During the next week, following AJ’s phone call, Emma pretty much kept busy looking for a job. She always used her maiden name when filling out an application…trying to avoid any type of commotion about whom she was married to. So far, it was working. If anyone recognized her, they didn’t let on.
She could hear the phone ringing when she was opened the front door. “I’m coming…I’m coming…” Pushing through the door and dropping her bags on the floor, she grabbed the phone. “Hello.”
“This is she.”
“Really?”
“Yes, we discussed salary during the interview.”
“No problem…next Monday it is then, thank you.”
She hung up the phone and did a happy dance around the house. Tossing her hands up in the air, she jumped on the couch. “I DID IT! I GOT A JOB!”
Plopping down on the couch, she reached for the phone. “Who can I call? Um….let’s see….” She thought for a moment and then threw the phone down on the couch. Sadly, she really had no one to call. “Man, I need some friends.”
Deciding to take a nap to help ease the depression of not having any friends, she walked to the bedroom and then froze when she remembered that she needed to call Kevin about her piano…especially now that she had just landed her very first job. Nervously, she grabbed the phone and dialed his cell.
Waiting for him to pick up was tremendously nerve-wracking. She hadn’t spoken to him since she left the house two months ago.
Hearing his voice was sure to send her in another downward spiral.
The phone rang and rang…and when it finally switched over to voice mail, Emma paused momentarily, not knowing whether or not she should leave a message.
The sound of his voice, even on his voicemail…made her tremble. “Um…Hi, it’s Emma. Could you please give me a call on my cell when you get a chance? I need to talk to you about getting my piano delivered here. Thanks.”
She hung up the phone, clenched her shaking hands into a fist and sighed. She needed to get on with her life…and she needed to do it now.
Grabbing the phone book, she went directly to the yellow pages and started looking for some place to go. Anywhere. She needed to get out and get drunk…big time.
Finally settling on a place called “Lipsticks,” Emma retreated to the bedroom to take a much-needed nap. It was only four o’clock in the afternoon, way to early to head to a bar. Or was it? “Ah…what the hell.”
Quickly, she changed her clothes; the whole time spent talking to herself...trying to convince herself that this is what she needed. She needed friends…she needed a life…she just needed to get drunk.
Before Emma walked out of the bathroom, she had to do a double take in the mirror. She looked pretty good, considering she was about to divorce the hottest man on the planet.
She wasn’t dressed to the hilt or anything, quite the opposite actually. She simply had on a pair of jeans, a v-neck, low-cut, short-sleeve tee shirt and a pair of Keds. Nothing fancy by any means, but she looked good nonetheless. At least she had brushed her hair and put on makeup. That was quite an accomplishment at this point in her life.
Grabbing her phone, she called the place to make sure she knew exactly how to get there and jumped in the car. Placing her favorite CD in the player, she turned up the volume and got lost in the music…
Hearing her cell phone ring, she grabbed it while still singing… “This must come to an end…………get………another boyfriend!! HELLO?”
“Emma?”
“Yeah…hang on a sec, I need to turn down the music.”
Kevin had to smile, even if only for a moment…she was listening to Black-n-Blue. Knowing her, she probably still didn’t own any other CD’s but the two she’d owned before leaving…Millennium and Black-n-Blue.
“Okay, back…” Emma said, not aware of whom it was yet.
“You called?”
She knew now. Trying to calm her nerves, she cleared her throat. “Yeah…Hi…Listen, I need to make arrangements to get my piano sent here…can we work this out somehow?”
It was really over…she wanted her piano. “Yeah, no problem. Do you need it soon?”
“Yes, actually the sooner the better. I just got a job and I need it here for practicing.”
His lips were starting to form a small smile, much to his dismay. “Oh, I see.”
Emma wanted him to ask her about her new job, her new life…anything, just ask her something. She didn’t want to hang up with him yet. She missed hearing his voice. She missed seeing his lips move when he spoke. God, she just missed him period.
Kevin was kicking himself in the ass, he didn’t want to seem nosy, but he was curious about her job. “It’s not at Walmart is it?”
He asked!! She laughed at his question. “No, it’s not. I got a job at the nursing home downtown here. I’ll go in everyday for a couple hours in the afternoon to play the piano for them. Apparently, they love to sing and dance to the oldies.”
“Hmph….I guess they would.” Kevin missed hearing her voice; the excitement over something so small always got to him, each and every time.
Emma’s voice grew quiet, “Yeah, I guess so.”
Time almost seemed to stand still for a while. Neither one saying anything, but thinking a million things.
“So, where you headed tonight?” Dammit! It’s none of my friggin’ business where’s she’s headed! He was about to tell her “never mind” but she answered too quickly.
“I’m actually meeting some friends up at the bar.” It wasn’t exactly the truth, but she couldn’t tell him she was going alone. He would be all over her ass about it, divorce or not.
“Drake’s not bothering you, is he?” Goddamn it…stop asking her personal questions.
“No, not at all…haven’t even seen him.”
Kevin sulked. She was actually moving on with her life…without him. Why would he expect anything different? “Sounds like fun.”
“Should be.” She paused for a moment; “You got a show tonight?”
“Yeah.”
“Sounds like fun.”
“It’s a job.”
Dead silence…again.
