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I click through and sign into the portal. I tell myself it’s okay if I don’t pass the first time. The State of Nevada has the fifth hardest bar exam in the nation, with an average pass rate of fifty-eight percent. I’ll study harder and take it again. I’ve already got a plan in place when the screen appears.
I passed.
I fuckingpassed.
Relief floods through me. Another step closer to my goal. I take a screenshot, then exit the portal. My fingers navigate me to my recent contacts. I always thought my first call would be to Sophie or Terrence, but before I even question it, my thumb taps on Emma’s name.
“Hi!” Her bright, bubbly voice comes through after one ring.
“Hey. I’m not interrupting, am I?”
“No, I was just answering emails. Is everything okay?”
I’m realizing this is the first time that I’ve called her. The first time I’ve talked to her on the phone. That seems strange. To be married to a person and have never talked to them on the phone. I like hearing her voice, even without seeing her. I make a vow to call her more often, then I remember why I was calling in the first place.
“I passed.”
“You passed?” she questions, but in the next beat she exclaims, “You passed! Oh my God, congratulations! That’s amazing. Wow, do you feel relieved? Of course, you’re relieved, but I mean are you freaking out and so excited?! Oh, we need to celebrate!” There’s a rustling, then a drawer slamming shut.
“Emma.”
There’s muffled whispering, then I think she drops the phone.
“Oh, sorry about that.”
“You’re good.” I chuckle.
She sounds breathless. “I’m leaving now and I can meet you at the apartment. Are you there? Or we could go out. Drinks to celebrate? We could go to Valerie, they have oysters. Or do you want to stay in? You’re definitely getting a blow job for your efforts, but we can do both.”
She’s so fucking adorable. I put calling Emma every day at the top of my priority list.
“I didn’t expect you to leave work. I wanted to tell you, that’s all.”
“You’re too cute. Okay, I’m sending you the address of the bar. I’ll see you there in thirty minutes.”
Deciding I will call Sophie, and Terrence and Rita later, I quickly change into a button-down shirt and jeans, then grab my wallet and phone. I’m on my way out when I hear a rustling sound coming from Emma’s dad’s office. I could easily walk past and out of the apartment, but I hesitate. While Emma and I have been getting closer, her dad and I, not so much. He and Jolyn have been gone the past week. And while that has worked out in my favor with having time to spend with Emma alone, if things could work out between me and Emma, I know I need to make an effort with him. I poke my head in to find him there moving boxes around.
“Hey, Philip, I didn’t realize you were here.”
“It is my apartment,” he says coolly.
I nod, trying to not let his response shut down my effort.
“I’m going out, to meet Emma.” I gesture over my shoulder, but he doesn’t bother looking up from the boxes he’s moving. “I passed the bar exam and she wanted to meet up to celebrate.”
His features soften and he nods. “Congratulations.”
If we’re going to be family, I know Emma and her dad are close, and I want him to like me enough to acknowledge when I walk in a room.
“Thank you.” I take in the boxes and furniture that seems to be in a state of disarray. “Are you reorganizing?” Philip moves to place his hands under one end of the desk, so I move to the other end to help.
He doesn’t say anything, but grunts and angles his head in the direction he wants to go. I somehow manage to follow his nonverbal commands and we set the desk down at the desired location by the window.
“Listen, I know I messed up. I know you and Jolyn were hurt that Emma and I got married without inviting you. It was never our intention to exclude you, it just happened.”
He moves back to the boxes across the room, and starts carrying one over to the desk. I’m wondering if he heard anything I said. Or if he’s ignoring me. It’s frustrating.
“I want your blessing.”
