The change within

Chapter 7

Emily was talking with the security guard when Julius walked in. He took a brief glimpse at the waiting room and noticed everyone was speculating on the chain of events that had just taken place.

He looked back through the doors to see Nikolas walking away and smiled. He warned Nikolas about doing such a thing, but that arrogant jerk just walked into his trap. He didn't mean to put Emily in such a position, but he felt she needed to have it out with Nikolas or else she would never get over him.

He certainly felt better after he kicked Lydia out. When he walked in their bedroom and saw her and another guy doing the rather obvious, he just silently seethed and left and avoided Lydia for a couple days, throwing himself into his work.

When Lydia let herself in his office he gave her the cold shoulder but she still didn't get the message.

Flashback

"What do you think your doing, ignoring me like this?" She demanded, hands on her hips.

Julius shrugged and returned his own question, "what were you doing with another man in our bed?" He asked her and looked up at her.

She paled and a look of guilt passed on her face. "It wasn't what it looked like…" She insisted desperately.

"It wasn't?" He asked her and motioned for her to continue her explanation.

"No, it wasn't." She verified but Julius didn't believe her for a moment.

He leaned back in his chair and put on his business face. "Okay, then how was it?" He asked her.

"Um…well…" Lydia scrambled for an answer he would believe.

Julius started whistling the "jeopardy" song waiting for an answer as if time was an essence and it was.

"Stop that!" She commanded him and he stopped but he was still waiting for an answer, one Lydia obviously didn't have.

End flashback

He broke off their engagement that day and no matter how much she begged and pleaded he just treated her like a business rival he didn't like. He lived alone now, having evicted her.

It was cold and empty and he still felt her presence and he still missed her, but there were some things he just couldn't forgive and forget. If Lydia had a plausible excuse, maybe, but she didn't have one, so he could do nothing about that.

He went to Emily as the security guard left and returned to his position. He stood by her and casually asked, "So, what was that about?"

Emily looked to him and rubbed her temples. "That was about my arrogant, self-centered ex-husband sticking his nose where it doesn't belong." She told him and walked over to a seat and decided to take a breather. The last thing her patients needed was a tense and angry doctor treating them.

He took a seat next to her and felt a little guilt for sending Nikolas her way; he was only trying to help. "Yeah, he came by my office and told me to stay away from you." He told her trying to sound neutral.

Emily looked at him. "He did what?" She demanded, more anger filling her voice.

"He came by and told me to stay away from you, as if he was your keeper." Julius replied, repeating himself again.

Emily got up and paced slightly, not sure what to do with her pent up anger. Why was Nikolas doing this? He got what he wanted, to be let go, to be free and single again so why is he insisting she can't move on? Did he honestly expect her to go beg for him back?

Maybe at one time she would have, but things have changed. She decided she wasn't going to let Nikolas rule her life anymore. That spoiled prince could do whatever he wanted, as long as he left her in peace. She wouldn't have anymore when it came to Nikolas.

She went through that phase of being dependent and weak just because Nikolas was what she ever wanted, but that time was over. Reality set in, and while the procession wasn't pretty, it was time to go back to her independent strong self. She was that person before and she could become it again.

Still, that wasn't so easy when Nikolas was breathing down her neck and of all things stalking her! But no more, she wasn't going to be treated like that; she was going to be for herself. There was a time to be selfless and there was a time to be selfish, and that time was now.

"I can't believe this." Emily stewed. "I give him what he wants and he's complaining?" She looked at Julius as if waiting for an answer.

"Your quite a prize to lose Emily, Nikolas was a jerk to let you go and now he's paying the consequences, it isn't your issue, its Nikolas's to deal with." Julius reasoned with her.

"Yeah, well, he isn't 'dealing' all that well obviously. First this scene and then he admits to following me? The nerve of that guy, what does he seek to gain by stalking me and telling me what to do? I'm not his anymore and I will never be anyone else's." Emily kept her tone down so as to not make more of a scene but still, people noticed; probably looking for a distraction.

