Emma

Chapter 3

     James stood alone in the empty quiet downtown library, rearranging the books neatly against the shelves, making sure each one is in its proper place. The smell of old paper and the crinkling of plastic covers surrounds him as he shuffles through the shelves feverently. His chest tightens with happiness of the familiarity. he finally found the book he was looking for, The Stand by Stephen King. One of the author's classic novels. The cover was slightly damaged with tears here and there, but the overall condition was fairly well kept. The librarian, Amanda greets him kindly, as he approaches, her red hair in a bun and pink lipstick on. She sets her own book down, heart to heart by Lurlene Mcdaniel, a copy that she regularly reads every time he's in the building. "Could I buy this perhaps?" she gives him a look of contentment. Amanda has known him and Emma for quite some time. Knowing Emma first before him. Emma had a way about her that people can't help but like her, no matter what she said. No matter nice, or mean. People befriended her, and Amanda was one of them.

"I suppose losing one copy isn't going to hurt anyone"

"Thank you" he goes to hand her some money when she puts her hand out stopping him.

"No need, anything for a friend of Emma's......do tell her hello for me"

"Of course" James nods his head and smiles at the gracious woman. She smiles and tells him to have a nice day as he turns to leave out the door, book in hand. The sky was cloudy, with a bit of mist floating around in the air. He could feel the brisk afternoon air against his skin, the leaves on the trees all changing color, the light gray paint on the library building, and the people walking their dogs or casually hanging out with friends, It's like any other day in Virginia. His car clicks signaling it unlocked and he jumps in driving the speed limit to his home. He knew every drain, every pothole, every speed bump on his way. The crack in the road next to the post office, the speed bump after harrison drive turning onto Fairhaven.  James had driven this path everyday for seven years. driving from his house to work, from work to the library, and from the library back home, Every day for seven years, that was of course before he met Emma, and everything changed. Once he gets home he walks in throwing his keys on the coffee table and placing his jacket on the coat rack. His entire home is filled with boxes on boxes of all the miscellaneous items he's ever collected, including the things Emma left behind. "Captain don't climb up on those boxes" James softly tell the kitten who's not so much a kitten anymore. She jumps down getting more food and water contributing to her already protruding stomach. Captain meows and purrs loudly walking around the apartment looking for something. "We'll find her Captain, I promise...well bring her home" she purrs rubbing her head on his hand. "I'm thinking maybe if we want to find her....we need to go to where it all started" Cap tilts his furry head "I mean where it all started with her" Cap stops paying attention to what James is saying, playing with a feather from his pillow in the far corner of the apartment. He sighs knowing hes crazy for talking to a cat in the first place. He will miss this apartment. The beige walls from all the years of not cleaning them. The permanent blue splatter on the wall when he threw paint at Emma, when she was trying to paint the canvas in front of her for the apartment. The painting now still on the wall, not having the heart to yet take it down. The noticeable claw marks going all the way down the sofa for when they first got Captain. James scared him so bad he jumped on the sofa and scaled down it in terror. Emma was so mad she didn't talk to him for three whole days. He finally made a fancy dinner, using every small bit of knowledge he still had from home-ec in high school to make this dinner. She was in the end touched by the sentiment and decided to forgive him despite if he learned to not do it again. This apartment was the start of his new life after high school. He had so many plans for the future. He was going to be a journalist, meet all new people, get the dirty dish the celebrities served to the world. He was going to prove everyone who ever told him he wasn't going to do anything in this world. He did become a journalist, one that took accounts of the families affected by nine-eleven. Where he broke a little each day he went into that scrunched up portable with people who didn't like him and he didn't like them. None of that mattered to him anymore as he packed the last of his things sealing it with tape and labeling it kitchen. Captain is now laying on her bed we made her out of feathers from the pillows she's destroyed, in a little ball wrapping her tail around her body. Her white fluffy fur sticking out in every direction. "Italy does sound nice" he thinks to himself. He takes his shirt off climbing into his bed. It feels cold and empty, missing and important puzzle. Drifting off into sleep he dreams of how the hell hes going to find Emma in big Italy.