Page 30 of Emil

Oh no.

Oh no. Oh no. Oh no.

“What’s wrong with it? I can correct it. Let me fix it. Please.” My words came out in a rush and tumbled over each other. My first morning, and I’d already messed it up. My eyes darted around the table looking for my error, but nothing jumped out as obviously incorrect.

“Your plate? Your cup? They’re missing.” Emil gestured to the spot next to him. “Where’s your breakfast?”

“I…I…uh…I thought you’d like a quiet breakfast. A place to relax before the day starts. While you ate, I was going to tidy your room. Assuming, of course, you’re okay with that.” The tightness in my chest was back again in full force. The screws that held the bands were being twisted, and my lungs couldn’t get a proper, deep breath.

“Anders, sit down.” He’d said the words politely, but there was no mistaking the statement for anything but an order.

Obediently, I sat at the table where he’d indicated. I kept my hands in my lap so he couldn’t see them. This was the part I hated. The correction. No one was perfect. I tried so hard, and when I fell short, I knew correction was needed, but it hurt. It hurt to hear that I wasn’t good enough or hadn’t tried hard enough. The sting of Emil’s disappointment hit me hard.

“My coffee tastes better than when I make it for myself.” I waited for the but I knew was coming. “But…” And there it was. “You’ll sit at the table too.”

Rory

How can you send me a pic like that so late?!?

What does that have to do with anything?

Oh, ha ha, Mr. I Got Jokes. You know Daddy makes me put my phone away by midnight, and you sent it at exactly eleven fifty-eight.

Your bedtime isn’t on me. I gave you two minutes.

Oh, two whole minutes.

Also…OMFG, what is going on in that pic?

Out to dinner, walked it off, and thought you’d like the sunset.

The sunset? Yeah, okay, it’s nice.

Your boss is kinda doing something there.

Yeah, the person who took the pic thought he was doing us a favor.

He thought we were together.

Are you?

…

?

No, we’re not. I know my league, and he’s out of it.

Also, do you remember the part about just breaking up?

Still suspended from my job?

Still technically homeless?

So there are a few issues to iron out.

No one is out of your league. You’re effing amazing.

I bet you say that to all the boys.