All Your Fates (Currently editing/updating)

Chapter 25: Kept Promises

Finally, she rose and said, "I'm looking for David."

"Of course you are," I snapped with a harsh tone, "Juliet, I presume?" So this is the girl who broke his heart last night. I felt defensive on David's behalf even though I knew deep down she probably was completely unaware of his mad love (or what he imagined was love) for her...let alone cruel enough to stomp all over it.

I pushed past her to unlock and open the Big Red Door, holding my nose from the pungent smell I knew would greet us.

"No, my name's Emma," she said in a serious voice and I laughed while rolling my eyes.

"That's fine, sweetheart," I cracked, "I could care less what your name is." I walked to the middle of the room and surveyed it. Wow, David really had the place in shipshape and in so little time. No wonder Atticus was hellbent on squeezing out all of him that he's worth. Now it looked like almost a proper lab, only if it had been flooded by the ocean since the fifties and was recently drained and dried out. I could swear there were barnacles on the South wall.

I couldn't see Emma's reaction to my little barb but I imagined she was slightly put off  by it judging by the tone of her voice when she said, "Well, do you mind if I wait for him?"

I turned to her and smiled broadly, rocking on my heels, "Sure...wait as long as you want, honey. But you might have to wait an awfully long time."

"Well, do you know where he is then?" the poor girl looked at me with forlorn moon-shaped eyes and I almost felt sorry for her for a brief second.

"Yes," I affirmed and waited.

"Do you mind telling me the address?" Emma asked and I could tell she was losing her patience with me.

"Sure...he's back at home. In my bed," I said popping my words with a knowing look.

Emma's face clouded with confusion, and for a brief second I think I sensed a flash of jealousy that totally caught me off guard. She doesn't actually...care for David? Impossible! She was way out of his league!

"I see," Emma said in a cool voice, "Do you know when he'll be getting up?"

"It's hard to tell," I drawled, deciding to torture her, "We were very active until the wee hours of the night. And a man needs to recover his stamina."

"Right," she said at me straightening her back with a crackle, and then I realized I had underestimated her. She wasn't a mouse but a bit of a spitfire. I'd have to handle her a little more carefully here on in. "Do me a favor and let him know I'm looking for him. It's important," her eyes flashed with cold lightning and so I promised to relay the message. And if I took my own sweet time doing so...

I let Emma leave on her own as I really didn't want the pleasure of entertaining her while walking out. So I waited a length before going to leave myself. But before I could, all the equipment arrived that David had ordered the day before. I signed for it all and surveyed the sound equipment and Chladni plates. "What the hell," I sighed, deciding to roll up my sleeves and dig in. Let David sleep the day away and have a nice surprise greet him when he finally woke up. He deserved it after all I had put him through watching him do all the hard labor.

Besides, I couldn't wait until till I saw the look on his face and he realized I myself was an electrical engineer with two degrees to boast of. Wouldn't that be a surprise?

***

David's POV

I sensed Pepper leaving but I didn't care. I was going to sleep the day away, if not the year. Because every time I began to stir awake I'd feel that tightening in my stomach and would remember: Emma stood me up. And then I would force myself to sleep again so I wouldn't have to think about it.