“Emmy?”
“Is it ok for me to make international calls?” I asked. “Should I hang up?”
“No, don’t hang up. It’s all right. I want to talk to you, I miss you. How are you doing?
All of a sudden I choked up. He was being too nice.
“Emmy?”
I tried to get a hold of myself so I could answer.
“That bad? Was it the chemo?”
I made a huge effort and took a deep breath. “Cassie is really sick. I had to miss work. Mike left. He took the car,” I clipped out.
“Shit. Shit. Let me get a hold of Annie.”
“Annie?”
“If Milos isn’t there, and I’ll bet he isn’t, you can have his car.”
“Really? He won’t mind?”
Luke swore again. “It doesn’t matter if he minds. The company provided him with that car, now the company is taking it back. We’ll get you a car of your own when I get back. Think about what you want.”
Anything with wheels. “You don’t have to buy me all this stuff.”
“Emily, what would you do in my position?” he demanded. “If you had the means to help me, wouldn’t you do it? I’m not even there. Shit. I knew something was going to happen with that guy.”
There was silence over the line.
“Are you crying?” he asked. I couldn’t answer. “Oh, sweetheart.”
I pulled myself together again. “No, I’m fine. Tell me about London. Let me live vicariously.”
“It’s grey.Rainy.Full of foreigners.”He made me smile.
“Do you think you chose terrible places to do business, or is this just indicative of a bad attitude?”
Luke laughed. “It’s bad attitude. I don’t want to be here. I want to be in Michigan with you.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. Or I wish you and Charlie were here. Charlie would love the London Eye, you could see all the museums and landmarks. I’m staying in Mayfair. There are so many people, shops, bikes.”
Bikes. That made me think of Annie. I would keep that incident to myself for now.
“All right, I just sent some emails,” Luke announced. “You’ll get Milos’ car in about an hour. Two, tops. Will that work?”
“Luke, I don’t even know what to say. You’ve helped me so much. Everyone has helped me so much.” I rested my chin on my hand, then jerked back when it put pressure on my sore elbow. Stupid Annie and her lack of glasses.
“Sweetheart, you’re in an impossible, awful situation. You’re doing the best you can.”
It wasn’t enough. Still wasn’t enough.
“When I think back to what I was doing when I was 25…” he trailed off. “I can’t even imagine the pressure you’re under. And if I can help you, I’m happy to. Overjoyed to. It’s my pleasure. Got it?”
I was crying again. “I wish I weren’t such a mess for you all the time.”
