Could It Be You? |✓

(28) Ball of Fury

Five days.

Matt's office has been empty for about five days now. He has been away on a business trip - supposedly, at least. But Emma has been having second thoughts ever since she saw that name on his phone. It is a conversation thread he obviously keeps with that person, as she has confirmed a few times more.

She tries to tell herself she's been overthinking it, but there is no denying - a demon has been rearing its head inside her, convincing her of the worst.

She attempts to shut the thoughts out and concentrate on deciphering the contracts before her but is promptly interrupted by a loud sigh beside her - the expression of a fellow troubled soul. Hand clutching her forehead, Tess clicks away on her pen furiously before throwing it onto her table in seeming frustration.

It hasn't escaped Emma's notice that her cubicle neighbour, Tess, has been fidgety and worried all day - something completely unlike her. Therefore, when Tess leaves for a toilet break, Emma follows after. She disappears into a cubicle, oblivious to Emma's presence. Genuinely concerned, Emma waits outside patiently for her re-emergence. The moment Tess walks out, Emma grabs her by the wrist and pulls her to a corner next to the janitor's store.

"Em!" Tess lets out in alarm.

"Are you okay? What's up? You're completely distracted today."

Tess looks at her for a brief moment before her gaze roams away. She bites her lips - whatever that's hanging at the tip of her tongue, is probably extremely difficult to articulate. She shuts her eyes and takes in a deep breath, before finally letting the words roll out.

"I'm pregnant, Em."

"What?" Emma reels back from shock.

Tess looks at her morosely and nods.

"Pp..pregnant? Goodness. No protection? Have you told the ... the baby's father?"

Emma is too flabbergasted at the moment, knowing who it must be. She is infinitely shocked and very much furious. Not to mention, very, very disappointed. She is ready to go after him with an axe and hack him into pieces. How can he be so careless?

Tess shakes her head. "I need to sort my own thoughts out first, Em. This is too crazy. I don't think I'm going to let the news out to him yet."

"I'm going to kill him!" Emma declares.

"But... you don't even know who he is?"

"I know who he is!"

Tess' eyes widen. "You do?" Only a few seconds lapse before realisation hits her. "Oh right, of course you do."

She falls silent again, before heaving another sigh. "I screwed up."

Emma searches for words of comfort, but she finds none. Instead, she grasps Tess' hand in hers, hoping that it could, in some way, help her feel better.

"Well just. Let me know if you need anything?" Emma says.

Tess gives her a ghost of a smile. "Thanks. I will."

Tess points at the office's door with her thumb, gesturing for them to head back. Emma nods, and they retreat to their workspace. As she resumes her work, Emma steels her gaze, ready to pour her all into finishing her to-dos for the day. She now has a mission - a mission to strangle the man behind Tess' predicament after work.

She does not, however, question what is behind her fury - whether it is the pure fact that he caused the accident, or whether there is something more irrational.

* * *

"Hey."

"Em, sup. It's so late already, why are you here?" Ethan asks as he holds the door open for her.