Wrapped in Silk (10 page)

“I am go
ing to learn piano,” London motioned to her grandmother. “By the way Brody this is my grandmother Caroline, Grandma this is Lila’s friend Brody,” London said with a sheepish grin.

Emma looked at he
r curiously. And Brody laughed.

“Nice to meet you Caroline,” Brody said and shook her hand.

“Pleasure to meet you, Lila your friend is a doll. Emma would you be offended if I left now, I have missed your father,” Caroline said and winked.

Emma looked shocked.

“Um alright Mom, thank you,” she said and hugged her.

Emma’s parents had been married for thirty six years and were still deeply in love. Emma never realized
it could be any different.

“Mom I am going to take my things down to your room
, then use the bathroom alright?” London said as she walked towards the hall.

“What the hell just happened?” Emma said finally able to speak.

Lila laughed, “I am not sure.”

Brody shook his head,
“London is a doll. Very smart and well spoken,” he said smiling as he passed by, “And your mother, well she is a treat,” he whispered in her ear.

“Holy shit,” Emma said loudly
.

“Mom, that’s a bad word,” London said as she returned
.

“I am sorry h
oney, but it’s a grown up word…” Emma started.

“I know
, if adults decide to use vulgar language, they can. It’s a sign that their vocabulary is lacking,” London laughed as she walked in the bathroom.

Emma laughed, “Eating those words right now.” Brody walked back in smirking, “Are you enjoying yourself?”

“I am, a great deal,” Brody said and flashed her a big perfect smile and his eyes twinkled.

Emma looked at him and took a quick breath, he looked at her as if he was confused and then smiled
with his whole face.
Oh Emma, you are going to be so much fun,
Brody thought. He winked at her.

“Mom, so what are we doing tonight?” London bound down the hallway.

“What would you like to do?” Emma said and grabbed her hand and sat on the couch.

London sat down, “Dinner and a show?”

“What would you like to see?” Emma asked.

“Wicked, Dad was suppos
ed to take me and well that didn’t work out,” London said and looked upset briefly, “But the show must go on right?”

“
Absolutely,” Emma said and hugged her. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath and swallowed. “We will see what we can do, but no promises. It’s Friday night who knows if we can get tickets,” Emma got up and grabbed her laptop and walked back out, London wasn’t there.

Emma walked in the kitchen and London was sitting on a stool next to Brody talking to his friends.

“You disappeared on me,” she said and kissed London’s head.

London smiled, “I was just meeting Joe, Max and Quinn. They are going to fly back to England today. Nice to meet you all,” London said jumping down, “Mom I am going to shower, to
get ready to go out,” Emma sucked in her lips not to smile. “So if Brody’s friends are leaving he should go with us, wouldn’t want him to be lonely without them. Lila said she would go,” London disappeared down the hall.

“She has grown up so much Emma,” Lila laughed.

“Ya when did that happen,” Emma wondered out loud. “Last weekend,” she said quietly lost in thought.

“Emma she seems fine,” Lila said.

Emma looked up and forced a smile on her face, “I suppose.”

“So Brody are you going out tonight?” Quinn asked.

“Oh he couldn’t, he would be seen,” Emma shook her head. “That must suck.”

“Potty mouth,” London s
aid from behind her, “Is there Halloween in England?”

“Yes however it is
not as immensely celebrated as it is here, why do you ask?” Brody asked with amusement in his voice. 

“Well we could dress you up, no one w
ould even notice,” London said raising her eyebrow.

“Oh ya? What would I be?” Brody smiled.

“Maybe Glenda,” London laughed loudly.

“I am sure that would go unnoticed, a six foot tall man in women’s clothing in New York City? Not as odd as one would think London,” Joe laughed
teasingly.

“Drag queen
s?” London asked.

“London, did grandma teach you that?” Emma asked shocked.

“Mom do you remember recess?” London asked raising her eyebrow and putting her hand on her hip. “So Brody, if you would like to join us I will come up with something, think about it,” London said as she walked to the bathroom.

“Who is that and what has she done with my daughter?” Emma asked looking down.
“You don’t have to go,” Emma said to Brody.

“I think I want to,” Brody smiled, “Unless you would prefer I don’t come along.”

“No that’s not what I was saying, I just don’t want you to feel like you have to,” Emma said sincerely.

“Emma dear, if he didn’t want to go he would not go,” Max said smiling. “I t
hink he like’s your daughter,” he laughed.

Emma smiled, “Alright then, I am going to go see about tickets.”

Emma was searching online when the guys were leaving. They came in to say goodbye.

“It was nice meeting you all,” Emma said and hugged each of them.

“I am certain we will see each other again,” Joe said and gave her a big kiss. Emma laughed.

“Alright London, it’s not looking good for ton
ight, unless we want nose bleed seats” Emma said showing her.

“What about tomorrow night? Front row center
?” London smiled.

“Sure London, we can stay with Granma and Grandpa tomorrow night,” Emma grabbed London and pulled her on her lap and hugged her.

“No way, you are staying here, we can hang out all weekend. I don’t have anything pressing going on,” Lila said and snuggled into them, “Where are we going to dinner London?”

“I don’t care, where do you think Brody?” London asked smiling.

“What kind of food do you like? Mac and cheese, chicken nuggets?” Brody asked.

“Processed food? No, we don’t
do that, it’s full of chemicals. I like chicken, veggies, and pasta. How about you?” London asked.

“Chicken nuggets and
mac and cheese,” he laughed. “I am not a good cook.”

“We can teach you, right Mom?” London asked.

