‘Emily?’ Maryam frowned at her, Caroline and Edward leant forward in their seats, awaiting her response.
‘I’m sorry, what?’
She didn’t know how long she had been daydreaming, but she hadn’t caught a word of what was just said to her.
‘We’ll need you on hand once development is finished, just to do a little media for us. How does this sound?’
‘It sounds….very overwhelming.’ She replied, honestly. Edward raising his eyebrows in a warning. Maryam was a big shot. You didn’t say ‘No’ to bigshots. ‘I mean I love the idea. It’s amazing, and I really think it could work. I’ve seen it in my head a thousand times. I just….’
‘What?’ Edward asked, gesturing with his hands as to his disbelief. ‘Emily offers like this don’t come around every day of the week.’
‘Edward is right Emily. You should jump out of your seat, shake her hand and be grateful! This is just such a wonderful offer. Maryam this is wonderful’, Caroline gushed.
Maryam surprised everyone, by asking Edward the Sleaze and Caroline aka Angela Lansbury to wait outside for a moment.
As the door clicked shut behind them, Maryam held Emily’s gaze, and she suddenly felt her palms become very slick.
‘Emily there’s something on your mind and with those two clowns in here I don’t feel like you can express yourself.’
She sighed with relief, shaking her head. ‘You felt that too? Ugh Edward is…’
‘A pervert?’ Maryam finished, with a grin. ‘Yeah he’s not glanced past my boobs for the entire meeting. I don’t know how you’ve worked with him over the years.’
She smiled, agreeing. Sometimes she didn’t know how she endured their meetings.
‘Now tell me what’s on your mind. This offer will be substantial. We love the idea.’
‘I know. I am so grateful. I have spent years trying to get my name out there and this could change everything for me. It really could I just….I met someone. He lives in Florida and I just feel like nows the time to change the script. Do something crazy and follow my heart.’
Maryam didn’t know the whole story, but the sentiment wasn’t lost on her. ‘So you’re a hopeless romantic, trying to make it work with someone a really long way away.’
‘Yes. Don’t get me wrong. I am totally torn, but if this job means months away from him at a time, I don’t know whether I can sacrifice my personal life for this.’
Maryam cocked her head to one side, processing what she was saying, and nodding in agreement.
‘You have been so generous to me. I feel like the biggest idiot.’
‘But you’re not’ Maryam pointed out. ‘You just have other priorities, and as a woman working in a real cut throat world, I really get that. I had a baby last year and it was murder trying to get certain people to realise some things are more important than promotions. Or in your case, an attractive sum of money.’
Emily felt like a weight had been lifted, and in one fell swoop her mind was made up.
If he could drop everything for her, she would let go of even more to be by his side.
‘It’s been lovely to meet you Emily.’ Maryam said, reaching across the table and shaking her hand. ‘I’ll be in touch. I can’t promise anything, but maybe, just maybe we can make this work.’
Annie slipped the keys into her pocket, a huge smile plastered on her face, in spite of the flurry of tears she wasn’t expecting.
‘I can have the flat. You’re serious?’
‘I’m serious. This is all or nothing.’
‘And your papers. How will you sort all of that?’
‘Laura Delaware has contacts. They are a hugely influential family. She just wants her boy to be happy.’
Annie held her close one last time. ‘This is a tiny bit crazy.’
‘I know!’ Emily laughed, ‘But don’t you dare talk me out of this.’
‘I wouldn’t dream of it. This is meant to be. Once you’re gone I’m going to Ikea and I am so pimping out my love nest.’
She shook her head, grinning in spite of her own tears. ‘You are going to have to visit me every single chance you get.’
‘Try and keep me away.’ Annie smiled, as Ellie joined in the hug.
‘I’ll see you in Miami’ she whispered into her ear. ‘I’m so glad you’re going to be near.’
She nodded, and gave her a cuddle, before Annie jumped on her again. Charlie stood by the doors, twiddling his keys and she waved to him. She didn’t know him well, but he was cute, and Annie seemed made up that their relationship had resumed. Second chances and all that.
‘He’s the best. The best kind of guy. Remember that every time he makes you crazy, and treat each other good.’
Annie’s words would stay with her forever. In her tiny tartan mini skirt and strappy top, she was a fountain of wisdom. And Emily adored her.
She didn’t cry till she stepped into ‘Boots The Chemist’ and spotted Annie’s favourite brand of shampoo. Standing by the rails of brightly coloured bottles, she garned more than one questioning look. Luke had been gone just a day. The meeting yesterday was a distant memory, the whole journey back she had been planning on her trip to Florida and with Annie and Ellie’s help it became a reality. He’d called her once he touched down in Florida but she knew he had a few really important meetings set up and since then she’d heard nothing.
Sitting in her seat by the window, she felt more tears come as she saw the text from Annie. It made so much sense;
‘He’s that irritating juvenile excuse for a man, but you love him. I love you too, and I’m spending Christmas with you whether you like it or not. Give him a smooch from me.’
Laura was waiting for her, following a call made by Ellie. She greeted Emily with a hug that lifted her clean off the floor.
‘Luke got home yesterday night and my word he was miserable! I checked in on him this morning darlin’. He deserves a little sunshine, and you my dear, are exactly that.’
She hooked her arm through Emily’s, and dragging her suitcase behind her, they headed out into the parking lot. The plan was that she would stay at the mansion tonight, and head over to Luke’s work place tomorrow. He wouldn’t be at home tonight, he was organising a presentation with some colleagues. Although she wouldn’t be seeing him for a while, she felt sick to her stomach with nerves and Laura could tell from her shaking hands that she might need a stiff drink.
‘Ellie and Michael wont last’ Laura said, finally breaking the ice as they began their journey to the house. ‘He’s a fool, I really like her, and I want to know my grandchild, but he cannot be trusted where women are concerned. He’s lucky she’s so forgiving and quick to offer a second chance.’
Emily nodded, in spite of the tiredness that was creeping up on her. Too many emotions and far too little sleep.
‘I’m here now. I’ll be around to take care of her if he doesn’t keep his side of the bargain.’
Laura gave her knee a squeeze. ‘You wont have that trouble with my Luke’.
‘No?’ she gazed out of the window, watching the landscape blur by in oranges, whites and blues.
‘No, he’s been messed around by many a girl. Never had one willing to leave her life behind for him though.’
Emily made eye contact with Laura.
‘He’s the best decision you’ll ever make.’
She fell asleep on the softest bed she’d ever slept in, even adding the bed at the ‘Star’ into the equation. She resisted the urge to text Luke, although he sent her a few. As they arrived at the house, he’d text her to simply state that he missed her. She called Annie instead and hearing her voice was all she needed, before dropping off, and allowing jet lag to consume her. She woke around midnight, and Miguel made her a delicious chicken Caesar salad. Once her belly was full, she went back to bed, and she lay awake for a few hours, thinking of Luke and what his reaction would be when she turned up, unannounced.
After showering the next day, Laura called upstairs to say she would be waiting in the front hall to drive her to Delaware Designs. Donning a simple baby blue, strapless dress, with silver gladiator sandals, a waterfall braid threaded through her hair, she felt as ready as she would ever be. For whatever the future held from hereon out.
Laura gasped as she came into sight, standing halfway down the staircase.
‘You are a vision.’ She exclaimed. ‘Let’s do this.’