Sketch

24 - Emmy

Hey guys!  Thank you so much for all the support so far.  I seriously didn't think Sketch would get this many reads and votes but I'm so glad :)  This chapter is a little on the boring side but I thought Emmy needed to ring home.  More Sam in the next part though!

Dedicated to chempier.  Thanks for voting and commenting :)

That night I call Tabs.  She answers just as her voicemail's about it kick in and I breathe out a sigh of relief.

"Took your sweet time."

She laughs and it's so good to hear the sound.  "I was watching a DVD and couldn't find the remote to pause it."

"Nice to know I'm important," I mock scold her.

"I paused it, didn't I?"

"I suppose," I reply.   "I'm just ringing to see how you are."

"I'm good," she says.  "Mum took me shopping for shoes today. I start ballet next week."

I roll my eyes.  "And how long is that going to last?"

There's a short pause.  "Mum says I have to stick it out for at least a month or she'll never take my career choices seriously again."

I laugh.  "You'll end up at the supermarket with me."

"Not a chance," she says.  "I'm serious this time."

"You said that last time."

I can hear her biting her nails. "No.  Well, I mean it now."

I want to laugh again but hold it in.  Tabs' will just get stroppy if I pick on her too much.  She's got about as much sense of humour as Mum.  They're awful.  They can probably sit through a whole show of watching people fall on their faces without even cracking a smile.  Dad and I will have probably died of laughter within the first five face-plants.

I sit up on the sofa when I hear a door open.  Ollie comes into view, crossing the lounge to the kitchen.  The last thing I want is Sam listening in to my phone conversations again.

"Hello? Emmy?"

I blink.  "Yeah?"

"I said how're things going with Sam?  Is he still ignoring you?"

I smile  "He's trying to, but I keep winding him up.  He's trying so hard not to smile it's ridiculous."

Tabs makes a strangled sound.  "Can't you just talk to him?  God, you're so embarrassing."

I snort.  "Why do you care?"

I picture her shrugging.  "Because, when you're famous, I don't want people thinking you're weird."

My spine tingles at the word famous.  This is still like a dream at the moment, but the recording studio session today has made it start to sink in a little more.  "But I am weird," I admit.  "It's one of my defining qualities."

She sighs.  "You're insufferable."

I grin.  "Have you been reading Dad's dictionary again?"

"Word of the day is, 'pilikia'."

"Impressive," I say, remembering Dad's tradition of picking random words that we had to try and use at least once in the day.  "What does it mean?"

"It's Hawaiian for trouble.  Speaking of which, Dad wants a chat with you."

"Pass him over," I say, excitement rushing through me.  I hadn't realised how much I missed him until now.  There's the sound of muffled movement and static until I hear Dad's voice on the other end.  "Hey, Dad!"

"Hey, Emmy, Love.  How are you getting on?"

"Good," I reply.  "I'm loving it here."  I look up to see Ollie heading over to me with two drinks.  "The guys are really nice."

"I'm glad," he says and I can hear relief in his voice.  "What about the boy who's been ignoring you?"

I roll my eyes. "Tabs' has got such a big mouth."

He chuckles.  "She's just worried about you."

"It'll sort itself out soon," I assure him.  "In the meantime I've got Ollie and Vince to take care of me."

Ollie sets a mug down on the coffee table in front of me and the enticing smell of hot chocolate fills my nose.  He smiles at the mention of his name.

"Actually, Ollie's here now.  Do you want a word?"  Before I hear my dad's answer I hold the phone out to Ollie.  He raises his eyebrows at me.  "My dad.  He wants to know how I'm getting on."

Ollie nods, placing his own mug next to mine before taking the phone from me.  "Hello, Mr Porter."

I giggle at his phone voice.  He sits down next to me, leaning back into the cushions. 

"Yes.  Yes.  She's a lovely girl."  He winks at me.  "No.  I understand.  Yes, she's trying really hard.  He's just a dic- I mean a bit shy."

I send him the thumbs up for his save. 

"Okay, sure.  Yes, we'll look after her.  Yes, like brothers to her."

I bite my lip to keep from laughing again as I curl my fingers, gesturing for him to pass the phone back to me.

"Okay.  Here she is.  Bye." 

I mouth at thank you at him before pressing my phone back to my ear.  "See, they're nice guys.  Enough with the interrogations already."

"I believe you," he replies and I can hear the smile in his voice.  "It's nice to know you're having a great time."

"I am," I say.  "Is Tabs still there?"

"Yes.  I'll pass you back over.  Speak to you soon, Love.  Bye."

For the next twenty minutes I have to answer every single question that Tabs has about the recording studio and Ollie even volunteers to talk to her.  I hear her squeal from the other end of the sofa and laugh when Ollie has to hold the phone away from him so he doesn't go deaf at her scream.

After that we watch TV for a bit before Vince appears, asking for pizza, so we call a number on one of the many take-away leaflets on the coffee table.  When our food arrives, Sam eats his meat feast in his room.