Mrs. Invisible
Chronicles of Emma Stevens, Volume 1
Christina Hagmann
Published by RWD Publishing, 2021.
This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.
MRS. INVISIBLE
First edition. February 9, 2021.
Copyright © 2021 Christina Hagmann.
ISBN: 978-1393624868
Written by Christina Hagmann.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Mrs. Invisible (Chronicles of Emma Stevens, #1)
Chapter 1 Last Chance
Chapter 2 Phone Call
Chapter 3 Party Prep
Chapter 4 Club Indigo
Chapter 5 VIP
Chapter 6 Back to the Real World
Chapter 7 Shopping Event
Chapter 8 Fed Up
Chapter 9 The Gala
Chapter 10 Housewife/Superhero
Chapter 11 Meeting the Nemesis
Chapter 12 More Than a Mom
Chapter 13 Secrets
Chapter 14 The Meeting
Chapter 15 This Must End
Chapter 16 Save the Day
Chapter 17 Second Honeymoon
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About the Author
To the readers and the dreamers.
Mrs. Invisible
By Christina Hagmann
Chapter 1 Last Chance
Emma eyed Trevor’s bag, sitting propped by the doorway. Even though she knew what it meant, she still needed to ask.
“Trevor?” He looked at her. His eyes were oceans touched with storm clouds. “When will you be home?” She immediately regretted her words, sounding like someone she never meant to be.
A gust of sea breeze escaped his lips. “I don’t know, babe.” Trevor grabbed his laptop bag and casually slung it over his shoulder. “The more time I put in now, the more free time I’ll have later.”
He leaned forward and wrapped his arm around her waist, planting a soft peck on her neck. The stubble on his chin grazed her cheek, and the musk of his soap filled her nose.
When he pulled back only seconds later, she watched him move away from her. She didn’t want to say the words, reminding him that this was their last chance. She silently cursed herself for even thinking those words.
Rearranging the fruit in the bowl on the kitchen island, she tried to sound casual. “Well, Liam will be gone for three weeks.” She looked up from under her bangs to see his response.
Trevor sighed. “I know, Emma.”
Her fists tightened with his words. How was it possible to desperately love this brilliant man while simultaneously hating him? Part of it was that every time she spoke, she felt like she was nagging him. It wasn’t supposed to be this way, but this is where they were.
She didn’t want to remind him that they agreed this was their last run. She didn’t want to remind him of all that was riding on this. She didn’t want to be the one to remind him that there might not be a later.
Instead, she moved over to the sink, put the stopper in, and poured in a couple drops of dish soap. She turned on the hot water faucet and let the steam travel up to her face.
She could still feel Trevor standing there, breathing. Willing herself not to look, she envisioned him coming over and whisking her off her feet. He’d carry her to the bedroom where they would stay all day and only emerge for snacks. A smile played on her lips as she imagined them when they first got together. He couldn’t keep his hands off her, and his charm dazzled her. It didn’t seem that long ago.
A wave of reality crashed down.
Say something, she thought, but as she turned, ready to run to him, she heard the front door close behind him. He was gone. Emma stared at the door for a moment, before returning to finish doing up the breakfast dishes.
Chapter 2 Phone Call
Blowing her shaggy bangs out of her face, Emma scrubbed at the dried spaghetti spot on the tiled kitchen floor. She sat up on her knees to take a break, looking around at her big beautiful kitchen.
When they moved to Dream City, it had been a dream. She never imagined she would own such a big beautiful house at her age. Then again, it was Trevor who had made it all possible. Trevor was the world-renowned scientist, with a sizable savings account and income. Emma was just a passionate young scientist who hadn’t even had the chance to prove herself in the field before settling down with Trevor to raise a family.
Emma knew that there were two camps of people. The first thought that Emma had latched onto Trevor for her own success. That was entirely untrue. The second camp thought Emma had cut her promising career short all for a man, and that it was a tragedy. No one but the people involved knew the intricacies and intimacies of a marriage, but Emma knew in her heart that Trevor loved her. She just didn’t know if it was enough anymore.
She felt that familiar doubt, thick in the pit of her stomach.
When the phone rang, she sighed in frustration. It was only hours ago that Trevor left for work and she was on a cleaning streak. If she couldn’t focus on her marriage, she could at least get caught up on the housework that she put off since Liam had become more of a handful. The phone rang again.
Emma stood and trudged to the kitchen island, scooping up the phone. She pushed the talk button. “Hello?” She questioned, trying to hide the frustration in her voice.
“Hey, Emma,” a raspy voice said.
“Hello?” Emma pressed the phone to her ear, leaning over to hear better.
“Meet me at my house, tomorrow night at eight o’clock. Wear something sexy.” The person on the other end let out a chuckle.
Emma laughed, blowing her bangs out of her face again while sliding onto the nearest stool. “Jane, is that you?”
Disguising her laughter as a cough, the caller continued. “No, it’s your stalker. Wear the tight black dress.” The caller snickered into the phone.
