Inferno Part 2

~129~ Partners

Emma's POV

I'm working on homework and getting frustrated.

"What's wrong, Emmy?" Trace asks

"Nothing"

Mom and dad give me a look from where they're at, working on one of dad's case files on the other side of the table.

"It just doesn't make sense. This has to be arson, but the Commissioner won't even look at it," dad says, shaking his head angrily.

"Why do you think it's arson?" Mom asks, looking over the pictures again.

"This is where it started. No way it was an electrical fire. This looks like an igniter of some sort."

"Maybe talk to Alex."

"What's he going to do? My own boss is dismissing it."

Mom squeezes his shoulder and I go back to my work.

"Emmy, did I do something to make you mad?" Trace asks after a minute.

"No"

"Then what's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," I say with an attitude.

"Why won't you tell me?" He asks, getting irritated.

I sigh and put my pen down, closing my eyes and pinching the bridge of my nose.

"I just don't know if I want to keep doing this," I finally say.

Mom and dad are listening, but they say nothing.

"Doing what?" Trace asks, nervously.

"This," I say, pointing at my book.

"Homework?"

"No, Trace, school."

"What?"

"Nothing."

Dad starts talking. "Are you thinking about dropping out of school, Emma?"

"No. But I don't know if being a physical therapist is what I actually want to do. This stuff is so boring."

Mom comes over to me and kisses my cheek.

"What are you wanting to do, love?"

"Honestly? At first when Jake had me start training some of his members, I hated it. It was awkward.
I don't know. Now I'm absolutely loving it. I don't want to help rehab people, I want to help train them."

Dad smiles big and nods. "That sounds awesome, Emma."

I shrug. "I don't know what that looks like, though. I won't make 1/3 of the money that I would if I was a PT. Does that mean more college time? Man I'm so confused."

Trace grabs my hand. "You're too young to settle, Emmy. If you don't want to be a PT, don't be one. If it takes longer to finish college, well, I can wait a little longer to marry you. As far as money goes, who cares? I'll be yo suga' daddy," he smirks.

Dad starts laughing loudly and shaking his head. "Trace, you're not cool enough to pull that off, kid."

Trace glares at him. "I'll have you know, Taylor....That I am plenty cool."

"Oh yeah? Says who?"

"My mommy"

Dad laughs again and comes over, kissing my head. "The momma's boy is right, Darlin'. You're far too young to settle."

Mom looks at me hard. "I know Jake has been hounding you hard to be one of his main trainers. He didn't push you into this, did he?"

I shake my head. "No. I'll admit he kinda guilt tripped me into training a few of his clients, but once I got more comfortable with it I really started to have fun. He said he would pay me a comfortable wage, but I know it's still not as much as a Physical Therapist."