It's been a long time. Too long, in fact, as Emmy's mind would often deem as an accurate description of the time she spent out of London. These past few years she's been all the around the world, touring Italy, France, the USA, and even flying as far as the Philippines. To say she felt homesick was an understatement.
Yet, when she finally returned to her home, she didn't head straight to her flat and crash there, not leaving for days, even weeks, as she often did after a long trip. Instead, she went in a straight line heading southwest from London, only stopping by her flat to drop off a few things. It was as if she was an over-enthusiastic tourist, going from London to Brighton, to Southampton, to Plymouth, then finally, to Cornwall. She's never found the attraction of touring her own country, but for some reason after this year-long trip, that was the first thought that entered her mind.
Perhaps it was because of the people that resided back in London. They were still needles in her heart, painful to take out, but just as painful to leave in. Yet, these past few years have pulled them out one by one, until only the last two, or rather, the first two remained.
Hershel and Luke, Emmy knew, would remain there forever.
It was a chance that she didn't want to take. There was no doubt that Hershel would've welcomed her with open arms if she were to return, as his gentleman instincts would spur him to do. That, however, was precisely what Emmy was afraid of. Even if the professor and Luke had forgiven her, she'd never forgive herself. She had betrayed two of the only people she cherished in the world, but the longer she stayed away from them the more curious she was about where they were, what they're doing, and how they were.
Perhaps when she finally settles down, they'd catch each other upon pure coincidence…
"Miss Altava? Your pictures!"
Emmy perked up from her seat. "Here!"
She skipped over to the counter, smiling at the man behind it as she took the freshly developed film. The film felt warm in her hands.
The little film developing shop was almost way too convenient, appearing in her sight only moments after she took a few photos. Though to Emmy, convenience meant luck, and luck was always a good thing to have.
And maybe she was a little bit too lucky.
Emmy's hands paused on a photo, eyes narrowing as they caught a hickory top hat, and right next to it, a flat blue cap. Those two were unmissable, and she was sure no other two people in the world would wear hats like those.
They were here, in Cornwall. Just her luck.
Her first impulse was to leave the city immediately, hopping on the first train back to London. However, her second impulse was to do the direct opposite and to search for them back in the street she took the picture, only a few blocks and a turn away.
She did neither.
Instead, she turned towards the direction of her hotel and walked, slowly and hesitantly. Emmy glanced back a few times, but after the fifth, she picked up her pace and swiftly made her way back to her hotel, stopping by a cafe on the way.
Even though her feet have left them in the dust, her mind hasn't. It kept flitting back to the quaint town of Misthallery as she glanced around her, catching houses that looked very much like the town's characteristically tall buildings.
Luke's way with animals, the determination that made him so unique, and the childish excitement for puzzles that he has; Hershel's aptitude for mysteries, his quelling of her agitated spirit, and his infinite charity… It hurt just to think about it. Yet, at the same time, Emmy couldn't help but do exactly that.
At that moment, out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a flat blue cap running towards her. And right behind, an all too familiar top hat.