Emma wiped at invisible crumbs on her shirt. “Jane, you’re an idiot.” She looked at the oven. Her next project she needed to tackle.
“Charla and Denise will be in town. It’s been forever since we all got together.” Jane whined and Emma imagined her friend pouting on the other end of the phone.
“Five years. I know, since before Liam was born.” Emma couldn’t even believe it had been that long. In college, they’d been inseparable. Then again, marriage and kids had a way of doing that to friendships. “I don’t know. I have to talk to Trevor.” Emma cringed at her instinctual response. He’d let her go with her friends, but she could hide her hope that Trevor had something planned for them.
“Now you’re being an idiot,” Jane answered, breaking character. “You don’t need to talk to Trevor. It has been ages since you’ve been out on the town with adults. You’re married, not a nun. You can still have a few drinks with the girls. Plus, Liam’s gone. You won’t be missing any of your motherly duties.”
“I know, but Trevor might have something planned,” Emma said. The other end was quiet. Emma knew Jane wouldn’t call Trevor out. Jane loved Trevor, but not more than she loved Emma. And she knew how Trevor was with work.
Emma thought about all the stuff she’d planned to do when she wasn’t trying to save her marriage. She imagined herself curling up in front of the television with a glass of wine. Then she pictured herself getting angry while waiting for Trevor to get home from work, waiting for him to plan something for just the two of them. Her vision shattered.
“Okay, but you are such an ass. Oh, and nothing like waiting until the last minute to
o, Jane?” Emma pulled the phone away from her ear. Jane had ended the call as soon as Emma said okay.
Taking a deep breath, she put the phone back on the counter and dropped to her knees to erase the spaghetti stains.
After finishing in the kitchen, Emma did the laundry and ran to the store for essentials. She just started dinner when she heard the front door open. Looking at the clock on the microwave, she was surprised to see that Trevor was actually home before seven that evening. She bit her lip, fighting the rush of excitement.
“Honey, I’m home!” Trevor yelled. She heard the familiar sound of his bag dropping to the carpeted living room floor and felt a cool rush of air as he entered the kitchen.
“In here.” Emma called over her shoulder as she continued sliding the rest of the green peppers and onions into the pan. She was making Trevor’s favorite spaghetti. He rushed in and wrapped his arms around her waist.
“Tre, don’t make me spill the food,” she laughed at him. He brought his rough, unshaved chin down and as he nuzzled her neck, and she let out a girlish giggle.
“Hey, babe,” he whispered in her ear. The familiar tingles shot down Emma’s spine. “Do we have plans for tomorrow night?” Emma felt her chest tighten. She felt the weight of guilt in thinking that Trevor wouldn’t come through on a plan.
“Why? What were you thinking?” She bit back the hint of a smile as she put down the kitchen knife and cutting board and spun to face him, her arms resting on his shoulders as he leaned in to nip at her nose.
“Well, there’s this conference that Jenny and I were invited to attend. I thought about asking you to go with, but it would be super boring. The only reason I’m going is because they asked me to do the keynote. I’d completely forgotten about it.”
Emma felt her face fall, the heat rising from her neck to her cheeks. The room went still, and she could hear a low rumble. She looked over to the boiling water and dropped her arms. Turning back to the stove, she grabbed the box of noodles and ripped at the top.
“Jenny is going?” Emma asked, trying to mask her disappointment while dumping the noodles in the bubbling water.
“Yeah, as my partner in this project, she kind of has to.” Emma could hear the smile in his voice. He placed his hands on her hips, trying to turn her around, but she wouldn’t budge. He hooked his finger in her belt loop and tugged her around so she was facing him.
His eyebrows creased. “What’s wrong?” he stuttered. “Are you okay?”
Emma felt her eyes well up and she tried to blink the tears back. “I have to stir the noodles so they don’t stick.” She tried to turn, but he still had her anchored in place.
“This isn’t about Jenny, is it?” He studied her face, his eyes darting back and forth between hers.
Emma didn’t know what to say. It wasn’t about Jenny. Years ago, when Jenny and Trevor split, it was because Jenny never wanted a family and Trevor did. Jenny wanted to change the world through science. Trevor wanted the same thing, but was not willing to give up the opportunity to have children of his own.
Emma bit her lip. “Trevor, you know it’s not about Jenny. It’s about us.” Trevor continued to study her face, and she could see him constructing phrases in his head to make her feel better.
“Emma, honey. I know. I just forgot that I promised to do this ages ago, before I knew Liam would be gone.” He ran his hands down her arms. That used to be one of Emma’s favorite comforting gestures, but she couldn’t let that muddle her thoughts.
“But he is gone, and you have been too. This is the first night you’ve come home while I’m still awake.” She looked up at him.
His mouth tightened in frustration. He reached out to grab both her hands and she let him.
“The work I’m doing is important. We have the rest of our lives together, but if someone beats me to the science behind what we’re attempting to do, it’s all for nothing. I thought you understood that.”
Emma stared at the floor and the distance between them. I thought you understood that we meant more to me than science. Emma thought to herself, but she didn’t say it. Years ago, Emma gave up her own dreams of being a successful scientist in lieu of starting a family with the man she loved. She wouldn’t take that back for anything, because it brought them Liam.
