Hope you liked chapter one! Here's the second, featuring Emma (and Ash). (Sorry Byron!)
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"Though the rise in water pollution is unprecedented, we can still rally together and let the fight against it be just as widespread. The time to act is now, and if our nations improve their pollution controls, the next generation could be swimming in a much safer, healthier, and cleaner ocean." Emma smiled broadly. "Thank you." She dipped her head toward the back of the airplane seat in front of her and closed her laptop. Ash clapped.
"Bravo, Emma! Quit journalism and write pep talks for cleanup crews! Whew! Bravo!"
Emma grabbed his hands to stop his clapping. "Hush! Do you want the whole plane to hear you?!"
"No, I want them to hear you," he smirked and Emma just rolled her eyes at her fiancé.
"Behave yourself, Ash."
He kissed the back of her hand which was still trying to silence the applause. "Remember who you're talking to? I love behaving myself."
Emma laughed and shook her head. This would be the first time Ash had attended one of her journalism conferences. As an environmental writer for international research corporations, she was used to traveling a lot. Alone. She had never minded it; she had caught the travel bug when her family had decided to tour the world during her senior year of high school. She had loved seeing other places, meeting other people. But it all seemed even more special with Ash.
They had reconnected a few years ago- once she had finished her journalism degree in Europe and he had completed his master's in business back in Australia. Of course, things hadn't been the same as when they had dated in high school. They hadn't continued their relationship for years, so it had been odd to have Ash back in her life. Yet he had kept cropping up. And then they had started video calls whenever she had to fly to some foreign conference or research exhibit. And then six months ago, he had proposed. Once they got back from the London pollution control exhibition, they would head back to the Gold Coast. Neither of them had lived in Australia for quite some time, but they had agreed it was home. Emma was thrilled to get to see her family again. And Rikki and Cleo and Lewis. They were all going to be in the wedding, which made Emma want to leap for joy. The past few months of her life had been the greatest. And every moment just kept getting better.
"Attention passengers. Please stow all loose articles and fasten your seatbelts. We are nearing the London Heathrow International Airport."
"Right on time," chirped Ash, glancing at his watch as the intercom switched into French. Emma checked her watch too, mainly out of habit. Ash had managed to take the whole month off for wedding prep and then their honeymoon- which Emma supposed he had the right to do as an entrepreneur with a successful self-run internet company. He didn't need to be wearing his watch- he could forget about meetings and schedules. But he was like her in many ways. Time management was a hard-to-bury trait.
"Uh, Emma?" Ash nudged her shoulder and pointed out the window at the London skyline. It was cloudy and wet, filled with huge buildings and plumes of smoke that made Emma long for Mako Island all the more. Ash was still staring at her almost anxiously though, so she shrugged.
"So? It's London. I've been here many times, Ash."
"It's raining," he said flatly. "Pretty hard."
Emma peeked over his shoulder once more, frowning at the window. "Hhmm. I guess so."
"Well? What's your plan then?"
"Let's try...think dry?" Emma shrugged again and laughed. "Relax Ash. I know the tricks of the trade. I travel through rainy places all the time. All by myself. You don't have to worry, okay?"
He just nodded, somewhat dubiously, and kept glancing at the window.
The plane touched down several minutes later, and then everyone began unloading after a final weather update from the pilot. It was a busy day at London Heathrow. All the covered tarmacs were in use. They would have to walk through the rain in order to reach the terminal gate. And Ash was right to be concerned. It was dumping buckets- as if it wouldn't rain again for years.
"Having second thoughts?" said Emma's predictable fiancé. He was watching her stare in mild panic. She had forgotten her umbrella. And her coat was in her checked bag. Her laptop bag wasn't waterproof. Emma's options were down.
"Well, maybe I...I..."
"Yes?" Ash prodded. He just liked to hear her admit she was wrong. But that was a bit of a problem, because she hated those words.
"Maybe...maybe I wasn't as prepared as I thought?" Emma finally said. "Maybe I am in a tiny predicament?" She held two fingers together to emphasize how teensy of a problem it was and Ash laughed.
"Oh Emma... we're in a tight spot. But that's what I'm here for, right? That and the applause during your speech."
"Correction: After my speech. Please don't clap in the middle. Ms. Brooks will murder you."
"You know, I've heard so many horror stories about your boss, I can't wait to meet her. We'd probably get along well," said Ash.
Emma shook her head adamantly, and then went back to staring at the rain. "All right, Ash. I'm glad you're here, because I need your help. Any ideas for getting me inside without?...you know," she finished in a whisper, glancing at the middle aged man across the aisle from them, still waiting to exit the plane.
Ash wrinkled his nose in concentration. "Well, we could stall for a few minutes and hope it lets up a little."
Emma chewed her lip nervously but nodded and began to gather her things...very...slowly.
Ten minutes later it was still raining and they were the last ones on the plane. The flight attendant was going through each aisle, checking for garbage and lost items. Emma knew they couldn't stay for much longer.
"Duck," commanded Ash, pulling Emma down between the seats.
"That's not going to help," Emma hissed back at him. "We can't hide for-"
"Can I help you?"
The flight attendant was standing right there, watching Emma and Ash hide between the rows like guilty children avoiding their parents.
"Haha, uh, no, I just..." Emma stood up so fast she felt the blood rush to her head. "I just, um, lost my earring!" She quickly covered one ear and Ash nodded fervently, still crouched on the floor.
"I'm quite sorry, but I'm going to have to ask you to leave the plane. You can file your information with the lost and found counter and if the earring turns up, someone will call you," explained the attendant, staring at them both with narrowed eyes. Emma laughed nervously.
