CHAPTER TWO
Emerson
MY PHONE RINGS AND I see that it’s my boss, Kendra. Putting on my fake happy face, because I really cannot stand that woman, I answer my phone. “Morning, Kendra,” I cheerily singsong.
“I’m sorry, Emerson, but we are letting you go.” I stand there shocked, totally not expecting that. “The company is downsizing and there is no longer a job here for you at Smyth and Co.” With one phone call, my amazing life began to fall apart, if only I knew how far I would fall.
“Can you repeat that, I think I misheard you?” I say, my tone clipped as I’m kind of shocked that this is happening…and over the phone, really? She couldn’t wait forty minutes for me to get in?
“Emerson, do I really need to repeat myself?” her voice laced with resentment before she snottily adds. “We’re letting you go.”
“I’m fired,” I say quietly.
“Yes, Emerson, you’re fired. I’m sorry to do this.” No you’re not, I think to myself. “But times are tough. Do you think you can come in today and clear out your things?”
“Ummm…” I’m still stunned that she’s doing this and I’m too shocked to reply.
Kendra doesn’t wait for my answer. “Great, see you at eleven, Emerson.” And she hangs up before I can say anything else.
I stand there, staring at my phone. I’ve just been fired. I’ve worked there for near on five years and they fire me…over the phone. Without thinking, I throw my phone at the wall; it shatters into a million pieces. Falling to my knees in shock, I stare at my broken phone and begin to sob. Brian walks in when he hears me crying. He stops mid-step when he sees me on the floor in a heap. I look up at him and plead with him subconsciously to hug me. It’s like he’s in my mind and reads my thoughts because he races toward me and wraps his arms tightly around my shoulders. Nuzzling into his neck, I cry until there are no more tears left to cry. He releases his grip on me, I look up at him, and he asks, “Emerson, babe, what’s wrong?” Before I can reply, another sob breaks free, and he wraps his arms tighter around me before pulling me into his lap. Snuggling into him, I fall apart further, his grip tightening around me as I sob into his chest and let out all my frustrations.
After a few moments, I mumble through my tears, “I just got fired.”
I feel his body flinch at my words, as he pulls away from me. “What the hell?”
Wiping away my tears, I give him the rundown of my call with Kendra. “The bitch did it over the phone?”
“Yep,” I say, letting the P pop.
“Wow, that’s low, even for her.”
Shaking my head with a small laugh, I scoff, “Doesn’t surprise me at all, really. You’ve met Kendra, you know what she’s like.” Standing up, I take a seat on the edge of the bed, “It’s probably for the best anyway. You know I wasn’t happy there, maybe it’s a blessing in disguise.”
“You, Emerson James, are amazing. You’ve just been fired…over the phone, by the way, and you are looking at it positively. This is one of the many reasons that I love you.” He hops up and kisses me on the forehead before taking a seat next to me. We sit in comfortable silence until Brian slaps his thighs, my head snaps around, and I see his eyes wide open in excitement, his lips smirking; he has a plan. Jumping up, he excitedly yells “Okay,” He turns to face to me and places his hands on my shoulders and squeezes. “You finish getting dressed because ‘Operation Cheer Emerson Up’ is about to commence.” He pulls me up and hugs the life out of me. “Today, I’m going to make you forget you ever knew Kendra what’s-her-face or the assholes at Smyth and Co.”
“I love you so much, Brian. Thank you for making me feel that this isn’t going to be a completely shitty day.”
Who knew that getting fired was just the start of my shithouse day from hell?
* * *
After we finish getting ready, Brian calls in sick and I call Dave. He answers on the second ring, “You playing hooky today, Sissy?”
“Fired,” I reply abruptly.
“Ha ha, very funny.”
Interrupting him, I say, “Dude, I’m not kidding. Kendra just fired me over the phone.”
“What a bitch.”
“You are the second person to say that today.”
“Then it must be true.” He pauses. “You okay?”
“Yeah, I think I am. Surprisingly.”
“Of course you are. You are Emerson James.”
“Yes, that is my name. Thanks for reminding me, I totally forgot what my name was.” I laugh. “I don’t know what I’m going to do next, but I feel okay with it.”
“You can always go work with Dad?”
“Yeah, nah, that’s not gonna happen.” Dad and Mom own and operate the James Corporation. They built it from the ground up and today it’s a profitable Fortune 500 company. “I love Mom and Dad dearly, but I don’t want to get a free ride, per se. I’ll make my own way—like I always have—and if I get desperate, I can dip into my trust until I get back on my feet.”
“You are so stubborn, E.”
“And you wouldn’t have me any other way, big brother,” I reply softly, with a sweet and innocent tinge to it.
“Actually, it’s because you are my lil’ baby sister and I have no choice.”
I scoff in reply; I knew Dave would help make this situation not feel so hopeless. I look up and see Brian, leaning against the doorframe, he’s spinning his fingers in a wrap it up motion. “Dave, I gotta run, but since I’m free, wanna do lunch tomorrow?”
“It’s a date, Sissy. See you tomorrow. Love your guts.”
“Love your guts too.”
Ending the phone call, I smile and look to Brian. He stretches out his hand in my direction and I walk toward him. He grips my hand, and pulls me into a hug. I snuggle into him while he explains our day to me. I’m amazed that in the space of thirty minutes, he has a magical day all planned out to cheer me up. First, he accompanies me into work to collect my things. Of course, Kendra is there, rubbing it in my face that I’ve just been fired. Bitch, I think to myself as I pack up my desk. All things considered, I think I did well not to vagina punch her on my way out. After clearing my desk, I head up to marketing to say goodbye to the guys there. We make plans to meet on Friday at The Five Lounge over on Madison for a night of cocktails, karaoke, and dancing. I really have great ex-work colleagues and friends.
We drop all my crap back at our loft apartment and before we head back out again, he showers me with love, affection, and an orgasm or two. He makes me forget all about the horrible morning I have just had. After showering and getting dressed—again—Brian and I head out into the city that I love and he bequeaths me with the most magical day of my life. Without even trying, he effectively makes me forget all about being jobless.
Our first stop on Brian’s ‘Cheer Emerson Up Day’ is Central Park, my most favorite place in the world. We take a horse-drawn carriage ride through the park, just like we did on out first date seven years ago. We snuggle together under a blanket, our fingers entwined, my head resting on his shoulder. The moment is perfect, even with the chill in the mid-November air. As we pass over the bridge, I nuzzle into Brian and think to myself, we will be in for a cold winter this year.
Looking up at Brian, I say, “Thank you, you always know how to make me feel better.”
“Ems, I will do everything in my power to make you happy. You make me happy every day, and I’m so glad that we get to spend the next seventy plus years together doing so.” Leaning down, he gently places his lips on mine and we kiss. With this one kiss, all my worries cease to exist, and I feel that everything will be okay; it will all work out. If only I had held on tighter to him in this moment, because less than six hours later, I would be all alone, broken, and nothing would be okay or the same again.