William Jarvis - Sky Valley 03 - Mayhem at the Mansion

by William Jarvis

  She smiled then found herself laughing lightly again. “I’m glad you liked them.”

  “I feel like I just want to hire your services all year!”

  She laughed. “You’ll get tired of those pastries.”

  “Oh I don’t think I will.” He smiled.

  Just then, music enveloped the house. Paolo Nutini’s “Million Faces” played and Frank and Emmy found themselves looking each other in the eyes.

  “May I have this dance?” Frank asked.

  Emmy smiled. “Yes.” She answered.

  She placed her hands on Frank’s shoulders as his hands encircled her waist. They slow-danced to the music.

  “I wish I met you earlier.” He said.

  “Really,” Emmy said, “Why?”

  “I don’t know.” Frank said. “Do you ever meet people and feel like they’re actually people who can be a big part of your life? Like, somehow, you’re connected?”

  She took a deep breath. “That’s well…it’s too early to tell if we’re connected.” She smiled. “But you know…to be honest, I haven’t been friends with anyone in a while. It’s been such a long time, actually. I’m just glad I found you because at least, I don’t feel so alone anymore.”

  “That’s good to hear.” He smiled. “And you know what?” He said. “I think it’s high time that people outside know who made those desserts. I mean, they’re all great and you deserve all the praise.”

  “Oh, I don’t know about that. I mean…they may not really appreciate it if they knew that I’m the one who made all those desserts.”

  “Don’t be silly.” He said. “You’re here. You have to stop hiding.”

  She took a deep breath. She thought about how she planned of taking a stand, and show she actually fought for herself against those gossip mongers at home. So, why can’t she do it now?

  She can. She knows that she can.

  “You’re right.” She said. “I shouldn’t really be scared.”

  “And I’m here.” He said. “I’ll be with you.”

  She nodded her head. This night already seemed perfect. Nothing should go wrong.

  CHAPTER 7

  DESSERTS PREPARED BY WHOM?

  The slow walk down the stairs made Emmy feel all the more queasy. She didn’t know if it was right that she’s allowing Frank to bring her downstairs and introduce her to everyone. She didn’t know if this is what she needs to do. All she knows is that in order to move on from the past, some changes have to be made—and hopefully, she’s making the right changes right now.

  As they went downstairs, Emmy saw the vast number of people around. There was Mara and some of their neighbors, some old friends from school, and people who used to frequent Time for Coffee, as well as Beaches and Coffee. Mainly, these were people who no longer wanted to do anything with Emmy or her family—and that thought scared her more.

  “What is she doing here?” Emmy heard Mara ask one of her friends.

  “Maybe she’s friends with the Frank guy.”

  “Maybe he didn’t really intend to invite her but she pushed him to do so. You know how she operates.”

  “She looks great, though.”

  “Shut it.”

  Emmy wanted to duck away but Frank squeezed her hand. “It’s going to be okay.” He said. He then led her in front of the throng of people and faced everyone.

  “Hi ladies and gentlemen,” Frank greeted. “I really want to thank you all for coming here tonight and for accepting my invitation. I know I am not a big part of the community yet. Well, I may not even be a small part and I guess, that’s the exact reason why I created this party. I wanted you all to know that I’m here now and I want us all to be friends.

  I also made a really good friend recently. And in fact, she helped me out with this party. She made those desserts—those sumptuous desserts that I’m sure, you really enjoyed. I mean, those macarons were divine, weren’t they? And I’m sure you loved those pies.

  Well, without further ado, I would like you all to know who made those desserts. And she’s none other than my good friend, Emilia Marie Byrne.” He went down the stage and held Emmy’s hand. They then both went up the stage.

  Emmy tried to give everyone a smile. She even waved her hand, but while some people applauded, some whispered and talked bad about her.

  “Excuse me?” Mara said. “Desserts made by whom? She’s a killer, if you didn’t know.”

  “Well, there were rumors about her…” One of the women said.

  “Wait, is she the daughter of Troy Byrne? Oh my god!”

