Emmerson & The Guardian

Look At Us

        We continue driving.  It’s 11:04 am and he says we will be in South Carolina by 8:00 pm this evening - I believe him.  He has a led foot.  He pulls into an adorable diner in Georgia.  They serve sweet tea in mason jars.  Sybil would adore this place.  He chooses a booth and gestures for me to get in first- he slides in beside me and places his left hand on my right knee and gently rubs his fingers in circles.  “You really should go clean up- you look like you’ve been in a coal mine.”  He rolls his eyes, but with a smile- stands- and locates the restroom.  He calls over his shoulder to me -“Order me a sweet tea.  I’ll be back in a few minutes.” 

            While he’s away a sweet waitress comes to the table.  She has natural red curly hair, with red lipstick on.  Wanda.  “Hey darlin’ I’m Wanda.  I’ll be serving you today.  Just you?”  She asks skeptically.

“Oh no my….Ummmm…”  What on earth should I call him?  Friend?  No that doesn’t sum it up.  Captor?  No.  “My…uhhh…He…He’ll be out of the restroom shortly.  We will have two sweet teas, please.”  I blush.

“Be back in a jiff.”

        She’s got a petite figure with kind brown eyes.  I wonder for idly if she will be enchanted by Blaze like everyone else is.  I almost laugh out loud, because of course she will be enchanted by him.  I look up just in time to see him walking toward me.  Nothing else in the room matters…All I see is Blaze… mmmmmmm.  He eases into the booth and his kiss catches me by surprise.  It’s urgent and passionate.  He’s…thanking me.  “Thank you.”

“For what?  Ordering your tea?”

“For earlier.  No one has ever been willing to rescue me from a burning building.  It was reckless.  Borderline insane, but it means more to me than you will ever understand.  Thank you.”  He lifts left hand and kisses my knuckles.  His thumb rubs across my wedding band.  “You put it back on.”

“Habit.”  His brow furrows as I say the word.  I can feel his worry.

“Not Freddie.  Wearing the ring is a habit.  Besides won’t it be that much more dramatic when I pull it off and toss it at him?”  I say and we both smile at the thought.

“Well, he does exist.  What can I get you two love birds?”  She places our tea, napkins, and silverware in front of us.

“Two steaks medium rare, with baked potatoes loaded, and a side salad with house dressing.”  He orders for both of us- surprising us both.

“Coming right up.”

“If you want something else…I just ordered.  I’m sorry.  Not sure what came over me…”

“It’s exactly what I want.”  I smile a reassuring smile.  For the first time since we met, we just talked.  Sure, we have expressed things to each other.  But this was carefree.  He told me of his hobbies.  I’d have never guessed he likes white water rafting.  He has 3 dogs.  And he hates watching movies.  I told him things that only Sybil knows- like I’m scared of failure, and I hate spiders.  We found we have a lot in common.

“I want you to come with me to my house.  I want to sit on the porch with my head in your lap while you read to me.  I want to run hand and hand in the tall fields while our hands graze the tops of the grass.”  As he says the last word I black out. 

        I’m running in a field, and it’s a beautiful day.  My hands graze the top of the tall grass, and my hair floats wistfully around my shoulders as the wind blows it.  But this time something is different.  I’m holding someone’s hand.  Blaze is running alongside me and we are gazing at one another.  We are still running to something, though we can’t see what it is.  It’s more of a feeling drawing us near.  Then in a nanosecond everything beautiful fades away.  Blaze is gone, and I’m crawling on my hands and knees in a dark dungeon.  Something, or someone rather, still pulling me to them.  When I stop crawling I look up to see the figure of a man, only this time I can see his face.  He looks so much like me.  Blonde hair, pale skin, long fingers, glimmering blue eyes, and strong broad shoulders.  He’s beautiful.  He reaches down to touch my face and as he does I feel a strange pain pierce my heart.  His lips part slightly, revealing a pearly set of fangs as he takes a sharp breath of air.  It is as if he can feel my pain, too.  He tries to speak, but no words come out.

