More Than it Seems

Emily

Miss.Alene turned her head slightly towards the gift Mrs. Angie gave me. I urged her to look away  with nothing but my stare. But maybe she wasn't looking at the gift. Maybe she was staring at the crumbled paper I somehow managed to steal from her. 

"We should get some rest," Miss.Alene interrupted my thoughts. 

"No thank you," I laughed. Miss. Alene did too, " this is fun!"

She gave a happy smile, " Yes, this is," she stood up to stretch and yawn, " it's getting late. Are you tired?"

Her yawn was contagious, "no," I smiled, " let's watch another episode."

She gave a teasing smile, " you are tired. You yawned, not from the lack of air."

I shook my head quickly, " no. I didn't yawn."

"Well, I'm getting tired, so let's wrap this up. We need to clean our mess, okay?"

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She pouted, but didn't complain, which was very surprising. She got up from her thin blue blankets and folded them into the dirty laundry basket. She helped clean the popcorn that her nutritionist approved me to share with her. Not like I really needed to ask for her permission. Emily is my assignment. My patient. So I know her best. 

As picked up the fallen popcorn, my phone shook rapidly in my inside jacket pocket.  I glanced at Emily. She hadn't noticed. I swiped my phone from my pocket and saw the caller. 

Mister. Me

I gave an annoyed heavy sigh.  I didn't want to talk with nor see that man. And the fact that he had heard what I said to Emily about him made me angry. Angry with myself for being weak and angry at him for who knows why. I can see his annoyingly handsome smirk right now. Him enjoying my words, wanting me to repeat them over and over for him. Taunting me with his stupidly amazing charms. 

But that charming man is my boss.

My annoying boss. 

The smell of dried plants drifted from Emily's bed. I stood and saw the gift that was given to Emily by her mom. I wanted to snatch it away. To burn it. But then I realize that she might have actually liked the gift, not despise it. 

"I see you still have your gift," I said, not wanting to look at her as I said it, but did anyways. My natural instinct to observe crawled at my skin, " you didn't open it did you?"

She continued to clean. And for a moment I thought she was ignoring me, but slowly and softly she said, " I don't want to open it yet. I'm not ready."

I thought for a moment, consuming her neutral expression. Then I let time pass over for my next question, " why? Is it because of your mother? Your father? Both?" I said so softly, I nearly whispered. 

She was trying very hard to answer my questions. She seemed to have expected the questions. But not her answers. It hurt me to make her do something she wasn't comfortable to do. But I needed to know how she was feeling. 

I really care for Emily. 

And I guess I cared for Mister. Me, too. 

He's just really really annoying. 

"I think someone is calling you," Emily said as we finished.

I let out a sigh, then smiled, " I know. I have to go," I got up and grabbed my small hand bag, " go freshen up and I'll tuck you in."