Catch the Trust [Completed]

Soup

3

Mateo

I could tell how hard it was for Emmy to call me to help her make lunch. The tone of her voice indicated to me that she really didn't want to be making the call. Dad told me the other day, when we brought her home, how she kept saying how she could defend herself and that she could take care of herself. He said it was the first time in years that she showed the women she once was.

Since her father died the spitfire Emmy has disappeared and in its place this rule abiding, quite Emmy. Losing Gerry, her dad, was painful for my father as well. It took him a long time to find someone to replace Gerry in security. Gerry was always kind to me and treated me with respect. He was once a renowned boxer himself down in San Francisco. Some people still even mention his name or use it in the bay commercials. He spoke highly of his daughter as well. Emmy was a warrior, so seeing her so fragile and broken in the hospital was a definite change. I could tell she didn't want me to see her like that either.

Emmy and I dated for a few months in college. Right before I went to the combine and got drafted by Denver. I really wanted to ask her to come to Denver with me and we'd figure it out, but it was a few states away from a really great boxing program she was in. They went on to win some great awards and Emmy got amazing achievements. Professional boxing for women is a tough field and small, but she was making a helluva name for herself. Her friend Tia and I were texting the weeks after I got signed by Denver. I kept asking Tia to see where Emmy's head was at. In the end we had to look at how Emmy and I weren't' even together for a half year and I was already asking her to follow me to Denver for football. I couldn't ask that of her. Tia knew that too.

Knocking on her apartment door I heard the muffled " coming," followed by a few curse words as she opened the door. I gave her a smile when I saw her, out of a pure reaction. She looks cute standing there with a little scowl on her face and her head of hair sprawled over her shoulders. She's wearing an old Michigan Football crew neck and leggings. "Hi."

"Hi Mateo, come in." I walked inside and smelled the scent of some wax melter. "I want to make soup but my broth is on the top shelf and I can't reach it. I was going to wait for Hailey to come home, but..."

"It's okay. I'm more than happy to help Emmy." I gave her a wink and slid off my Adidas sneakers and headed into her kitchen. She has a counter full of ingredients and a broom by the cupboards. I turned around and raised my eyebrows. She sheepishly looked at me.

"I did try to use the broom to get the broth."

"You really exhausted all your options before calling me... and here I thought we were friends." She let her arms drop to her side and pursed her lips looking at me.

"We are. Thank you for coming Mateo. I hate to admit it but... maybe I do need help getting around until my ribs heal."

"You know that's around a month right."

"I refuse to believe that. I have good bones. It will heal faster." I snorted and she lightly smacked my stomach as she moved in front of me to move her pot from the counter top to the stovetop. "I'm trying to make your mom's soup from the recipe she texted me."

"Really? Do you know how many ingredients are in that?"

She rolled her eyes at me and moved around me to get to the section with her vegetables. "Yes Mateo. I read the recipe."

"Then you know how long it's going to take and how long you'll be on your feet moving? The pressure on your wrist and body to cut the veggies?" She bit her lip while holding the knife over some potatoes. "Let me help you. I don't want you to strain your body and have a longer heal time."

She peeked over at me and sighed, her shoulders dropping in defeat. "Can you put my hair up for me. My hair tie snapped from Hailey's this morning and I can't lift my arms to do it... especially with my wrist." I smiled and took the hair tie she handed me and got all her blonde hair off her neck. She does have quite the head of hair. She shivered as my fingers grazed the back of her neck and I worked my way to tie it into a pony tail.

Once I was done she turned around and thanked me. "Well since you know your mom's recipe I'll rely more on you than her texts. I do have them open though the fridge." I nodded and helped Emmy with the soup and cutting. She took a few breaks sitting on the couch and drinking gatorade and water on and off.

Once everything was in the pot and simmering I set the timer and moved over to the couch with her. I plopped down next to her and rested my arm around the back of the couch. "Do you have any movies in mind?"

"Ryan Reynolds released a new one that seems good. The trailer seemed to make it look good as well."

"I'm down. I'll check on the soup in about an hour, too." The movie commence and after I stirred the soup, I went back to the couch. Emmy was trying to fix her position so I helped her by adding a pillow behind her back bone. That caused her to lean into me a bit. I brushed the hair away from her neck so I wouldn't pinch it as she leaned into my hold.

By the time we were done the second movie the soup was done. I let Emmy sit at the table and I got her and myself a bowl. We ate in silence until she sighed and leaned back in her chair, tapping her spoon on the table. "Thank you for today, Mateo."

"Does that mean you'll invite me over again?" She gave me a smirk and I winked her way. "Hey, a guys gotta shoot his shot. Even if he already did years ago."

She bit her lip in thought before taking another spoonful of soup. "You are a big ol' flirt Mateo. That hasn't changed."

"What's a guy to do with a pretty girl next to him?" I saw the blush flood her face as I restated a line when we were in class together one day. That line originally got me her number.

"That line has already succeeded and won, Mateo." She got up slowly and brought her bowl to the sink. I sat back and watched as she softly smiled to herself which made a big grin appear on my face.

Emmy finally fell asleep after taking her nightly medicine so I called my dad until Hailey got here. "Mateo, how was Emmy today?"

"Okay. She's putting up a front for how much pain she is in."

"I want her to go to San Francisco with you. Until she's healed. I know you're heading back soon, but I want to see if we can convince her to go with you."

"Well next week I have to be gone for a few promos and appearances but I can come back. I should get back soon so I can continue my off season regimen."

"I know, and I don't want to keep you from that. She's being a bit stubborn on wanting to go. II think she is struggling with the fact that you knew her when she was a boxer, a good one at that and now you're helping her after she's been attacked. It's a change and shift for her to let you see her like that. Eventually she'll come around to the idea of going with you and having someone care for her until she heels. I want to talk to her soon about it."

"Yeah. I mean she's a grown up version of the Emmy I used to know for sure... but she's still in there. Used a pick up line on her actually..."

My dad chuckled on the other line. "I'm sure you did hot rod. Okay, well your mom wants to go for dinner, so we'll see you later tonight."

"Okay, I'm waiting for Hailey then I'll be home."