It was a couple of weeks later on a Friday afternoon and Emma had just clocked out when Ruth called out to her.
"Emma! Before you go," Ruth handed a bouquet of royal purple petunias to her.
"What is this?" Emma frowned, smelling the blooms. "A happy client?"
"I don't know. The courier was looking for you, but you were busy, so I signed for it," Ruth wiggled her brows. "Maybe it's a secret admirer."
Emma took out the card, but there was no name. She read the message aloud.
'To the talented, Emmerentia .
I know that this won't make up for my behaviour, yet I still hope for your forgiveness.'
"Who misbehaved with you?" Ruth asked.
Emma also wondered. "I don't know, but you know many of the clients are bossy. It is their right, I presume. It must be one of them."
"Or maybe it's another guy you rejected."
"It's not my fault that I'm not attracted to them and it's not their fault either," Emma's eyes got almost as round as saucers. "I hope it's not a stalker!"
"Oh come on, be positive, Emma. It could be your future husband," Ruth smiled.
"No," Emma shook her head. "That ship has sailed."
"You're far too young to be that cynical, Emma. There's someone out there for everyone."
Emma swallowed down her tears, walking to the exit. "Yeah...no, I don't believe in fairytales. Good evening."
Ruth wondered what had gotten into the once optimistic young woman. It didn't seem like the same woman who had devoured romance novels in one day and didn't date because she saved herself for someone special. Ruth knew that something happened to Emma and she wanted to know what.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Emma was about to open the gate to Alexei's house when she heard someone calling out to her. She looked around and saw a sight that turned her stomach.
"April," she muttered as April and Joel were headed her way.
April was almost out of breath, "Fancy seeing you here. Joel and I had gone for a walk."
"Hi," Joel smiled. "Great to see ya. Beautiful blooms you've got there."
"What are you guys doing here?" Emma could not remember telling Ruth about her house sitting job or even where it was.
"Oh, you're hurting my feelings," April pouted. "I thought that you'd be happy to see us."
"It... it's not that. I'm just surprised. I thought that you'd be back next week," Emma stuttered. "And Joel, I got these flowers at work."
"They are stunning, but what I want to know is if you are happy to see us?" April continued. "We were planning to see you next week, but we've arrived on Wednesday.
"Are you visiting a client?" Joel asked.
"She might be house hunting," April smirked.
"I wish," Emma said. "I'm here for work."
"Ah, I was right," Joel quipped. "Hopefully, you'll join us later for a drink, huh?"
"Uh, I don't know. Where are you staying?"
April pointed to the house right of Emma, right next to Alexei's. "We're hiring this place until the wedding."
"Really?" Emma couldn't believe her rotten luck. She would have to see that misserable Nathan until the wedding. Surely that was too much suffering for one person to handle.
"Like Joel said, come over after you're done and we'll give you a tour of the house and something to drink," April offered.
Emma wondered how she'd get out of that situation. April was a very persistent person.
"Don't worry," April smirked. "That grumpy man won't bother you. He is not here, it's just Joel and I."
Emma should have been happy to hear that, so why did it hurt knowing that she would not see him? "I...I'll see you later then."
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
An hour later Emma was sitting in a baby blue and white kitchen. April was seated next to her and Joel opposite her, at the white island, pouring juice for all of them.
"Thank you," Emma said, taking the tall glass from him.
"I hope you're hungry," April grinned, "because Joel whipped something up especially for you."
Joel blushed, "It's just a pasta dish. I hope you like pasta..."
"I love a good pasta dish," Emma replied.
"A good pasta dish, huh?" Joel scratched his head. "Now the pressure is getting to me."
"Oh come on, Joel! Why are you acting all coy? You're a brilliant cook, mate. In fact, sometimes I think you should have been a chef instead of a surgeon," April commented.
"So you and Nathan know each other from university," Emma surmised.
"No, actually we lived in the same suburb. I lived a few houses away from the house his parents bought when they moved to Australia."
"Yeah," April added. "They even went to the same educational institutions. They are the best of friends."
"Yeah, I know all his secrets," Joel laughed.
"I would have been jealous," April bragged, "if I was not the love of his life."
"There's nothing to be jealous of, the two of you are the perfect couple," Joel added. "Hopefully, I'll be just as blessed in love."
Inge missed the smile that passed between the two friends. She was too busy concentrating on her juice in an attempt to stave away the tears.
"Emma?" April placed a hand over Emma's.
"Hmm?" Emma looked up from the glass.
"Can I ask you a personal question?"
