“If he goes there, you’ll still get to see him since you’re always visiting your grandparents in London,” she added, trying to lift my spirits.
“I guess but…” I stopped talking when I remembered I was being followed. I didn’t want them to hear me. “I just don’t want to talk about this anymore. It’s too depressing.”
Lily was getting tired of my sulking. “Cheer up, please. He’s not gone yet, so be happy while he’s here. Have you heard from him about tomorrow night?” Lily asked.
“No, I’m not even sure if that’s still on.” Things had changed drastically since he asked me.
“Well, if you’re not, we’ll go the movies ourselves,” Lily said and that comment made me feel worse. Lily started telling me about some boy named Zach that had asked her out. Lily’s story kept my mind off Daniel.
“I guess you forgot all about Chad?”
“I like Chad, but it’s difficult. He’s a GUD, geographically undesirable?”
“I thought you said an hour wasn’t that bad.”
“It’s far,” Lily said sadly.
Back at the apartment, we went to my bedroom. We jumped on the bed and my cell rang. It was Daniel.
“Hi, just checking on you. Are you feeling better?”
“Yes, I feel great! Lily’s here and we’re just hanging out. And you, what are you doing?” I asked sarcastically.
“Not much. The usual,” he answered, sounding frustrated by my tone.
“Are we still doing something tomorrow?” I asked, tired of Daniel calling all the shots.
“If you still want to,” he answered.
“Yes, I do, but I just want to talk. I don’t want to go to the movies.”
“There’s not much more I can tell you. If you don’t want to see a movie, we can do something else. How about Shakespeare in the Park?”
“It’s really hard to get tickets. You have to wait on line for hours,” I said testily.
“I’ll see what I can do. Is Lily coming?”
“No, Lily’s not coming,” I said impatiently and ended the call. It annoyed me that he knew she was over. I wish they’d stop spying on me.
Lily was staring at me like I had two heads. “What was that all about? You sounded so annoyed. Why don’t you want to do anything?” Lily asked pointedly.
“I really don’t know him well and if he’s leaving soon why waste time watching a movie?”
“How did he know I was here?”
“Oh, I told him yesterday,” I lied and dragged Lily downstairs to get some food.
We stayed in and watched movies all night. It was so nice having Lily over even if I wasn’t being honest with her.
After breakfast, Lily and I went for a long walk in Central Park with Amber. Talking all the way, we discovered that we were right by the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre. We looked at each other and started laughing thinking.
One summer, Nana gave me a marionette and I became obsessed with being a puppeteer, so on my ninth birthday, Mom had my party at the theatre, which included a marionette show. Mom made me invite the whole class saying it wasn’t nice to leave anybody out. Vanessa, who was so mean to me in school, actually showed up. After cluing Lily in about Vanessa, we stayed clear of her. The show started and Lily and I heard a commotion. Vanessa was hysterically crying. Her mom hadn’t left yet and she took Vanessa out. In school the next day, I found out she got terrified of the marionettes and now whenever Lily and I see the Cottage we think of her.
Maybe that was another reason Carla hated me. Once on Facebook, someone put up a question asking everyone to post things we were afraid of and someone mentioned Vanessa’s fear of marionettes. She wasn’t afraid anymore, but the joking still hadn’t stopped.
Later that week, someone left a marionette in front of her locker and Carla told everybody that I did it. Even after Evan said he knew who did it and it wasn’t me, Carla and Vanessa didn’t believe him. I gave up defending myself. My friends knew it wasn’t true.
Walking back, Lily’s cell rang and after finishing the call, she told me that there was a change in plans for the evening. Noelle and her mom were coming into the city to see a Broadway show. Noelle’s dad was sick, so they had an extra ticket and since I was busy anyway, Lily said yes to their invitation. They were picking her up for dinner and then Lily would go with home them to Chappaqua since she had a birthday party on Sunday.