When my eyes flutter open, I can hear Blaze’s velvet voice.  It’s a comforting sound.  “Baby!  Baby, wake up!  I’m here.  I’m right here.”

“What happened?”

“You fainted, but I’m here.  I have you.”  He gently strokes my hair.  I notice Wanda wide eyed with worry.  Half the restaurant is staring at me now.

“How long was I out for?”

“About 10 minutes.  Here take this.”  He hands me two Advil and a glass of water.  I pop the pills in my mouth and drown them down with the water.

“I think I need to leave.”

“Ok.”  He scoops me up and heads for the door.  “I can walk.”  The words are almost a whisper.

“I think you better let me help you.  You hit your head on the booth before I could catch you.”  I rub the back of my head and feel a large lump accompanied by a twinge of pain.  “Ooooo.  Ok.”  I lay my head on his shoulder with my arms wrapped around his neck until he sets me down to assist me into his car.  I have never had that vision before.  Not like that- not with all that detail.  And never when I wasn’t already asleep.  

Blaze closes my door and walks around to the driver side.  He is worried.  As he sits- he stares at me, and his eyes are pools of love and care.  “Should I take you to a doctor to get you checked out?”

“NO!  No doctors.”

“Ok, Ok…shhh.”  He reaches to console me.  He gently pulls me into his embrace and kisses the top of my head.  “Let’s get going.  Once we are in South Carolina, and we take care of everything, I’ll take you to my house and you can rest.”  I nod.  This is the best thing I’ve heard all day.  He pulls on his seat belt and I mirror his actions.  He punches the ignition and the car once more roars to life.  I punch a button just over the rear-view mirror to open the cloth portion of the sunroof.  I notice rain clouds rolling in.  Dark bellows of vapor soon cover the sky.  A single crack of lightning causes the clouds to open.  Five seconds later a clap of thunder accompanies.  I gaze up through the glass of the sunroof watching the raindrops splash and pool atop the car.  Rain has always calmed me.  I know many tend to feel melancholy when the skies are grey and the rain falls, but not me.  It is to my understanding that my kind prefer the dank thick air that a storm brings.  I’ve always wondered why Sybil moved us to extremely warm environments if this were truly the case.  I mean most of the places she would take us were under constant drought.  I recall her words…

“I like the heated places.  This way when it rains, we will appreciate it that much more, darling.  Oh, do try to be less troubled with matters you cannot control.  A pretty face has no use for wrinkles.”

“Yes mother.”

“Perhaps you will enjoy it in Las Vegas.”

“Probably not.”

“Well, there are plenty of young eligible bachelors here.  Do remember to marry for money.  Love comes and goes, but money can buy you happiness.”

“Are you quite sure that’s how the saying goes mother?”

“You’ve always been such a smart young girl.  Now run along.  Brush your hair.”

Sybil.  Eccentric, ostentatious, and completely absurd.  Yet I will always love her.

        We drive in silence until I notice we have pulled up outside of a large high-rise building.  ‘Valkyrie Financial’ in large boxy letters near the top of the establishment.  The building must be at least 30 stories high.  He points to the top floor and says “My father is perched up there.  He likes to look down over his domain.”

“Perched high in his ivory tower.”

“Come with me.  I’ll show you, my office.”

“Is Freddie here?”

“No, love.  This is the financial building.  My father doesn’t like to piss where he eats.  And the P.I. portion…well he doesn’t want much to do with it.”

“I see.”

        We climb out of the car and I instantly feel underdressed.  All I had left in my suitcase was my I Heart Las Vegas t-shirt, a pair of jeans, and my converse.  I check my makeup in the side view mirror, and feel Blaze graze his hand along my backside.  “You look lovely baby.  You don’t need to worry.”  His calm, cool, collected rubs off on me just a bit.  He grabs my hand, and we stroll into his office.

“Mr. Giles!  Sir!  Hello!”  A young woman well dressed in a business suit gracefully opens the door and ushers us inside the building.  Her hair is pulled up in a French twist, and she’s wearing 5-inch heels.  “I wasn’t expecting you, sir.  Can I get you anything?  Water, coffee?  May I call for someone to bring you food?”

