The warm yellow sunlight slid through the curtains and wrapped itself around Emma. She yawned and stretched looking over at the clock on her bedside table. It was 8:00. She was almost late for work.
Flying out of bed and throwing her covers behind her, she hurriedly threw open her dresser drawers and rummaged through her clothes, looking for her work dress. She saw the bright yellow peeking out from between her floral print skirts and multi colored cardigans. Pulling it out and throwing it on, she ran to the bathroom to wash her face and run a comb through her unruly blonde waves.
When she arrived at the diner, she pulled on an apron and headed straight back the kitchen.
"Thought you weren't gonna show."
Emma turned around to see her friend Ruby holding a plate of flapjacks. She was the more outgoing than Emma when it came to the fashion department. With her glossy black hair and bright red lipstick, it was no wonder she got as much attention as she did.
Emma smiled and picked up the coffee pot, pouring a cup for a customer. "Why do you say that?" She asked, setting the steaming mug in front of the man before turning back to her friend. Ruby shrugged. "I don't know. There are tons of rumors floating around about you. And Neal. They're making you out to be a real Bonnie and Clyde." She grinned wickedly at Emma.
Of course there were rumors going around. It seemed like all people did these days was start rumors. No one around town like Neal, mostly because no one knew much about him. His background was a mystery. He had just floated into town and swept Emma off her feet. It was tough, the first few months of the relationship. They fought all the time, mainly because all of the rumors that were being spread about him.
He was a bugler who was hanging around Emma so he could case the houses of the wealthy. Or he was running away from the country where he had a wife and kids who he left behind. Then there was Emma's personal favorite: he was a serial killer who took a liking to young blondes. Long story short, most people in the town didn't like Neal Cassidy. Not one bit. But Emma had been different. She fell for that sly little smile. The mystery that surrounded him. He had been her first love.
"Ru, you know what's going on is just a misunderstanding. Things will be cleared up soon enough." She didn't really expect Ruby to understand. Ruby was the kind who fell in love for a day or two, and then it was over. She looked unsure for a moment, but soon enough, a teasing little grin spread across her bright red lips. "So are you two back together?" She tossed the coffee canister to Emma and she started making another pot. "No. We most certainly are not. We probably are never getting back together."
Even though Neal had been her first love, she didn't have those feelings for him anymore. She set the canister down with a thump. "Hey," Ruby said, tilting her head toward the door. "Speak of The Devil."
Emma looked up just in time to see Neal walk in. He looked disheveled and dirty. Like hadn't showered, just came straight from jail.
She set down the plate she was holding and wiped her hands on her apron. Neal walked over to the counter. "Meet me out back." she whispered. He nodded and slipped his hands into his pockets, slinking out to the back of the diner.
Emma leaned over. "Can you cover me?" She whispered in Ruby's ear. She nodded. "Hurry though, before they notice you're gone."
Slipping off her apron and hanging it on the back of a chair, Emma slipped out back. Neal was leaning up against the back, smoking.
"Neal." She tried hard to keep her voice steady. "What is going on? Why was your father in that ally? Is he the one who killed that man?"
He took another drag from his cigarette and blew a puff of smoke out into the fall air. "You just gotta trust me, Ems."
After all she had done, lying to the police to protect him and his father, he was asking her just to trust him? "No. That isn't happening. You told me you would explain yourself. And you will. Or I'll go back to the police and tell them everything."
Neal crushed out his cigarette and whirled around to face Emma, grabbing her by the shoulders. "Listen to me Emma. You already know too much, alright? I ain't gonna put you in no more danger, understand?" He shouted, slipping into the old speech patterns of The Bronx like he always did when he was upset. Emma shook her head. "This isn't a game Emma. One man is already dead, now just leave well enough alone, so you don't end up the next body on that corner's table." His eyes were wild. They darted back and forth, searching Emma's eyes. "Promise me that you won't ask again."
"I don't-"
"Promise me!" He interrupted, tightening his grip on her shoulders and shaking her slightly. "Stop it Neal! Just stop. I promise, alright? Goodness."
He let go of her shoulders and brought her into his arms. "I'm sorry." He murmured into her hair. "You should never have been brought into this."
She pulled out of his arms and looked him over. "Don't do anything stupid, okay?"
He smiled slightly. "Okay. You neither."
"Bad grammar, Neal. But I won't." She opened up the door and walked back inside, leaving Neal behind to light yet another cigarette.