“I miss you Kevin.” Dammit! Why did I have to say that?
“I gotta go.” She misses me? Yeah, that’s why you’re divorcing me then right?”
“Okay, can you call me when you find out about the piano?”
“Sure.”
“Goodbye Kevin.”
She hung up the phone and immediately turned the stereo back on…“JUST ANOTHER PLAYER….PLAYIN’ IN THE NAME OF LOVE….I’VE SEEN ENOUGH….”
**********
Emma arrived back home at around two a.m. the next morning, pretty hammered to say the least. She had met a couple girls around her age that night and one of them insisted that she take a cab home.
She was beyond hammered…she’d been drinking since five in the afternoon.
When she finally made it to her bed, her head was throbbing. Getting up, she grabbed two aspirin and then proceeded back to bed. Despite her drunken state, she could pretty much remember the whole evening and the events that took place.
She grabbed hold of the sheets, gripping them as hard as she could; hoping that she could make the room stop spinning. Not likely. Opening her eyes as wide as she could, the room eventually slowed down somewhat, but not enough to help. The room was spinning out of control, much like her life at this point.
She swore under her breath as she recalled the conversation she had with her two new found drinking buddies………
“Do you really think you should have another drink Emma? You’re pretty loaded already, don’t ya think?”
“Ah Paige…don’t be such a poor sport – if she wants another drink, let her have one.”
Paige shot her best friend, Noelle a look. “Fine.” They each ordered another drink and quietly began talking about sex. At first, Emma was quiet, but the more she drank…the more she talked.
“Oh man, my husband is great in bed…he’s so damn good looking, I get hot just looking at him.” Emma laughed as the other girls joined in. “I’m not kidding, when I see him all I want to do is jump him.”
“Lucky girl…how long you been married?” Paige asked.
“About a year now.”
Noelle leaned over the table. “Well, no wonder you’re still hot for him…give it a couple more years, it’ll wear off.”
Emma laughed and then shrugged it off. She’d never know that for sure or not…
“You got a picture of him?”
She paused, trying to think whether or not she did. “No, I don’t. Can you believe that? But trust me, he’s gorgeous.”
“Ah…do tell, what’s he look like?” Paige asked, smiling from ear to ear.
“He’s got dark black hair that’s pretty long right now, past his shoulders and the most amazing green eyes I’ve ever seen. He’s muscular, about six feet tall…”
Noelle stopped her with her hand. “Penis size dear?”
Emma gasped…ah hell, she was drunk. “Pretty big, too big for me to take it all in my mouth….oops, did I just say that out loud?” The girls all started laughing. “Don’t tell him I told you that though, he’d kill me. He’s kind of on the conservative side.”
Noelle laughed. “Well, like I said before…give it a couple more years and the penis size will start to diminish…just like the sex drive.”
Paige hit her friend. “Don’t be bringing me down, this is good. Shhhh……”
Emma rolled her eyes. “I don’t have a couple more years, we’re getting divorced actually.”
Both girls gasped. “Really?”
“Yep, so why don’t you guys tell me about your men?”
Paige and Noelle sighed. Each looking to the other one. “We don’t have men right now…both single and looking.”
Emma frowned. “Me too, pretty soon.”
The conversation stalled for a moment. “So Emma, you sure you don’t have a picture of this soon-to-be ex-husband of yours? If he’s gonna be free soon….”
Emma laughed. “Hey, that’s not funny…” She grabbed her wallet and searched through it. “No I don’t…come to think of it, I don’t think we’ve ever taken a picture together.”
“No shit…not even wedding photos?”
Emma shook her head and then smiled real big. “I don’t need a picture, you guys probably know who he is anyway.”
“We do?”
“You know who the Backstreet Boys are?”
Noelle laughed. “Who doesn’t? And which one does your husband look like?”
“He looks like himself,” Emma replied matter-of-factly.
Paige bellowed, “Don’t tell me you’re married to one of them!”
Emma leaned over. “Sure am…Kevin, do you know which one that is?”
The girls’ mouths dropped. “You’re shittin’ us right?”
Emma pulled her license from her wallet. “Nope, check out my name.”
The girls stared at her license. “Emma Richardson…yeah, but that doesn’t really prove anything.”
“Why would I lie about it?” Emma questioned. “I’m not lying…but if you don’t believe me…that’s okay too.”
Paige just sat there, speechless while Noelle stammered, “I can’t believe we’re sitting here with Kevin Richardson’s wife.”
Emma leaned over. “Shh…we don’t want to announce that, if you know what I mean.”
**********
Emma closed her eyes and placed her hands over them. What the hell was I thinking? Kevin is going to kill me!
She grabbed her cell phone and quickly punched in his number…she needed to tell him what she did. This could cause problems, for every one. Kevin probably didn’t want anyone knowing about this yet, until he was ready to announce it and here she just went and told two strangers that they were getting divorced. And to top it all off…she told them how good Kevin was in bed and that he had a big penis.
Ah shit, I am in so much trouble.
Kevin heard his cell phone ringing and mumbled under his breath, “Who the hell would be calling me at this hour?” Reaching for it, he knocked the alarm clock to the floor. “Ah shit.” Grabbing hold of the phone, he sat up. “WHAT?”
Emma froze. He sounded pissed. Shit, shit, shit….
She hung up.