  “Have you heard about what happened at the resort? There were like, two deaths there! And the death of Annabeth Meyer is still not fully resolved, is it?”

  “Now, I’m so scared!”

  “Alright, everyone.” Frank said. “Please calm down. You know, I trust Emmy completely. Whatever happened in the past does not have anything to do with this party. You enjoyed those desserts when you didn’t know that Emmy made them so why does that reaction have to change now?

  I know it’s hard to forget the past sometimes but you know what? Emmy’s amazing. And I believe her. And if anyone doesn’t want to get past the past then you’re free to go.”

  Emmy looked at Frank. He said all the things that she has always wanted to hear and for some reason, it made her heart happy. It made her feel that she was actually doing something right and that maybe, even if things were this way, they will soon be okay. She will soon be okay.

  “Thanks.” She told Frank who smiled at her in return.

  “Oh hold up, sweethearts.” Someone said from the audience. It was Grace, Ruby’s sister. She looked beautiful in her black dress but she ultimately looked distraught. With a glass of wine in one hand, she strutted her way to the stage and looked at Emmy from head to toe. “You think you trumped everyone now, huh? You know, I trusted Ruby when she chose you to be her wedding coordinator. I even liked all the stuff that you made. I was still trusting you even after Edward died—“

  “Grace, stop.”

  “No, no, no, sweetheart.” She told Emmy. “You can never ask me to stop. All this time, I’ve been waiting for answers from you and I get none! I lost my sister and I get none!”

  “Grace, I’ve been calling you.” Emmy said, her voice shaking. She wanted to act and look composed but right now, she felt like her defenses were slowly crumbling down. “I’ve called you a lot of times and you never picked up.”

  “And what were you going to say, missy? That you still have no leads? That my sister’s death is now just part of the past and that we should all move on? How can I move on when I feel like everything just happened in vain? And now you’re here, acting like you could move on from this, too? You can’t, Emmy. No matter what you do, no matter how you try to say goodbye to the past, it will still haunt you. It will always haunt you.”

  “I don’t know if I even invited you here,” Frank told Grace, “but for your sake, please get out. Get out now before I call the guards.”

  “Oh don’t be silly.” Grace said. “It’s not me you should be calling the guards at. It’s Emmy. But fine, it’s your party. Enjoy. Don’t thank me after.”

  Then Grace walked down the stage, dropped her glass of wine on the floor, and made her way out of the house.

  Emmy felt like vast gusts of winds shook her. She felt like crashing to the floor but instead, she also made her way down the stage and ran up the stairs to the bathroom where she stayed earlier. She took off her earrings, sat down on the floor without caring if her dress becomes wet, or if she looks like someone who no longer knows what to do because realistically speaking, that’s the truth about her life right now. She cried and cried until no tears came out but her heart was still ripped in shreds. It’s like nothing good could ever come out of her life anymore. Every single time she hoped that things would be okay, things just kept on getting worse. And she no longer wants to live that kind of life and yet, she knew that that’s practically the only life she’ll live r
ight now.

  She didn’t know what to do with her life. She didn’t know if she could still get past this.

  And that thought scared her more than anything else.

  CHAPTER 8

  EVERYTHING’S GOING TO BE ALRIGHT

  Emmy didn’t know how many hours have passed ever since she walked out of the party. She was still in one of Frank’s bathrooms and she had no intention of going out. She did not want to face everyone.

  “Can I come in?” She heard Frank’s voice outside the door. “I come in peace.” He quipped then went on. “Okay, that’s a lame line but…Emmy, no one’s around anymore. Party’s over. You can stay the night if you want, you know where the guest rooms are. But please, let me talk to you.”

  “I’ll be okay, Frank.” She said. “I’ll…I’ll get out soon—“

  “Emmy, please.”

  Emmy then realized that this isn’t her house and that Frank deserved to talk to her. She didn’t want to cause any more hassle, anyway.

  She slowly stood up from the floor and opened the door. She knew that she looked like someone who’s been sad for so long, but she knew that she didn’t have to fix herself anymore. She didn’t know if she could be fixed at all.

