The Pursuit of Emma, Dave Moyer [best contemporary novels txt] 📗

in the clear. My arm was patched up and although my days of body building may be behind me, it worked absolutely fine. If anything, I thought the sling made me look rugged and manly. Jack had managed to create a back story where he heard about the Kozlovs and decided to investigate it himself. He was bound to get a wrist-slap for not following procedures but it wouldn’t matter. He was a hero! Not only was he responsible for bringing down two of the most dangerous men in the world but he had found the five ewers intact and returned them to the Chinese authorities. It was rumoured he was going to receive every award possible in the police force and be used as an example for anyone. Life was great and the Chinese government were not short in rewarding Jack for returning their items of extreme national importance.

Emma and I were together at last. Jack was the new golden boy and the Kozlovs would spend several lifetimes, rotting in a cell. Things couldn’t be any better.

*****

The first thing I saw when I opened my eyes in hospital was Emma. If I had my way, she would be the first thing I saw every time I opened my eyes. Eventually the bustle of nurses disappeared and we were alone. She looked so concerned but beautiful at the same time.

‘How are you feeling?’ she posed quietly.

‘Did they get the Kozlovs?’ I asked as my eyes adjusted to light. There was a throbbing pain in my arm, but I had expected it to feel worse. I must have been on some sort of painkillers.

‘Yeah, Jack just texted me. It’s over. Sophie and Jack are on their way now.’

I settled back and breathed a deep sigh of relief. Looking at Emma though, she did not seem so relaxed.

‘What’s wrong?’

She looked down at me and smiled sadly. Things were not right.

‘It’s nothing,’ she said unconvincingly.

‘We just pulled off one of the most incredible things in the history of amazingness. You don’t look that happy about it.’

‘Of course I am... it’s just...’

‘What?’

‘This is all my fault. Everything you have been through is because of me. You got shot because of me. The girl you met and fell in love with isn’t real. She is gone.’

I smiled at her.

‘She will always be remembered,’ I whispered softly at her. ‘There are lots I don’t know about you but there are billions of things I do know. And the truth is I am not the man you fell in love with. This experience has changed me completely but one thing will never change: I love you and we will figure the rest of it out.’

‘How?’

‘We get to know each other. From the beginning.’

She gave me the kind of smile that told me everything was going to be alright. I loved that smile.

‘Hi, I’m Tom.’ I held out my hand and waited for her to take it. She laughed and shook it gently.

‘Hi I’m Emma. Emma Heath.’

‘Nice to meet you, Emma Heath.’ Chapter Thirty-Two

‘...and how does that make you feel?’

Some things never change. England always loses at football, it always rains on your birthday and the office of Dr Veronica Davies will always be perfectly tidy. I sat, drumming my fingers on the side of the sofa, in my traditional fashion. Emma was squeezed in next to me, resting her hand softly on my thigh. Veronica cast her stern stare over both of us, trying her best to understand our situation.

Things were great between the two of us but Emma didn't want to take any risks, so off we went to see a counselor, just to keep things on track after the history we had shared. I said that I knew someone.

Obviously, we had to keep most of what had happened a secret but I phoned her and told her that we had found each other again so had decided to give it another go. Veronica was respectful of our decision to keep some things private but she did allow the two of us to get anything off our chests in an expensive, uncomfortable environment. It was a waste of time in my opinion because things were going wonderfully but Emma pointed out that things may have been going so well because we had counselling.

After a strong discussion we had decided that this would be our last session before we went on our own way. Today the topic of discussion was: Previous lovers. Fantastic.

Emma had just finished explaining that she had spent a year travelling the world with an Italian who was older than she was.

‘...and how does that make you feel?’ Veronica asked, aiming it at me.

‘Well... I guess it matters whether you were in love with him... doesn’t it?’

‘Does it?’ asked Dr Davies, cryptically.

‘Doesn’t it?’

‘You tell me.’

‘Well I think it is important... right?’

‘Is it?’

‘I don’t know?’

‘You tell me.’

For fuck’s sake.

The session continued largely along those lines. Veronica was being even more confusing than usual. Emma assured me that she had never loved anyone else and I convinced her of the same. It wasn’t hard to convince her of that as I'd never had a relationship that lasted more than six weeks.

