Like No Other

SAME DAY

Then he strolled to the bar and jumped on a stool and then onto the island. He came to stand in front of Emma. 'I hadn't planned on coming back,' he looked to say. One of his paws reached out and he tipped slightly to the left, reaching for her, 'but you know I hate it when you cry. Grab me up, never let them see you sweat.'

Emma sniffed and plucked him off the island. She was glad to have him back. She would need the company.

"Thank you," she stopped and coughed mucus from crying aside. "Thank you for your concern. All of you... but I want you to leave... all of you."

"Emma," Anna started, intent on apologizing and offering her help in any way she could. Emma put a knuckle to her eye and sobbed once.  Then inhaled deeply, throwing her hair away from her face and fanning twice.

"You can sh-show yourselves out. Excuse me," she rushed, making her escape without looking at that same stupid expression. She fled to the stairs in her own house like a pussy but she didn't care. Anna had four boys. She would never know what it was like to lose two kids you never got to see, never got the chance to know. Maybe Salik could sympathize with her frustration as his wife was sterile but the other two knew nothing of what she felt. She didn't care if they were sorry or felt bad for their assumptions. She never wanted to see them again. She never wanted to associate with Trey outside of the workplace again. She wanted to stop conning people into signing with their company because they were under the pretense that they were a couple. Even as she reached the top of the stairs Emma considered the words of a letter of resignation. She cradled her kitty in her arms, kissing his head and soaking up his warmth all the way to her bedroom. She closed her door and walked to her bed.

Emma plopped down, holding Gypsy to her chest like a lifeline. She cried into the hair on the back of his neck. He twisted to face her.

It was in her nature to run, Emma remembered. It was what she did best. She'd ran from the Bahamas. She'd ran from Atlanta after she graduated. She ran from Shia. She ran from everything except for her kitty. She could sell this house. In this economy it probably wouldn't turn a profit that was very noticeable but Emma was fast considering getting a smaller place out of the states, her and Gypsy. She could by a tiny house in the mountains in north Columbia. She'd read somewhere that they had great soil for vegetation. She could get an acre or so, nothing too large, and live off her land. She could cut her hair and dread it up. Emma would learn a different language and take to a life of seclusion. She would smoke weed and meditate every day like Gandhi or Bob Marley. Emma could get an acoustic guitar and teach herself chords by ear every day for the rest of her life...

Or she could keep her house, stop being so irrational, and just find a new job. She could start looking before her surgery. Someone would certainly be willing to hire an assistant in accounting with almost three years experience and two multi-million dollar accounts under her belt. She hadn't earned them herself but it would be nothing at all to get two letters of intent from the Wade's and Joe Smiley. Or she could just account for small businesses, doing a little pro bono work to get her name around and then start charging people. She could earn a living. Emma was sure she would have to give up the lifestyle she was accustomed to for a while but that would all be fine and dandy...

It wasn't as if she had anyone other than herself to take care of... besides her cat.

Gypsy looked away from her to the door, the purr in his throat dying away. His eyes were expectant, his ears perked up and alert. He heard someone coming.

Her door creaked up, no knock or call out for permission to enter. It enraged her through her hurt. Emma quickly made to wipe her wet eyes of any sign of moisture; a lost cause as she was sure her face was red and her eyes were the side of grapefruit, protruding out from her face. She let her cat go and the animal wasted no time getting a box view of what was to unfold. He hopped on the hamper and then the dresser and then the armoire as was is usual. Emma stared up at him even as someone walked in her bedroom.