Page 43 of Modern Persuasion

"Why am I not surprised that you are certified for first aid and CPR?" I said.

I watched Emma for a moment. I saw her arms start to shake as the adrenaline wore off.

"I am sorry about what I said yesterday. Considering our history, you've been amazing. Did you call her parents?"

"They should be here soon."

"Seth said he's staying with her. Even if she wakes up, they won't let her fly for a few days. It will be just you and me on the flight back to New York."

"I assumed so. Don't worry, you don't have to talk to me."

My first attempt to fix things had not gone as well as I had hoped. I did learn something about Emma: she had a cross to bear, and she has done it with stoicism since her mother died. I wonder if anyone had ever thanked her or told her she was doing a great job. The next time I tried to fix things with her, I had to approach it differently. I rarely got a chance, though. She slept the whole flight to New York and ditched me as soon as we got to my hotel.

The last leg of the tour was a blur. It felt different without Emma and Louisa. Christi wasn't as organized as Emma was. She did not anticipate needs, which made the last few events in New York City feel frenzied. I shut down and went through the motions. Christi was kind and assumed my disinterest was a mix of physical and emotional exhaustion. She swore most authors experience this even without my tour's drama. I knew she thought the drama was about her injury and Louisa's accident. Nobody knew my past relationship with Emma. Seth kept in touch and passed on messages from Louisa. At night I would lay in bed looking at Emma's contact information. I had her cell phone number and her email address. I used neither, and yet I couldn't delete it. It was all I had left of her. She was gone just as suddenly as she had arrived back in my life.

Seth: Dude, the Musgroves insist you come out to Cape Cod with us.

Fredrick: No - thanks. I'm ready to go home.

Seth: Emma is there.

Seth: Dude, Emma.

Seth: FFS Fredrick

Fredrick: OK

The flight to Cape Cod was filled with Louisa’s chatter. You would never know she had been injured a few days ago. She was in love and engaged. Seth was the happiest I had ever seen him. I couldn't help notice the parallels between this and what had happened with Emma eight years ago. They were in the same situation, but with a different result. I was happy for and jealous of Seth. They had found a solution to the problem of geography. They were both willing to change and compromise. It made me more focused on Emma than I had been in the last eight years.

"Daddy, you have to start the BBQ as soon as we get to the house. I want it to be perfect even if Elizabeth Shaw acts like a precious princess diva the entire night," Louisa said to her father.

"Is that Emma's sister?" Seth asked.

"She's the worst," Louisa said. "I love Emma and Mary, but Elizabeth thinks her shit doesn't stink."

"Louisa!" Mrs. Musgrove said.

"Is this not true?" Louisa said to her mother.

"The Shaws have been our best friends for years."

"Exactly, and Elizabeth is the worst. Walter isn't all that much better. I basically like Emma and Mary," Louisa said as she rolled her eyes.

"What does Elizabeth do?" Seth asked.

"Spends her father's money, spends her inheritance, and looks down on everyone," Louisa said.

Seth caught my eye as he tried to get more information from his fiancé. "I mean like, for a job."

"Yes."

"She doesn't work?"

Louisa shook her head. "No, she's a house daughter."

"What the hell is that?" Seth said, laughing.

"Like a housewife, except she is the daughter and doesn't even cook or clean."