Swap With Me

Chapter Eleven. Scott sleeps with Emily

CHAPTER ELEVEN   

Scott realised something was wrong after five minutes. He called over a waitress and asked her to look in the Ladies to see if Emily was there. The waitress came back and her shake of the head confirmed his worst fears. 

As Scott tried Emily's mobile, the food arrived. In a panic, he threw down money onto the table to cover the cost, and ran out of the restaurant. 

In less than a minute, Scott saw that Emily had been back to the boat and had left with her belongings. He quickly locked the boat and ran up to the approach road. She was no where in sight. He tried her mobile again but it went into voice mail.

There were no available taxis. Realising Emily must have walked, or ran, up to the main Tower Hill road, Scott sprinted in the same direction. The traffic was light on the main road as he searched around for her. He thought Emily may have got lucky and caught a taxi, and if not, would have started to walk in the direction of her flat. 

He left a message on her voicemail, 'I'm so sorry, Emily, I've been such a fool.'

At that moment a taxi appeared, it's yellow sign on top indicating it was free. He put his hand out to stop it and climbed in.

The driver was a cockney. 'Where to mate?'

'Drive slowly along the north bank, I'm looking for somebody.'

They set off at a slow pace. There were hardly any people walking in this part of London which was in an area devoid of pubs, restaurants and night life. It was more of a through road connecting the Tower of London to the West End. Scott sat in the back of the taxi on the edge of his seat searching for Emily. After two minutes, he spotted her. 

She was walking fast, head down, her bag over her shoulder. 

Scott jumped out of the taxi. 

'I'm sorry, Emily, please forgive me.' He stood in her way but she wouldn't look at him.

'F*ck off,' she said as she tried to push past.

'Get in the taxi. I'm taking you home.' The rain had made her hair wet. A breeze from the river gave the night air a chill. Scott knew she wore nothing under her raincoat and Emily would soon feel the cold.

'F*ck off,' she spat.

The taxi driver called out from his cab, 'oy, you two. Get in. I can't wait here.'

Scott felt a hesitation from Emily. He grabbed her hand, but she still wouldn't come. In desperation, Scott picked her up over his shoulder and walked briskly to the open door of the taxi and climbed in with her. The taxi took off throwing both of them onto the back seat.

Emily started to shiver.

-O-

Emily couldn't remember much of the taxi ride except she felt cold. She felt a huge relief in stepping into her flat and marching into her bedroom to take her wet coat and shoes off. She couldn't care what Scott was doing in her kitchen as she hurried into the bathroom. The shower washed away the cold, the memories, the evening. Her body melted under the hot spray. 

She heard the knock and watched the outstretched hand holding a mug of steaming something.

'Drink this, Emily. I'm sorry.'

It looked faintly ridiculous and she did her best to feel angry. 'Bring it in then.' The misted glass shower screen enabled her to see his outline. 'What is it?'

'Hot toddy. Hot milk and whisky. Drink it.'

Emily stuck her head under the shower head to stop this conversation. Her words came before she could stop them. 'Give me the mug.'