The Smartest Girl in the Room

by Deborah Nam-Krane

  ~~~

  Mitch got to the gallery fifteen minutes early. Miranda kissed him on the cheek when he came in and grinned. "See, I told you dinner would work out."

  "We’ll see," Mitch said, but he was smiling too.

  "It’s okay-" Miranda’s phone beeped. She read a message and stopped smiling. "Mitch, let me introduce you to the artist." She made a quick introduction to a slightly balding, older red haired man and then ran off. Mitch talked to the artist for a few minutes before someone else grabbed him.

  He looked at a few of the paintings. He wanted to call them Neo-Realism but was pretty sure that wasn’t the right term. He kept looking back at the entrance and finally saw Emily walk in.

  She was wearing the black dress she’d brought with her that day at the café. It was perfect on her, and the heels didn’t hurt either.

  He caught her eye. She smiled then blushed. She walked down a few steps near the table with food. He started walking over.

  She stood up straight, and then turned to the side. Who was talking to her? It was some tall, big, dark-haired guy. He looked familiar. Emily narrowed her eyes and stepped closer to him. Wait a minute, wasn’t that the guy he had seen with Miranda?

  Emily shrieked as the man grabbed her hand and literally shoved it down his own pants! Mitch pushed past the people who were staring to get to Emily. By the time he got to her, the man was on the floor, writhing in pain.

  The man was trying to stand up but Miranda was standing over him, screaming at him to stay away from Emily. Emily was frozen for a second then shook her hand violently. "Eww, eww, eww!"

  "Are you alright?" Mitch asked. Emily nodded. "What the Hell happened?"

  She blinked. "He made me... touch him. Eww!"

  The man stood up. Mitch turned around and raised his fist. "You son of a-"

  "Don’t!" Emily pulled him back. "He’s not worth it."

  Miranda got between Mitch and the man. "She’s right. Let me take care of this."

  Mitch threw his arm down. "I can call the police as well as you can."

  The man laughed weakly. "You don’t want to do that."

  "Shut up," Miranda hissed.

  The man smirked. "Do you want to tell them or should I? I wouldn’t spend ten minutes at the station, assuming I even made it there. Last time I think the nice officers dropped me off at home. But a phone call could go badly for you. Did you want to work in Boston?"

  Emily rushed forward. "If you threaten him again I will make sure Richard won’t speak to you."

  The man said nothing as Mitch pulled her back. "Don’t listen to him," Mitch growled. "I’m calling the police."

  Miranda closed her eyes. "Mitch, he’s right."

  "Excuse me?"

  "But I can fix this. Please, trust me."

  "You’re as crazy as he is," Mitch said as he reached into his pocket.

  Miranda grabbed Emily’s hand. "I am begging you, for your sakes. Please trust me."

  "Didn’t Jessie trust you?"

  Miranda swallowed. Tears came into her eyes. "She did, and I did something else. Now I can do this." She squeezed Emily’s hand. "I can do this for her too."

  "Put the phone down," Emily said after a moment.

  "Are you crazy? This creep-"

  "I know! But if Miranda says she can take care of this, I’m going to trust her."

  The man snickered. "Good girl."

  "Oh, shut up!" Mitch grabbed the back of his head and shoved it into the bowl of spinach dip on the table. "I guess no one needs to know about that, either." Before the man could get up, Mitch took Emily’s hand and ran with her outside and grabbed the first cab they could find.

  "What was that?" Mitch asked as soon as he’d given the cab driver her address.

  "Michael Abbot, Richard’s cousin."

  "Richard?!? Zainab’s Richard?"

  "Yes."

  "How is Miranda mixed up in all of this?"

  "She and Michael were raised together."

  "By what, a wolf?"

  "Close enough."

  CHAPTER 57

  Emily let Mitch make her some tea while she changed. She had just finished telling him everything she knew about the Abbots, Bartolomes and the Hendricksons when Richard called. "This is really not a good time," Emily said.

  "Tell me about it."

  "I finally got to meet Michael."

  "What?"

  "And I can see why you guys wanted to keep me away from him."

  "No, how could you? He left!"

  "It’s a long story."

  "Really? Well, I’ve got a short story. He took them before he left."

  "Took what?"

  "Took them."

  Emily stopped breathing. "How...?"

  "I put them somewhere he and I used to play when we were little. I didn’t think he remembered... He must have found them before he left, because the door to the room was open and now they’re gone."

  Emily’s lip started trembling. "Where’s Zainab?"

  "In the other room. She doesn’t know."

  "Get off the phone then. I’ll talk to you later." Emily hung up and sipped her tea.

  "What did Michael take?" Mitch said after a minute.

  Emily exhaled. "Everything."

