AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“There it is,” Nadia said as we slowed down and drove by the bookstore.
It was standing room only, and I could feel the tension roil through Emily’s body.
“How about I let you two out, and I’ll go find a place to park? It might be tricky tonight.” She smiled at Emily. “But that’s what happens when you’re out making a name for yourself so much.”
Emily laughed. “I didn’t think I had a choice. Ethan and everyone else are pretty persistent.”
“They are.”
As she pulled to a stop, I saw a group of people make their way to the car as Emily opened the door. I got out behind her and noticed they were treating her like a celebrity.
Emily glanced at me and held out her hand for me to hold as the guy who could only be known as Ethan turned to face me.
“Hey, you must be Lucas.” He gave me a quick handshake with my free hand and nodded. “She’s a great gal. So fun. We’re trying to convince her to stay longer.”
“Oh, yeah?” I asked, glancing in Emily’s direction.
“She seems pretty adamant about going back home, though,” he said, shaking his head.
“Darn families,” I said, laughing.
Emily squeezed my hand and pulled me closer as she started introducing me to the students, faculty, and board members she’d been working with these last several weeks.
They all seemed to respect and admire her, which gave me comfort that she was in the right place.
As we made our way into the bookshop, the crowd swayed and shifted to let us through as the owner waved Emily over to where a minimal stage had been set up in the back of the shop. There was a lone microphone, a chair, and a small table with a cup of water on it.
Emily glanced at me, suddenly looking terrified.
“You’ve got this,” I whispered.
“You think so?”
I nodded. “I know so. And if all else fails, we can always take a red-eye back to Seattle and pretend it never happened.”
She chuckled and swiped the Fedora from my head, gently placing it on hers.
“Do I look more artsy?”
I laughed, nodding.
I took a seat that had miraculously been saved for me and watched her walk onto the small stage. Her vulnerability couldn’t be missed as she laid out her papers and scanned the audience.
“Good evening, everyone,” she said, breathing slowly. “It’s an honor to be here tonight.”
The audience clapped, and I followed their lead.
She waited until it died down and began reciting her poetry.
The room went silent, and a transformation happened between page and voice. She’d look up every so often, but the audience went still.
It felt as if everyone lived the poems through Emily’s voice.
I closed my eyes and heard her words speaking directly to me.
The stories of our past scraping to tear up our futures
They will not define us
