Chapter Fifteen
Emily
I stand on the street corner, watching his car go by. I don’t want him anywhere near me ever again. I start to wonder if he’d planned the whole thing and through my tears, I call Michelle. Maybe if she’s at home, then I’ll talk to her about the whole humiliating experience that I suffered tonight.
“Michelle, are you home?”
I blurt out as soon as she picks up the phone. My voice is muffled, and I should have tried to calm down before speaking to her, but I’m so upset. Heartbroken and I can’t stop fucking crying.
“Yes, yes, what’s wrong?”
“Everything!”
“Okay, just come over. Calm down, and then we’ll talk, okay?”
“On my way.”
“Or maybe I should come to you? Are you at home?”
I shake my head, “No, I’m out, but I can come to you. It’s okay. I’ll just grab a taxi.”
She sighs, “Good. I’m waiting okay?”
I nod, “Okay.”
Then I hang up, and I feel guilty for calling her at nearly midnight, just because I’ve been a fool. Maybe I should have waited until the morning, but I know one thing for sure. I’m not sleeping tonight. I’m so fucking mad and upset.
I walk up a bit, and within no time, I manage to hail a cab. After I give him the direction, I manage to wipe most of my tears on my dress and to take in a few deep breaths and close my eyes for the short ride allowed me to calm down. Just a little bit.
By the time I pass the taxi, then buzz her apartment, the tears start falling once again. I can’t help myself, as much as I’m trying to control myself. I’m not doing a good job.
“Emily!”
Michelle screams as she opens her door in her pj's. I feel guilty that she must have been sleeping when I called, but the look of concern on her emerald eyes tells me that she’s more concerned about me.
“Michelle, he used me!”
I run into her arms. She pats me on the back, and her soothing voice reassures me that, she’s not bothered. She’s more worried about my emotional state at the moment.
“Come on, let’s sit down. Do you want a drink?”
I shake my head as she goes to shut the door and I dump my purse and my body on her sofa.
“So, we’re at dinner. Marvin and I. Then Brenda who owns ‘or so I thought’”, I use my fingers to highlight the fact that I’ve been so wrong about the owner of Silk Box.
“Bumps into me and then tells me that Marvin owns Silk Box. Not her. She’s just the ….”
I don’t even know her position.
“So the face or whatever of Silk Box?”
I nod my head, “Yes, and he owns it.”
She sighs with a puzzled look on her face, “So, how did he use you?”
“Well, he told me about the deal and that I had to go to Vegas with him to keep The Glimmer & Dazzle running.”
I’m crying, and she’s trying to make sense of it all.
“I’m lost. He owned the competitor and gave you money and a hot time in Vegas, but he’s using you?”
I feel as if I’m talking to a brick wall, she’s not listening at all.
“Yes.”
“But how Emily? He gave you money to run your company. His main competitor. How is that using you?”
I sigh, “You’re not listening.”
“I am. But it makes no sense. What did Marvin say?”
I stop crying because when I tell her this part, she’s going to think that I’m going over the top and after speaking to her. I think that maybe I am a little.
“He said to discuss it at home, and he didn’t want to talk about it on the street.”
“I see,” she clears her throat and says, “Look I get that you’re upset that he never told you. The fact that Brenda’s the face of the Silk Box, most likely means that he has nothing to do with the day-to-day runnings of the company. And doesn’t Marvin own loads of different types of companies.”
I stop facing her and put my head at the back of the sofa and sigh, “I guess.”
“So, most likely this is just one of them. I bet he didn’t even remember that he owned it.”
She grabs my hand and then leans after the sofa next to me.
“Emily, you get all wound up over things all the time.”
I lift my head up, “What do you mean?”
“Well, like designing you call all crazy and obsessive and shit. The same thing.I hate to say it; you’ve been doing with Marvin. It’s been all about Marvin this, Marvin that. Before that, it was all about the designs. You get all emotional about things, which is great. But I think that we both know that Marvin didn’t do anything wrong, but I get why you’re mad at him. Just try not to be mad forever.”
I mumble, “I’ll try. But it’s going to be hard.”
She shakes her head, “It’s going to be fucking hard because you’re as stubborn as hell. Maybe just take some time out and work on the business again and then after then see how you feel about Marvin.”
“I’ll try, but it’s going to be hard.”
“As I said, girlfriend, you’re as stubborn as hell!”
I drop her hand and then hit her as my tears turn to a laugh. I know that she’s right, but Marvin kept it from me for a reason. He was aware that he owned the main competitor, the one company that I hate at the moment. All the time that we were together, he never told me, and that fucking hurts. Cuts like a fucking knife. Mainly because I never realized until that moment, that I'd fallen head over heels in love with the man.
Chapter Sixteen
Emily
Dammit!
Dinner had been great, had been amazing in fact, and I'd had a long night planned for us. If only it didn’t get ruined by the last person I expected to meet.
I may not like Brenda at the moment, but business is still important. I’m not going to go after Emily right away. Especially after the way, the evening ended so badly. She needs time to calm down and see things. Well, at least be ready to hear my side of the story. I may own the company, but the day-to-day business is down to Brenda. She’s a family friend, and I was asked to invest in a viable business.
Emily had turned me down time and time again. I don’t believe in putting all my eggs in one basket, so I invested in The Silk Box. I’m a silent owner who has the final votes on the main decisions. Anything else is down to Brenda. I won’t apologize for that, then again what do I have to apologize for?
I have work to catch on, and besides, I’ve been so distracted with Emily lately, that I’ve as good as forgotten about it. Well, not entirely, but I haven’t been paying as much attention to it all as I’ve done in the past.
“Roger, what’s this email about?” I shout out as I read the lines of my email.
