Emma gently brushed her auburn hair out of her eyes and sorted through her purse for her keys. Eventually finding them, she twisted the key in the lock and pushed the door open, carrying a larger bag of papers and folders with her.
Carl was not yet home, as usual, he would be working late, probably finishing up a root canal or filling a last cavity before returning. He had promised her that he would help her with her problems, yet she had noticed recently that the routine they encountered every day was never changed. She would arrive home first, begin to prepare dinner, lay the table and Carl would arrive home, finishing up the cooking together and sitting down to eat by 7pm each night.
She neatly placed aside her belongings and removed her green coat; hanging it on the rack next to her husband's. Wearing the coat reminded her of the first time she and Will had kissed, it was very special to her and despite Carl's encouragements to 'let loose a little and buy some fashionable clothes,' she had refused to give it up. Something happened to her when she wore it. Her heart fluttered and she would fill up with warmth inside.
It wasn't long until the clock showed 6.30 and almost like clockwork Emma listened for a key in the latch. She listened intently for five minutes, which soon became thirty. Panic stricken, she reached for the telephone and dialled Carl's number. Ringing until it cut to the voicemail, she did not leave a message but decided to remain calm and continue with dinner – after all he would surely be home by the time it was ready.
He was not. Emma rang again, though he still did not answer. Maybe his phone was switched off, although there was no dialling tone. Maybe he had got caught up in some difficult dentistry, but it was so unusual. Deciding that she should go and search for her husband, Emma queried over where to go.
Just as she had buttoned her coat and ensured that oven had cooled, Emma heard a faint ringing from inside her purse. She fumbled around, quickly pressing the answer button and blurting out "Where are you?" before realising that it was not Carl who had telephoned.
"Emma?" he inquired with a worried tone, "Are you okay?"
"Oh, Will?" she sighed, recognising his soft voice at once, "It's just ... never mind. Can I help you?"
"I was just wondering if you'd got a copy of the new staff timetable," he replied "I seem to have ... well ... misplaced mine." She was sure she heard a faint, nervous breath, as though he was smiling to himself.
"Ah, I see," she said, so engaged with the conversation that she began to forget about Carl, "I have mine, obviously. You know I don't lose things; everything is colour-coded with a special place in my organiser."
"That's what I'd hoped," Will laughed, "I can always count on Emma Pillsbury to be organised when I need something."
She cleared her throat and whispered, "Pillsbury-Howell."
"Of course, Pillsbury-Howell," he said, sounding a little flustered, "Sorry."
"Anyway, when do you need the timetable," Emma asked, trying to change the subject. She knew that Will was never more than accepting towards her relationship with Carl and longed not to upset him, especially since he seemed to be struggling to move on from her.
"As soon as possible, really. I have a lot of classes to plan for and I'd be interested to know when exactly they are taking place," he said, "Maybe you could just read it out to me and I'll note it down?"
She did not want to miss an opportunity to have a proper conversation with Will; all of their chat at school had lately become trivial or a simple 'Hello' while passing in the corridor. Carl had become extremely cautious of Will following his and Emma's run in when the Glee club had performed the Rocky Horror Picture Show and no longer permitted her to see him after school. Of course, they still had a full trust policy and she could never deny her husband the truth and she would tell him, as soon as he returned with a reason for missing dinner.
"It is quite a lot to copy down, Will," she said, ensuring that he would accept her idea, "Perhaps if I came over and you made a photocopy?"
"Isn't Carl a bit ... sensitive if you talk to me anymore?" he replied, a sense of care for her in his tone.
"No - he's out at the moment," she assured, "Anyway, we are just two colleagues sharing work information, right?"
"Err ... right," he agreed, "I'm in all evening, so if you are sure about this?"
"Yes, I'll come around right away," Emma said, ending the call and turning off the light switch. She opened the door and quickly locked it, rushing down the stairs and starting her old, but extremely clean car.
Please review and give me pointers :)