reputation

Be Okay

November 17, 2017.

Two - Emma

The couch at Amanda's flat had never been more comfortable. Emma used to sleep on the couch all the time when she had lived here, but it was only because the two of them had been drinking and watching television. It was never because the couch was comfortable, because it most certainly wasn't. The only reason it was comfortable now was because it was a method of avoiding every problem that had seemed to worm its way into her and Taylor's relationship in a matter of minutes. Tonight Emma was going to sleep somewhere even more comfortable. She was going to sleep in her own bed.

Emma debated if she should call Taylor and tell her, but she hadn't made a choice and by the time she boarded the plane it was too late to call anyway. Sure she could have called when she got off the plane, when she got in the car, when she got home, or anytime in between then and now, but she hadn't. Here, with the cows and the sheep, she hadn't really thought about it at all. Her favorite thing about London was its ability to take away everything she was thinking about.

It was all working perfectly, except for the goat. Her mothers pet goat hadn't left her alone since she'd arrived. The pet goat that Taylor's mother had bought for her after losing a bet about which one of them would call first about having feelings for the other. The goat was named Winnie, but it might as well have been called Taylor. The damn thing wouldn't leave her alone. Since she had been here it had actually slept in her bed for two consecutive nights, something her mother refused to do anything about. Emma was almost sure that it was all intentional. That goat had a better recall than a well trained dog. The goat basically was a well trained dog. It was house trained. It could sit on command. Emma wouldn't have been surprised if the goat had been taught to not leave her side until she gave in and went back to Taylor.

The goat was sitting on Emma's lap while her mother scrambled eggs on the stove. Her mum had insisted that if Emma was going to stay here she was going to eat at least four home cooked meals a day. Evelyn was an excellent cook, Emma normally would never complain about eating her mothers cooking, but she had taken up making things she knew Emma hated. Eggs, for instance. Emma couldn't stand eggs.

Her mum spooned some on a plate and slid it to Emma. "Here you go, honey. I made them just how you like them."

Sarcasm at its finest. Emma didn't want to eat them, but if she didn't her mother would just make them again tomorrow. Emma was almost sure the entire plan was to drive her back to Taylor through inedible food. "Thank you for breakfast."

Evelyn stared at her until she took a bite. The eggs were just as nauseating as she remembered, but she didn't stop eating until someone knocked at the door. Her mother got up to open the door for whoever had just saved her from the unfortunate fate of finishing those eggs. "It's for you, Emma."

"Who the hell is here for me?" Emma waited for a response and, upon not receiving one, got up to go towards the door. Her mum stopped her in the hallway and placed both hands on her shoulders to hold her in place.

"Don't be mad." Emma didn't understand what her mother meant until Taylor appeared in the hallway. Evelyn squeezed Emma's shoulders before leaving her and Taylor alone in the hallway.

"What are you doing here, Tay?"

"I could ask you the same thing, Em. You said you'd be at Amanda's."

"I was at Amanda's. I just needed to come home for a few days." Emma regretted the word home as soon as it had come out of her mouth. Taylor was her home, but London was where she went when she wanted to not feel the reality of things happening around her.

"New York is supposed to be home. Home is in New York with me and with our cats."

"That's not how I meant it. I wanted to come visit my mum and now seemed like a good time. Home is wherever I'm with you, this is just where I go when I need to get away."