Chance Meeting

Authors Note: I was a thought I had, so I wrote a quick story about it. Don't be too harsh with me, I'm just killing time.

Disclaimer: I don't own any characters I use in this story. A pity…

Emma found that a walk through the park was a good way to clear her head. It always seemed to do wonders when she was concerned, or just too deep in thought for her own good. Her father was sitting on a bench, watching the other people around them. Emma wandered off down one of the paths, enjoying the flowers and trees as a refuge from the smog of the city.

Henry had her concerned again. He was always acting so strangely nowadays. He barely even spoke to her, if came to the parlor at all when she visited. She was beginning to wonder if something was truly bothering him, something deep. Her mind played over the few words they had exchanged last time she had seen him, two week earlier.

"Henry, what is the matter? Won't you even tell me what is wrong?"

"Emma, darling, it is just my work. You'll understand later. When the time comes, I'll explain everything. Everything will be back to normal soon."

"You are hiding behind your work. Please, Henry, just come out and explain what is going on. Father is getting terribly concerned. You never talk to me-"

"We're talking right now."

"-You don't reply to any of your mail. John said you wouldn't even go to luncheon with him. Henry…"

He had kissed her forehead, excused himself with something about leaving a burner unattended, and gone back down to his infernal laboratory. Emma and her father had stopped by his house again today, but no one had answered the door. They had come straight to the park from his house, and she was glad. She didn't feel ready to go home.

She sat down on one of the benches and stared at the trees, wondering if there was something she could do for her harried fiancée. A female voice broke the silence.

"Forgive me, miss, but is anyone sitting here?"

Emma glanced up at the speaker. She was a pretty girl, perhaps around Emma's own age, with dark hair and a strange confusion in her eyes. She was dressed poorly, but cleanly. Emma could make her own guesses about the girl's social station, not to mention probable occupation, but she wasn't one to judge. "No; please, do sit down."

The two girls sat in silence. Emma stared at her feet, too confused to even know what to think. The other girl twisted her handkerchief in her hands. They glanced at each other at the same time. Finally, the other girl broke the awkward silence.

"Miss, forgive me if I seem forward, but I think you and I may have the same problem, well, in a way."

Emma looked at her. "What makes you think that?" she asked, suddenly curious.

"You've got that look in your eyes that I've seen too many times before to count.

You're having trouble with your man, or a man at least. So, if I'm right, maybe we can, share advice?"

The other girl shifted her sitting so that she could face Emma more directly. Emma shifted toward her as well. "Alright. It isn't as though I have anything else to do at the moment. Shall I begin?" The girl nodded, and Emma spoke.

"My fiancée has been, well, avoiding me of late. He is completely absorbed in his work; he's a scientist, you see. At first he just seemed a bit rushed. Then, he started excusing himself from my visits sooner and sooner. Now his butler won't even answer the door, which I believe is probably on my fiancée's orders. I just don't know what to make of it."

The other girl nodded in some degree of sympathy. "I'd take your trouble over mine any day," she said dolefully. "At least you only have one fellow on you mind. I'm stuck with two. There's one fellow… he's a real gentleman, the kind you can hardly ever find anymore. I don't know him well, but I just know he's the kind of man I'd want to settle down with…if I ever do settle down. He barely even knows who I am though." She sighed wistfully, and continued. "There's another fellow too though, a real brute. I don't want him to be around, but I can't seem to get away from him. He scares me too much. Besides that, there's just something about him…the way he looks at me…"

"…And you want to believe he does care about you…"

"…And even though your head says you're a fool…"

"…Your heart says he's the one."

The two girls looked at each other. Their lots in life were very different, but they felt a common bond now. Emma glanced over her shoulder and saw her father headed toward her slowly, a sign he was ready to leave. She turned to her companion.

"My apologies, but I fear I must go now."

The girl smiled. "It's quite alright, miss. Ladies like yourself have more important things to do than talk to girls like me anyway. G'day, miss."

They began to walk in opposite directions, when Emma suddenly turned back. "Miss?" The girl turned back. "We shouldn't part without even knowing each other's names. My name is Emma Carew."

"Pleased to have met you, Miss Carew. My name is Lucy Harris."