“How are you?” I sat in the chair next to the bed.
“Same as before, fine. I’ll humor your mom and the doctors, but Monday I’m going back to work.” Mom was going to have quite a battle keeping him home.
“I’m sorry about London.”
“It’s only for a little while. Maybe we’ll go for a long weekend in the fall. We’ll check your school schedule and see what days you’re off and work around it. We’ll go for Thanksgiving.”
Looking at him confused, I said, “Ah, Dad, Grammy would get really upset.” Thanksgiving was always at Grammy’s house on Long Island. It was tradition. How could Dad forget that? Was his concussion messing with his memory? I had to tell Mom.
He furrowed his brow and looked bewildered, but then there was a flicker in his eyes. “You’re right. What was I thinking?” he laughed, shaking his head. “I meant for Christmas.” Nothing else that he said troubled me, yet I was still scared.
Downstairs, Lily was texting and Daniel was reading the newspaper. I couldn’t believe all the things that had taken place recently. As I stood there watching Daniel, he glanced up and smiled. Everything I had been through was worth him.
I found Mom in the kitchen and told her about Thanksgiving. She said she’d watch him.
Back in the living room, I told Lily that we found the other envelope and she was so relieved. When I told her that Daniel and I were going to London, she said she was jealous.
Daniel suggested an Italian restaurant and Chad met us there. Afterwards, we went to a movie. Out and about like a normal couple and not having to worry that goons were going to attack or kill me was very liberating.
“Lily, stay over tomorrow night, too. Your parents were supposed to pick up Amber on Saturday, now they don’t have to. They could swing by and get you instead on the way to Grammy’s.”
“They did want to see Uncle Oliver. I’ll ask Mom.”
19. LONDON
“Truth is what stands the test of experience.” Einstein
Lily woke me when she got up. I rolled over to see that it was seven o’clock. Lying in bed staring at the ceiling, I decided to get my packing started, so that Daniel and I’d have more time together. Thoughts of his beautiful face kept me very focused. When Lily came out and saw me packing, she was surprised and kidded, “I know you want to see Daniel, but I’d still be sleeping.”
“If you could see Chad, you’d be up early too,” I said, knowingly.
Lily left and I called Daniel.
“You got up early this morning. For me I hope?” Daniel asked.
“Always for you.”
“I’m very glad. Let’s pick up breakfast and go to my place. How about in thirty minutes?”
“Okay.”
I walked by my parents’ room and the door was shut so I went downstairs. Mom was in the kitchen reading the paper.
“I was afraid to go in your room. Is Dad still sleeping?” I asked. Mom nodded. “I’ll see him later. I’m meeting Daniel for breakfast.”
“Okay, have fun.” I was waiting to hear a lecture, but there wasn’t one.
The elevator door opened and there he was standing against the wall in the lobby waiting for me. “Hey,” he grinned and I walked into his arms. People were entering the lobby, so we separated, but held on to each other tightly. On the way up Columbus Avenue, we stopped at a bakery and picked up some pastries, muffins, fruit and coffee.
After breakfast, I wandered around the apartment and snooped, knowing that Daniel was the real owner of the apartment.
In the library, I found photo albums on a bookshelf. I handed one to Daniel and asked him to tell me about the photos.
“You’ll be so bored. They’re just pictures of me when I was young.”
“I want to see them. You saw pictures of me. Wait, you were there when I was young,” I huffed. Daniel grabbed the album with one hand and my hand with the other. Pulling me into the living room, he motioned for me to sit on the couch.
Page by page, Daniel lovingly told me about each photo and explained what was happening in each. Whenever, the photos were of his parents, his voice sounded wistful. At the end of the album, I decided one was enough because there was plenty of time to see the rest.
Daniel got up and got his guitar. “Don’t I owe you?” he joked, facing me.
“Yes, you do.”
“I wrote this song for you,” he said.
“Really!” I was so surprised. No one had ever written anything for me.
“It’s called Mental Crossroads. I hope you like it, but if you don’t just lie,” he kidded.
“He's standing at a mental crossroad,
Drowning in his frantic thoughts.
Should he tell her the very secret
That might rip them apart?
He spent his whole life trying to look past it,
But now it stares him in the face.
It could lead to his life being shattered
Just as it was falling back into place.
Who knows where decisions will lead us.
I think life is just a tapestry
Of little coincidences, hard decisions.
Who knows where fate will blow us,
So let's just cross our fingers and open our minds.
Maybe that's how we'll find our way.
She spends all day thinking,
Lying on her bed with a distant stare.
She always thought that she loved him,
But for this secret she was unprepared.
Part of her wants to run away from the relationship,
But part of her wants to run straight into his arms
To hear him tell her it'll be okay now,
To reassure her they can keep moving on.
Who knows where decisions will lead us.
I think life is just a tapestry
Of little coincidences, hard decisions.
Who knows where fate will blow us,
So let's just cross our fingers and open our minds.
Maybe that's how we'll find our way.
And by the way if you're wondering about them.