Daniel called and said he got the Shakespeare tickets. What was I thinking? Of course, he was able to get tickets, if anyone could, it would be him. I didn’t want to see the play, but he sounded so pleased with himself that I didn’t say anything. Maybe the play wasn’t such a bad idea - after all, it was a beautiful night.
“Can we grab a bite to eat after the play? I have something to do before.”
“Okay.” He’d have to talk then.
After Mom and Dad left for the wedding, Lily and I took her for a quick walk. When we got back, Noelle’s mom was parked at a fire hydrant waiting, so Lily ran in and got her bags.
I grabbed an apple and had some time before I had to get dressed, so I went to my room and jumped on my bed. While listening to music, I stared at my photo wall and noticed the photo of the statue of Benvenuto Cellini on the Ponte Vecchio Bridge in Florence. Along the railing surrounding the statue, couples would lock a padlock and then throw the key into the river to profess their undying love for each other. Back then I thought it was silly, but I was also eight years old. Now, it seemed very romantic.
I noticed the photo of me scowling in front of the Statue of David to the right of the Ponte Vecchio photo. Thinking about that trip made me laugh. Visiting museums started at an early age for me but the first visits weren’t pleasant ones. After some meltdowns in a couple of London museums when I was young, my parents decided to spare the general public from my outbursts by leaving me with my grandparents on all their museum outings. However, that all changed on Dad’s business trip to Florence. They decided that I was old enough to behave properly, but I think it had more to do that they had no babysitter. The first day, Dad had meetings, so Mom and I wandered around the city. I loved the Piazza della Signoria, a large plaza with a lot of animal statues. The Fountain of Neptune and an equestrian statue were my favorites.
That evening for dinner, we returned to the plaza and afterwards strolled around eating gelato. Dad stopped in front of a statue and said it was called “David” but that this one was a reproduction. The real statue had been moved indoors to protect it from the elements. When he said we had plans to see the original “David” by Michelangelo at the Academy Gallery the next day, I said I wasn’t going. I didn’t need to see another David, that this one was enough. Besides, it was just a statue of a naked man, nothing interesting. Glancing at each other, my parents ignored my outburst and I thought that since the conversation was over, I had won.
In the morning, as I was being roused, I realized I was very wrong. I buried my face into my pillow to escape the light as my mother drew the curtains open.
“I don’t want to see any more old stuff,” I cried. Dad tried reasoning with me and explained that I could sleep anytime, but when would I visit Florence again. Honestly, I didn’t care, but I got up when I saw how angry he was getting. At the gallery, I moped and sulked the entire time. Mom took some great pictures of me scowling by the David statue.
Now as I looked at the photo, something in the background caught my eye, so I rose from the bed to get a better look. I had to be imagining things, I thought as I approached. I leaned in closer and couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I yanked the photo off the wall and knocked over the porcelain lamp. It crashed on the floor.
“Oh my God!” I screamed. This was impossible. Shock, disbelief, anger swirled in my head and tears welled up in my eyes.
Almost instantly my cell rang. I stared at the photo again thinking my eyes must be playing tricks on me. Nothing had changed. It was still the same image. Glancing at my cell, I saw th
at it was Daniel.
I answered and said, “Yes?”
“Are you okay?” he sounded alarmed. “What happened?”
It then hit me; he’d HEARD the crash. “Do you have my room bugged?” I shrieked.
There was a long pause and he answered, “Yes.”
“My whole house is bugged? Every room?” I yelled. My mind was reeling from the knowledge that he’d been hearing EVERYTHING. I was so embarrassed about all the things I’d said about him.
“Yes, but not the bathrooms.”
“How nice of you,” I seethed through clenched teeth.
“Let me explain,” Daniel said beseechingly.
“You’ve heard all my conversations with people on the phone and in person. What’s to explain? That pretty much sums it up.”
“Yes, but…” he tried to say something.
I didn’t want to hear it. I interrupted him. “Are my computers bugged?”
“Yes.”
“Have you bugged my cell too? It’s not a tracking device, is it?”
