Emma: Friends and Lovers (F&L Story #1)

Emma: Part 8

(Flashback. Really, italics shouldn't be that hard to install, people...)

"Come on, Emmie, don't cry," Michael urged through the barrier of prickly holly bushes that surrounded my hidey-hole. "Come out of there. You'll get all scratched up."

"No," I sobbed, "I'm never coming out again!" How could Daddy do that? Didn't he even know that he embarrassed me?

"Come on, Emmie, you can't hide forever."

"Yes, I can."

"Really, it's not that bad. Look, your dad has already apologized. Everything's fine. Come on...Please, come out? I'll buy you some cotton candy."

I wiped my face on my sleeve and peeked through the tangle of branches. Daddy stood across the park, talking animatedly to the man and woman he insulted and everything seemed okay. But...this wasn't the first time he'd embarrassed me.

"They have green," Michael urged some more. "I know how you like your green. Just think, Emmie. Green cotton candy. It'll taste better than any of that yucky blue or pink..."

I stifled a giggle. Cotton candy was cotton candy, no matter what color it was. But that was Michael for you. "Okay, but I want two."

"Deal. Now come on out before they're all sold out. Green cotton candy is a priceless commodity, you know."

Good old Michael. I cringed as a sharp leaf poked my leg as I eased my way out of the ring of bushes. Michael stood there, grinning at me with his dark hair going in every direction. An unfamiliar fluttering feathered down my chest. Weird.

We stood in line at the concession stand, a band on stage blaring out rock tunes behind us. "You feeling better?" he asked me.

"Yeah."

"Good. 'Cuz I'd hate for you to be upset."

I rolled my eyes and brushed dirt off my knees. "Upset is my middle name."

"I like Jane better, so don't go changing it just yet," he said, grinning again.

I smiled at him, feeling so much better now that he was still my best friend. Every time Daddy pulled one of his stunts, I worried about that. For six years, we'd been thicker than mud, but I was afraid the day would come when Michael got tired of taking care of me, or became a victim to Daddy's antics and decided that our friendship wasn't worth the hassle. No more notes passed in class. No more late night phone calls because we were both bored senseless. No more swimming down at the creek. And no more riding our bicycles down to the river and swinging on the playground until dark.

We shuffled forward as the line moved a bit. Michael sighed and said, "You know, Emmie, no matter what happens, you'll always be my friend."

I stared at him. I've always been fascinated about how he could read my mind. "I know," I said.

"No, I don't think you do know," he said quietly. "We'll be teenagers soon, and then you will start dating, and I'll start dating...and well, I just want you to know that you've always got me to fall back on."

I slapped his arm. "If Daddy heard you talking about me dating, he'd have a coronary."

He laughed. "I'll keep your secret for now."

"Good."

We moved forward again. Michael sighed again. I turned an inquiring eye to him. He smiled a little. "You know, Emmie, things are gonna change between us."

"No they won't," I insisted. "We'll always be friends. You said so yourself."

"Yeah, we will, but that's not what I meant."