he didn't know how she did it, but Emily managed to get out of bed the next morning. She was still getting over the shock from the phone call from the night before. She didn't know anyone so intimately to boast such claims as the caller of last night had.
At the library she went about her usual routine, but she could hardly concentrate, and was scolded several times by Mrs. Smith. Towards lunchtime, Mrs. Smith called her into her office to speak to her. "Have a seat Miss Reardon, your head seems to be everywhere today except on your job. Usually you are quite competent, but today, you are the exact opposite. I think it would be best if you take the rest of the day off and get some rest. Tomorrow, I should hope that you've recovered your bearings. that will be all." Mrs. Smith said dismissing her as if she were a grand lady and Emily was her servant. As Emily was walking out the door, she heard Mrs. Smith say, "Of course this will come out of your annual leave." Emily merely nodded and went on. She was so use to taking people's flack that it didn't matter.
Home was really the last place that she decided to go to the park and feed the ducks and pigeons at least that would. On her way she stopped by the store to pick up a loaf of bread and then headed for the park. As she sat on the bench tossing crumbs to the motley crew of birds she got the distinct feeling that she was being watched. Hastily she put her bread away and started down the path towards home, yet the feeling of someone watching turned into the feeling that someone was following her. Not many people were present at the park because they were either at work or school. As her steps quickened so did the person's following, until she broke out into a run.
"Emily!" the person called out and she almost halted at the sound of her name but she continued to run until a firm grip was placed on her shoulder, and before she could let out a scream a hand come down to clamp firmly on her mouth. "Don't try to run you silly fool." The voice behind her whispered. "Now, if I take my hand off your mouth, will you promise me you won't scream.
Scared out of her mind Emily nodded. Was this the man on the phone? The hand uncovered her mouth the grip that now rested around her waist remained. Gently he turned her around and Emily almost sobbed in relief. "Mike! What are you doing here? I thought I would never see you again! Where did you go off to after you left?" she asked in wonderment.
He pretty much looked the same if not a bit paler and his hair was a lot longer but other than that he was still the exactly as she remembered him. "Hold on sweetheart, one question at a time," he laughed.
"I thought I would never see you again. You didn't even say good-bye," she said barely above a whisper. "I didn't say good-bye because I knew we would see each other again. Did you think that I wouldn't finish what I started?" Emily blushed as she remembered what had happened between them a few years back. To her chagrin she could feel her nipple tightening beneath her top and from the knowing look that Mike gave her she could tell that he saw it.
"What are you up to now?" She asked shyly.
"Oh, about six foot two," he joked with the same lazy charm that she remember him for.
After a slight pause she said, "Well, maybe we will run into each other again." "Do you still live in the same house with your aunt?"
"I live in the same house but my aunt passed away."
"I'm sorry to hear it."
"Thanks." After that brief exchange Emily was at a loss for words. "How about dinner tonight, that is if you aren't busy? We can catch up on old times."
"No, I don't have plans, dinner would be nice.' She blushed again.
"Great, I will pick you up tonight at eight." He kissed her lightly on the cheek before departing. He didn't ask for directions so she assumed that he remembered where she lived. What a coincidence that she should run into him of all people. She wondered what he was up to now.
She walked home in bliss thinking of her good fortune in running into Mike again. Emily hummed a senseless tune to herself all the way home imagining what a night out with him would be like without the nagging thought of her aunt in the back of her mind. She entered the house and locked the door firmly behind her. Taking a bath would soothe her nerves. She wanted to be nice and fresh for her date Tonight. Her date. Emily smiled at the thought.
Technically this was her first date. In her enthusiasm she looked through her closet for something decent to wear. Since her Aunt's death she got rid of some of the puritan like clothes, although her wardrobe still bordered in the conservative side. She finally choose, a green dress that she had bought on impulse. Though it was a deceptively plain outfit that was long sleeved and came to her knees. It boasted no frills or buttons but when she put it on the dress hugged every inch of her body. She hadn't wanted to purchase it at first but the salesgirl had insisted that she should, and now she was glad that she had. She laid the dress on the bed and ran herself a bath.
As usual the water was so soothing and it calmed her down. She laid back and closed her eyes. She drifted off to sleep not realizing how tired she actually had been from her lack of sleep the previous night. She woke up, to hear her doorbell ringing. The only person she was expecting was Mike. She hoped out of the tub, and slipped into a robe. She made her way downstairs to see who it was, but when she peered out of the window to see who was there, no one was at the doorstep. Emily began to wonder if she had imagined it.
Tentatively she reached to unlock to door to peak out, only to discover that the door was already locked. Could it have been that she forgot to lock the door? She could have sworn that she locked the door. She remembered that she took particular care to lock the door this when she came home. Her blood ran cold. Someone had been in her house, and could very well still be there. She backed away from the door and ran up the stairs, in a panic. She closed and locked her bedroom door. She ran to leaned against the door terrified of moving. The phone rang then, and that broke her out of her temporary paralysis.