Playing Cards

A Simple Misunderstanding

Emma's pov

     I wake up to a loud knock on the door, which startles me. Minnie begins to bark loudly at it.

     "Tikho," I tell her, quietly but sternly.

     "Who is it?" I call out, in English now.

     "It's an agent from the IRS and I'm here because you've committed tax fraud. Open the door so we can talk about this," says a voice, probably a woman's.

     Rolling my eyes, I peek out the front door before opening it, and indeed, there is a woman standing there.

     "Now, why are you here again?" I ask her, with a hint of annoyance in my voice.

     "You've committed tax fraud... Like I already said."

     "No need to get snippy here, but no I haven't done that.."

     "But you are Miss Emma Korin Williams, right?"

     I bite my tongue, resisting the urge to tell her that isn't my real last name. "Yes, that is me."

     "Well it says right here that you're behind on your tax payment," she tells me, pointing to the clipboard she's holding.

     "Oh... Well that's incorrect, I did pay my taxes but my check was lost in the mail according to the tracking link I had. So how about you wait right here while I go grab the check, okay?" I reply coldly.

     Before she has the chance to respond, I'm already inside and I grab my check book off the kitchen counter and walk back outside.

     Glancing at her suspiciously, I write the check while keeping tabs on her out of the corner of my eye. From all my past experiences, you can never be too careful around someone.

     "Here's the check, so you can go now," I tell her, with a fake smile.

     "Have a good day ma'am," she insincerely mutters, turning around to walk away.

     Once I see her get into the car, I turn around to head inside but I trip over the mat and end up falling off the steps and into my bushes. Great, exactly what I need, to draw attention to myself like this.

     I hear footsteps behind me so I speak up, "Now listen, leave me alone please. I'm fine, so just go."

     "I didn't mean to offend you love, I just came over to see if you were okay after that fall," I hear a man's voice with a slight Australian accent, which takes me by surprise.

     I turn around and look at him, noticing that he's is tall, and quite attractive. I shake my head, trying to brush off the thought. He holds out a hand, and I take it, standing up. "I didn't mean you- I thought you were that lady and..." My voice trails off when I see that my arm is bleeding from a scrape I got in the fall.

     "Are you alright?' he asks, with what seems like genuine concern in his voice.

     "I- um, I'm fine," I stutter. What is going on with me? Usually I'm so sure of my words, I never stutter.

     "Just let me take you inside and fix you up. I wouldn't feel good leaving you like this."

     "Are you sure? You don't have to do tha-" I gasp in surprise when he picks me up like how a man would while carrying his bride into their new home. He brings me inside and sets me on the couch, just as Minnie comes up and begins licking him. Great... what else can go wrong? I glare at Minnie, hoping she will take the hint and back off.