by Mj Fields
���I told you they were coming, I wanted us to work it out and you wouldn���t do it. What did you expect?��� Emma asked. She had tried to sound strong, but the nervous quaked in her voice giving her away.
Troy wanted to come home, but she said no. Emma found a place for her and London to move into because she couldn���t afford the house alone. Emma usually stayed at home and watched kids before and after school and a few over the summer while Troy worked at the bank twelve hours a day. He hadn���t wanted her to work, and she hated being scrutinized over every dollar she spent. She had always worked until London was born and she didn���t want to miss a moment…this way she didn���t have to.
Troy and Emma went to court and he agreed to overnight Friday to Saturday and one night a week taking her to dinner. Emma felt it best that he not see her just every other weekend and this way she would only be away one night and not two in a row.
Emma moved into a half a house just inside the Cayuga County. She continued watching children and submitted r��sum�� after r��sum��. She needed a job with benefits, and no one seemed to want to hire someone who had been out of the work force for seven years. She was going to be substitute teaching during the upcoming school year to make extra money.
* * *
London was used to taking end of the summer mini- vacations and Emma scraped enough money up to get away for three nights. They decided on going to New York City, to sightsee and shop and she knew they would have fun.
She wasn���t prepared to let Troy take London for three nights alone. The court had granted him visitation but Emma knew that it was only a matter of time before he screwed up. She���s prepped London on what to do in certain circumstances. She hated that her baby had to be the adult in the situation. With no way around the court���s decision, she���d have to find a way to deal with it.
Emma walked into the bathroom of the hotel and wanted to scream. She sat on the ground and cried into a white hotel towel. This was not what she expected after eleven years of marriage ��� and knowing that he would be coming down for the long weekend to take London to the shore for three nights almost drove her over the edge. Three nights without her daughter, were going to feel like a lifetime.
Emma packed her bags and got things ready for the next day. She had gotten London a cell phone so that she could keep in touch, but really it was because she wanted London to be able to call if Troy drank. Per their separation agreement, neither was allowed to drink when they had London. This was easy for Emma; she hadn���t been able to enjoy an adult beverage since she could remember. But for Troy, it may be harder.
* * *
Emma opened the hotel room door and Troy looked her up and down. Troy was handsome, five foot eleven inches tall, and was built well. He had dark brown, perfectly groomed short hair and blue eyes. He was dressed in jeans that were a bit tighter than he used to wear and a button up shirt with some sort of winged design. Emma smiled and stepped back, allowing him to come in.
���Hey, London,��� Troy walked into the suite and looked around, ���Nice place Emma, I see my child support isn���t going to waste.���
Handsome, just until he opens his mouth, Emma thought.
Emma didn���t respond, ���Give me a hug,��� she said to her daughter, ���Back seat and make sure you have your seat belt on. I love you more,��� she whispered in her ear.
���No, I love you more,��� London smiled.
���Not possible,��� they both laughed, ���Call me when you get there, have fun. Sunscreen, remember sunscreen.���
���I think I can handle it,��� Troy snapped as they walked out.
* * *
Emma lay in the hotel bed and sobbed. When she couldn���t cry anymore she decided to take a run in Central Park. Since her separation she had lost thirty pounds and was back to her weight before she had London. She loved running, walking, biking, or anything that kicked those endorphins into overdrive. She needed it right now. She had three hours before check out. So she tucked her phone into her bra and threw a hat and glasses on and headed out the door.
Emma jogged around the park and looked at all the people. There were so many. Coming from a small town, it was nice to blend in. She wasn���t stopped by people she knew asking her how she was doing; even those who had, never had a conversation with her about her personal life before thought it was appropriate to ask now. It was unbelievable the audacity of some people. She knew many just felt sorry for her, but that didn���t make it any more comfortable.
Her phone rang and she slowed down and answered. ���Hey sweet girl, is everything alright?��� she asked breathlessly.
���Yep, we���ll be there in thirty minutes, I just wanted to say hi,��� London giggled.
���Well hi to you, too��� she laughed.
They hung up, and Emma started running harder, she didn���t want to cry. She was always so stunned when she talked to London on the phone, London sounded so much younger. Emma chose to focus on what was happening now. Emma would be checking out of her hotel at eleven and going to stay with her college roommate. They hadn���t seen each other in years. Lila worked as a publicity agency, was single and loved her very social lifestyle. They���d always had such a great time together up until Troy came into Emma���s life.
God just run faster, harder she thought as she picked up the pace.
* * *
Brody Hines opened the door to his hotel room and grabbed the newspaper. The front page of the paper had the news of his separation plastered on it, still after several months. He picked up the paper and looked at his soon to be ex-wife with another man and tore it in half and threw it out. He���d been blindsided, he never would have thought after three years of marriage she would have done this to him. He didn���t even know she was unhappy. Ariel was a model and traveled a lot. They both enjoyed the lifestyle that their professions afforded them.
