A New York Thanksgiving
Emily slammed the phone down on its cradle and leaned forward, her head resting on her arms. She silently let the tears flow unaware that she had a small audience. Matt had walked up towards the end of her conversation and wondered what the best strategy was for this situation.
He strolled up behind her placing a hand on her back. Emily jumped slightly before realizing that it was Matt. He rubbed her back before reaching up and brushing away a few tears. Matt didn't care who saw him at the moment he only cared about this woman in front of him. He took her hand and led her to an empty conference room closing the door behind them. He pulled out a chair and encouraged her to sit while he brought another one close. Matt took both of her hands in his before speaking.
"Baby, what's wrong? I know that was your mom on the phone. You've got to talk to me." Matt pleaded rubbing her knee as he spoke.
"It was, and she made me feel like a bad daughter for not coming home for Thanksgiving, but Matt, I can't face that right now." Emily confessed opening up and feeling very vulnerable.
Matt pulled her chair closer to his. He took her hands and pulled her up out of the chair and onto his lap.
"My mom pretty much told me I'm a terrible daughter for not coming home more often. It's been a few years and now she talked me into coming this year. Matt, I don't want to go. I want what we had planned, a nice quiet evening at home, just the two of us." She wiped her eyes with her sleeve as Matt rubbed her back.
"Why don't you want to go?" Matt asked knowing this was not the place for personal conversations, but not caring.
"I don't want to talk about it. Maybe I can call and tell her I'm sick, maybe I have to work, that excuse has worked before…"
"Or, maybe I should just go with you." Matt suggested as Emily rambled.
"What? Do you realize what you're saying? You really want to go to New York and meet my crazy family? I mean you probably don't want to waste your vacation time with me and my family.
"Why wouldn't I? I mean maybe I'd get to see pictures of you as a little girl and hear some stories about your childhood, or maybe about some experiment you had in college?" Matt said grinning when Emily playfully smacked him.
"I didn't have the best childhood Matt. I'm not on good terms with most of my family. It will not be a fun visit." Emily explained.
"All the more reason for me to go with you. You need someone in your corner, on your side when the chips fall and besides I'd miss you." Matt kissed her cheek with the last statement.
"Okay, you can go, but only if you promise to hold my hand when things get heated." She replied biting her bottom lip.
"I promise to do more than that when things get heated!" Matt said raising his eyebrows and smiling. Emily kissed him as a response. Matt deepened the kiss holding her close.
Suddenly the door opened and Cheryl spoke causing Emily to jump off of Matt's lap.
"I thought I said I didn't want to see it in the office, but we'll talk about this later. We have a situation."
The trio walked out of the room and headed out to the bus to see what they needed to diffuse this time. Emily's mind on the man beside her and his caring heart, Matt's mind on Emily and their first trip to New York together.