“No Amy.  I’m very well thank you.  This is Emmerson.”

I extend my hand toward her and she closes the gap with hers.  “Pleasure to meet you, Amy.”

“The pleasure is mine mam.  May I fetch you anything?”

“No thank you.”

        All the while we are walking.  Never slowing down until we reach his office on the first floor.  It’s a large overly decorated office.  Not what I’d expect from him.  There are trophies lined on shelves behind his executive style desk. Mostly from fishing.  He told me he liked hunting, and fishing, and being outdoors, but I didn’t know to this extent.  There are a few big game trophy animal heads on the wall- Zebra, deer, and a few other creatures that appear to be exotic.  “Make yourself at home.  I’m going to call for Freddie to make sure he’s at the other facility.”

“Ok.”  I feel overwhelmed suddenly.  This is what I want- no doubt about it.  But the simply saying something and getting the courage to act are terribly different animals.

“Amy.  Get Mr. Fisher on the line for me.”

“Right away, sir.”

I continue to walk around his office.  Trying to keep my courage up.

“Mr. Giles, Freddie is on line one for you.”

“Thank you.”   He presses the line and begins a very animated conversation.  “Freddie.  How are you?”  He presses the speaker button so I can hear the conversation as well.

“Hey, Giles.  Do you have my package?”

“If you are referring to Mrs. Fisher, then yes.”

“Hope she didn’t give you too much trouble, my friend.”  I am genuinely repulsed by the mere sound of his voice.  I can feel the rage boiling deep inside my belly.  And I know why Blaze is doing this.  He is trying to get me angrier with Freddie, so I don’t lose my nerve.

“She was very accommodating actually.  You’ve managed quite the catch…”

“She is something…”  I can feel the anger in Blaze as he eggs Freddie on.

“You never told me how beautiful she is.  I was stunned when I woke her up in your apartment.”

“Yes.  Well beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”  

Blaze grits his teeth and squints his eyes.  “We will be at Valkyrie Investigations in a half hour.”  Click.  “He’s such a piece of s**t!  How could I have not seen this prior to meeting you?”  Blaze stands and gracefully walks over to me.  He wraps me in his arms and kisses my forehead, my nose, and then my lips.  “We will figure this out.  I need to get Amy to call our ride.”

“We won’t be riding in the Aston Martin?”

“No.  I think I put enough miles on her for a while.”  With a smirk he walks back to his desk and buzzes Amy.

“Yes, sir.”

“Amy call transportation for Mrs. Fisher and I, please.”

“My pleasure sir.”

        He walks over to a hidden closet, opens the door, and flips the light switch.  He has an entire closet of the finest clothes I’ve ever set my eyes on.  He walks inside and I peek in.  His closet at work is the size of my entire apartment in Las Vegas.  He has rows of leather jackets, suits, white button up shirts, and every type of black shirt you can imagine.  Under the clothes begin his expansive shoe collection.  Including flip flops, tennis shoes, boots, and dress shoes.  I notice a chest of drawers- also filled with clothing items no doubt.  When he emerges he looks like a business man.  His hair is put back in place.  He dons a crisp charcoal grey suit, a white linen dress shirt, and a black silk tie.  His shoes are perfectly polished as well.  I smile at him in appreciation.  “Wow.  You clean up nicely.  Hot date?”

“Yes.  With the woman of my dreams.”

“Well, she’s extremely lucky if I do say so myself.”

“It is I who is the lucky one.  Step inside.  I have a surprise for you.”  I arch my brow but decide to look at what it is before I speak.  Inside his closet is a dress.  It’s made of silk.  It matches his tie to perfection.  It is cocktail length and has a ruffle to the fabric just above the knee.  There is just enough black tulle to make the skirt light and airy.  I would have picked this for myself.  It’s sophisticated, yet playful all at the same time.  It has a sleeveless top and the turtleneck with a bow that flops slightly to the side of the collarbone.  There is a price tag hanging on the side- so I know it’s new.  I don’t dare check the price because I already know it was expensive.  “How did you…”

“Amy.  I checked your size while you were sleeping.  I hope you don’t mind.”

