Emma dusted the last desk in the spaced office and made to change out of her work clothes so as to leave for the next, where she served as a waitress. She juggles three part time jobs at the same time, sometimes four, all in a bid to master in her artistic practice.
"Take care, young lady. It is pretty cold outside," Mrs Reed, a woman in her late 60's said. She works in the office and has developed a special liking towards Emma, after noticing how devoted she was to her job.
"Yes ma'am. Thanks." Emma nodded and hurriedly walked out.
It snowed outside and she had just a sweatshirt and woolly trousers on, her teeth were chattering by the time she arrived at McWillow and she set to work immediately.
It was a little past 7 and Zara was just beginning to arrange a meal for a black couple when her phone rang. She picked it with her free hand and placed it on her ear, supporting it with her shoulder while briskly taking the tray to the table.
"Hey Emma," It was James Montgomery, Emma's childhood friend and fellow artist.
"James, Hi." She sighed exhaustedly, wiping her face with a little towel.
"Are you off work? I'm done over here. Let's walk home together,"
"Isn't Sophia back at home? She would be mad if you don't make it home in time." She paced slowly, and looked around. Less customers, it's late and cold anyways.
"My little sister isn't as complicated as you think, Emma. Actually, she likes being alone most of the time. It's like a win-win." James pointed out.
"Okay, if you want. I'll be done in 30 minutes, kindly get a coat for me, I'm freezing over here." She wheezed the last part to drive home a point.
"Sure," James curtly said and hung up. He grinned and turned around to finish the art piece he has been working on.
He works part time just like Emma to gather resources for his numerous art projects. Somehow, Emma's works always manage to outshine his. They make James aesthetic paintings look like dull paintings of a child. This only endears her to him the more, they make bets on who gets the highest bids and share dreams of showing their works to the world someday.
Emma stood by the Cafe's garage, waiting for James when her phone rang. It was Lora.
"Hey best!" Lora's high pitched voice nearly tore Emma's eardrums.
"Okay, easy, easy. What's the occasion?" Emma giggled.
"I have a surprise for you, Emma. It's something big. You will love it, I promise." Emma wondered at Lora's excitement.
"It's not my birthday, Lora. I already told you this a million times,"
"Who says its a birthday present? I just got lucky to get my hands on this, silly. You'll see, let's meet by the City clock tomorrow. 6pm?"
"You know I've got work to do."
"Always the workaholic," Lora mused before saying "But tomorrow's Tuesday, and you don't get to work till 6 tomorrow. Argh, come on!"
"True, I totally forgot. Alright then, 6pm it is."
"Dream of me," Lora smiled widely as though Emma was watching her and hung up. She looked at the present on the table.
"Emma is so going to love this!" She caressed it and sighed contentedly.
At McWillow, the snow intensified and the wind howled wildly.
Emma was contemplating waving down a taxi and going home when she looked up to see James approaching with a wrapped package.
"There you are!" He chuckled "Sorry for being late, had to do extra stuff. You look like a statue made of snow."
Emma looked him over in slight annoyance "You owe me," She huffed dramatically and added "Big time."
"I know, I know. Let's get you out of here."
"Is that for Sophia?" She nudged at the package.
"Maybe. You are cold." He told her when he caught the sight of her teeth chattering.
"Of course. Where's my coat?" Emma retorted after rubbing her palms together to generate the littlest warmth.
James pinched between his brows and faked remorse.
"I'm so sorry, Emma. I totally forget, you can use mine instead," He opened a part of his big coat for her to snuggle in.
"No," She deadpanned. James chuckled and pulled his coat together.
She cursed under her breathe and snuggled in when the wind started howling again. He grinned and covered her up.
James stared at her pale face and tinted cheek as they tried to wave down a taxi, her slender frame looked even more slender tonight. He loved walking with Emma, even when he knew that his sister would throw a tantrum when he get home and make derogatory statements. He wondered what Sophia saw in Emma to hate her that much. She could not stand the sight of Emma.
He raised a brow subconsciously as he started analyzing how the duel started. It was when Sophia and Emma graduated, Emma was awarded as the best student in the overall creative arts category. This seemed to plant some hate and malice in the mind of his little sister who believes that the prize belongs to her. For a fact, her paintings could not compete with Emma's. It did not suprise James when his sister said she would be working out of town, anything to keep Emma's brilliant face out of her way.
A taxi slowly cruised down and after some ten minutes, they were standing in front of Emma's porch.
"I should go," He said, hoping that she would insist that he stay.
"Definitely, I wonder how Sophia is doing. It's well past 9." Emma unlocked her door and turned to smile at James. He stared at her as well.
"Is there something on my face? You've been staring since forever," She waved in front of him.
"Emma..." He started "I have to tell you something."
"I'm all ears,"
"I... Emma," He licked his lips in nervousness.
"What have you done, James?" Emma leaned by the doorpost and made a funny suspecting face.
James slouched his shoulders and tousled his hair defeatedly.
"It's nothing important."