Julius stopped hearing what she said after she mentioned the stalking confession. He held up a hand as to stop her ramble. "Wait, go back a minute, he's stalking you?" He asked her for clearance.

"Yeah, and you as well obviously as we have seen. The reason why he was at that restaurant after the movie? He followed us there and decided he'd be a little detective and figure out what kind of game I was playing." Emily explained. Of course she wasn't playing a game, but Nikolas thought so still.

Julius knew that car following him that night wasn't a coincidence anymore. He didn't think on it, to enjoy Emily's company, but still that car was behind him through the whole night. "You should get a restraining order if he's doing that." Julius suggested.

"I should, your right, but I'm not going to do that yet. Getting impulsive and acting without thinking isn't the way to go as much as I want to. I need to think on how to handle this but I swear if he follows me or makes such a scene again, I will get that restraining order." Emily told him. "It'd serve him right…a night in jail that is." Emily added.

Julius nodded on that. A cell surrounded by bars did tend to wake up people on what they were doing. He looked around the room at all the people waiting for treatment. "Think you can take the rest of the day off?" He asked her.

Emily frowned and also studied the room. "I shouldn't but I don't think I'm going to be a lot of help anymore today. The last thing these people need is to be treated by a testy doctor." Emily answered him.

"Good call, what do you say we go for a walk in the park and work out all this anger in a more secluded place?" Julius proposed.

Emily smiled at Julius. "That sounds great, just let me get my stuff and tell my parents." She turned, taking him on his offer.

"Okay, I'll be waiting here." Julius said as she boarded the elevator.

Emily took the elevator to the seventh floor and went to the nurse's desk. Bobbie was on call and looked up at her and gestured for her to wait as she was on the phone. Emily did so.

"So, what did I hear about Nikolas getting kicked out of the hospital?" Bobbie supposed as she hung up the phone and concentrated on Emily.

Emily groaned. Word certainly travels fast, doesn't it? "He was making a scene and bothering the waiting patients." Emily simply explained, trying to make it as light as she could.

Bobbie nodded as if in understanding. "I see, what was he so worked up over?" Bobbie asked.

Emily rolled her eyes. She knew this was a huge mistake. Confiding into Nikolas's Aunt over Nikolas? Not the best person to tell. "Bobbie, let's just leave it be, alright?" Emily asked Bobbie, fighting back a sigh.

"Well, you see normally I could, but he came to see you, his ex-wife, so it must have been big." Bobbie inquired.

Emily decided to just appease Bobbie's curiosity so she could leave. "Nikolas found me and a friend of mine having dinner a few days ago and accused me of moving on." Emily explained.

Bobbie frowned, obviously she was hoping for the same reason Emily had hoped as far as Nikolas's visit went. "Do you know where my mom or dad is?" Emily cut to the chase before Bobbie could come with another question.

Bobbie looked back at Emily, having looked down at some paperwork on the counter. "I think your mother is with a patient and your father is in surgery if I am correct…." Bobbie paused to check up on that. "Yeah, he is. Want me to leave a message for them?" She asked Emily.

"Yeah, would you just tell them that I left a little early and will be back tomorrow early?" Emily requested of her.

Bobbie grabbed a little piece of paper and wrote the message down. "I will pass on this message to your parents as they are done." Bobbie told Emily.

Emily smiled at Bobbie. Finally, she could get out of here! "Thanks Bobbie, see you tomorrow." Emily said and went to the locker room to get her purse and coat.

When she got back down to the emergency room Julius was still waiting and stood as she came towards him. "Ready?" He asked her.

Emily smiled and answered, "Yeah, let's go." Emily and Julius left without another word or thought; they had been there far too long today.

They took a walk around the park but not to work out Emily's anger as he had previously suggested, just getting away for a while, living life, breathing in its beauty. They stopped at a bench near the playground for a while and watched the children climbing the monkey bars, swinging in the swings and going down the slide.

"Can you imagine being that carefree and happy?" Emily asked Julius, looking over at him, waiting for an answer as he thought about it.

"No, not really, I'm sure when we were kids we were like that, but maturity and hormones change everything." Julius told her.