“It’s both,” Daniel admitted. “Please …”
“How dare you? Is this some sick joke?” I yelled. “Are you having fun tormenting me?”
“Of course not, it’s not like that. I’m trying to keep you safe. We all are. That’s the only reason for all of this.”
“Well, I’m sure you’ve had some good laughs at my expense,” I yelled.
“I didn’t laugh at anything you said.”
“I can’t believe that I trusted you. I’m such an idiot.”
“Please don’t say that.”
Was he kidding? I wanted answers and that’s all that mattered right now. “Please come over.” What was I saying? I didn’t want him in my apartment. “No, wait. I’ll meet you in the lobby.” I felt angry and betrayed.
“I’m presuming that you don’t want to go to the play?” Was he kidding? He just told me that he’d been bugging me and he thought I would sit and watch a play with him.
“No, I don’t want to see a play,” I screamed into the phone.
“I’ll be outside in ten minutes,” Daniel said.
I didn’t know what to make of the photo and I wanted an explanation or I had to tell somebody. Who should I tell? All of this seemed so crazy! First, I was almost attacked by goons in the park; now, I learned that besides being under constant surveillance, my home computers and cell were bugged. Dad said that the NSA had gotten into trouble for doing something like this before. Even if I told somebody, nobody knew about EMIT. Who would believe me? One thing I knew, my parents and Lily would.
When I reached the lobby, thinking that I’d have to wait, Daniel was already standing there. He must’ve been outside in a car spying on me and that’s why he couldn’t have dinner before. Carl was helping a tenant outside with their luggage, so Daniel and I had a few moments to talk.
“What’s wrong?” he asked and seemed upset, but that no longer mattered.
“Are you kidding? I just found out you’re bugging my apartment. How dare you ask me what’s wrong?” My voice got noticeably shriller by the time I finished.
“It’s for you safety, while we figure out how to keep these guys from getting to you again,” Daniel said presciently.
“Did you say again? They’re coming after me again?”
“Yes.”
“How do you know that?”
“We know.”
“How? Oh, it’s classified!” I said snidely. I stood there feeling trapped in some sick prank.
“Please tell me, what’s going on!” I begged.
“I can’t say anything more than what I’ve already told you. I won’t let anything happen to you.” Then he looked at me and asked, “Why did you scream?”
“Why did I scream?” I was still trying to comprehend what Daniel had said about those goons coming after me again. His question jogged my memory and I motioned for him to follow me outside since Carl was returning.
As we walked towards the park, I turned and handed him the photo and asked, “Explain this to me. You must be at least twenty-seven years old now if you were nineteen when this picture was taken. You look exactly the same as you do today. I was eight in this picture.”
He stared at the photo, his face went white and he looked visibly stunned. After a few moments, he said, “Can we go to my apartment, so I can talk to you? I can’t have this conversation in the street.”
“I’m not going anywhere with you? How old are you?” I grabbed the photo from him and stuck it in my jeans in case he tried to destroy it like Lily’s photo.
Daniel answered slowly, “I’m nineteen.”
“How old are you in this photo?”
“I’m sorry, but that’s classified.” Daniel glanced sideways and I noticed one of those cars parked across the street.
“I’m sorry. I can’t do this,” I said loudly, but lowered my voice when people passing stared. “You are clearly lying to me.”
Daniel tried to speak, but I turned and walked quickly away from him.
He called out, “I’m not lying to you.”
I stopped and waited for him to catch up. “Then how old were you in this picture?”
Daniel looked away. “I can’t say.”
I wanted to scream. “Well, don’t call me until you can.” Daniel grabbed my arm as I turned, but I shook free. “Please, just leave me alone.”
He followed me to my building. I went upstairs and didn’t know what to do. Should I tell my parents? I really did trust Daniel, in theory, but I knew something strange was going on. How could he look exactly the same as he had nine years ago? I stared at the picture. If he was nineteen now, he would have been ten years old then.