“Don’t be mad, Emmy.” He crouched down and looked up at her, his lips puckered in a pout. She couldn’t help but smile. He looked ridiculous, but he also looked sorry.
She shook her head, and he broke out in a grin, wrapping his arms around her waist and nuzzling her belly with his face. Emma squealed at the ticklish sensation, and Trevor scooped her up in his arms.
“The food!” she called out.
He shifted, tossing her over his shoulder so he could turn off the boiling water and frying pan.
“Tre!” She called through bursts of laughter.
“Screw food. I know what I’m having tonight.” He growled.
He carried her from the kitchen, down the hallway to the bedroom and tossed her on the bed. Emma squealed again as she bounced upon landing. This was her Trevor, she thought. And though she had a nagging feeling that this was all a distraction, she pushed that feeling down when he lowered his body on top of hers, letting the waves crash over her.
This was how it was supposed to be. She just wished it could last forever.
Chapter 3 Party Prep
Emma feigned sleeping as Trevor slid out of bed in the morning and disappeared into the master bath. She didn’t want to start another fight, and she wasn’t up for a cheery goodbye.
She concentrated on her rhythmic breaths as he moved from the bathroom to the closet. She could smell the fresh scent of soap and feel a wave of heat roll out from the open bathroom door. He rustled around in the depths of the closet, surely gathering what he needed for his trip.
That familiar doubt lurked back in her stomach. He’d distracted her last night, but that didn’t stop her from being irritated with him this morning.
She could hear his feet padding across the plush carpeting. She listened for him to make his way into the hall, but the noise ceased. She opened one eye and saw him paused at the doorway, his overnight bag in hand. He gazed her way momentarily and Emma squinted so he couldn’t see her watching him.
As he slipped out the door, Emma pulled the blankets back up to her chin and tried to fall asleep.
Her self-pity didn’t last long. After sleeping in, Emma kept herself busy most of the day, cleaning and organizing. She stopped here and there to read a few chapters of the book she’d been meaning to get to and watch an episode of one of her shows that she’d started months ago. Hours ate away at minutes, and it surprised Emma when the clock read five in the afternoon.
Emma drew the water for a bath and filled it to the brim with bubbles. She would take some time to relax with a hot soak before setting to work readying herself for the evening. She didn’t even want to think about what to wear. It’d been ages since she got dressed up to go out with the girls.
After a good hour simmering in the tub, Emma stood in front of her closet, staring at all the fancy clothes that she hadn’t touched in ages. She pulled out a few dresses and tops. What did people even wear out anymore? The worst part was thinking about what her friends would wear. They were all so stylish and traveled in interesting social circles. When Emma wasn’t hanging out with a four-year-old, she was being escorted to various science events. Hardly the glamorous lifestyle.
Emma sifted through her closet no more than three times when she felt panic rising like bile inching up her throat. She reached for her phone and sent a desperate text to Jackie, her young and hip babysitter. Jackie responded immediately to Emma’s plea.
Ignoring the clothes, Emma moved to the master bath mirror. Fixing her face up was something she could do on her own. She wore very little makeup, and she knew just how she liked it.
While leaning over the sink to apply a thin layer of mascara, Emma heard the front door shut.
“Hey,
Mrs. Stevens!” Jackie called up the stairs.
“Come on up, Jackie!” Emma cried, glancing at herself one more time in the mirror before dumping her mascara, foundation, and lip gloss into the top drawer of the vanity. Her nerves were a coil of snakes at the bottom of her stomach.
It was silly. These were her friends she was going out with, and though they wouldn’t judge her, she wanted to wear the right thing and not feel like an outcast.
Stepping out of the bathroom, she moved to meet Jackie at her bedroom door. When Jackie walked in, Emma rushed over to hug the girl.
“Thank you for coming,” Emma said into Jackie’s hair.
“No problem, Mrs. Stevens,” Jackie said with a sincere smile on her face.
When they let their arms drop, they both took the short steps to the walk-in closet and turned to face the racks of clothes. Jackie spoke while sifting through dresses.
“I was confused at first when you sent the text because I knew Liam was gone. But this is good for you, Mrs. Stevens. I think so many married women get caught up in family and forget to stay connected with their girlfriends.”
The corner of Emma’s mouth drew up. Jackie was wise beyond her years and was all about female empowerment. Plus, she had a wicked fashion sense. Emma was once like the girl, but she felt like she’d lost some of that confidence.
“Oh,” Jackie called out, pulling a top out from the back of the closet. She held it up with her smile that stretched from ear to ear. She positioned the top in front of Emma, who stood in front of the mirror.
Emma looked at herself and the low cut of the top. “Oh, that looks too young.” Emma shook her head, handing the top back to Jackie.
“That’s not a thing. Besides, you’re twenty-six, Mrs. Stevens. That is young,” Jackie said, pushing the top back toward Emma. “The green of that top really brings out the green in your eyes.”
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