Once Emily had caught her breath, she hurried out to reach her car as quickly as possible. She walked along the long walls of each corridor she crossed as if it could better hide her. The last thing she wanted was to have to account for the last half hour.
Before even reaching the lobby, she heard the commotion coming from outside. Emily cautiously approached the glass door and looked through the sparkling glass, cleaned for the occasion. At first she saw nothing but people and journalists gathered in front of the large statue representing a 2-meter-high bronze eagle. Of course the statue was beautiful, but why stand there like that? As she wondered, the answer to this question suddenly appeared and Emily almost laughed at the situation. Indeed, Alison DiLaurentis, perched on her vertiginous heels, was at the center of everyone's attention. An ironic smile pulled at her lips. Of course, who else could attract so many looks?
With a broad smile on her face, she seemed to be in her element, an undisputed queen in the middle of this court. Her lipstick, as bright as her scarlet dress, drew all eyes and it didn't seem to bother her in the least, on the contrary.
"Are you playing stalker?" Lucy asked suspiciously, coming up behind Emily. The latter jumped and turned abruptly towards her assistant.
"No, I'm avoiding the cameras. I think I've given them enough material to write scandalous articles with headlines like: 'Emily Fields, former champion on the verge of implosion,'" she replied sarcastically.
Lucy chuckled. "Don't worry, the journalists already have plenty to do with Alison. I'm sure they're going to write an article like: 'Alison DiLaurentis, America's most beautiful businesswoman, once again the center of attention.' And you'll just be a small footnote next to her latest acquisition: a 100-meter yacht,"
Emily sighed and didn't answer, she just frowned. There was a time when America's most beautiful businesswoman was just a spoiled girl pampered by very rich parents. But times had changed. This spoiled child had turned into a real businesswoman, at the head of an empire: Her empire.
Emily had seen more and more articles about Alison over the past seven years and she knew that she was now at the head of the largest marketing agency in the country. Finally, my departure was beneficial to her, it's as if she had been waiting for this to live her life to the fullest, she thought.
Lucy suggested they grab a bite at the little restaurant just down the street from the parking lot, but Emily declined, claiming she had work to do. In reality, she was simply going to go home and crawl into bed, never mind the mess of her apartment.
,,,,
The following month was a whirlwind. Drowning in her coaching responsibilities, Emily felt both excited and exhausted. The pool, usually a place of peace, had become her arena. Overseeing 35 young swimmers, each with their own potential and doubts, was an immense task. Emily spent her days scrutinizing their movements, analyzing their times on the stopwatch. The first few lengths were often laborious: stiff arms, legs sinking. But as the sessions progressed, she saw improvements. Shy smiles appeared, movements became fluid. She explained techniques, encouraged them to give their best, and comforted them when they became discouraged. Her voice filled the sessions, sometimes firm to correct, sometimes gentle to praise.
Three young girls had particularly caught her attention. Sarah, the little ball of fiery red hair, was a force of nature in the pool, but her technique needed refining. Lily, with her big green eyes and slender figure, was an elegant but reserved swimmer. And then there was Chloe, the fighter, whose muscles rippled under her swimsuit. Each of them was a rough diamond, and Emily was eager to reveal all their brilliance.
With this thought in mind, she went to work that morning. On her way to the university, Emily felt her stomach grumble. She needed a coffee. She turned towards "The Cup," a small, cozy café she was particularly fond of. The intoxicating aroma of freshly ground coffee hit her as soon as she crossed the threshold. She ordered her usual latte and a blueberry muffin, her guilty pleasure. Settling into a soft armchair, she closed her eyes, savoring every sip. Emily loved coming here to take a break. The smell of coffee, the laughter of people sitting at tables with family or friends, and the delicious pastries put Emily in a better mood. Her mind wandered to another café she had been particularly fond of during her adolescence. The Brew, the café in her hometown of Rosewood, had been her and her high school friends' headquarters. She had spent many good times there and sometimes she missed it terribly.
Was it the long conversations filled with laughter with the girls or was it Alison's presence that I miss? she wondered in spite of herself.
She thought back to their afternoons at The Brew, their dreams for the future, their complicity. A bitter smile tugged at her lips. Alison had become a stranger, and yet, a part of her still missed her.
Emily sipped her coffee, her gaze lost in the distance. In the pocket of her jacket, her phone vibrated again. She looked at it without answering. It was the third call from her mother in less than an hour. Emily took a deep breath and answered.
"Hello Mom," she said a little embarrassed.
"Oh Emily, darling! I was starting to think you were avoiding me," Pam exclaimed on the other end of the line.
Emily pursed her lips. "No, Mom, I'm just really busy with work right now."
"I saw you on TV, you looked radiant," Pam continued. "On the other hand, you look like you've lost a bit of weight. Are you eating properly?"
"Oh Mom! I'm eating very well and I haven't lost any weight." Emily tried to cut the conversation short. "You know, I have to hurry to join my team, is there anything specific you wanted to tell me?"
"No, I just wanted to hear from you. It's been a while since you've come to see me," Emily heard the sadness in her mother's voice and she immediately felt guilty. Going back to Rosewood wasn't on her list of most pleasant things to do. Every time she went, she just wanted to run away. The nostalgia for her childhood places and especially the return to her childhood home turned her stomach. Every room she walked through and every piece of furniture she touched reminded her of her father. Her father whom she could never see or hug again.
