Dudes wow. Just wow. I check stats and wabang! This has more visit hits than my others got in a week. Wow. I love all of you. Do criticize me. If I mess up any characterization please point it out. Whelp! Here we go. Number two. Enjoy!-Radioactive
And So The Phone Rang
Emma had been chasing her brothers down to do the laundry so she could put in a bleach load. She muttered curses as they evaded capture. It would not be long before mom started shouting at them and then the job would get done. It would be easier if the boys listened to her for once. They usually did after they hassle her. She was about to pounce upon her pray when mom called for her causing her to miss and fall to the hard wood floors.
"Coming!" Emma shouted back and growled at her brothers with a sharp jab towards the laundry.
She ran into the dining room, stopping to see her mom holding the black cordless phone at arms length with her other hand placed upon her hip. It was one of the 'Mom' poses. Shit, what did she do?
"There's two people calling about a job." Mom said frostly. Emma could only blink at her. Every job she applied for already denied her which made mom happy for her daughter to continue schooling. Though mom never was this cold before. Who were calling and what did they do to set mom off? Emma wondered.
"Come on Pep! I wanna talk to her!" The phone whined as Emma took it from her mom. They both stared at it.
"The only reason you want to hire her is to slack off and play with your gizmos."A female retorted. The man sounded familiar so Emma quickly put the phone to her ear and moved away from her mom's pointed gaze.
"Not just that! I'll need coffee too! Ow!" The man smartassed before a smack from a stack of papers on something was heard.
"Hello, this is Emma speaking." She attempted to sound professional and failed with a wince.
"Hey kid!" A joyful voice came. "It's the totally handsome not cute guy from the park!"
"Mr. Tony?" Emma questioned keeping her face from her mom so she could not see the hope in her eyes.
"It's just Tony. Well Tony Stark in full but the Mr makes me feel old. Anyway, congrats kiddo! I'm hiring an assistant and decided you are it! How soon can ya be packed?" Tony informed dropping the bombshell. Holy shit he wanted to give her a job! To some crybaby he met in the park at night? What?
"Truly sir?" She whispered fearful. She could not believe it. She hoped he let the honorific slid so her mom didn't lecture her.
"Yup! Now the job entitles late nights, greedy politicians, papercuts, my awesome self, and moving to New York City. Do you want it?" He asked. His voice full of arrogance as if she would even consider saying no.
Emma was surprised at the feeling in her guts. They were screaming yes and she always listened to her gut. It had never steered her wrong. That and despite her family's best, they needed the money. Her answer came naturally.
"I'll handle whatever you throw at me sir. When do I sign the papers?" She replied as a brilliant smile lit up her face.
"Someone will come Sunday to get you. Once your here we can work with job requirements and boring stuff. Money will be taken care of." Tony easily answered.
"Thank you sir. I'll do my best and will see you soon." Emma said her tone full of gratitude.
"No problem kid. Everyone's gonna say you'll regret this but they're liers. Don't listen to them. Sunday, we'll do lunch or dinner. Whichever comes first." He said and as a women berated him the call ended.
Emma returned the phone to its home and turned to face her mom. Oh shit.
"What's happening Sunday?" She asked in a very scary tone. Uh oh.
"I'm moving to New York City." Emma answered slowly as she leaned back away from her mother.
"WHAT?"Her mom choked out. "What were you thinking? New York? After that attack!? Who the hell even hired you? Why didn't you talk to your father and I about this? Was this another one of 'I forgot' moments?" Her mom lashed out.
"Would you believe me if I said I met a guy in the park and he ran off with my resume?" Emma asked softly as she gazed at the floor. Her thumb nail rolled over the side of her sterling silver ring as her anxiety grew.
"Is that the truth?" Her mom asked in a calmer tone. She could not believe this. Only moments before had her daughter been glowing with energy that she was proud to from her only to have it gone to cowardice by her words. She knew her daughter struggled with things like emotions which was why she disliked the idea of her leaving home so soon and so far. She just wished Emma didn't revert back to a cowed child whenever they talked.
"It is. H-his name is is Tony Stark. He said an employee is coming with paperwork and to bring me to the city." Emma answered.
"You know nothing about this man or his company do you." Her mom pressed and Emma flinched. She made it sound so bad.
"Kinda..." She trailed off.
"I can't believe this! Just wait til your father hears!" Her mom raved. "Sunday! That's four days away! Four days! Just go! Do something!"
Emma scurried away and rushed upstairs to research Tony Stark. The results shocked her.
"FOUR DAYS!" Came her mother. Emma snickered. The way her mother reacted was scary but it was how she showed her care. She put up with a lot and it came out explosively. It only lasted for a few minutes but she could hold a grudge. How ever was she to tell her she now worked for the multi-billionaire genius of the world? Dinner was a rough affair.
It was Friday night. Emma had her things mostly packed. All important papers were copied and saved on flashdrives as per her request. Her mom collected all information for emergencies and potential issues.
To say the news went over well with her father was an overstatement. Her dad, her teacher, was outraged at first when she could not give complete answers to his questions. How else was he to react to his twenty year old daughter telling him not only did she get a job but it was all the way in New York AND she was moving on Sunday! In all honesty, he handled pretty well after he looked into it and called the return number. He talked with a women the world knew as the right hand to Stark Industry and whatever magic she used it worked. Mom still wasn't happy.
