Emma

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟒𝟒

“Ems, I think the tree looks a little crooked.”

“No, it’s not! It looks fine,” Emma grumbled as she tried to fluff one of the branches that was limping to the left a bit. Emma had just gone out with Karen yesterday to the Christmas tree farm to get it. The two of them spent nearly two hours walking around the field looking for the perfect tree to put in the living room and after her fingers and toes had officially gone completely numb the two of them gave up and settled for the lanky one in the corner of the field that no one wanted. The tree towered over her quite a bit and had a bit of a tilt, but it reminded her a bit of her James and this Christmas that was what she wanted, him.

“The reindeer you just hung up is about to fall off, Emma” he mumbled from the screen of her computer as he face-timed her from the studio in LA. Rushing over to the left side of the tree, she scooped up the ornament quickly just as it was beginning to slide off of the scrawny branch she had placed it on earlier. As she less than gracefully began to pick herself off the ground, Emma heard a wolf whistle come from her fiance.

“On second thought, if you keep bending down like that I think I might actually like this tree.” James stated with a smirk as she gave him the middle finger. “Your mom and I picked it out yesterday cause we thought it looked like you. A little lanky, a little scrawny… looks like he just rolled out of bed” she replied with a laugh.

“I’m going to spare my ego and pretend you didn’t just compare your beautiful, loving, and supportive fiance to that sad drooping tree you have in the corner.”

“Emma, is that James you’re talking to in there? Tell him he better be making it home for Christmas Eve dinner or I’m going to be having a stern talking with Jeff,” Karen shouted from the kitchen where she was finishing up some cookies for Lily and Michael’ today.

She could see the color drain from James’ face as he scratched the back of his neck. Emma and James have been engaged now for a little over a year but had been dating for well over three, so she knows his every tick and giveaway and when James begins to scratch and rub at the back of his neck you know it’s bad news.

“I’ve got this really good chorus started with Mitch, but were still trying to figure out whether-”

“James”

“We spent all of yesterday working through the tracklist and I think I’ve narrowed it down to-”

“James”

“I think I’m going to end the album with the song I wrote on our first date. I tweaked the melody but it’s still-”

“James” she whispered for the last time before he finally stopped his rambling. Emma could see him by the way he was avoiding her stare that he didn’t want to say the words she both were dreading. He isn’t coming home for Christmas. Emma both knew it was a possibility when he flew out to LA nearly five weeks ago to finish the album before the new year. Despite James’ offer of having her come to LA with him, her job didn’t allow her the luxury of taking off that much time especially during one of her busiest times of the year. Emma had held out hope that Kid Harpoon and James could tie up all of the loose ends ahead of time, but clearly, that wasn’t going to happen.

“I tried, baby, I really did. There are just too many little things that need to get done here. I promise I’ll try and make it back next week, we can have our own little Christmas together in London” he started trying to lighten his crushing words. This was supposed to be your first Christmas as an engaged couple together so to say she was disappointed would be an understatement, but she knew that if you let James know he would be on the first flight out to North Carolina.

“It’s okay, we both knew this could happen. I’m sure Karen and I will spend way too much time fussing over Adelaide to even notice you’re not here,” you replied back trying to lighten the mood a bit more by mentioning Lily’s adorable two-year-old niece.