Emily nodded, agreeing. She had been that carefree and happy for a while but then her mom had got sick and she had to be the adult, she never did get that time back again after she passed away.

Julius noted that Emily fell silent, now sad and felt like it was up to him to lift her spirits. Falling into the dumps helped nothing. He opened his mouth to say something when he heard someone call out his name. He and Emily turned to find a man and woman.

The woman was short with brown hair, dressed in a blouse and skirt, obviously very happy. The man was just as happy and also had brown hair, dressed in a casual shirt and slacks.

"Julius!" The woman ran up to him and the man followed, laughing behind her. Then she flashed a huge diamond engagement ring in his face. "Guess what?" She asked, knowing he knew what but had to ask anyway.

Julius's eyes widened. "Going to try tying the knot again, eh?" He asked, laughing at the woman's antics.

The man came behind the woman and wrapped his arms around her waist, kissing her on the cheek. "IS it that obvious?" The man supposed.

Emily watched this exchange, but rather than feel sad, knowing how it was to be like that and then have it taken away from you, she felt more like an outsider, a third wheel.

Depressing still, but Emily didn't think on it, just respected the group and picked up her purse. It was obvious they were in a joyous mood, and why not, and made movements to go without being seen. No such luck.

Julius turned to Emily just as she was about to step away. "Emily, where are you going?" He asked her.

Emily stopped and looked at Julius. "Oh, I was just going to go home and let you get on with your friends." Emily insisted somewhat uncomfortable.

The woman cleared her throat. "Julius, weren't you just going to introduce us?" The woman supposed.

Julius looked back at the woman and back at Emily. "Oh, yes. Claire, Brian, this is Emily. Emily this is Claire and Brian." He introduced them and they shook hands in greeting.

Emily smiled at the couple. "So I hear congratulations are in order?" Emily asked sincerely, hoping she didn't seem as fake as she thought she was being.

The woman smiled brightly again and looked up at Brian adoringly. "Yes, thank you." She told Emily.

Julius started making conversation again. "Are your parents putting together an engagement party for you?" He asked them.

Brian groaned. "Yeah, Friday at eight at Claire's home." He answered and received a slight push from Claire.

"Now don't you start on that again, they are going to be your in-laws." The woman scorned him. Brian rolled his eyes at this response, obviously having heard it before.

Emily started to feel particularly uncomfortable at this point and decided to take leave. She had dallied enough. "Well, I have to get home and get some things done, but it was nice meeting you two, and again, congratulations." Emily stepped back as she said this.

Julius raised his brows. Was he doing something wrong? Surely that late introduction didn't do that much damage. "Okay," Julius accepted her exit. "I'll call you later to see if we can get together again." He told her and Emily nodded her consent.

The woman smiled and sensed the slight attraction between the two. "Yes, indeed, why don't you come to our engagement party?" Claire invited Emily.

"I couldn't, I mean, this party is for you to celebrate your engagement. If I just came along you'd just feel like you would have to help me mingle." Emily declined with what she hoped was graciously. Truth was she just couldn't stand seeing the happy engaged couple, it just hurt too much. Uncomfortable turned to uneasiness.

Julius saw through her façade. He knew it was too much for her to accept just yet. He opened his mouth to plead Emily's case, but Claire, feeling too happy to notice Emily's sudden distance, insisted. "Oh, it wouldn't be an inconvenience at all."

Emily, feeling very overwhelmed, knew she had to go…now. "I really do appreciate your invitation, but I just…can't. Excuse me." Emily stepped away quickly and stepped around them and turned the corner, out of sight.

Julius rubbed his temples and Claire frowned and looked up at Brian. "Did I do something wrong?" She asked him.

Julius answered the question, as to form some sort of explanation for Emily. He opened his mouth ready to say a huge explanation but just stuck to fact. "Emily just recently divorced." He stated.

Claire frowned again and looked down, ashamed. "Oh, I guess I pushed too much, didn't I?" She asked the guys but neither guy had to answer, she already knew.

"I'm going to see if she's okay. I'll see you on Friday though." Julius told them and turned and walked away, down the path where Emily left.