The rest of the tight nit family took it with tears and shock. Which meant a party on Saturday to say goodbye to her. Emma knew tears would be cried and a family feud might break out. She only hoped that it happened after her friends left.
At the moment she was in the living room folding clothes and watching Forensic Files on the couch with her dad in his overstuffed chair.
He had his big black laptop on and the keys clicked every now and then. At fifty, he looked as a dad would with balding black turning grey hair and a simple beard mustache facial expression. Dressed in comfort clothes after a day working two jobs as a Physician Assistant. He used to work three when she was little.
Emma was dressed in soft jeans and an oversized yellow Michigan Tech sweatshirt that had a husky stitched on the front. Emma loved it.
"Says here" her dad started catching her curious attention as the commercial that had played five times already came on. "Tony Stark, owner of the multi-billion dollar business that once focused on weaponry for the military now focuses upon green energy-" he paused to send a look her way and she knew he had complied a pros and cons list for her and she loved him for his concern. "But now the billionaire is also known for being a hero who flies around in a high tech metal suit with numerous enemies." There's the kicker where the dad senses kick in.
So she reacted as she did with her dad.
"Hero's need coffee too." Emma commented earning a shake of his head, eye roll and chuckle. She smiled. With her dad, her mask rarely ever came on. He loved her word play in her comments and they teased each other as parents and kids do.
"The point is sweetie," He said in the dad tone. "You could get hurt. Not saying you will but if you do, I want you to know you can always come home. Understand that I know you said you didn't just want the job for the money but that it felt right. Doesn't make me worry any less."
"I know dad. Thanks for researching and caring. It means a lot." Emma replied with a watery smile. He smiled lovingly back.
Her family was like any other. Though the females on her mom's side usually were on the tough love side of things, most were big softies. Comparing Emma to her some of her family was by spiders. She would leave it be or return it to the outside while her mom r sis would have it dead in seconds.
Today was not a spider killing day. It was a crying day that honestly scared Emma more than it reassured her for it made her regret leaving momentarily.
Yes folks, it was Sunday.
Saturday went just ad she hypothesized. Lots of tears, some presents, words of wisdom, promises to call, ploys for getting the inside scoop on the billionaire boss, and the family feud. Not as fun as the game show and no funny host either. Her grandpa and brothers tried though. Someone up top smiled down upon her that night for the fight started hours after her friends left. It did sting ever so hot in her chest. Another scar unable to heal in her current environment.
Thankfully Nana broke it up with her awesomeness take no shit attitude. Go Super Grandma! The short women was not to be trifles with. Not one bit.
So when Emma say her mom cry that morning she truly was shocked. Her mom didn't even cry when she tore her knee muscles one summer but now she cried.
Her mom was crying, Emma was crying and getting her ribs squeezed by the group hug. It sucked being the shortest of her parent's kids. It didn't help that this happened in the front yard next to the limo Tony sent and the peppy driver with a coincidentally appropriate name of Happy or at least that was what Tony called him. He was head of security for Tony. He was nice, dressed in a blue suit, and told her Tony said hi. Happy barely accepted her family's help in loading Emma's things before she was group hugged.
Emma slowly moved out of the hug towards the car while she whipped her eyes on the sleeve of her white button up shirt. It was paired with some nice black slacks, black Nike shoes, and an old leather jacket that rested on her backpack that sat on the ground by her feet.
"If you are ready, Miss. Dewey." Happy said politely.
"I'll see ya'll on holidays!" Emma said cheerfully through the tears.
Another round of hugs and kisses, warnings to stay safe, remember to eat, call if needed anything or help, don't over work herself or let him get away with it, and that they loved her went on until she made it into the limo. As she left, she waved out of the window until she could no longer see her family.
This was it. She thought nervously as she squirmed in her place. She was leaving her home. First came excitement then came the fear. So much has happened and in so little time. Doubt washed over her in waves. Her breathe became short. Could she do this? Was she ready? Her first real job and responsibility. Terror filled her. Maybe she should turn back. There was no shame in bailing out.
NO! She screamed in her mind as her hands gripped her head. No. She could and would do this. Tony was counting on her coming to work for him. She needed to leave so she could grow. Throughout her life she had held herself back from being herself. From bullies to childhood experiences which pushed her to hold herself back. College had helped her come out of her shell but it was not enough. Something kept holding her back. But what if...
What if Tony treated her like her family or others? What if he didn't? What if he decided it didn't work? What if she messed up? What if she didn't? She was near tears when Happy spoke up bringing her from her thoughts.
"Don't worry. You're going to love working for Tony or well he is he grows on you. From what he said and the clearance he set for you whatever you did impressed him."
"All we did was talk and sass each other." Emma mumbled as doubt filled her. Their brief conversation was no default to base an interview on.
"That sounds like Tony." Happy laughed. "Give it time but I think you'll like working for him."
Once again Emma felt a bit better thanks to a total stranger. So she dried her tears and resolved herself to do her best. No longer would she be a puppet to others. She is her own person and she was going to fight for herself.
Thus, she flew off into the rising sun and to her new life. That is after she freaked out over the private jet and had Happy take her picture to send to her family. Her brothers were so jealous while her dad told her not to drink the alcohol. She took to the sky and left her previous self behind. She really hoped she didn't mess it up.
Okay folks sorry about the short chapters. I will have longer ones. Thanks for reading! Wish me luck I know these are kinda lacking. Sorry. -Radio