"Go ahead, April." Emma wondered what is was with these Aussies and their personal inquiries.
"Are you married or dating anyone?" April noted the frown on Emma's face. "I was just wondering. I can't believe that a gem of a woman like you would be single, that's all."
"I don't have time for relationships at the moment," Emma lied. She did not think that she could love again. "Maybe in a few years."
"So you're single?" April persisted.
"Very much so," Emma whispered. "Excuse me, I need to use the bathroom, April."
A few minutes later Emma returned from the bathroom. She didn't see April waiting for her look in the corridor or hear any voices from the kitchen, but she walked there anyway. She walked in quietly to see none other than April and Nathan hanging onto each other's lips.
She was considering running away when Joel walked in from the patio.
"Come on you two, our guest has returned. You can continue that later."
The two of them separated form each other with April giggling, but Nathan first frowned and then he turned red and looked down.
"Emma, I'm so sorry," April sighed. "I just can't refuse this hottie. I can't believe we're just weeks away from the big day."
Emma walked over to island and took her bag. "I should go."
"What!" April shrieked."Absolutely not."
"I'm with April," Joel agreed. "You've just arrived. Please stay for dinner. Unless there's an emergency."
The emergency was her broken heart, but Emma willed herself to act normal.
"Is there an emergency?" April asked, walking closer to her.
"No. I'll stay for dinner if it's alright with everyone." She looked straight into Nathan's eyes when she said that last word.
April jabbed Nathan in his side, "He is fine with you staying for dinner, don't worry."
Nathan cleared his throat, "I have no objections."
Everyone stayed seated at the kitchen island for dinner. The girls sat next to each other and the guys sat opposite them. Unfortunately, for Emma Nathan sat right in front of her. He had to make a call and when he returned Joel sat in his place. Only Emma noticed the sigh that escaped his lips. Emma did her best to pretend that nothing was wrong.
"Emma, look!" April pointed to a counter nearest to the door, a huge bouquet of red roses sat there. "Nathan bought me those. They're as beautiful as yours. We're two lucky ladies, aren't we."
Emma sipped on her juice, before answering. "Mine are not quite as beautiful as yours."
Nathan frowned. "What's wrong with yours?"
April replied before Emma could think of something, "She's just being polite, hers are stunning."
"Bon Appetit, everyone," Joel said, pointing to the spaghetti bolognese in front of them.
A moment later Emma surprised everyone by praying, "Bless us Father. Bless our food. Let us never forget Thee. In Jesus name, amen."
When Emma looked up Nathan had a stunned expression on his face. She recognised it. When he struggled with a mathematical equation he always looked like that. She wondered what was so puzzling about her praying.
"Emma, you and my mother will get on like a house on fire," Joel commented.
"Will she be at the wedding?" Emma asked.
"Yeah, she'll arrive just a day prior," Joel stated.
"I'll probably be too busy on that day to meet her." Also, Emma didn't see the point in meeting someone that she'd never see again.
"How long are you planning to work at the bakery?" April asked. "You have the skills to work anywhere in the world, why limit yourself to a struggling business?"
Emma almost choked on the pasta. How did April know about that? April herself answered that question.
"I'm so sorry, love," April lifted her hands in a sign of surrender, looking at Nathan. "It slipped out."
Emma saw the blush creeping over Nathan's face. She was confused.
"Nathan heard a conversation Ruth had with someone and came to learn that Extravaganza Desserts is in dire straits," April explained.
"Oh," Emma uttered, keeping her eyes on her food. "You pitied me."
"Not at all," April said. "Extravaganza Desserts was my first choice. It was only Nathan that needed convincing and honestly, I don't care how he changed his mind. He didn't even want to tell me about it, I overheard him recommending the bakery to other people and than I asked him what changed. He reluctantly told me."
"Well," Emma finally looked into Nathan's eyes. "We'll survive somehow. We have to."
"I think you should consider seeking employment elsewhere," Joel stated. "Before the ship sinks."
Emma gritted out, "It's not that simple. Anyway, it's not easy to find employment in this economy, especially in my field of work."
"That's why I think you should consider immigrating. Broaden your horizons," April suggested.
Emma abruptly got to her feet. "Excuse me, but I...I'm leaving."
The three friends looked at each other.
"Emma, did I say something wrong?" April asked, but Emma was almost out of the kitchen.
"Emma!" Joel called running after her.
"I told you to keep your mouth shut, but you did what you wanted anyway," Nathan stated, slamming his palms on the counter.