textbooks stacked neatly in a corner, and her old backpack was stashed under the desk. It didn’t look like she had simply left one day to go to college.

  It looked like she had vanished.

  Lily stood up, the carpet squishy under her bare feet. She went over to her vanity with the large mirror that she’d begged for when she’d turned fifteen. It was white wood and girly with a make-up mirror in the right corner. She had stuck a bunch of printed out pictures in the left side of the mirror. Lily pulled one out and looked it over. She was smiling with a bunch of her girlfriends at her senior prom.

  Lily didn’t have a date. The memory still stung a little. She remembered sitting in AP English behind Noah. She’d stare at the back of his head and try to will him to turn around and see her. To ask her out.

  Her ultimate prom fantasy.

  But Noah already had a date. He was going with Stacey Winchester, and she was a million times more popular and prettier than Lily could ever hope to be. Lily half-wondered where Stacey was today. She didn’t keep up with the Facebook gossip. In fact, she had deleted her Facebook years ago. Did it really matter though?

  She wasn’t supposed to be here.

  Noah was chatting with her mother right now. The same Noah she used to spot in the hallway at school and trip over her own feet.

  She'd been a totally different person back then.

  Her mother was just being ridiculous.

  Lily took a deep breath and forced herself to focus on the task at hand. She’d go out with Noah and pick his brain about what was going on. She could probably beg out of the little outing in a half an hour and be back at the house. The way Lily figured it, she only needed a couple of days. She’d go over the plan with her mother, hire professional movers to pack up her stuff, get the house listed with a real estate agent, and then they’d be off. Lily had their tickets booked for four days from now… just in case. They were easily changeable, just in case things happened sooner, which she expected they would. She had a lot of work waiting for her back home.

  “Lily!” she heard her mom call from down the hall. “You’re not dressing for prom are you? Put on your sneakers and let’s go!”

  She hated it when her mom read her mind.

  Lily quickly changed into a pair of yoga pants, a hoodie and a pair of sneakers as requested. She wouldn’t get caught dead in this outfit in New York, not even to the gym. She had a fine collection of athletic wear, matching bra tops and capris leggings from high-end stores. But this was Ohio. No one cared about that fashion stuff here.

  She pulled her hair up into a ponytail and headed back to the kitchen.

  Noah was standing at the counter, drinking a glass of iced tea. He looked taller, standing there in the sunlight streaming through the bay windows. His bicep tensed as he brought the glass to his lips. Lily couldn’t help but stare at him for a moment.

  “Finally,” her mother said, sittin
g at the kitchen table. “You look like you belong here again.”

  Noah smiled at her, swallowing so she could watch his Adam’s apple move, a gesture that somehow seemed more intimate than it should.

  “You look great,” he said.

  Lily’s heart skipped a beat once again. She pressed a hand to her chest. She couldn’t afford for these things to happen.

  She had four days.

  “Let’s go,” Lily said. “I can drive.”

  “No way, my truck is out front.” Noah rinsed out his glass and set it in the dishwasher like he was as familiar with her mother’s kitchen as he was with his own.

  “Let him drive you, Lily,” her mother scolded. “He’s going to get you re-acclimated to the place. You’ve missed a lot in ten years.”

  “Just consider me your personal tour guide,” Noah said.

  “Don’t forget to tip him nicely,” her mother said. They both laughed together again, and Lily had to admit that it was nice seeing her mother laugh.

  She hadn’t see it in a long time.

  Noah lead her outside, opening the front door and tipping his head like he was a cowboy in an old movie.

  “I’ve got it, thanks,” Lily said, walking out and heading down the few steps from the porch to the sidewalk. She tried to head to her rental car, parked in the driveway, but Noah took her arm and gently lead her to his truck, parked out front.

  “You really don’t have to do this,” Lily said, stumbling after him. Walking in sneakers was even harder than heels if you weren’t used to them. “I mean, I have work to do. I could just go to a cafe.”

  Noah only gave her an amused smile as he opened the door to his truck.

  “There’s things I want to show you,” he said, quietly.

  ***

  It had been a long time since Lily was in a truck.

  They rumbled down the two-lane highway and memories came rushing back, as strong as the wind in her face from the open windows.

  There was the park she used to hang out in as a kid. She passed their old elementary school. Her 4th grade best friend Wendy Satchel’s house. And then they were in downtown, all two blocks of it.