  ~~~

  Every time Mitch saw Emily that week, she ended up receiving at least two texts from Richard. Whatever was going on, he understood that Emily thought it was much worse than being assaulted by that creep.

  "Wait," Mitch said the next Thursday. "Does Richard know what Michael did to you?"

  "What? I don’t know. Maybe Miranda told him."

  "It didn’t occur to you to mention it?" Mitch was outraged. The law was imperfect, but why did that mean Emily and Miranda were responsible for making sure anyone got justice? She couldn’t even mention it to her friends?

  "Please don’t say anything to him-"

  "It’s not like we hang out."

  "-or Zainab."

  Mitch sighed. "Emily... when are you going to tell me what’s going on?"

  "As soon as I figure out how to fix it."

  On Friday he’d had enough. "We need to go on a date, just the two of us, for a few hours, no cell phones."

  Emily smiled a little bit. "Where?"

  "Anywhere. I don’t care."

  He called her that night. "How about a yoga class?"

  She looked at the phone. "Really?"

  "I know how much you like yoga, and don’t get mad, but it seems like you could use something to relax you."

  "I don’t want to make you do anything you don’t-"

  "No," he said quickly. "I mean, it might be fun." They set up a time to meet on Boylston Street before yoga class. She wondered why he wouldn’t want to meet closer to home, but didn’t question him. She didn’t want to worry anymore than she needed to.

  He was waiting for her right outside the studio the next day. "Come on, the class starts in two minutes!" She wondered why he’d told her to meet him then instead of twenty minutes ago, but she ran in and set up her mat next to his while he registered them. He had just settled in next to her when the instructor walked in. "Welcome to Couples Yoga."

  Emily’s eyes widened as she turned to Mitch, who was grinning like the Cheshire Cat. She could have run out, but he had placed them in the middle of the room and it would have been impossible to leave without creating a scene.

  All of the couples were directed to sit back to back for the opening breathing exercise. Good, she thought, now I don’t have to look at him. But when the instructor told them to link arms while they breathed and try to feel their partner’s energy, Emily scowled.

  They turned back around and stood up to face each other. Then they had to take each other’s hands and squat and stand in synchrony with their breathing. "Usually, we can practice this with our eyes closed, but when you do it together, please keep your eyes open." Emily squeezed her eyes shut, but then the instructor, who must have seen her, repeated the instruction.

  Defia
ntly, she locked eyes with Mitch. Go ahead, she tried to transmit. You’re not going to embarrass me. His eyes smiled back and he squeezed her hand, as if to tell her that he didn’t want to hurt her.

  They sat on the floor, cross legged, knees touching, fingers intertwined. The instruction was to grind their spine, first in one direction, and then the other. Because of the winding, they were told to close their eyes. Emily felt her hands and fingers tingle, and by the way Mitch rubbed his hands, she thought he felt the same.

  Feet to feet, hands held, moving back and forth. Mitch had to bend his long but inflexible legs and winced a little bit as they began flexing back and forth. Emily tried to focus on that and not the rhythmic, syncopated breathing between the two of them.

  They were tall mountains, reaching their hands out to each other, feeling the energy between them. Emily’s hands tingled so much she wanted to shake them out.

