Emily was on a flight to Manchester, Yang and Han were accompanying her and Charlotte. Whilst Emily hoped her next visit would be for better reasons, she was still excited to see Mattie and Iris again.
Mattie had managed to fall pregnant naturally fairly quickly this time with a little boy, and Emily was so excited to see her, especially as last time she missed her pregnancy.
Apparently, a natural conception after having IVF was fairly common. Iris was walking a little and babbling happily and loved seeing her Emmy on a video call, she especially loved seeing the boys, who would turn to mush on sight of her.
The boys were touring across America, and Emily had a flight booked to see them in New York, straight from England. But first Emily needed to face a few things head-on.
———
Sat in business class, Emily didn't feel the need to fly first class without the boys, people very rarely recognised her, and if they did they usually didn't come over and speak to her. She was grateful she managed to fly so far under the radar and keep herself to herself. She didn't know how the boys coped with people screaming at them, and trying to grab them.
She pulled out her sketch pad. Her set of eight books had been sent to the publishers for any final checks and had already been thoroughly checked by a group of mental health professionals and they approved. Emily was proud of her work and the boys more so.
Emily had created eight little characters throughout the books that each had a mental illness, showing how symptoms can show and how their friends could help them, but also showing that it's ok to feel and accept who you are.
She had begun to work on another stand-alone book to add to her collection to sell. Her order book was still keeping her busy, but people were happy to buy a pre-printed one.
Emily hadn't had time to miss the boys, it had been almost three months since they left and she had kept her promise of seeing them every four weeks, and so had they.
She had been to Japan and had seen all of the cherry blossoms beginning to bloom, eaten the most delicious sushi from its birthplace and viewed Mount Fuji with her own eyes.
She was so grateful for all of the things she got to experience because of them. She was so busy with work and making sure she kept to her schedule the time flew by and just as she was leaving them, it felt like it was time to pack and see them again.
"Would you like your meal madam?" A voice broke her out of her concentration.
"Oh, yes. Thank you. Could I have another drink please?"
"Of course, the same?"
"Yes. Just Coke, no ice, no glass" Emily smiled at the flight attendant, who passed her the meal and the drink and then gave Yang and Han theirs, Charlotte lay on the floor and huffed, she wasn't used to flying with such a small space for her. But as Emily leaned forward with a bit of chicken for her, maybe it wasn't so bad.
——
As the rental car drew up outside of Emily's Grandmother's home, Emily felt a peace wash over her, that she didn't know she was missing since the last time they visited.
Getting out, getting her things and unlocking the gate. She walked up the gravel drive, popping her key in the door, and walked in. It smelled the same, it looked the same. But, it was still empty and it felt almost stale despite being cleaned thoroughly.
Letting Charlotte out, she sat down on the cast iron seat just breathing in the cold air, the early flowers. It was cold, the last time they visited it was summer, now it's barely spring. Almost a year between visits, was keeping this house really a good idea if it only got used once a year? Emily felt like it deserved more than that. She couldn't bring herself to sell it or rent it for a tenant to possibly trash it.
"Miss Emily? Sorry to interrupt, err the boys, they call you" Yang held her phone up to see several missed calls.
"Oh thank you Yang and remember you're here as a guest too, eat and drink anything you like, ok? If I need you I'll call. I'll be in the shed if you need me, is it ok to let Charlotte wander in the house?"
"Of course Miss Emily. She is family" he smiled as Emily's phone rang again.
Pressing the button to accept their face time, she smiled at the seven faces crowding the screen.
"Hello?"
"Emily are you ok? We called" Jin flustered.
"I left my phone on the table while I let Charlotte out, we're fine. We've arrived"
"We tracked your flight, so we knew you were ok" Jungkook smiled.
As they chatted back and forth, about their plans and what the boys had been up to. Charlotte barked quietly at the back door, just as a tiny little figure shakily waddled through helped by Han.
"Emmmmmy"
"Iris! Look at you, such a big girl! Did you bring Mummy too?"
"Yes, I'm here, I just can't waddle quite as fast as someone" giving her daughter a pointed look.
"Boys, look Iris has come to visit" turning the phone around Iris babbled at the screen, touching their faces as they each spoke to her.
"We will let you go, give our love to Mattie and tell her to look after herself. We love you baby"
"I love you too. Be good" Emily smiled into the phone as she pressed the end button.
"Urgh, I'm sure this is more exhausting the second time around. Honestly, Em's I don't know which bits hurt the most right now"
"That bad? Although I suppose the first time you didn't have this little monkey" Emily smiled tickling Iris who loudly squealed prompting Charlotte to lift her head and slowly amble over to Iris. As the little girl slowly stroked Charlotte's warm head, the chocolate labrador gently licked her face prompting Iris to squeal happily.
"It's true, although now with house-hunting to add to the problems"
"House hunting? How come?"
"The landlord wants to sell our place, he's given us eight weeks to find somewhere. Everywhere I look at is too expensive or too small. I could honestly cry, at this rate, I'll be having the baby in a stable. It's not even as though we haven't saved up, it's just cheap places are well, awful"
"Oh god Mattie, that's shit. House prices around here are extortionate, and people who rent know they're onto a good thing and aren't moving.
Did you want a drink? I want a drink. I'm just going to pop to the loo, I'll grab one on the way back. will you guys be ok? Yang is around somewhere, just so he doesn't shock you, he knew you'd probably wander over"
Mattie looked quizzically at Emily but asked for a cup of tea.
——
"Guys, sorry to call again"
"It's ok is something wrong?" Namjoon smiled
"Kind of, but I've got an idea I want to run past you"
As Emily chatted through her idea, the boys agreed it was a good one. Once Emily was back in Korea they could settle the legal aspects, but in general, they were happy as long as she was happy for it to go ahead.