Well they turned out okay.
I guess the world has a way of working everything out
The way it was meant to be.
Who knows where decisions will lead us.
I think life is just a tapestry
Of little coincidences, hard decisions.
Who knows where fate will blow us,
So let's just cross our fingers and open our minds.
Maybe that's how we'll find our way.”
His singing voice was much lower than when he spoke. When he finished, I started clapping and said, “I loved it. What a great song!”
“You inspired me.”
“Really? That’s the same reason, I wrote some too.”
“You did? When do I get to hear yours?”
“Probably never. Mine are sappy. I’m so glad I never sang them.”
“I’ve heard you sing and you have a great voice.”
“It’s so weird the stuff you know about me,” I said shaking my head and I looked down the long hallway at all the closed bedroom doors. “Can I see your bedroom?”
“Sure, come on,” he said and helped me up.
After I walked in, I almost fell over. On one wall there was a huge framed corkboard and there were at least fifty pictures of me from different years. I swung around and looked at him as he watched, smiling.
“So I have a picture wall, too. Do you like it?” Daniel asked.
“How did you get these?”
“Over the years, we needed to take pictures of your family to show the new agents. Whenever you aged they took new ones and James put the discarded ones in your file. After we met, I found them and made a collage for my wall. It’s my homage to you,” he joked as he walked over and started kissing me. No wonder James didn’t like me, it all made sense now.
Regaining my composure, I looked around his room and saw there were also pictures of his
family and grandparents. His room was quite sparse and it was apparent that he didn’t spend too much time there. The focal point in the room was a beautiful wooden four-poster bed.
“Now that’s a very royal bed,” I joked.
“It was my parents, so I kept it.”
“It’s beautiful,” I said. As I walked further inside, I noticed an open door leading to another room. Peeking in, I saw that it was an office. On one wall was a framed poster that read, “Keep Calm and Carry on” with a crown overhead. “What’s this?”
“It was a poster that my dad had in his office. In 1939, the British government put these posters up to calm Londoners anxious about the war with Germany.”
Everywhere I looked, it was spotless and it was diametrically opposite to what I envisioned. At the same time, Daniel wasn’t a typical nineteen year-old guy. “This apartment is so clean!”
“I have a housekeeper who comes in weekly.”
“But if you’re not here for months or even years, why use a housekeeper?
“It still gets dusty and I want it to be clean when I do come.”
“How do you pay for it?”
“EMIT has a department where a staff takes care of all the travelers monthly bills.”
“They think of everything.”
“They have to.”
“What about laundry?”
“I have a washer and dryer down the hall and there are laundromats and drycleaners that pick up and deliver.”
“But if you’re not here?” I asked.
“The doorman holds it and when the housekeeper comes she puts it in the apartment.”
When I sat on his bed, I really felt uneasy.
Daniel asked, “You okay?”
“Yeah, suddenly I got very nervous,” I admitted.
“Paige, you wanted to see my bedroom, I didn’t suggest it.” He was right.
He leaned over to kiss me and we fell backwards on the bed. Delicate kisses brushed my face, my neck, and my shoulders, ending at my collarbone. He was driving me insane. Things were escalating when Daniel stopped, looked at me and stroked my face.
I noticed his tattoo and had to ask, “What is this for?”
Daniel was reticent to answer me, but finally said, “It’s the markings of where my hand goes on the machine.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Under each dot, there is a tiny chip. The three chips and my fingerprints authorize the use of the time machines.”
“Wow.” Every day I learned something new.
“Let’s get out of here. Its almost one and I’m starving.”
When we exited the Dakota, I almost collided right into Eden. Paul and Billy were with her.
“Paige, how are you? How’s your arm?” asked Eden in a happy mood. Eden had called after my accident, but I never called her back. Billy said nothing and when he glanced at Daniel, he looked scared.
“It’s fine. This is my boyfriend, Daniel. Daniel this is Eden, Billy’s sister, and Paul, Eden’s boyfriend. And you know Billy,” I said in such a sarcastic tone that Eden was surprised.
“Hello Eden, Paul,” Daniel said, ignoring Billy. Eden glanced from Billy to Daniel to me confused by the apparent animosity.
“Is there something going on here?” she asked.
“I was going to call you, but I got hit by a car and honestly, I forgot, but I need to tell you something about Billy.”
Billy was getting agitated and flustered. “Nothing happened. I don’t know why you’re bringing it up,” he snapped.
As I talked, my voice cracked with hatred, “How dare you? You almost raped me.”
Eden gasped, “What are you talking about?”
“I went to the movies with Billy one night and he attacked me. Daniel saved me.”
“Oh my God,” said Eden, staring at Billy in disbelief.
“She’s lying,” Billy countered. “She’s making this all up.”
Paul stood silent not knowing what to do.
“No she’s not, you jerk,” Daniel said. “I wanted her to call the police, but she refused.”
“Eden, the only reason I didn’t call was because we’re friends. You really should tell your parents. He needs help. I can’t be the first girl he’s tried taking advantage of and one of these days he’s going to hurt someone, if he hasn’t already.”