My head was spinning and I didn’t know what to do. This was impossible, yet somehow I believed Daniel or wanted to. Did he have an older brother he never told me about? I never asked if he was an only child. My phone rang. It was Lily but I didn’t want to talk, so I ignored her call. Then Daniel called, but I didn’t answer his call either.
I took Amber for a fast walk in front of the building, knowing that the doorman would see if anything happened and then ran quickly inside to get away from all the craziness. My heart was breaking and I began to sob. Suddenly, I realized my room was bugged and I had no privacy. I needed some noise, so I turned up the volume on my radio and filled my pillow with tears.
I found a note in the kitchen from my parents saying that they’d gone for a walk with Amber. There were fresh bagels on the counter so I took a cinnamon raisin one out of the bag. On my way to the refrigerator, the house phone rang. Who keeps calling?
I answered and heard a French sounding male voice, but there was static on the line.
“I’m sorry. What did you say?” I asked, hoping this was a call for dad.
“Meet me in the lobby in five minutes. Bring the envelope and no one will get hurt, girlie.”
I slammed the phone down. I reached for my cell to call Daniel. It didn’t matter that he lied; I still thought he was inherently good. As I fumbled for my cell inside my jean pocket, it started ringing and it was Daniel.
“We heard everything. Do you know what envelope he’s asking for?”
Hearing his voice made me question my decision to tell him anything. He’d been lying to me and I really didn’t know what to do anymore. “No,” I lied.
“Listen, I’ll be in the lobby. Go find out what he wants,” he instructed.
They wanted me, a seventeen year-old girl, to meet some goon. Were they crazy? Who were the good guys and who were the bad guys? Maybe I should call the FBI or the CIA. I was in such turmoil and my head was spinning.
“I’m not going anywhere,” I answered, slowly recovering from the frightening call. “You go and meet him and arrest him. Then, you can find out everything you need.”
“We can’t. We need you to do it.”
“Are you crazy?” I screeched.
“I won’t let anything happen to you. I pro
mise. You’re safe, and you’re going to be safe,” Daniel said, trying to reassure me.
“How do you know that? Are you God? No one can say that. You never know what can go wrong. I don’t want to be involved in this. Please stop bothering me,” I snapped.
“These people are looking for something and you’re the key.”
“I’m not doing anything until you tell me the truth because I don’t trust you.” I hung up. Ten minutes later my house phone rang and when the machine answered it was a hang up. That continued until my parents got home and then it stopped. All those previous hang-ups were for me I realized. These people were watching me and knew when I was home alone since the landline only rang when I was by myself.
Daniel didn’t call back and I was miserable. I had hoped that he would keep trying, but the faster I accepted that I was just a job, the faster my broken heart would heal.
I overheard Mom talking about dinner and had totally forgotten it was Dad’s birthday.
“Dad, I’m so sorry… Happy Birthday.” Giving him a hug, I ran upstairs to get his gift.
After he opened it, he seemed really impressed and said he had planned on buying the book this week.
While I sat on the couch, I started feeling really queasy. I put my head on a pillow and closed my eyes. Mom asked if I was okay.
“I’m just tired.” I really wanted to say I was feeling sick, but I didn’t want Martin to cancel dinner. Anna had just gotten better from some bug.
I went to my room and wondered what to do. Nothing made any sense. When I heard the doorbell, I ran downstairs and saw Anna burst out in laughter as Mom tickled her. She handed her to me when the oven timer went off.
We sat in the dining room, my favorite room in the apartment. There was a beautiful mural painted on wallpaper affixed to the walls. Mom said she wanted to take the mural with us if we ever moved. Flowering trees adorned the corners and the limbs reached out with leaves and flowers, which extended across the four walls. Painted in pale hues, the effect was very romantic and dreamy. The curtains were a pale grey dupioni silk. Mom found the antique crystal chandelier in a Parisian antique store and had it shipped home.
EMIT (THE EMIT SAGA) Page 14