I glanced up at the clock and could see we had less than fifteen minutes. Fifteen minutes left of time with Dr Davies... ever, I hoped. It was strange to think about it. Since I had first met her she had always been an option for me; I couldn’t deny how much she had helped, no matter how much I had resisted. She had been there for me (although you would expect that at the prices she charged). I had been dependant on her and something told me in the rest of my life there would be situations I would want to talk to Dr Veronica Davies about. Eventually Emma and I had talked ourselves hoarse and it was time for Veronica to sum it all up.

‘It seems to me...’ she began quietly. ‘...you two have an...interesting relationship. Clearly things have been hidden in the past and the only way to maintain a healthy relationship is for that to change. Honesty is the only way forward. But, there is no doubt in my mind that you two love each other very much and belong together. Remember that and you won’t go too far wrong.’

I looked at her and then turned to smile at Emma. She was right. I had known this since the moment Emma disappeared. Yes, there were things we needed to know about one another and I had concerns whether I would ever know everything about her, but we were in love and that would be enough.

‘Thanks Dr Da... Veronica,’ I said slowly, standing up and shaking her hand warmly. I owed a lot to her and I wasn’t going to forget it. She smiled back in a friendly way and I realised I had never seen her look happy... or even smile. Emma thanked her and we walked out hand in hand.

‘So what do we do now?’ Emma asked.

‘Well, now we have to pay at reception...’

‘No, I mean... Now. What do we do now?’ she whispered softly, trying to find the path for our future.

‘Well... I love you, do you love me?’

‘Yes.’

‘So it makes sense to love each other for the rest of our lives, right?’

‘Right.’

‘Well, in that case...’ I pulled out a ring and knelt down on one knee, the way I had all those years before.

‘So, marry me... again... properly!’

*****

Weddings are a painful experience to organise, especially if you are a man. I think it gives you an idea of the extent of my love for her that I was willing to go through it again. After celebrating, we realised the logistical nightmare that getting married again would cause. All of my family were unaware yet that I had found Emma and, while telling them the truth was out of the question, we had to come up with a reason why she had disappeared and why I had forgiven her so easily. I may have been willing to forgive and forget, but my mum certainly wouldn’t. Speaking of family...

‘Who are those people... were they you’re parents? You know, we went round for dinner every other week?’

Emma looked up at me sadly.

‘They are... friends. Old friends that I’ve known for years. They are like parents to me but they aren’t my mum and dad. My parents are dead.’

She said it so softly, but it was still clear how deeply those words cut her.

‘They died when I was ten. Car-crash. The people you knew took me in and helped raise me. They were... involved.’

‘Involved’ meant part of the criminal world although I was beginning to realise that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. Life, I was starting to understand, was not always black and white.

‘I’m so sorry,’ I whispered and wrapped my arm around her shoulder. ‘I went to see them after you left and they weren’t there.’

‘I know. I sent them a message. A sort of SOS. We have a system and they would have gone to ground. We won’t be seeing them for a while. One day, they will find us, wherever we are.’

‘I hope so. They're good people,’ I replied.

Eventually the plan was set. We still had plenty of Emma’s money left over and whilst we had agreed to refrain from anymore criminal activities, we both agreed that there would be no harm in spending the money that remained. Family would ask too many questions but there were a few close, loved ones that knew the truth. Two weeks after being shot, we were on a private jet, sipping champagne in the company of Sophie, Jack and Rachel.

Jack had told Rachel everything and although she had been furious for a little while that she had been left out, she understood why he'd been so protective. She was proud of the man he was. We all were (he was a hero, don’t you know). It cost a fortune to hire the plane but, being alone with our friends, in an environment where we could be honest and open about everything we went through was incredible. We had hours to talk, drink and laugh. After all, St Lucia was miles away.

There were no stones left unturned as we discussed everything.

‘What happened to you Ems?’ asked Rachel. ‘I mean, how did it start?’

‘Well, you know I pissed off the Kozlovs? I was coming back from work and they jumped me. I didn’t even see them coming. All I remember was walking and then darkness. I got knocked out from behind, I guess. Next thing I know, I woke up in Parlour Street.’

‘Then what?’

‘It was pretty horrible. They basically said if I didn’t do everything exactly as they wanted they would kill Tom. As I like him, a little, I didn’t really have a choice.’

It was hard to hear but I wanted to know. I had always wondered this but didn’t want to bring it up with her, in case it was too traumatic or something. Not for Emma though, she was solid as a rock.

‘So they gave me two hours to get some stuff and leave a note. I knew they would check everything and so I had to think