Brody hated his personal life being more important to his fans than his art. His song Blue Love had been at the top of the charts for five weeks, and it brought a lot of unwanted attention. Brody was six foot three and one hundred and ninety seven pounds. He had thick brown hair and light blue eyes. It wasn���t easy hiding from the media who pounced whenever they saw him. It was even harder not telling them to fuck off whenever they got in his face. Brody���s new publicist tried to impress upon him that it would hurt his career. Brody was trying to listen and consider her recommendation, and it wasn���t easy.
He was thankful that he and Ariel didn���t have children, which he���d wanted right away and she���d wanted to wait. It was awful having the whole world watch as your life was falling apart, just waiting for you to break so that they could pounce. He grabbed a hat and glasses and walked out of his room and took the service elevator. He exited out the back of the hotel where none of those annoying photographers would be. He needed to get out of there. He hadn���t felt like himself for weeks now, and he knew it was because he was held up in that room. He was going to run and hoped that his face now full of stubble, the dark glasses, and baseball cap would disguise him.
* * *
Emma���s phone rang and she stopped and answered.
���We���re here Mommy!��� London said cheerfully, ���It���s so nice right on the beach and we���re going to look for shells!���
���That���s fantastic; can you find one for me?��� Emma asked.
���I���ll find two,��� she laughed.
���Do you have sunscreen on?��� Emma asked knowing Troy would have forgotten.
���Nope ��� Dad! I need sunscreen!���
���Shit,��� she heard Troy say in the background.
���I love you m
ore,��� Emma said.
���We love each other more, Mom,��� London���s voice sang.
���Okay have fun, call me later,��� Emma felt tears, she ran harder as the tears fell.
Come on she���s having fun, she thought. Emma rounded a corner and ran right into a man. She was knocked flat on her back. He knelt down on the grass next to her and helped her sit up. She couldn���t breathe; the wind was knocked out of her. Being unable to take a breath made the tears slow down.
���I���m so sorry,��� he said noticing her tears. ���Are you alright?���
Emma caught her breath and wiped her face and laughed nice accent she thought, ���I���m fine. Sorry I wasn���t paying attention,��� Emma saw his face; she was looking at the hottest man she had ever seen. His lips were full, teeth perfect, his jaw strong, and his hair looked like he���d just rolled out of bed and definitely not just fresh from sleep.
���Alright,��� he said uncomfortably as he picked up his hat and pulled it down over his head, ���You know who I am, that���s why you���re laughing������
���Nope,��� she said, ���I���m laughing because I didn���t expect the accent, and more so because I���m on my butt in Central Park and no one seems to notice.���
* * *
Brody liked her eyes and smile. He was unsure whether or not to trust that she was being honest. But something in her eyes was calming and made him feel better than he had in weeks, ���So you don���t know me from TV, magazines, or newspapers?���
���Let���s see…if you are not on Disney or Nickelodeon I don���t have a clue,��� Emma wiped her hands on her shorts.
He smiled with relief and amusement as he offered his hand to help her up and she took it, ���Thanks. So who are you?��� she asked.
���You���ll figure it out someday,��� and ran off. Damn, I hope so, he thought.
* * *
After running back to the hotel and showering she was headed over to Lila���s. Her GPS had become her arch rival, so when pulling out of the parking garage she checked the yellow paper she���d scribbled the directions on. A little while later she was getting the key Lila had left with the doorman, then getting off the elevator on the tenth floor. She let herself in, set her bag down looked around the apartment. It was unbelievably beautiful, she thought as she walked around. She found a note on the counter.
Emma,
I will be at work until about seven. Make yourself at home. Then we���re going out, you should meet me at The Spotted Pig 314 West 11th street, we can have drinks. Take a cab.
See you at eight, Lila
Emma looked at her phone and it was only one in the afternoon. She had seven hours to spend alone, a very unwelcome seven hours. This isn���t a good idea, if I were home at least I could clean or something she thought. She preferred anything to being left alone to think about what had happened over the past year.
* * *
Emma walked in to the bar and saw Lila. She smiled and hugged her. ���You look extraordinary,��� Lila said hugging her back, ���Have a seat.���
Emma took a deep breath and sat down at the table. She met some of Lila���s clients; she really didn���t know them but enjoyed the adult conversation. She excused herself and went to the bathroom secretly willing her phone to ring.
As she washed her hands it rang. ���Hi Mommy, I���m going to bed now. I had fun,��� London said with a smile in her voice.
���I’m so happy for you!��� Emma smiled as she spoke to London.
When they got off the phone she felt the tears coming. She decided to walk outside to regain her composure before going back to Lila and her friends. She had her head down as she walked out.
