This love (remma)

Chapter 14

Emma

It's been almost four weeks since she's heard from Rikki. So when Emma's phone buzzed and the person calling was Rikki, she was very surprised.
"Hi?" Emma felt confused. Why was Rikki calling her at night?
"Emma" Rikki's voice was slurred and she was sobbing, loudly.
"What's happened? Talk to me." Emma started to worry, something awful must have happened for Rikki to call her like this.
"I- I just didn't know who to call, Em. I'm sorry." The only sound on the other end of the line was her crying. Emma felt helpless. What could she do from this distance?
"Rikki-" Emma was cut off by her.
"My dad," her voice wobbled. "He died. My dad died, Em." She started crying at this again.
Oh dear, poor Terry. Poor Rikki. He was her only family, Emma knew that.
"I'm so sorry, love" She didn't know how to comfort her.
"Emma...I miss you." Rikki was saying indistinguishable words between sharp breaths and sobbing.
Emma suddenly felt an enormous surge of affection towards the other girl. She wanted to do anything to help.
"Stay where you are, and put the booze away Rikki. Just take deep breaths and maybe wash your face to sober up." Emma instructed, as she got out of bed and flipped the big light on.
"Wha- how did you know I'm drunk?"
"I know you. Now promise me you'll drink some water and put the alcohol away." Emma felt she had to be stern. Her maternal instincts kicked in and she just had to protect Rikki.
"Okay, I promise." she sulked a little but was compliant. "Bye Em."
"Bye" Emma hung up and ran to Leo's room.

She flicked the light on and jumped on her flat mate's bed. Leo was wearing his fluffy sleep mask.
"Wakey wakey! There's a crisis!"
Leo groaned at this and stretched, taking his sleep mask off. "Me lying still in the dark indicates that I'm asleep." He slowly blinked a couple of times, then looked at Emma.
"I'm sorry, I just really really need you to drive me to the airport. Please." 
"What's wrong?" He furrowed his eyebrows in concern, and now was giving his full attention to Emma.
"Rikki's dad died and she's a mess. I need to get to her."
Leo sprung out of bed and rushed past her into  Emma's room.
"Right so we're packing." He dragged Emma's suitcase out from under the bed and started throwing clothes into it. He threw a pair of jeans at her direction. "Get dressed and look for the nearest flight. I've got this."
Emma started up her computer and frantically looked for any flight that would take her to Rikki, now.
There was a flight leaving in two and half hours. They'd have to rush but she could make it. At this time of the day the traffic is light, so she could make it to the airport in 25 minutes.
Last minute tickets were expensive but she was desperate to help her friend. Friend? Okay this is really not the time to think about that.
"Leo I've got a ticket! We're on!" The adrenaline was pumping in her veins and she felt so giddy she could run to Rikki if she had to.
At this Leo came out of her room rolling the suitcase behind him.
"Go put on a t-shirt while I put some trousers on and then we're good to go." he said with a laugh. Emma just realised that she was wearing her pyjama shirt and that Leo was in his boxers.
"Oh, right, yes."

They were two minutes away from the airport, thankfully with good traffic.
"Thank you so so much! You can't believe how grateful I am." Leo was the best friend she could wish for.
"What would you do without me, right?" he smiled and playfully squeezed Emma's knee, keeping only one hand on the steering wheel.
"You know, most people just say a simple you're welcome." She smiled with him.
"Well, I'm unlike most people. That's my charm, Emy." He said this somewhat sarcastically.
Now sarcasm and dirty jokes. Those were his real 'charms'.
They drove to terminal 3 and after a quick hug and goodbyes, Emma scrambled out of the car and rushed inside.
She got through the security screening in no time. Luckily at this hour on a weekday the airport wasn't so busy. Emma made it just in time to the gate and finally felt she was on track.
Rikki just has to wait a little while longer, then she'll fix everything.

Authors note:
I had time to write in the car so here's another chapter <33