  They were hugging trees. Emily thought of the myth of Baucis and Philamon and staying in this position forever, supporting each other. They were fierce warriors going into battle side by side, their hands overlapping as they reached forward and back. They lunged to the floor and twisted, embracing each other. They had to hold on or else they might fall. Then they straddled their legs and bent forward, reaching through to each other’s hands, then rocking back and forth, one standing, and one bending.

  Back on the floor they were sitting on their knees, head down, while the other lay over their back staring at the ceiling. They straddled their legs on the floor and reached for each other, then pulled back and forth. They leaned to one side, holding hands. They lifted their legs up so the soles of their feet touched, then reached for each other through their feet.

  They twisted together. They bent back while the other pulled. Then they lay down, closing their eyes, resting their hands on each other. An eternity later, Emily rolled onto her side and Mitch tucked her into the crevices of his body, listening to each other’s breathing, trying to tell where one ended and the other began. At last, they sat up and she sat in the diamond between his feet and his body so they could embrace.

  She couldn’t look at him when class was over. She quickly threw on her sweater and ran outside as soon as she’d bundled her mat.

  "Wait, wait!"

  She turned to look at him. She couldn’t believe... that he was different from what she was. Because of that, now she had a question where before she would have had anger.

  "Why did you do that?"

  "I thought it would be fun."

  What a disappointing answer. "Is that all?"

  "It was... a way for us to be close."

  "Why didn’t you ask me?"

  "You would have said no."

  "That’s a bad answer."

  Mitch groaned and held his stomach. He sat down on a bench. "I think I’m going to be sick."

  "Oh, stop being such a baby!" Emily snapped, disappointed that they couldn't talk more. She ran into Starbucks, bought him some ginger tea and waited until he finished it before she led him to the train station.

  She walked him home, and put him to bed. "Don’t be mad," he mumbled before he drifted off. She tucked him into bed, stroking his head before she left.

  CHAPTER 58

  Emily couldn’t stop thinking about the class. The only way she could get her final papers done was with an audience, so she demanded Miranda and Zainab’s presence that night.

  Miranda shrugged and yawned after she’d read the last of Emily’s papers. "Seems fine to me. Guess what? I think you’ll graduate."

  "You have no idea how important that is."

  "Why is that again?" Zainab said busting out the brownies Emily had made when she was trying to come up with ways not to think of Mitch.

  "Because now I’ll be free and I can do what I want."

  "Hmm, these are good!" Miranda said as she delicately chewed a brownie. "And what is that, exactly?"

  "Travel," Emily said, knowing that they were going to think about going to warm, sunny places and not making sure Joe stayed away from Boston.

  They were arguing about whether they should stay in or go to Miranda’s house when Zainab’s phone rang. Emily froze when she saw Richard’s name, but relaxed when Zainab started laughing. After five minutes, she said, "Guys, I think you’re going to have to figure out dinner without me."

  After Zainab left, Emily gave in and agreed to go out with Miranda to the sushi place in Brookline. But first she wanted to make sure Mitch was feeling better.

  "Are we going to talk about what happened?" Mitch asked groggily.

  "What’s to talk about? You’re nauseous. It’s a sign from the universe not to ambush someone."

  "I’m feeling better. Thanks for the tea and comfort."

  "Are you being sarcastic?"

  "No. I’m just disappointed you weren’t there when I woke up."

  "I have finals, and so do you."

  "Right. I’ve got a lot of work to do tonight, and yes, I probably wouldn’t be able to concentrate around you." Silence. "But I think I’ll be able to manage tomorrow."

  "Excuse me?"

  "You heard me, but I’ll put it in as a formal request. Can I see you tomorrow? And don’t use your work as an excuse, because you’re almost done. You either want to see me or you don’t."

  "What if I do?" Emily said at last. "Do you get a prize?"

  "Just the pleasure of your company. Let’s say I’ll be around at eleven." Before she could say anything, he hung up.

