"Are you journaling?" He asked, looking down at the book on Emma's legs.
"I am writing," She said and could see how confused Eric looked, so she added. "I am a writer."
"Like Shakespeare?" He asked, raising his brows.
Emma chuckled. He was like every other typical person, who saw writing as probably something mundane.
"Yes, like Shakespeare but I haven't quite gotten to Shakespeare's level yet though."
"So, is this like a hobby or something?"
"I want it to be more than that. I want to make a living out of it one day. Sell thousands of copies of my books, be the best-selling author someday," Emma explained with so much excitement.
Eric noticed how her eyes shone, as she spoke about it but then the glow was drained out in a few seconds as her face fell and she looked down at her book.
"What's wrong? You seem both excited and sad about it."
"Because I have to write a book to be an author and I can't seem to even get past the first chapter."
"It's going to get better," Eric said, unsure. He wasn't sure what to say to her or how to make her feel better.
Emma checked the time on her phone and realized her break was over.
"I should get going now, my break is over," Emma picked up her bag and kept her books in it.
"See you later," Emma said as she hurriedly left before Eric could say anything.
He sat there after a while, he had been hoping to at least request her number and probably get talking to her.
He stood up and was about to leave when his eyes caught a small notepad on the floor. He bent over to pick it up and figured it was for Emma.
He decided to take it along with him. He wasn't sure how he was going to get it to her but he was glad he had another opportunity to see her again.
Emma didn't notice anything had been missing as she went by her day normally at the restaurant.
Emma plucked in her earpods on her way back home as she played another episode of "all things love".
"I knew you were the one when you loved the same kind of music as I did, same movies, you loved everything I loved and loving you was easy," Lewis said
Anna smiled as she listened to them. The podcast was always so calming after a long day and she looked forward to it every day.
The episode for today had been about "when to know someone is "the one".
"So Jane, do you believe in the concept of "the one" and how do you know someone is "the one"."
"Yes, I strongly believe in the concept because there is always just that one person that ticks all your boxes and is perfect for you."
"And how to know someone is the one? You just know, it's in everything the person does, from the simplest things to the most intentional things. You just know."
Emma sat on the train as she listened with utmost interest to the podcast. She was almost taken past her stop as she wasn't paying attention to anything else.
Emma got home some minutes later, she was exhausted and just wanted to shower and get some sleep.
She got in and could hear noise coming from the kitchen. It was her mum and her sister.
She dropped our bags and hurried to where the voice was coming from.
"Where are you going," Emma said, moving towards Helen who had our bags packed and seemed upset.
"Ask your mother."
Emma looked in the direction of her mum who was arranging some kitchen stuff.
"Mum, why is Helen going?"
Her mum looked in her direction. Cleaned her hands and dropped what she was doing.
"She needs to go back to her husband's house, I have enough to deal with already with you. The bills keep coming. I can't afford to feed another mouth."
"Mum, no!! She can't go back."
Emma went towards her mum, her face filled with so many emotions. Her mother's excuse made sense and also didn't at the same time.
"She has to find somewhere else."
"She has no one mum, she has just us!!!" Emma exclaimed. She was beginning to get enraged.
"She can't stay here."
"He is abusing her. Mother, please!!!" Emma pleaded. Holding back the tears threatening to spill down her face.
She glanced from Her mum to Helen and back. Hoping her mother could change her mind and say something.
"There is nothing I can do."
Her mother walked inside the room, while Emma kept pleading "mother, please!!!" Please!! I will get two jobs if you want, just, please.
"Hey, hey."
Helen moved towards where Emma had been standing.
"I should go now," Helen said, pulling Emma into a hug.
"No, let me talk to her. She will listen."
"No, mother is right. It's a lot for her right now."
"But..."
"No buts, Emma. Your sister is strong and she will be fine."
Emma felt weak and crestfallen as a tear slipped down her cheek. She wasn't able to do anything but wished she could help her sister.
"I will see you soon, keep all the gist for me and call me when you need anything,"' Helen said, forcing a smile.
She wasn't sure what she was going back to experience at home but she had nowhere else to go and she was good at making everything seem okay.
"Please call me if he does anything, I will make sure to visit too," Emma said and Helen chuckled.
"Okay, I will."
They hugged one last time before Helen walked out of the door.
Emma went to her room afterwards. She lay on the bed, thinking of several ways she could help her sister but nothing was coming to her head.
She went through her bag to check for her notepad, where she had all her poems written and some of her books.
Reading them again, always calmed her down and made her feel better when she was down.
She searches for it in her bag but couldn't find it anywhere. She was starting to get agitated. The pad had everything and was her most-priced possession.
She sat on the edge of the bed, recalling her activity of the day to know where she might have dropped it.