——
Emily wandered back through to the garden teacups in her hands to find Yang throwing a squealing Iris in the air, Mattie smiling up at her happy baby. Charlotte standing up, her ears and tail alert, obviously concerned for Iris' safety.
"Yang I can see you are multitalented when it comes to animals and babies" Emily laughed.
"I can also juggle five things at once" he spoke in Korean, Emily translating for Mattie.
"Right, while they're occupied I have a proposal for you" Emily sat down sliding the cup over to her best friend.
"Oh Emily I would but I don't think Archie would be too thrilled" Mattie cackled
"No Mattie, let's be serious for a few seconds. I want you to have the house to live in"
"What house?"
"This one. It's been empty for almost a year now, I'll probably only visit once maybe twice a year at best. My Grandmother wouldn't want that, she would want children's laughter, and visitors and you know how much she loved to change the decor all the time."
"No Emily, no, I wasn't telling you so you would take pity on me"
"I'm not taking pity on you, you dick. I want to give my best friend somewhere to live with their family, for as long as they want to and I have an empty house. I know I'm lucky and I want to share that with you. Especially when we start trying for babies, I'll not be able to come back for over a year, if not more, It's a waste. I was thinking of selling it, but I can't do it. This is helping me as much as you?"
"But how Emily? How much rent would you want? I think we can afford a little more than we pay now?"
"Nothing" Emily deadpanned
"Nothing? But you'll want income?"
"No, the house has never brought me income before and my Grandmothers' inheritance has left me more than comfortable. My only ask is that you cover bills and the upkeep of the property unless it's structural or incredibly expensive and then I'll sort it out. You're free to redecorate everywhere except the shed, which I'm claiming as mine! I want to use it when I visit if that's ok? Use the money to save, get a new kitchen, go on holiday, buy a car. Whatever you want. You both work so hard, and you don't splurge money, you save it. You deserve something nice"
"Emily we couldn't ask that of you"
"You didn't, I gave it to you. I'll sort out my Grandmothers things and if there's anything you want to keep you're welcome to. But I can't keep it as a shrine. I can sort out proper legal paperwork when I go back to Korea, but I'll get a digital copy sent as soon as possible and a hard copy sent to you before the eight weeks are up on your place. This is your home for as long as you want it to be ok?"
"Emily please think about this, talk to the boys, don't make a rash decision. I don't want them to think I'm using you"
"I've spoken to them, they're quite happy, they know the house should be used, as long as you know when we come over we will be descending on you? Oh and Mattie? They would never think you're using any of us" Emily flicked her forehead.
"Oh, Emily" Mattie burst into tears.
"I fucking love you, you have no idea, I thought we were going to be living somewhere awful. We got our place at such a good time. You wouldn't think I work in a fucking estate agents, I don't even get an employee discount. I'm sure Archie will be thrilled. I'll call him in a moment"
"I would never let that happen. Ok. Now at least it's only across the road, so removals won't take long. Just throw it out of the window and give it a kick" Emily laughed as Iris waddled over helped by Yang.
"Guess what baby? Emmy is letting us live here"
"Emmy?"
"Yes baby, Emmy. She's saved the day" kissing the top of her head, tears still flowing down her cheeks.
As Mattie waddled off to call Archie, Emily sat with Iris perched on her knee, the tired baby laid her head back against Emily's chest, Emily lifted her phone up and took a selfie to send to the boys.
"Emily, he said yes! He's on his way back from Work now, do you want to order something for tea? our treat? YANG?"
"Yes, Miss Mattie?"
"Did you and Han want some takeout with us?"
"Yes Miss Mattie, thank you Miss Mattie" he deeply bowed as he walked back into the house.
"Does he have to call me Miss Mattie all the time, I feel like I'm royalty"
"Yep. They all do it, you get used to it, to be fair though we call all of the security by their surnames"
"Yang is his surname?"
"Yep, in Korea, the family name or surname always comes first. Min Yoongi, Jeon Jungkook..."
"Ohhhh wow, you learn something new every day. Is it new? How did I not know that? I'm blaming baby brain"
———
Sat in her pyjamas in the lounge, Emily was full of Chinese takeout. This is the thing she missed most in Korea, the English Chinese takeout she ordered from was miles away from the beautiful flavours, but sometimes Emily just craved a neon yellow curry or a sickly sweet hunk of questionable chicken covered in sweet and sour sauce.
Archie cleared his throat
"Emily, I just want to say thank you, you have I idea how much it means to us, that you will let us live here. I wish we weren't in this position but.."
"I'm glad you are, it's given me the kick I needed. My Grandmother would be horrified that the house was just collecting dust when my best friend and her family need a proper base. Somewhere to live, a place for the babies to run around and draw on the walls"
"I don't know how we can ever repay you"
"You don't need to repay me, ever, you aren't in debt to me. This is your home and it will be for as long as you want to live here. I think of you as my family. All of you. I know if I called you and asked for anything, you would help me, and I am doing the same"
"Jesus Emily, have some thought for the poor pregnant woman whose hormones are running riot" Mattie sobbed loudly.
"We better be going, Iris needs to have her bath before bed, she's a fucking nightmare at the moment at going to sleep, as soon as I put her down, she screams bloody murder"
"Have you tried glove trick?" Yang suddenly asked out of nowhere.
"We've tried every other trick so one more wouldn't hurt" Mattie rolled her eyes.
"You put warm water in a rubber glove, tie a knot in end and then put in a cloth glove, they feel like your hands to her, so if you put on her tummy or her back she thinks you're holding her"
"If this works Yang, I will kiss you" Mattie stood up, collecting their things ready to go.
"Oh no need Miss Mattie, although I do like cake" Yang laughed.