  Miranda smiled and wagged her finger. "Oh shut up!" Emily said as she locked up.

  CHAPTER 59

  Emily had the apartment all to herself again the next morning. She woke up, worked out, showered and, because she could think more clearly, made last minute changes to her final papers. Once she deemed them ready, she decided to celebrate by making scones and tea.

  The scones were just out of the oven when Zainab and Richard walked in. "Good morning!" Neither Zainab nor Richard answered. "Uh, scones?"

  "Scones... yeah, that sounds great," Zainab said, not looking at either of them.

  Emily was about to ask what was going on when the doorbell rang. It was Mitch. He smiled when he saw her. "All better now."

  Richard spoke up before she could say anything. "Mitch, I think you and Zainab should dig into those scones. They smell great."

  "Have a seat Mitch," Zainab said blankly. Richard led her out of the apartment and onto the street.

  Emily searched his face. "What’s wrong? Is everything okay with Zainab?"

  "Yes, well... I think I’ve got a lot of making up to do." He took a deep breath. "Michael called last night."

  "Where is he?"

  "Asia, somewhere- I don’t know. It doesn’t matter." He sucked his cheeks in. "I was in the other room when the phone rang, and Zainab picked it up."

  Emily swallowed. "What did he say?"

  "I want you to know, he does have some decency. He thought I picked up, which is why he started shouting about what he found." He scoffed. "He was very apologetic once I got on the phone and he realized what he’d done."

  "Richard-"

  "But it was too late." His eyes were red. "She was so angry with me when she realized... how involved I was."

  "It’s my fault," she said quickly. "I didn’t tell her. I wanted- I didn’t want her to think- I don’t know, it was stupid. I should have told her."

  "I think I had a greater burden than you did."

  Poor Richard, who had to take care of everything and everyone. She had just put her hand on his when the door opened and Zainab and Mitch came out. Zainab was expressionless, Mitch was trying to be.

  Emily put her hand down. "Zainab, can I talk to you?"

  "Actually," Zainab said coolly, "I think we were going to the library."

  "What? Right, right," Richard nodded at last. "But first we were getting lunch, weren’t we?"

  "Whatever you say." Without another word to Emily, Zainab got into Richard’s car and Richard followed.
/>   "What was that all about?" Mitch said after they drove away.

  Emily looked at Mitch’s handsome face. Why had she made everything so hard? "It’s just me, screwing up again."

  Mitch softened. "Do you want to talk about it?"

  She loved his voice. "No. I believe we have a date, Mr. Graham, and it’s about time it got started."

  CHAPTER 60

  Emily made Mitch talk about his parents and his friends from Natick on the way to Faneuil Hall. He made her laugh with stories about his Grandma Lulu. It wasn’t enough to make her forget about Drew, Joe and Michael, but it was enough to make her laugh, and that was good enough.

  There was something that would make her feel better. Emily told him to wait and ran into the Native American-themed gift shop.

  "I got you something," she said when she came out a few minutes later.

  "What?"

  "Open it."

  Inside the little white box was a band with green and blue stones.

  "Put it on."

  "You want me to wear a necklace?"

  "It’s more of a band. With beads."

  "I don’t know if this is my style."

  "All the cool guys are doing it."

  "I’m not cool."

  "Don’t you think," she said as she moved in closer, "you owe me after your yoga attack yesterday?"

  "Admit you liked it, and I’ll put it on."

  "I loved it. I hope we get to do that again. But maybe longer next time, and alone."

  "Does this have a matching bracelet? Because I’m willing to put that on too if you keep talking."

  "Don’t press your luck." She helped him tie the band around his neck, then smiled.

  "What’s so funny?"

  "Nothing. It just brings out your eyes."

  "You like my eyes?" he said, lifting his eyebrows.

  "You know you have gorgeous eyes. I’m sure everyone has told you that."

  "Maybe, but I like hearing it from you."

  "I don’t make you tell me you think I’m pretty."