Page 54 of The Emma Special

“Listen, I’ve been trying to get through to Jim’s direct line and neither he nor James are answering. Are they in the office today?”

“Yes, ma’am. I’ve—” Emma swallowed a lump in her throat. “I guess they’ve all been in the boardroom. Would you like me to transfer you there?”

“Oh, we better not bother them. If you’d leave a note for one of them to call me back when they have a moment that’d be just fine.”

“All right. Anything else?”

“No, dear. I won’t keep you any longer.”

“Mmmbye.”

With her purse over her shoulder, Emma hesitated in the lobby. Was she expected to stay here until someone evicted her? Would she be escorted off the premises?

If she stayed another minute, Mr. Anderson would ask why she hadn’t served him fresh coffee. Fresh! As if he was incapable of working the simple machine. Why not get a personal coffee brewer for his office if he needed a fresh cup all the time? He was so old and crusty, he probably didn’t know such a thing existed.

Could she walk into that room of suits one last time?

The hallway seemed to go on forever as she stared it down with indecision.

James stepped out of his office and paused when he looked up and saw her.

She was leaving. Leaving right now.

As fast as her knee let her, she turned and hustled the few steps out the front door. Bless the Lord’s grace, Katie’s tank was only half a block away and approaching quickly.

Emma had the door open before the wheels fully stopped. “Go now, please. Please, go.”

As Katie pulled away from the curb, Emma glanced over her shoulder to see James standing at the entrance with one hand raised.

And the walls collapsed. Leaning forward, head in her hands, safe with her best friend, she let out a muffled scream.

“Oh, honey. What happened?”

“Mom was right.” She jerked her head up, tossing her hair over her shoulders. “She was right about me. About everything.”

“No.” Katie swerved around the corner and slammed the brake as she slid into a handicapped parking spot outside the corner pharmacy. “No.”

Katie threw the tank into park. “No!” She unbuckled and turned toward Emma. “Emma Lynn Glass, you had better not have said what I think you just said. You will not be spouting such lies.”

“Mom said I couldn’t do it, and I couldn’t do it.”

“She gave birth to you, and she mostly fed and clothed you for a while, but you are not allowed to believe the evil she speaks over you.”

Emma’s nose burned. “They fired me! I messed up really bad. I think—” A hiccup jolted her words and her mind turned to mush with all of the angry truths fighting to work their way to the top. “I think I ruined an entire trial. I lost the company a fortune. I’ll never get a reference to work for a professional business again. My friendship with James is over. Oh, and his mom.” She slammed her back against the seat and punched her fists into her lap. “His whole family is going to hate me. How can’t they after what I did?”

“I’m taking you to work with me.”

“What? No, just take me home.”

“You can’t sit at home. Not like this. You’re delusional. I have to get back to work. You’re coming with me.”

“I’ve never been to the Fountain Bistro. They’ll take one look at me and kick me out.”

Katie backed out of her illegal parking spot. “You’re with me. Nobody will kick you out—which we aren’t in the habit of doing, you silly. You’re all dressed up anyway. Play the part of executive. I’ll seat you in the corner, bring you food, and you will eat.” Katie reached over and flipped down Emma’s sun visor. “Fix your face. I’ve got a new tube of lip gloss in the glove box.”

Emma was appalled to see her blotchy cheeks and red eyes when she hadn’t even let herself cry. “Good heavens, I’m a sight,” she mumbled. “Hair’s still cute though.”

“Darn tootin’,” Katie chuckled. “Your hair is always cute.”