This Kiss

Chapter 38

Olivia had decided to have Emma dropped off at the Beacon after camp so she could talk to her about Rafe. As Emma entered the room she walked passed her mother and straight to the restroom without so much as a hello. Olivia turned to the young girl dropping her off. "Everything okay?"

"Emma had a rough day. I wanted to explain what happened in case she seems not like herself tonight."

"I'm a little surprised. She loves camp."

"I know. She's made so many friends. She participates. I look forward to seeing her every day. And she has three other girls she plays with every day."

"Right. Madilyn, Charlotte, and Nikki."

"Right. Nice group. Well yesterday, they decided they were all going to wear pink t-shirts today..."

"Uh-huh."

"Emma forgot. She got there and she was really upset that all of her friends were wearing pink t-shirts and she wasn't."

"Oh, well I wish somebody would have told me. I would have come over with a pink t-shirt, she has about twenty of them."

"She told me not to call you. She was out of sorts all day."

"About the shirt? I don't really understand. That isn't like Emma."

"You know what it is, kids like to be part of the group. They don't like to be different. Today, Emma felt different. Like she was an outsider. It upset her. I just wanted to let you know. She'll be fine tomorrow."

"Thanks. Thank you." Olivia closed the door behind the girl and exhaled a breath. Her mind began to race. Emma had already dealt with so much in her young life. A pink t-shirt made her feel like an outsider and now...now she and Natalia were ready to let the town know about them and Rafe. She needed to talk to Emma about Rafe, but was now really the time?

Natalia sat down with Blake for lunch at Towers with a stack of books next to her. Even though she wasn't going to work for Blake, she had offered to bounce ideas around with her anyways.

Blake set another book on the stack and looked at Natalia. "This is one of my newest authors. She wrote a book called, 'Only dogs belong on their backs.' It's about dating. I want to give her a lunch in. I want to throw something for her. I just don't know how to promote it."

"Um, well, what about contacting a local animal shelter. You know putting dogs up for adoption, it would be like doing a public service but still getting the name of the book out there."

"Oooo. Natalia, I like that."

"Yeah?"

"That gives us tv coverage, a lot of press, you're a natural at this. No wonder Olivia won't let you go."

"Yeah, we're a little attached." Blake's eyes widened at that statement and Natalia realized what she had said and quickly tried to change the subject. "For press material how about a stand up with the author and one of the homeless dogs?"

"Attached, that sounds like you are very close."

"Mmmhmm. We are."

"You know when I ran into you and Olivia at the spa, there were a lot of rumors circulating." She clapped her hands together with excitement. "Oh my gosh, why didn't I see this before. I cannot believe it. Emma's two mommies are a couple."

"Do you not want my help?" Natalia asked nervously.

"What are you kidding me? No! I want to throw you a lunch in. For you and Olivia."

"Are you serious? You're not shocked? You're not upset?"

"That you chose Olivia over me? A little upset." She said straight faced, then seeing Natalia's faced smiled. "Oh, stop it. Do you know how rare it is to find anybody to love? We're here for a very short time. I gotta tell ya, next time, if I am lucky enough to find that, I am gonna grab it with both hands and I'm gonna scream it to the word. Just like you're gonna do, at our lunch in."