"That, uh, sounds good. Sorry for any trouble. We'll leave." She grabbed Ash with one hand and her laptop bag with the other and made her way to the exit, the flight attendant lady still staring.
"Emma, you can't go out there!" Ash whispered as she hesitated by the door.
"What choice do I have but to run for it?" Emma realized her hand was shaking. Millions of people flew through London Heathrow daily. If she was seen turning into a mermaid, it would spread faster than a fire in a hay field.
"Here, let me take that," Ash slung his satchel bag across his chest and grabbed Emma's laptop case. "No, wait...I've got another idea." He passed both bags back to her and without explanation, began taking off his shirt.
Emma stared at him, her jaw feeling strangely unattached. "Are you crazy, Ash?! You're going to get yourself arrested! You can't just strip in an international airport!"
He grinned and took the bags back, handing her his shirt. "Since you forgot your coat, you're going to need a towel. I'll hold the laptop bag over your head like an umbrella. You wipe off stray raindrops. We'll run together on the count of three."
"Ash! You. Are. Insane! This is never going to work!" Emma spoke so loudly the flight attendant turned to look at them. Her eyebrows went up when she saw Ash's attire.
"Excuse me? What do you think you're-"
"Three, two, one," yelled Ash. He nudged Emma and before she had time to argue more, they sprinted down the ramp and toward the terminal gate.
"Ughh!" Emma nearly tripped over Ash's feet as he ran somewhat sideways, trying to hold the bag over her head. Rain dripped onto her arms and Emma frantically wiped the water away with Ash's shirt. Just a few more steps...
They made it inside the building and Emma continued drying her shoulders and legs in a near frenzy. Ten seconds passed. She remained standing. Ash was wet, but somehow his nutty idea had worked. She was dry; she was safe.
They glanced at each other, still in the middle of the terminal gate, and began laughing in sheer relief. At least, they were laughing until Emma hear a shrill voice call her name from behind them.
"Emma Gilberts! What on earth is going on?"
As one, Emma and Ash turned to face Ms. Brooks, Emma's notorious boss. Emma felt her heart drop. How in the world were they going to explain Ash's unsuitable attire?
"Uh, hello Ms. Brooks! How was your trip?"
"Who is this?" The middle aged woman pointed to shirtless Ash. "Please tell me this isn't the fiancé you were going to bring."
"Haha, well, this actually is Ash, but rest assured he doesn't normally go around half-dressed." Emma chewed the inside of her mouth feeling slightly ill.
"I should hope not! He's going to get himself arrested by airport security," said Ms. Brooks as if Ash wasn't there. He quickly spoke up, though, evidently wanting to give some reason for his current state.
"Long story short ma'am, I was simply letting my bride-to-be use my shirt as a handkerchief."
Emma nodded, eyes big, and Ms. Brooks frowned. "Doesn't that seem a bit over the top?"
"Well," Ash laughed and shoved his hands in his pockets. "It's also an excuse to show off the effects of...um, my new diet." He patted his stomach and Emma clenched her jaw to keep a straight face. "It's a pretty interesting diet," Ash continued. "Fourty percent raw fish, ten percent lobster thermidor, and fifty percent sardines."
Emma lost it. If Ash was trying to make Ms. Brooks laugh, he was failing horribly. But she understood his reference.
"Miss Gilberts," started Ms. Brooks, stone-faced. Emma clapped a hand over her mouth and quickly sobered.
"You are well known for your logical and detailed research and your unflagging effort to make oceans cleaner. However, if you find this buffoon amusing..." She narrowed her eyes at Ash, who instantly adopted a serious expression and started apologizing.
"Ms. Brooks, I was only trying to be charming and funny, I'm sorr-"
"Ms. Brooks," Emma cut in. "I do find Ash very amusing, and I love him so much that I've agreed to marry him. I'm sorry you don't share the same sense of humor, but please...there's no need to snub him." Emma crossed her arms as she stared at her boss. "Tomorrow you won't even recognize Ash. He really is a successful businessman. Until then, I hope you have a restful evening. Good day." Emma nodded, signaling she was finished, and Ms. Brooks turned to walk away. To Emma though, the lady looked rather impressed. She obviously hadn't expected Emma to have a bold streak.
Once Ms. Brooks was out of earshot Ash turned to Emma. "Wow, you know, she could have fired you for that backtalk. Emma, I'm really sorry for being such a goof. I should have remembered your stories about her not having a sense of humor. I was going to apologize, but-" Ash grinned from ear to ear. "I kind of loved hearing you stand up for me like that."
"Well, I kind of love you," Emma replied, finally tossing him back his shirt. "I couldn't let her talk down to you like you were garbage."
"No, just a weird guy on a weird diet."
"Now that was a little overboard."
"Okay, okay. But I kept you from popping a tail earlier, right? I had to slip a joke in somewhere."
Emma rolled her eyes and took a step closer to her fiancé. Before she could lean forward to kiss him though, a security guard turned the corner and spotted Ash.
"Hey you! Put a shirt on, man!" The guard moved toward them and Emma and Ash ducked down a different terminal while Ash wriggled back into his top.
"Look, it's stopped raining!" He put a hand on Emma's shoulder and gestured to a large glass window overlooking the tarmac. She could only laugh.
"You know...the conference tomorrow is outside..."
"Good thing I packed an extra shirt," Ash grumbled sarcastically before they both grinned at each other and headed back to the baggage claim, hand-in-hand.