  “Finally.” Frank said and gave her a hug. She just stayed in the warmth of his arms for a while. In fact, she just wanted to stay there forever because she didn’t know if she could actually still be okay.

  Then, Frank sat down with her on the floor and they stayed quiet for a little while before he spoke.

  “You know,” he said. “Paris wasn’t just a place of dreams for me. For a time, people at work thought that I was doing something behind their backs. You see, not that I’m bragging but I really worked hard back when I was in school. I aced my exams, I graduated early and I got to this really good company which then asked me to be the head of their office in Paris and of course, I agreed. I mean, it’s a great opportunity and I would be stupid to let it go. So, off I went to Paris, leaving everything behind. I met great people there, and I took that opportunity and made it mine. I wanted people to realize that I’m meant for that job and that I’m supposed to be there. I wanted them to know that I belonged there.

  But you know what I got, Emmy? Ridicule. Shame. Those people made me feel like I should just head back home. Some of my colleagues felt like I didn’t deserve my position and that someone from their side should’ve been the one who was given the position. So, they spread some rumors that maybe, I was shagging my boss. She’s a hot woman, I’m telling you but that position? That was all me. I got that through hard work, not just sheer luck. I proved myself worthy of that position but of course, there are times when people just won’t be able to see that. They think that just because they’ve been there forever, it already means that they’re the only ones who deserve to be promoted.

  And you know what I did? I stayed there. I did not resign. I did not let their words take over my life. Because you know what? Even if I was already so depressed and even if I felt like my whole life would just fall apart. I stayed because I wanted to prove them wrong and I wanted them to realize that I deserved what I got and that they could not bring me down. Because that’s exactly what people think should happen, you know? And that’s why you shouldn’t let them do that. That’s why you should just forge on with your life. And that’s what you have to do, Em.”

  "But it's so hard. Everytime I try, things end up getting worse. I mean, just look at what happened tonight. It's not very fair. And I'm not as strong as you, Frank."

  "Well, Emmy, you are a strong person yourself! You have gone through so much. Look at all those deaths and everything that people said against you and your family. If I were in your shoes, I have no idea what I would've done to myself. The fact that you're still here is a sign that you're a strong person so you should just keep on doing what you're doing."

  "But people hate me, you know?"

  "People will always hate. What you choose to do with that hatred? That's what counts. You're not weak, Emmy, you know that."

  She took a deep breath. "All I want is to fix things." She said. "I want things to be okay but somehow, things just keep on getting worse."

  "Well, you really can't force things to be fixed. They'll be fixed if they can be fixed. And I know you hate hearing this, Em, but sooner or later, things are going to be alright." He held her hand. Her hand was cold and clammy, but he put some warmth into it. "Trust me, okay?"

  She nodded her head. Then suddenly, like a force of magic was around, their faces collided, their bodies moved next to each other, and they were kissing.

  Emmy tried to pull back at first then she eventually face in. She didn't know if kissing Frank was right; she just wanted to get lost in the moment.

  But at the back of her mind, she felt like she should not be doing this so she pulled back after a couple of seconds.

  "I'm sorry, Frank." She aid. "I have no idea what I'm doing. I'm just--"

  "Relax." He said. "You have nothing to be sorry about. I'm sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable."

  "No, it's not that. It's just...I don't know if I'm in the position to even feel good about that. I don't even know if I'm supposed to be happy anymore."

  He smiled and took a deep breath. "You think too much." He said. "Why don't I bring you home? Then tomorrow, I'll visit you. Maybe we can make some cupcakes or something. I mean, if it's okay with you. No pressure."

  She smiled. "You want to do that?"

  "Absolutely." He said.

  She took a deep breath and smiled. "Okay." She said.

  "Okay?"

  "Yes."

  "Great." He smiled. "Now, come on. You'd be sick if you stay in the bathroom all this time. Let me bring you home."

  He held out his hand and she gave him hers. "Thanks." She muttered.

  He smiled. "I told you," he said, "Everything's going to be alright."