“Well not everyone wants to learn how to cook London,” Emma smiled.

“Do you cook London?” Brody asked.

“I can cook some things. Pasta, eggs, toast, oatmeal, and I help make cookies. Mom’s chocolate chip cookies are the best,” London exclaimed.

“Well maybe you could cook us dinner, breakfast for dinner sounds good right?” Brody asked.

“I am in New York City, I want to go out,” London audaciously said.

They all laughed, “Where to London?” Emma asked.

“Tavern on the Green, I saw it in a movie,” London smiled.

“Let’s see what we can do?” Emma said and looked up the number. “Do you both want to come?”

“Off course,” London said looking at Brody and then Lila, both accepted with a smile.

“Okay then,” Emma smiled.

~

They ate dinner at Tavern on the Green. Brody decided he didn’t have to dress up. It was a place he knew he could go and not be bothered. When they left they took a horse
and carriage ride through Central Park and when they returned to Lila’s apartment. London was fast asleep. Emma tucked her in and kissed her. She waited for her little sleepy shake that she had done since infancy that let Emma know she was in a deeper sleep.

Lila and Brody were sitting on the couch talking
when Emma walked out.

“Is she asleep?” Lila asked.

“Yes, she is. Thanks for going with us tonight and for dinner, although I am annoyed by that just so you know, Brody,” Emma said sternly.

“Th
en you’re going to be really annoyed with Lila, she got four tickets for Wicked tomorrow,” Brody laughed.

“I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself and my daughter,” Emma said and her face turned red.

“Emma, I wanted to. We wanted to. It’s not charity, so stop acting like that and sit with us,” Lila said as she patted the couch next to her.

“I have to check my email,” Emma said and started to walk away.

Brody grabbed her hand, “Here use mine.”

Emma thanked him and sat and opened her inbox. She smiled and read.

“What are you smiling about?” Lila said.

“I have an offer,” Emma said, “And if I were ready it would be a great offer, look at this.”

Lila read, “Emma, you need to think about this. Sleep on it, this could be huge for you and London.”

“I would have to move London
… again, I would be away from her for a lot of hours. I want to be able to work from home, to work when she is busy. She doesn’t have someone she can count on to fill my void,” Emma said. “I can’t do that to her. It would change everything, again.”

“Emma don’t think like that, do
n’t do it to her. Do it for her,” Lila said softly.

Emma felt her eyes burning and excused herself and went to the bathroom and cried. She was overwhelmed, completely overwhelmed. Emma knew what living paycheck to paycheck me
ant. She had never had to live not knowing when she would get support or knowing there was money coming in from somewhere. Now she was waiting to be called in to work when someone was sick, in order to get paid. Emma stood up and washed her face and walked back out.

“Everything alright Emma?” Brody stood and gazed down at her, she smiled. “Hmm,
that’s a fake smile,” he said softly, “It’s alright to be upset.”

“Welcome back deep Brody,” she smiled.

“Anytime Emma,” he said and kissed the top of her head.

“Emma I am not trying to interrupt your moment but you should look at this,” Lila said and handed her the
iPad.

Emma read her email. Writers House
had offered her a job, it was a flat salary plus commissions. Emma would be required to come in three days a week for six hours a day with the possibility of less office time dependent upon performance. Emma’s starting salary would be eighty five thousand a year. Tears started to role down Emma’s face and she smiled. Emma looked at Lila.

“It’s almost perfect,” she smiled softly.

“Emma, do it for both of you,” Lila said.

“It will change her whole way of life,” Emma said quietly looking down.

“Emma, is that such a bad thing?” Lila said.

“Probably not,” Emma said and hugged her knees
.

Brody looked at Lila, he w
as trying not to react. His eyes wide and jaw set. Lila smiled at him.

“Do what you have to
do,” she laughed, “both of you, goodnight.”

“Goodnight,” Emma said softly and cleared her voice. She sat up and grabbed his
iPad and read the rest of her emails, as he sat at the edge of the couch knee bouncing and foot tapping. “You are very noisy, occupational hazard?”

“God Emma are you alright,” he
said finally breathing out.

“I am, are you?” Emma laughed quietly
when she saw that his face mirrored what she was feeling inside.

“No not really,” Brody said and threw himself back into the couch.

Emma sat down the iPad and turned towards Brody.

“What’s wrong?” she asked concerned.

He laughed, “Emma you were crying, which means you are not alright?”

“I will be, just have to figure it out,” Emma laughed
trying to make light of the situation.

“And you don’t like to
and you’re hurting,” he said intensely.

“
Brody are you going to be okay?” Emma said nervously.

He took a deep breath and looked down shaking his head, “What the hell is it with you?”

“I am not sure what you mean Brody but you need to breathe,” Emma said and grabbed his hand gently.

He laughed, “This is not happening, I want to make sure you
are alright not the other way around. I should leave you alone, I am not making this any easier, for fuck sake you feel like you have to take care of me,” Emma looked down and scowled. Brody grabbed her and pulled her onto his lap and held her.

She didn’t breath
e, he kissed her head and pushed his forehead into hers, “I need you to be alright, or I am going to kill that bastard.”

“You would not fare well in prison,” Emma said hugging him.

Brody hugged her tighter, “No?”

Emma laughed, “No.”

“This is hard for you, I know how damaged I felt after Ariel screwed around. But I didn’t have a beautiful little girl to take care of, and Emma I have never known a person in my life put another human being’s well being ahead of their own dreams and desires, until now,” Brody sighed sweetly, “But after meeting her, I get it. Your daughter is a precious stone.”