Emma stood against the brick building, not paying attention to the people walking in and out. Most people would be enchanted by the city and its surroundings. Emma just wanted to go home with her daughter and curl up on the couch, watching a movie they had probably seen a hundred times, where everything ended perfectly. She took a deep breath and walked back in and made her way back to the table. A couple more people had joined the party, Lila was talking and laughing with them.
���Where did you disappear to?��� Lila asked and grabbed Emma���s jacket.
���The bathroom and then London called,��� Emma said forcing herself to smile.
���We���re going to head over to a dance club, here���s your jacket,��� Lila said handing the black coat to Emma.
* * *
Emma and Lila walked past security and made their way into the club. They walked through the crowd and up a set of stairs to the VIP lounge. Lila hugged and kissed a couple people on the cheek and ordered drinks.
Emma looked around like a deer in the headlights. The women were dressed in sexy dresses and high heeled shoes. Emma looked down at her simple black dress and silver sandals. She immediately felt out of place and crossed her arms and looked down.
���You need to loosen up, Emma,��� Lila smiled, ���We���re going to dance tonight.���
Emma took a drink. More people began to enter the VIP lounge and Lila introduced them to Emma. The first was a man she recognized from TV. Emma wasn���t sure exactly who he was, but she knew he was a celebrity.
���Brody, this is my college roommate Emma. Emma, this is my newest client Brody Hines.���
Emma looked up and shook his hand. He also looked familiar.
���Nice to meet you,��� Emma smiled politely and looked at him and her face flushed.
Brody smiled when he saw her eyes, he knew exactly who she was, but she didn���t recognize him at all.
���You too,��� he said disguising his accent as he looked her up and down slowly.
���Let���s go dance,��� Lila said to Emma as she handed her another drink and dragged her down the stairs.
Lila was having a blast as the two danced, though Emma was obviously uncomfortable. Lila laughed, ���Been awhile since you���ve been out Emma? Come on, have another drink it���ll loosen you up.���
Emma drank a couple more vodka cranberries and started to relax and dance. Lila and Emma did a couple of shots and laughed as they danced.
* * *
Brody sat with his friends in the lounge away from the crowd, she has no idea who I am, that���s a relief, he thought. He could see the dance floor and watched as Lila���s friend, Emma, danced. He couldn���t believe she was the one he had run into this morning. She was pretty, long caramel hair, green eyes, and the nicest, most sincere smile, framed by lips that he could imagine his against.
* * *
Emma and Lila walked back up to the lounge. Emma grabbed her bag and looked at her phone. There were no missed calls, she was relieved that everything was alright but wanted to talk to London.
Probably not a good idea since you���re buzzing and its ten o���clock at night, she thought.
���Emma, come sit,��� Lila said pointing to the chair next to her, ���Everything alright?���
���Yes, everything���s fine,��� Emma said putting her phone away.
���Have another drink,��� Lila tried to hand her another vodka cranberry.
���I don���t know if that���s a good idea,��� Emma smiled as she sat back.
���You���re with me tonight, it���s a great idea,��� Lila laughed and handed her another drink.
���I think I should drink beer, this is going to give me a hangover.���
Brody handed her a beer, ���I think I owe you one.���
���Thank you,��� Emma looked confused.
He laughed and turned away.
���Who is that Lila?��� Emma asked Lila.
Emma laughed, ���Brody Hines, he is a singer, newly separated and he���s a hothead.���
���That���s not true Lila,��� Brody said from behind her. ���Just tell it like it is.���
���Sorry, Brody,��� Lila laughed.
���No it���s fine, I���ve been called much worse,��� he smiled. ���Emma, is it?���
���Yes,��� Emma said, embarrassed that he���d heard her ask Lila who he was.
���I met you earlier today, at the park.��� He smiled, ���I literally ran you over.���
���Oh, yes that���s right, well thank you for the drink,��� Emma looked down unable to stop smiling.
���Did I hurt you?��� Brody asked.
���No, I���m fine,��� Emma blushed.
���Good, would you like to dance?��� Brody asked.
���No, I don���t think that is a good idea,��� Emma looked away.
���You afraid you���ll end up on the ground again?��� he smiled.
���Yep that���s it exactly,��� Emma giggled as she walked to the bathroom.
When she came out of the bathroom Lila yelled to her from the dance floor. Emma and Lila were both intoxicated so they danced and acted outlandishly. Emma was having fun, and they were joined by Brody and a few others from the lounge. The music slowed down, and Brody grabbed Emma���s hand and rubbed his thumb softly against the back of it.
���One dance?��� Brody insisted.
���Sure…why not?��� Emma giggled, feeling a bit drunk.
���Do you like this song?��� He asked as he wrapped his strong arms around her waist, and rested his other on her hip, pulling her a bit closer.