He rushes in as if there’s a fire, probably not used to my tone. I never use it with him, because I never have to. He’s so damn efficient at the worst of times.
“There’s a shipment that came in from Europe. You’ve been a little difficult to reach recently, so I haven’t had the chance to let you know, yet.”
Goddammit!
This isn’t working; I need to go home. I’m going to be shouting at Roger for the rest of the day, and I’ve got a fucking headache.
“Sorry, Roger. I’m going to get out of here.”
He nods knowing that my bad mood has nothing to do with him. I just haven’t been paying attention. I wonder for a second if I should take my Mac with me. I decide against it as I pick up my phone and head out of the door.
“Have a good night.”
“You too Roger and sorry about before.”
He smiles, “I know that you’ve been stressful lately. Don’t worry about it. Just make sure that you get some rest.”
I’m about to say something, but then I decide against it as I’m about to walk out. I was going to ask him if he wanted a beer. I could do with a bit of company and see as the only real friend I have is Ben. He’s the last one that I’ll be calling for a beer.
I head down the hall to the elevator. Press the button and then all the time the elevator’s going down, there’s only one person on my mind.
Emily!
Fuck it!
I start to dial Emily’s number as I get out of the elevator. The first time she doesn’t answer. The second time it goes to voicemail, and the third time she’s switched her phone off. She’s angry, and I should give her time. But it’s so damn hard!
Things have been good between us, even better than our Vegas weekend. But now, Emily’s not taking my calls this is going to be so damn hard.
This could mean that there’s only one option. Going to talk to Ben. Something that I didn’t want to do. Not yet. This isn’t how I imagined breaking the news of our relationship with him, but I call and ask him to meet me, anyway. He sounds exhausted on the phone, but this is something I've decided to do, and I intend to carry it out.
***
We meet the next day in a garden restaurant for lunch, out in the open and away from anyone that works for me. They tend to go to lunch near work or stay in the building.
“Marvin, it's been a while.”
I pat him on the back in silence, and then I motion for him to sit down.
“A lot has happened in the time since,” I say, and he nods. I imagine he has his stories to tell.
“Yeah, Sharon’s been great, and Emily’s been quiet lately. Have you heard from her?”
“Me. Why would I hear from her? What about her friends, Michelle and Katie. I’m sure that they would have heard from her.”
“Wow, I’ve never known you to be all defensive,” he laughs nervously, and I can sense that I’m not the only one that has something to ask, he does too.
“Fuck it; I need a drink!”
“To tell me about you and Emily?”
He raises an eyebrow. I can’t believe that he knew all along.
“How did you know?”
He laughs, “When you went to Vegas. Katie called because Emily wasn’t picking up her phone. She called Michelle, and you know what women are like. Anyway, it seems that they were worried because Emily’s been so stress lately with the business.”
“Two G&T’s,” I signal to the waiter, but I’m still shocked about Ben knowing all this time.
“And you never said anything?”
He shakes his head, “We’ve been friends a long time, and I know that you’re not the type of guy to take advantage of her. And you can’t help who you fall in love with.”
I nod my head, thinking that my oldest friend make’s perfect sense. I feel a fool forever been nervous about the whole thing.
“No. I knew that when you and Emily were ready to tell the world. We would be the first on your list. Besides I’m not the kind of guy to interfere in my daughter’s love life. Anyway, things aren’t great for me at the moment. I don’t want to think of anything else but good things at the moment to keep me going.”
“Tell me, what’s going on?”
He shakes his head, and we both know that I’m not going to be fobbed off with a simple head shake. There’s something bugging him, and I want to know the reason that he seems so nervous.
“I’ve decided to close up shop. I’m folding the business.”
“What the..”
“Marvin I know that I could turn to you, but how many times can you bail me out. This has been a long time coming. You want to hear the funniest thing about it all?”
I shake my head wondering why he never came to me?
Feeling like a fool for mopping around and all the time ignoring the one friend that I’ve known since college, needed help.
“What?”
He sighs as he finishes his drink and signals to the waiter for another one.
“I feel fucking free. I don’t have to worry about my marriage being on the rocks for staying out late. I don’t have to think about anything twenty-four-seven. I didn’t realize until now, that I’ve been running a business that hasn’t made any profit for years and I’ve been trying to keep it above water for all the wrong reasons.”
“What do you mean?”
“The only reason I’m even doing all this is for sentimental reasons. I should have shut up shop a long time ago.”
“Don’t say that,” I shake my head trying to get rid of the guilt and trying to make some sense of it all.
“I’ve sold it. Someone else can deal with the shit, and it’s enough to pay off the loan. Barely. And that’s the most important thing. Not having to move. So, it’s not all bad.”
“I suppose,” I whisper as I start to knock back my drink and get rid of the pain. The ache of missing Emily and not helping my friend when he was in need, even if he says that he’s happy the shock of it all hasn’t hit him. I’m sure that in few days, he’ll be regretting his decision. That part I’m certain off for sure.
“Now, you going to tell me your side of the story?”
“Ben, what do you mean?”
He laughs, “I know that you called me for a reason. It wasn’t to tell me that Emily and you were over. It was for another reason. I already know that something’s up. Katie's been on the phone.”
“You’re one step ahead of me. Aren’t you?”
He laughs, “For once in my life I’m ahead of you. Not the other way around. Now, are you going to tell me what happened? Or am I going to have to listen to Emily’s side of the story?”
I shake my head, but as I start to tell him. He comes out with something that I could kiss him for right now.
He’s going to help, just as I’d hoped he would and it’ll just involve Emily listening which is something that she’s not doing at the moment. I know that it’s a glimmer of hope, but that’s all I have right now.
Hope that she’ll at least listen and I know that at least if she does that then maybe, just maybe she’ll see that I’m not evil.
I was just a man after her heart.