Finding Carolina

Chapter 6

"Open your eyes Court, we made it to the top." Emerson spoke softly in her ear.

Courtney opened her eyes and stepped out of the carriage not letting go of Emerson's hand. They walked together toward the window and looked out. The view was spectacular. They could see the Mississippi River below them.

"Woah!" Courtney let go of Emerson's hand and walked toward the window. She couldn't take her eyes off the view until she felt the arch moving underneath her. "What, what is that? Why are we moving?" Panic settled into Courtney as she gripped the railing on the window until her knuckles whitened.

"Courtney, look at me." Courtney looked up at Emerson quickly. He could see the panic in her eyes. "Let's let Mildred take a couple of pictures of us and then we can go down. Everything will be okay it's just a little wind."

"Okay, I trust you." She turned to her godmother. "Would you mind taking a couple of pictures for us?"

"Absolutely." Mildred smiled taking Courtney's phone.

After just smiling Emerson and Courtney moved on to sillier pictures. Emerson threw an arm around Courtney as they both stuck their tongues out at the camera and in another they puckered their lips toward the camera creating the duck face. Courtney laughed so much she forgot they were at the top of an arch at all. She took several pictures with Mildred, in her favorite one Mildred was kissing her cheek.

"Ready to go down?" Mildred asked the both of them.

"Oh my gosh yes."

"How about we do something a little more low key for our next adventure?" Emerson suggests.

"How about the aquarium lovelies?" Mildred cuts in.

"Yes! Fishies!" Courtney's eyes light up and she bounces into the cart to take them down. Her excitement is short lives as the cart starts moving them down. "Oh dear God. Protect me please." She said quietly as she grips on to her seat.

Emerson put a hand over hers and whispered reassuring words to her. Mildred watches with interest. Madison had told her that Courtney was in a relationship with a boy from high school but there was no denying the way Emerson calmed Courtney down and made her feel safe. That safeness, according to Madison was not given to Courtney by her boyfriend. Mildred could see a very good and long relationship with these two. She saw the way that they looked at each other. It was powerful.

At the bottom of the Arch, Courtney's phone began to ring.

"Hey Hudson." She smiled as she answered.

Emerson and Mildred noticed her expression darkening.

"This isn't going to work out Courtney, you can't just leave me here and expect me to be okay with it. Either tell me where you are and let me be with you or we're done." Hudson deadpanned into the phone.

"H? Where is all of this coming from? You were fine yesterday. What's going on?"

"It was fine until I had some time to think about it Court. You've been meeting all of these new people and going out with another guy. What's next?"

"Hudson, I've been with my godmother all day. Emerson is here too but this is about my godmom and I. I don't get to spend time with my family?"

"Come home Courtney, now."

"No, I'm not coming home Hudson, you don't get to tell me what to do. This is my life and I'm living it."

"Then we're done."

"Yeah I guess we are." Courtney's voice broke and a few stray tears escaped her eyes. "Bye Hudson." She ended the call and look up at Emerson and Mildred. "I'm just gonna need a few minutes okay?" She didn't wait for an answer as she started walking to the bathroom.

"What do we do?" Emerson asked Mildred.

"She's an Austin, give her space for now."

They took a seat and waited for Courtney to exit the washroom. Courtney blinked a few more times in the mirror. There her eyes were clear. She had reapplied her mascara but that didn't do much to hide her swollen eyes. She walked out of the bathroom and stopped in front of Emerson and Mildred.

"How about gelato?" She asked.

"Sounds good to me." Mildred stood escorting Courtney out.

"Hey, Court," Emerson's voice made Courtney stop in her tracks. "I'll meet you back at the hotel. Spend some time with Mildred okay?"

"Okay," she said stepping into his arms for a hug. "I'll see you later."

"Yes you will. We'll have another movie night."

"Sounds good to me." Her words trailed behind her as she walked out with her godmother leaving Emerson behind.

Moments later his phone dinged.

She likes strawberries and chocolate milk.

-Mildred.

He smiled to himself and went to the grocery store.

Mildred and Courtney went to a café where they had all kinds of flavors of gelato.

"Strawberry please." Courtney said. The girl behind the counter's eyes widened as she saw the girl in front of her.

"On me sweetie," She smiled as she handed Courtney a large cup of strawberry gelato with chocolate syrup and whipped cream.

"Thank you." Courtney smiled gratefully at her. She turned to take a seat, Mildred joining her with her own cup of gelato.

"What do I do now?"

"Courtney, I've talked to Madison about your relationship with Hudson."

"You've been talking to my mom?"

"Oh yes for many years. She sent you here to find me. That's not my point. She told me about you two. Court, was he really the one for you?"

"I guess not, he was clingy but he loved me, right?. He wanted to be with me."

"He wanted to control you and do things his way. Listen, it's okay for you to be sad. This was your first and longest relationship. You're allowed to cry, scream, and throw things. You can listen to angry music. But don't ever turn back. You went on this road trip to find yourself and there's one less thing holding you back."

"You're right. I'm going to keep going. Next stop Nashville. Would you mind if I left my car at your house? Emerson and I decided we were going to road trip together."

"Absolutely! You are going to have so much fun." Mildred cheered her on and they talked more and more. They went on a walk and by the time Courtney returned to her hotel she was feeling a lot better. The sun had set already and a cool breeze had settled into the night. Courtney walked up the stairs to her room and gently let herself in. On her bed were roses and a card. They were from her mom.

A small knock on her door grabbed her attention. Outside was Emerson and a picnic basket. 

A/N: I know I wrote this but I seriously love Emerson. He's so sweet. Anyway I don't have specific people to play these characters yet so feel free to imagine them any way you want.