Want You Back | c.h.

13.

"Thanks again for letting me crash here." Emerson said to Callie, as she lugged another box from the hallway into the small apartment. Without Kyle's income to help out financially, she had quickly depleted her savings leaving her unable to pay the bills, and as of today without a place to stay.

"It's fine, Em. I'm sorry it's not bigger but you know, one income."

"I promise I'll help out with the bills while I'm here." She replied quickly. Callie opened her mouth to protest but the look in Emerson's eyes told her she had best keep her mouth shut.

"What are gonna do about Bella?" Callie asked.

"I don't know." Em sank slowly onto the couch placing the box she had held in her hands beside her on the floor. "That check from that random food blog award we won helped, but I don't think it's gonna be enough to get us out of the hole we're in."

"I still can't believe that check was real, the whole thing seemed so fishy."

"I agree, but I wasn't in any position to be turning down money and the check cleared, so." She shrugged her shoulders.

"Are you okay?" Callie pressed. Em released a long sigh.

"Not really. I've started thinking about what I might do when we have to close, ultimately I think I'll end up back home. The city doesn't feel as free as it used to."

"Well, if you go back to Los Angeles I'm coming with you. We're a team at this point Em."

"I still have some friends their, I'll put out some feelers and see if I can find us something. We'll both have to take demotions most likely but we'll just do what we did here and work our way back up."

"I just can't believe it's coming to this, you have so much talent Em, this isn't a reflection of you."

"Thanks, Cals. That's sweet of you but everyone knows going in that it's a possibility. Sixty percent of restaurants fail in the first year. Even some of the best chef's in the world have had failures, I'm gonna try to keep that in mind these next few months."

She stood, grabbing the box from the floor once more and hurrying off in the direction of the small second room in Callie's apartment. She couldn't bear to let herself breakdown.

•

"This is so sad." Callie said allowed as she and the rest of the La Bella Cucina staff stood on the street, staring back at the empty restaurant.

"Um, I just want to say something." Emerson said standing on her tiptoes and encouraging everyone to gather around her.

"I just want to say thank you to everyone for nearly six months of hard work. I am so sorry I let you down. I want to reiterate that this is happening by no fault of your own, I couldn't have asked for a better staff and I am so sorry that I failed you. Cesare has agreed to take on the majority of our small staff and any of you he couldn't take he has set up jobs elsewhere for you with other amazing chefs. Thank you so much for your hard work and loyalty." She felt herself becoming choked up so she waved, slightly turning away form them and indicating that she was through with her little speech.

This was crushing her. The one thing she had wanted her entire life, stripped away from her for no other reason than it was a difficult industry and luck hadn't been on her side.

Slowly her staff offered their good byes and dispersed into the hustle and bustle of New York. She wrapped her coat tighter around her as a wind swept through the street. The signs of spring were upon them, but the cold still hung in the air.

She leaned against Callie, her constant support through the past few months and the friend she had been desperately in need of as her world collapsed.