Eden stared at me and didn’t know what to say.
Billy looked disgusted and said, “Don’t believe her. She’s crazy. She came on to me and I turned her down, so now she’s out for revenge.”
I laughed and wanted to get away from him. “Eden, have fun in California. Email me when you can.” As we walked away, I called out,” Get help, Billy, you need it.”
Eden and Paul stood there in shock. My legs were shaking from the heated exchange.
“You really should’ve pressed charges,” said Daniel.
“It would’ve been his word against mine.”
“You forget. We have it recorded.”
“And what would I’ve said to the police as to why I recorded my date? What would I have said to my parents about the surveillance in our apartment?”
“We would have figured out something,” Daniel answered.
“It’s over. I never want to think of Billy again. How come he looked so scared of you?”
“I paid him a visit and had a little chat with him,” Daniel snickered. Whatever he had said or done, Billy deserved it.
“So where are we going?” I asked, as we entered the park.
“To the Boathouse.”
“I love that place. Can we go for a boat ride? You’ll have to do all the work though.”
“No problem, I rowed in school.”
“Of course you did, but that was a hundred years ago,” I chided.
“You’re going overboard,” he retorted and hugged me.
Musicians and performers were everywhere. Hand in hand, we talked and teased each other until we all the way to the restaurant.
Daniel requested a table on the deck and we sat in the wicker chairs overlooking the water. The table next to us was celebrating something. They were clinking champagne glasses.
“You can’t legally drink!”
“I do have an ID that says I’m twenty one if I need it for work, but I’m not much of a drinker. One wine or one beer is really my limit.”
Looking at the lake and the boats, I saw the gondolier and remembered that at Daniel’s school everybody wore a boater hat. “Instead of a row boat, how about a gondola ride? You’ll feel right at home with that hat,” I joked.
Daniel smirked. “You are so funny.”
“I’m kidding. If we do a gondola ride, you can relax too.” Daniel agreed and left to make arrangements.
After we ate, we walked around until it was time for our ride. Daniel said he booked an hour.
Gliding effortlessly through the water, cradled in Daniel’s arm, I had no worries.
“So do you miss the boater hats?” I teased.
“Sometimes,” he answered.
“Do you think Harrow still has the same traditions? You were there so long ago.”
“Little has changed. They pride themselves on tradition.”
I told him all about my grandparents, my Aunt Lucy and Uncle Blake, my two crazy cousins, David and Liam and all about Emma and her brothers, Lane and Damian. Daniel might like them since they were theoretically the same age. I’d been emailing Emma all about Daniel and she couldn’t wait to meet him.
Walking back home, I had a text from Lily inviting us to join her and Chad at some party. There was also a voicemail from Mom to call home.
“Hi what’s up?” She wanted me come home and have dinner with her and Dad.
Having heard my side of the conversation, Daniel knew. “Dinner with your parents, huh?”
“Yeah, but I’ll see you right after. I got a text from Lily about a party. What do you think?”
“Whatever you want to do is fine with me.”
At my
building, Daniel said he had some packing to do and would wait for my call.
Mom was in the kitchen cooking, so I ran up to see Dad. Newspapers were flung all over the bed and he was talking on the phone. He smiled and patted the bed for me to sit and wait.
When his call was done, he asked, “What have you been doing all day?”
“Daniel took me for lunch at the Boathouse and then we took a gondola ride.”
“That sounds like fun,” Dad answered. “Is he joining us for dinner?”
“Mom never told me to invite him.”
“We wanted to talk to both of you about London,” Dad added, confused.
“I’ll go downstairs and ask her.”
The salad spinner was whizzing and Mom was so deep in thought that she jumped when I entered the room. “Are you okay?” I asked.
“Yes, I’m thinking about a new project at work.”
“Dad asked if Daniel was coming for dinner, but you never mentioned it.”
“I didn’t?” I shook my head. “Yes, please invite him. I thought I had. Between Dad, you leaving for London and my job, I’m all over the place.”
I called Daniel and he jokingly said he was nervous to come over.
When I went back to see Dad, I found that he was sleeping. Tiptoeing out, I went into my room to finish packing. I picked a week’s worth of things since I could do laundry at Nana’s. I needed to leave room in my luggage to go shopping in London. My favorite store there was Topshop. The New York store didn’t have a lot of the things that the London store had.
As I grabbed some shampoo from the bathroom, I saw Lily coming up the stairs.
“Hey, how was your day?” she asked.
I told her what happened with Billy.
“I’m so glad Eden knows. What did Daniel say to him that he was so scared of him?”
“I don’t know and I really don’t care. I never want to think about Billy again,” I answered.
The doorbell rang and I ran downstairs to find Daniel in the foyer with Mom.
“Daniel, I’m sorry about forgetting to invite you before. I’ve been a little overwhelmed with things,” I overheard her saying.
EMIT (THE EMIT SAGA) Page 33