FOUND IN THE RAIN

EPISODE4

He found a rhythm. Thursday school pickup. Saturday morning, park or visit the science museum. He was always on time. He brought the snacks Lily had mentioned and promptly forgotten; he wrote them down.

Thursday at school became something Emma looked forward to. It felt like anticipation mixed with fear. She tried not to think about it too much.

She noticed the car first. Dark sedan, not Alex's car. Sat outside of her building all day. Could have been anything, anyone. Except it was always the same car, always in the same place. She saw the person sometimes, but they never seemed to be going anywhere.

Then the phone calls. A number she didn't know would ring. She would pick up, and then there would be silence and heavy breathing before she hung up. Must be a wrong number, she thought. I have enough to worry about.

Lily's teacher called. “A man came to the school today,” Mrs. Okafor said. "He said he was Lily's uncle and asked about your pickup schedule."

Emma sat down on the floor. She was pretty sure she had decided to sit down on the floor, although the memory of it was fuzzy. She called Alex. He came in nineteen minutes, speeding. “You and Lily are coming with me tonight,” he said. He was still wearing his coat and bringing the chill into the house with him.

"Alex, I don't know if —"

“Someone went to her school,” he said. His voice was low. "Someone asked when she'd be alone on that sidewalk. And I am not going to wait around to figure out what that means."

Emma opened her mouth, intent on arguing. But she was too tired. “Okay”. She said.

Her prince's castle, Lily, called his apartment. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the city. There was a canopy bed in the guest room. Lily declared it her tower and spent twenty minutes loading it up with stuffed animals. After Lily went to sleep, Emma found Alex on the terrace. The city lights twinkled. The cold cut into her arms. She crossed them. His shoulder was near hers. She realized that. "Who is it?" She had a view of his profile now. "Twenty-four, I made a deal. Pushed a man out of his company. He never forgot." Still looking out at the lights. "People like him know that using you and Lily to get to me is faster." Pause. "I didn't know she existed. Had I not, none of this would have happened."

“You didn't know,” Emma said. “I should have found you. Made sure I did. More.” She reached over and touched his arm. He looked down at her hand in surprise. “You found us,” she said. “That's where we start.” He turned to her. Whatever composure he normally relied on left him. He was younger. Afraid. “I keep waiting for you to realize that I'm not...” He stopped. Looked away. “I wasn't built for this,” he said quietly. “My father made sure I knew. But you make me want things I had stopped wanting. And it's scaring the hell out of me.” Emma studied him against the city lights. “Then be scared with me.” He turned back to her, and she had to meet his eyes. His hand rose, slow and cautious. Giving her time to stop him. His fingers brushed down her jaw. “Emma.” And then he kissed her. It started soft and turned harder. When they stopped, he pressed his forehead onto hers. Both stood there and didn't move. “I have to tell you something,” he said, his voice muffled by her face. “From the night we met.” She pulled away to look at him. “What?” “I saw you before that,” he said. “You were carrying a tray and made a joke to another of the staff.” They laughed, “and you looked surprised.” He met her eyes. “I went looking for you. Made sure I was in the right place when you came back.” She stayed still. “You looked for me.” “I wanted to talk to you,” he said. “Only once, I told myself.” Pause. “I didn't expect one conversation to be a five-year hunt for finding you everywhere.” “You picked me,” she said. Something opened in her chest. Out of every single person in that room. He looked at her. “I'd do it again. Any room.” The city hummed below—light-filled windows. Lives played out. Across the street, a man lowered his binoculars and pulled out his phone. “She's with him,” he said. “The child, too. Yeah, I'll wait.” He stepped back into the dark.