“It’s beautiful, Blaze.  But what’s the occasion?”

“Us.  The occasion is us, my love.”

“But I don’t have any shoes to go with such a dress.”  He points to a shoe box that sits on top of his dresser.  “Or maybe I do…”  I giggle as I open the box.  Inside are a pair of black Christian Louboutin stiletto heels.  You know- the ones with the red sole.  “Blaze.  I…”  Tears threaten to escape.  “Get dressed.  After this mess is over, we can go celebrate.  And at a real restaurant.”

        He leaves me to get changed, and I’m thankful because I want a moment to myself to float back down to earth.  I peel off my t-shirt and kick off my tennis shoes.  Then unbutton my jeans and shimmy out of them.  I run my fingertips over the black dress.  Its fabric feels rich and foreign.  I lift the hanger and carefully slide the dress off and into my hands.  I unzip the dress and step into it.  The fabric hugs every curve to perfection.  I call Blaze back into the closet because I need him to help me zip my dress.  

“Blaze, can you come in here?  I can reach the zipper.”

“With pleasure, dear.”

He zips me up with ease, and eyes me with adoration.  I slip my feet into the heels and look at myself in the mirror.  I’ve never looked this good.  Not even on my wedding day.  I had a cheap dress from a secondhand store that day.  Sybil was between “benefactors” and she wasn’t very fond of my groom.  

“Something’s missing.”  I look up from the mirror to see him holding a velvet jewelry box in his hand.  I can’t help the childlike smile that creeps onto my face.  I’m not an overly materialistic person, but I feel giddy with Blaze spoiling me.  He opens the box, and inside lays a beautifully delicate bracelet. Ungodly expensive no doubt.  But tasteful, and also something I’d have picked for myself.  There are diamonds scattered all over the thin bracelet.  It’s about a fourth of an inch thick with the diamonds dusted tastefully all around.  “Do you like it?”

“It’s beautiful.  Thank you, but you shouldn’t have.”

“Of course, I should have.  I want to give you everything.  I’ve never felt this way before, Em.  And I know this has been so quick, but I’ve never been more sure of anything in my entire life.”

“It’s lovely.  Thank you Blaze.”  He plants a soft kiss on my lips, and I kiss him back.  I hold up my wrist for him to put the bracelet on, and just stare at it for a few moments before he drags me from my daydream.

“Let’s go.  I’m sure Amy has secured the car out front by now.”

        Upon exiting the office, we are met with the gaze of everyone we walk past.  Some literally have their mouths agape like a trout.  I catch a glimpse of us in the reflection of the mirrors as we walk, and the passersby are right- we look amazing.  At the door of the building stands a gentleman waiting for us.  I soon realize he’s also the driver of the black BMW waiting for us.  

“Thank you, Henry.  We will be heading to Valkyrie P.I.”  Blaze says.

“Of course, sir.”

“Emmerson, this is Henry.  One of my families oldest and dearest friends.”

“Hello Henry, Emmerson Fisher.”

“Mrs. Fisher, it’s a pleasure to meet your acquaintance.”

“Please, call me Em.”

“Em, I’m at your service.”  Henry opens the back door of the sedan for me and holds out his hand to assist me into the vehicle.  Blaze walks around to the other side and meets me in the vehicle.

            This is one of the largest sedans I’ve ever ridden in.  It’s a BMW 750 LI.  It’s difficult to be upset we aren’t riding in the Aston Martin in a car like this.  The car has sleek wood grain with ambient lighting to accent it.  I feel Blaze’s emotions of lust before I see it in his eyes.  He makes it increasingly difficult to keep a straight head.  All I want to do is have him rip this beautiful dress off me and make me his.  But we have business to attend.  I first need to tell my husband I want a divorce.  What a difference a few days makes.  A few days ago, I was sitting in FFP fuming over my husband’s disappearance, I was abducted, I made the sweetest most passionate love to my abductor that I’ve ever had before, and now I’m about to go tell my husband (who was fine all along) to take a hike.  “You are in way over your head.”  But vixen is on my other shoulder still- “Something that feels this good cannot be wrong…”  For the first time since I was born into existence, I am going to do what my heart feels is right.  And my heart is telling me it’s Blaze.