  CHAPTER 9

  BOUQUETS

  "Emmy, Emmy..." Emmy heard Ruby's voice say.

  "Ruby? Where are you?"

  "I'm just around, Emmy."

  "Ruby, I'm so sorry."

  "Oh it's you I'm sorry about, Emmy. Look around you. The enemies are just around you and you couldn't see them. Wake up, dear darling, open your eyes."

  "Ruby, wait!"

  "Miss Emmy, Miss Emmy, wake up." Emmy felt Anja by her side, shaking her hard. "Miss Emmy, you're having a bad dream."

  Anja helped Emmy sit up and gave her a glass of water from the bedside table.

  Emmy drank some water and tried to fix herself after. She looked at herself in the mirror and sad how vulnerable she looked like.

  "Are you okay?" Anja asked. "What were you dreaming about?"

  Emmy shook her head. "Same old things." She answered. "Thanks for waking me up."

  "It's okay." Anja said. "I heard you shouting and I was afraid that something may have happened to you. Thankfully, you're okay."

  Emmy smiled lightly. "Thanks, Anja."

  "Oh!" Anja exclaimed. "You know, you'd actually feel even better when you see what's waiting for you outside!" She smiled.

  "What do you mean?"

  "I mean, someone sent you a lot of flowers."

  "What? Who did?"

  Anja shrugged. "That's the fun part." She said. "Come on."

  Anja led Emmy downstairs where she was greeted by a couple of Rose bouquets. There were roses of every color--Orange, Pink, White, Red, and even Blue. They smelled fresh and they were a sight to behold.

  "Wow." Emmy exclaimed as she saw the flowers. They were beautiful. She loved roses a lot and whoever sent these probably knew that.

  But wait…who would actually be sending her all those flowers?

  “Anja, who sent all these?” Emmy asked as she took a bouquet of yellow roses and smelled them.

  “That’s the thing.” Anja smiled. “No one knows, Miss Emmy. Isn’t that fun?” She grinned. “You have a secret admirer! Or wait…maybe Mister Daniel sent those. I mean, during all thos
e times that I met him, I noticed how great of a guy he is and you know…maybe he’s trying to win you back.”

  “Oh no, I don’t think so.” Emmy said. “I mean, I don’t think he has feelings except hatred for me right now. And…I don’t know…I—“

  “Wait,” Anja said. “What if…what if it’s that guy who invited you to the party? You told me he’s going to be here today, right? Maybe, he wanted to surprise you!”

  “Whoa…well…that could happen but…”

  “Oh my god!” Anja said. “Now I’m excited! By the looks of it, he seems to be a grand guy…I’m still betting for Mister Daniel for you though but maybe this guy’s okay, too…”

  “Anja, it’s not like that.”

  “Says who?”

  They both laughed then the doorbell rang.

  “I’ll get that.” Emmy told Anja.

  Anja smiled. “Alright,” she said. “I’ll just be doing the laundry. Call me if anything.”

  “Thanks.” Emmy said then headed towards the door. She opened it and saw that Frank was outside, holding a bouquet of Freesias. Emmy didn’t like Freesias a lot because for her, they were dull flowers. She wondered why on earth he has some in his hands.

  “Frank!” She greeted and gave him a peck on the cheek. “You’re early!” She said.

  “These are for you.” He said as he handed her the bouquet of Freesias.

  “Thanks…” Emmy said. “But Freesias? I mean…the roses I can understand but these—“

  “Roses?”

  “Yes,” Emmy said as she led him in and showed him the bouquets of roses in the living room. “I love roses and I’m glad you got me these…I mean, I’m not really sure if you’re the one who got me these but—“

  “Oh, yes.” Frank said. “Those roses.” He went on, “Of course. All the roses for the most beautiful rose in the world.” He looked her in the eyes.

  She felt herself blushing.

  “And yeah, the Freesias,” he went on, “I just figured they’re beautiful, too. Sure, they’re unconventional but you can’t say that they’re totally bad. And, you know, sometimes, you need the unconventional stuff to make things all the more beautiful.”