Nothing Personal [*Complete*]

12

When we got in Tara was in the kitchen putting together a fruit plate with Steve's wife. I made it through the door and then got hit with the wave of nausea from trying to keep pace with Mr. Emery. I tore through the downstairs until I found the bathroom and then I threw up like I always did when I pushed myself too hard. Like all the times before he was there to hold my hair and hand me a tissue when I finished.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah... you just have really long legs and I don't."

"I keep forgetting you're not quite there yet."

"Well I'll either get there or my heart will give out." I laughed nervously and glanced around him into the empty hallway.

"I'm going to cancel everything today."

"But... turkey."

"No I mean I'm going to cancel the whole thing with Aria."

"But what about the whole thing with you know needing the distraction."

He smiled and then pursed his lips. "I suddenly don't think it's that big of a deal anymore. And if any heat ends up on you I'll just hire you a bodyguard."

"Just like that?"

"Mhm. Somethings are more important than—"

"There you are!" Colin rounded the corner with two coffee mugs in hand he held one out to Mr. Emery. "You and your fucking cardio. So did you show her around the neighborhood? Give her the purely depressing tour of this tiny piece of shit town."

"Hi there. I'm standing right the fuck here." I crossed my arms and glared up at Colin who only smiled in return.

"Okay, well did you enjoy your tour?"

"It was a run not a tour."

"I did take you by Marty's though." Mr. Emery added taking the mug from Colin. He looked down at the contents for a moment before taking a small sip.

"Yeah. I just wouldn't call it a tour. We did see the festival setting up. Do you guys go?"

"I've been a few times. Aid refuses to go."

"I don't refuse to go. Running a company means I have other things to do, such as right now I have some calls to make." Mr. Emery stepped around his brother leaving the two of us in the hall.

"Do you want to go to the festival?"

"Wow, oh gee whiz. I thought you'd never ask." I rolled my eyes and stepped around Colin.

"I'm serious. Come to the festival with me tonight. We'll go after dinner."

I paused and turned. "Look, I'm not interested. I don't know how many times and how many different ways I can say it."

"Fine. Just forget it." He slipped out the side door and slammed it so hard the glass rattled. With a groan I walked down the hall into the Livingroom and walked upstairs to shower again and change.

When I came back down dressed and looking like something people might at least mistake for human I lingered in the doorway watching as everyone acted like they were part of one big happy family. After Mr. Emery told me about what happened in the house I couldn't make sense of why he didn't burn it to the ground. However, the longer I thought on it the clearer a possible reason became. Keeping it and celebrating there was him proving to himself he was over it.