            Fifteen minutes after getting in the BMW we slow to a complete stop outside of a very edgy building.  It’s made entirely of a mirror like material.  Reflecting the last few rays of sunlight in every direction.  “We are here sir.”  I glance up at Henry as he speaks.  I realize in this split second that this is it.  I’m about to walk in this building and throw my wedding band at the poor excuse I call my husband.  I fidget with my wedding band.  I take it between my right middle finger and thumb, and gently tug.  I hold the small gold band up- then read the worn inscription.  “In this life into death and the next”.  I can feel concern from Blaze.  I look up at him under my eyelashes, and he has a frown etched across his beautiful face.  His brow is slightly furrowed.  

“Are you sure you want to do this?  If you have doubts, I will not interfere.”

“I’ve never been so sure of anything in my entire existence.”  I say the words because they are true.  I’ve never wanted to jump into the unknown more than I do right now- right now, and with him.  

            Blaze relaxes and gives me a sweet smile.  Henry opens the driver side door- steps out and sets out to open Blaze’s door. Before Blaze gets out, he asks “What does it say?”

I frown but tell him “Oh.  It says in this life into death and the next’.”

Every ounce of color drains from his face.  It’s as if he’s seen a ghost.  “What is it?”  I ask completely bewildered.

“How could I be so dense?  I’ve spent how many days with you?!”

“Blaze, snap out of it.  Am I missing something?”

“You lied to me.   All this time.  Did you hypnotize me into falling in love with you?!”

“Blaze what are you…”. It wasn’t until my hand reached for his and he recoiled instantly that I realized.  He knows.  He knows my secret- and he is disgusted.  With me.  This man who was so romantic and attentive for the past few days has vanished.  I’m left staring into cold lifeless eyes of a man who thinks he’s been betrayed.  The pain in my heart is unlike any pain I’ve ever felt before.  I want to curl up and die.  I decide my only choice is to run.  Run from all of this.  I reach for my door handle, pull, and place my right foot onto the pavement.  Before I can fully stand, I feel a sharp pain pierce my right shoulder.  I look over to see that a tranquilizer dart has pierced my skin.  I pull it out with my left hand and try to stand- unsuccessfully.  I fall onto my bare knees scraping them, and my new shoes.  “Damn.”  Blaze sits motionless in the car- with a horror-struck expression.  Henry stands still holding the door for him in almost as much shock as Blaze.  On hands and knees, I attempt to crawl, but an abyss washes over me as I collapse onto the sidewalk outside of Valkyrie P.I.  Unconscious, and alone.

        I’m running in a field, and it’s a beautiful day.  My hands graze the top of the tall grass, and my hair floats wistfully around my shoulders as the wind blows it.  But this time something is different.  I’m holding someone’s hand.  Blaze is running alongside me, and we are gazing at one another.  We are still running to something, though we can’t see what it is.  It’s more of a feeling drawing us near.  Then in a nanosecond everything beautiful fades away.  Blaze is gone, and I’m crawling on my hands and knees in a dark dungeon.  Something, or someone rather, still pulling me to them.  When I stop crawling, I look up to see the figure of a man, only this time I can see his face.  He looks so much like me.  Blonde hair, pale skin, long fingers, glimmering blue eyes, and strong broad shoulders.  He’s beautiful.  He reaches down to touch my face and as he does, I feel a strange pain pierce my heart.  His lips part slightly, revealing a pearly set of fangs as he takes a sharp breath of air.  It is as if he can feel my pain, too.  He whispers something unintelligible.  “I can’t understand you.  Who are you?  Why am I here?”  He still gazes down at me.  He reaches for my hand and pulls me up until we are standing face to face.  “Flesh of my flesh.  I am you and you are me.  Together we can end this.  Together we can be free.”  He speaks.  It’s melodic and cryptic.  “Who are you?  I don’t understand you.”  I am almost screaming at this beautiful vampire.

“Search within yourself, Emmerson.  All the answers are within.”