It's About Time

Hunk of Gorgeousness

      There, sitting on a bar stool snacking on an apple, was Emma.  She shot Natalie a familiar smile and waved the hand that wasn’t holding the apple.

       Natalie froze for a second before hurling herself into her best friend.  The two girls collided with a rather loud thud and a small giggle.  Natalie was so happy to see Emma again and she could barely contain herself.  She squeezed Emma in a tight hug until she felt a tap on her arm.

    “Can’t. Breath”, Emma coughed out.  Natalie laughed but let go.

    “It’s so good to see you Em! I’ve missed you so much”.

    “l know! Home’s not the same without you” Emma said, pouting a bit.  Natalie laughed and lightly hugged her best friend again.  Emma pushed her off with a laugh and gave her a stern look.

    “Are you going to keep hugging me or are you going to show me around?” She asked.  Natalie rolled her eyes, mumbled something along the lines of ‘glad to see you too’, and looped an arm through Emma’s.  She made a grand sweeping gesture with her arm, put on a horrible british accent, and declared “Right this way madame”.  

     Emma laughed and Natalie began to show her around.  They toured the kitchen, the dining room and the living room.  They had stopped in Natalie’s mom’s office long enough for Emma to declare that it was as empty as Grace Parker’s heart.  Natalie cracked a smile and smacked her gently.  They continued their house tour, ending it when they got to Nat’s room.  

     “It’s not what I expected”, Emma complained as she stepped inside.  She took in the faded walls and the boxes that still lined the walls.  “It’s so boring.”  She walked over and sat on the end of Nat’s bed. Natalie moved across the room and sat next to her.

     “I’ve just been super busy lately, trying to get everything unpacked and getting settled at the new school.  I’ll get around to fixing it up when I have the time”, she explained.  

     “You’re mom must hate this room” Emma laughed.  Natalie looked around, thinking about her mother’s love for decorating and her need for perfection.  

     “Yeah, she probably does”, she agreed, laying back on the bed.  

     “Wait, so she hasn’t made any comments about it yet?”  Emma asked surprised.

     Grace Parker had this amazing ability to find something wrong with any room she entered.  Decor was one of the only things that Grace felt should be perfect, and she was unhappy when it was not.  She was one of those women that loved to make their houses look like they belonged on the pages of a magzine.  This paired with her love of decorating made an unstoppable force when it came to fixing up the new house.  Every room now looked like a showroom, but Natalie’s remained untouched.  

     “We haven’t really been talking much”, Natalie murmured.  Emma laid down next to her on the bed and looked up at the ceiling.

      “Why not?”

      “We got into a huge fight just after the move”, Natalie explained.  

      “About what?”

     Natalie told Emma about the argument she had with her mom and about hearing her mother’s conversation on the phone.  She knew that she could always count on Emma for advice and the two talked until they heard the front door close downstairs.  A moment later, footsteps could be heard coming up the stairs and Natalie’s door was opening.  Grace poked her head and smiled when she saw Emma.  She opened the door wider just in time for Emma to run up and give her a hug.