"I know, Mom. I'd love to, but I'm overwhelmed right now," Emily replied in a voice choked by the lump that had formed in her throat. She cleared her throat to compose herself and cut the phone call short. Thinking about her father was definitely not on her agenda for the day.
,,,,
The universe provided a timely distraction from her conversation with her mother when Lucy burst into her office mid-afternoon like a cannonball, her blonde hair flying all around her and a look of pure excitement on her face.
"I'm sure Albert Einstein looked just as giddy the day he discovered E=mc2," Emily joked. "What's up?"
Lucy ignored the joke. She practically bounced in place, her voice full of excitement. "Emily, hold onto your seat, it seems like a HUGE project is about to kick off. And guess what? According to my inside source who's working directly with the organizing committee, they might offer you a position!"
"What kind of project?" Emily asked, perplexed.
"It's still a bit vague, but it would involve organizing a major sporting event! Like, national level."
When Emily remained silent, Lucy paused for a moment, then leaned forward, her hands on the table, as if to emphasize the importance of what she was saying.
"Why are you so quiet? It could be a huge stepping stone for you, for us."
"A stepping stone? I prefer to keep my feet on the ground, Lucy. This kind of project is a leap of faith. And I'm not sure I'm ready to take that leap."
She stood up and turned to the whiteboard to draw a large circle around a name. "That's a stepping stone. Seeing each of these girls progress, that's all that matters to me."
Her assistant opened her mouth to reply but didn't get the chance, as three solid knocks sounded at the door.
"Come in," Emily said. Her eyes widened as she saw a familiar figure in the doorway. With a big smile on his face and a bag of pastries in his hand, Toby stepped into the room. He had been her best friend since high school. He was like a brother to her, and despite the distance between them, their bond was still as strong as ever. Her eyes widened as she saw a familiar figure in the doorway.
"Surprise!" Toby exclaimed, a big smile on his face and a bag of pastries in his hand. Lucy, who had opened her mouth in surprise at the sight of the man in front of her, recovered and discreetly adjusted her hair as she moved towards the exit.
"But what are you doing here? Washington isn't just around the corner!" Emily exclaimed, her eyes sparkling.
"I'm not allowed to visit you anymore, is that it?" Toby laughed. He came closer and Emily hugged him. She had missed him so much lately. She was happy that he had started a family, but for that, he had had to move to the city where his wife, Spencer, Emily's friend, had built her career.
"Of course you are, but I wasn't expecting you, why didn't you tell me?" "It would have ruined the whole surprise," Toby joked, handing her the bag of pastries.
Emily smiled, and for the next hour, they indulged in the pastries while exchanging stories about their recent lives. Emily learned that her eldest daughter, Emma, had lost her first tooth, which made her realize how quickly time was passing. Then, Toby, as proud as a father could be, showed Emily videos of their son Charlie's first steps. When Emma appeared on the screen, Emily was speechless. The resemblance to Spencer was striking. Having known Spencer long before high school, she couldn't help but think that this cute little face was going to keep its mother's features as she grew up.
"I'm so glad you're happy," Emily said, forcing a slightly too wide smile.
Toby looked at her with a slight frown. "And you, are you happy with your life?" His question was direct, without beating around the bush.
Emily hesitated for a moment and her eyes looked away, avoiding his. "Yes, everything is fine," she replied, but her voice trembled slightly. "I have everything I want."
Toby tilted his head, his eyes locked on hers. "Alison was at your press conference, wasn't she? I saw her on the news."
Emily looked away. "Yes, but it didn't matter." The lie tasted bitter on her tongue. In reality, she had thought about it many times over the past month. The mere thought of seeing Alison again made her stomach churn. And why, anyway? It had been an eternity since she had seen her. An eternity since she had left her in tears on that landing, her heart broken. So long that she had thought she had forgotten, but the image of her own tears still burned in her retinas. She could never forgive Alison for hurting her like that.
,,,,
Toby had barely left when Emily already missed him. A week had seemed so short. On the night of his departure, they had promised to see each other soon, in Washington this time, with his children. She had missed so many important moments in their lives, and the idea of catching up gave her a wry smile.
In the midst of her frantic race through the supermarket aisles, her phone vibrated incessantly. A sigh escaped her lips. Probably her mother, once again, inviting her back to Rosewood. She ignored the call, but the insistent beeping followed her until she gave in, exasperated. An unknown number was displayed on the screen. What could it be? Curiosity, despite her reluctance, eventually won out.
"Hello? Emily Fields speaking." She sighed, exasperated.
"Emily, it's me." Emily knew that voice, she recognized it immediately. It was Alison's. She said nothing. She didn't know what to say and the shock paralyzed her. She didn't even feel the cart that bumped into her from behind, nor the old lady who mumbled a few words as she walked away.
"We need to talk. I've made a reservation for tonight. I'll send you the address." Alison didn't give Emily time to react, hanging up immediately. It was an order, not an invitation. She couldn't even have said if it was really Emily on the other end of the line. That was exactly like Alison. Always pulling strings, imposing her will. Emily felt a wave of anger rising up inside her. She had no desire to see her and even less desire to obey her because she knew that was what Alison thought she was going to do.
She put her groceries on the checkout counter, her hands trembling. Alison's call had completely thrown her off balance. How could she still have so much power over her, after all this time? Her phone vibrated again, a harsh reminder of the evening to come. A knot tightened in her stomach. This day was going to be endless.
Hi there! I hope you're doing well. I'm so happy to see the few comments I've received so far! Keep the feedback coming, I'm all ears. PS: Sorry for the late post, classes have started up again in full swing
