Emma

chapter five - breathe

They crossed the river over the Madison Street bridge.

The water capered far below them and Lloyd, who chose to walk closest to the railing, constantly snuck glances at the black river. It was immensely powerful, as nature tended to be. "Relentless" was the word that came to his mind. It passed by the back of the Lyric Opera House, which rose out like a stone sentinel.

Emma made a small twirl as they reached the end of the walkway. She was determined to find joy in every second that night; It was intoxicating. Lloyd didn't even plan to, but the next moment he held her hand and she twirled under his arm. She rolled into the length of his arm and for an impossibly long second, they were breathing the same air. Emma twirled away with a smile.

"Merci beaucoup," said Emma.

"De rien, ma chéri," said Lloyd.

The group rounded the corner of the building and the lights lighting up the building enveloped them. Emma and Lloyd saw each other again for a second, in a different light.

"Baguette," said Mei, also wanting to be part of the French dialogue. Todd snorted and the other two laughed with Mei. Lloyd was glad that Mei would at least still come to get coffee at Vivace after Emma left, he was beginning to really like her as well.

They reached the gilded doors of the theatre. Old-fashioned posters of the current productions flanked the entrances. Inside, Mei spoke to an usher in fine clothes and they were lead through the extravagant halls, stepping over red carpeted floors. Lloyd fell in love with the Lyric Opera the first time he stepped through the doors, but he's never been so far up the stairs. He usually sat at the common gallery. The vibe waved off the walls and emanated from the hushed conversations all around them.

They went through a door and they met a view of the entire theatre from a booth on the third floor. The third-floor seats spread out to their right and on the ground floor the general gallery flooded out to meet the orchestra and stage.

"Please ask if there is anything I can assist with," said the usher, handing out programmes as they took their seats. "Enjoy the show."

Lloyd looked towards the curtains and closed his eyes. He absorbed the moment.

"What are we seeing?"

"It's a surprise."

"Let me guess, that's the charm of it?"

The curtains slid open on the first scene of The Great Gatsby and the darkened theatre was dead silent.

The voices came from the stage, but the words caressed them from far away. Gentle, but controlled. The story moved with grace and it was enrapturing. Lloyd regretted wanting to tear his sight away from the play, but he had to see Emma's reaction.

What was it about her eyes?

They shone from inside. The lights around the building danced inside them and then left romantically, telling a story of her thoughts. She didn't notice him, and he knew she was unaware of the awed smile stuck to her face. Her lips were mouthing the words that came from another world.

"I wish I had done everything on earth with you."

Emma had tears brimming in her eyes, which were brighter than ever and Lloyd was moved by how intense she was feeling the moment. It brought a lump in his throat and he felt as if he was being dragged down by the weight of his thumping heart. He swallowed hard.

Lloyd often looked at circumstances like he wasn't even there, like he was an outsider happening upon a random event in front of him. It felt surreal, but it was also quite beautiful. He got to experience art every day, because of it.

He spent just as much time looking at Emma as he did admiring the performance art. By the end of the third act, they were all heavy. With emotion, weariness, thoughts and boredom - respectively.

They found themselves sitting against the railing of the same bridge they crossed earlier that evening. Silent despite the wind and water in their surroundings, the cars passing and the pedestrians of the night. The four of them breathed together.

"Thank you, Mei," said Emma.