The Perfect Emma

Chapter Fifteen

Emma Mabel

Eventually, though it took a while, Grayson left. Emma heard the front door open and close and she instinctively brought her hand up to the door and pressed her palm against it - a frown growing on her face. She had to resist shouting out "Come back!" - though she had a feeling that it would not only put herself in danger but Grayson as well. She wouldn't expect Gray to merely carry around a gun off work - not like Aaron did.

Slowly, Emma brought her hand back to her lap. She pressed the cold bag of now melted water against her arm, listening as Aaron began to enter the door to the basement. Emma leaned back slightly and remained sitting on the step. She turned her head up as the door opened - staring up at Aaron who stared right back down at her. "Good job, Emily." he murmured, crouching down on the top stair. He reached out his hand and began to pet her dyed, short hair like a dog- as if forgetting the fact he had just severely burned her arm a few hours ago.

"Thank you, honey." Emma murmured out, closing her eyes. She decided to bathe in the moment that Aaron was willing to give her affection that didn't involve violence that hurt her. She didn't exactly want affection from him at all - but the only person she did get affection from in the past year was him.

"I didn't hear a peep." Aaron said proudly as he stood up. With his moving away, Emma opened her eyes and glanced up. He stared down at her and crossed his arms. "Why don't you head on out here and clean up the dishes from Grayson and I. Then you can head on downstairs to bed."

Emma nodded her head and stood up onto her feet obediently. She kept her eyes on the ground and cradled her injured arm, stepping into the living room and kitchen to clean up the mess that had been made. Considering the fact that Aaron was merely sitting on the couch while walking Emma clean, Emma decided to make light conversation. "How was dinner?" She murmured, carrying the plates over to the sink in the kitchen.

Aaron turned his head to watch her in the kitchen and shrugged his shoulders. "It was fine." He stated. "A bit bland for guests." He murmured, pushing himself up onto his feet.

Emma blinked her eyes and turned her attention away. She nodded her head. "I wasn't expecting guests. I'm sorry. I'll do better next time." She muttered out. Emma reached for the sponge and began to rub it against Gray's plate, cleaning off the scum.

"I don't expect to invite him over again," Aaron pointed out, stepping over to Emma. He leaned against the counter next to her and merely watched her. "Inviting him over served my purpose. He trusts me again, no thanks to you."

Emma continuously tried to think of a way to respond to that but eventually opted for silence. She couldn't appropriately think of a response that didn't use sarcasm or blatantly upset him. Not wanting to get burned again, Emma decided silence was the best approach.

Eventually, she finished cleaning up. With the dishes in the dishwasher upstairs, Emma reached her hand for the freezer. She grabbed a few new ice cubes and placed it in the baggy, holding it against her arm.

Aaron inspected her cleaning job before eventually nodding his head. "Good." He murmured. "Go grab the laundry basket from my room and take it down with you. I want the laundry done while I'm at work tomorrow." Aaron tilted his head. "Also, because you were so good when Grayson was here, I'll be taking you out for dinner tomorrow night. However, the no food rule still applies. I don't want you eating a thing until dinner - and I will be watching." Aaron held up his phone and waved it in the air. It didn't take Emma too long when she first arrived to figure out that there weren't only cameras but he was able to view the cameras from his phone - wherever he was.

A part of Emma wondered if the cameras recorded everything she did down there. Did he save the film and watch it for himself later like the messed up fucker he is?

"Of course, honey." Emma said with a forced smile - though her forced smile has gradually gotten better and more realistic over time. "I wouldn't think of going against you."

"Good girl."

At that, Emma turned herself around and began to make her way towards his bedroom. He followed behind at a distance and watched as she picked up the laundry basket and began to carry it down the stairs. As Emma went down the stairs, Grayson shut and locked the door behind her. She took a breath and continued on down the stairs, heading towards the bathroom that also held the laundry machine.

Not wanting to wait until morning to start the laundry, Emma began to pile his dirty laundry into the machine. She filled it with soap and let it start to run, turning on a buzzer to let herself know when it's done. Though Aaron didn't like the buzzer, which he had told her before, he never actually had beat her before for using it.

Therefore... she continued to use it.

The moment she gets beaten for it, she'll stop.

Crawling into bed, Emma held the ice against her arm and closed her eyes. She pressed her head into the pillow and let out a sigh, letting the cold against her hot burn soothe herself to sleep.

A short while later, Emma found herself being woken up by the sudden buzzing from the laundry machine. Groggily, Emma sat up from bed and began to make her way towards the laundry machine. Her stomach grumbled in hunger as she moved the wet clothes into the dryer, starting it up. However, this time, Emma didn't turn on the buzzer. It could sit in there dry for all she cared. She wasn't waking up twice to an annoying buzzer.

Going back to bed once again, Emma found that she didn't wake up until morning. Though, she didn't wake up from natural causes. Instead, she woke up because her stomach growled in hunger. Emma groaned as she rolled onto her side. She cradled her stomach and frowned softly, pushing herself up onto her feet. She began to walk towards the direction of the fridge before freezing. Slowly, Emma dropped her hands.

Shortly after, the door at the top of the stairs open. Aaron sauntered his way down and glanced towards Emma, nodding his head. "Good girl." He said with a smile. "You listened. No food." Aaron repeated himself, stepping over to Emma. He placed his finger on her chin and lifted her chin up, pressing his lips against hers.

When Aaron leaned back, Emma forced a smile onto her lips. "Have a good day at work."

"With Grayson?" Aaron commented, buttoning up his jacket. "We'll see. He just can't seem to let things go," Aaron grumbled, shaking his head slightly.

Emma nodded her head, pretending to understand while standing still. She was still in her night clothes - not having changed since she didn't recognize it was time for Aaron to leave already.

"I'll see you after work," Aaron said as he began to make his way up the stairs. "I'll even let you pick where we go to eat - just make sure it's a small restaurant that not many go to... with no cameras, of course."

Emma grinned happily and nodded her head. She heard the door click closed and avoided jumping in happiness. Aaron rarely let her pick. After messing up so badly by calling 911, she was surprised that he was letting her pick. Emma supposed that being silent while Grayson was here truly did make him proud, in some fucked up way.

Either way, she couldn't care at the moment.

She got to pick dinner.