~Emily hears everything, and listens to nothing~
The first time she heard a rumour - the rumour - she literally stumbled to a halt in her exit of the toilet cubicle, her hand frozen on the door handle.
"Six years ... six years, and she calls me the wrong name. Six months and it's all Ahndrayah Ahndrayah. I am telling you... "
But whatever it was that the whining voice was telling wasn't told. Emily exited the cubicle with a sniff, looking the women up and down and wondering how on earth either of them expected anyone to remember them at all, dressed like that. She moved to the basins, aware of the stares as she fixed her hair and make-up.
"The old Emily," she was sure she heard under a breath as the women moved to the exit, and though she thought she should she couldn't summon the energy to berate them. After all, they were being ridiculous, she asserted, and so she would not listen, like she never did when people were ridiculous. On the third attempt she managed a steadying hold on the door handle and made her way out.
The new Emily. And beneath it was what they all knew – the better Emily, the Emily She prefers. But if she didn't listen, then it wouldn't be real. Even when she hears it again.
Then the photo appeared – that photo, that insignificant godforsaken photo tucked away in the pages of some insignificant godforsaken magazine, and Miranda was smiling at 'Ahndraayah' and her eyes were shining at 'Ahndraayah' and her hand was touching – touching! – 'Ahndraayah'! And suddenly everyone was talking, even in the corners where they daren't even breathe before, and she hears everything they say about the golden assistant and the unfolding tale of the taming of the dragon but all Emily – old Emily – does is her job, which never included listening to idle whimsical gossip. And so she turned her nose up and sniffed and denied and berated and it didn't take much to convince herself that she really didn't want to listen anyway, because if she didn't, then obviously it couldn't be true.
Sorry for the delay. Thanks for the reviews so far... I hope they continue :)
