Page 52 of From the Courtroom to the Court
Emma is like an extension of Emily. That's why the older cousin knows her so well. She can almost tell what she's thinking; it's always been that way. She remembers when that bottle blonde broke her heart, and Emma didn't even have to open her mouth; Emily saw her, hugged her, and consoled her for an entire week. That's why she knows something has shaken her, piercing through that ice and steel armor.
"Are you going to tell me?" she decides to ask, cautiously.
Emma looks away.
"I already told you."
Emily remains silent again, though she continues watching her cousin. She won't pressure her; she knows Emma will tell her what's going on.
Emma clicks her tongue and furrows her brow.
"I liked it a lot," she finally admits. "I don't remember the last time I felt that way. It seemed like I was everything to her, the only one she wanted in that moment. It's hard to explain."
"So, what's the problem?"
"I can't be with her," Emma answers categorically and clears her throat. "She's... she's an employee at the tennis club, with a criminal record, and..."
"Mia is a wonderful girl," Emily interrupts. "She's like a sister to Leah, and I'm sure if she weren't a good person, Natalie and Anne wouldn't love her like a daughter, and Leah herself wouldn't protect her so much."
"She's been to prison," Emma's tone turns childish again when she makes that statement.
Emily hardens her expression, and her voice emerges powerful.
"You know why she was there; you're her lawyer, and you know the facts by heart. You like Mia—I noticed it from the first day you saw her. You'll never be happy if you keep thinking about what others will say."
Emily rises from her chair. She's not upset, but she feels enormous rejection when her cousin enters the loop of the icy society she mingles with.
"Do you have to go to court today?" Emma radically changes the subject, and Emily accepts without complaint.
"I have a trial in an hour and a half; I can't wait for it to be over, really," she answers with a gesture of weariness.
"Have you spoken to Vanesa again?" Emma asks with interest.
"We had coffee again," Emily suddenly laughs. "If someone had told me I'd have a cordial relationship with Vanesa Cooper after what she did to me, I would have screamed that they were all crazy."
Emma laughs too and is glad her cousin has overcome that trauma and can see her ex-girlfriend without feeling a knife in her chest.
"Shall we meet for lunch?" Emma asks.
"Pick me up at the courthouse. I'm in the mood for a double hamburger."
Emily leaves the office, and Emma sinks into her chair. Her head spins endlessly, and she even feels dizzy. She can't lie to herself: she's attracted to Mia, a lot, and doesn't deny wanting to repeat the other night. However, the other Emma drills into her head. What will her friends say when they see them together? Well, they could have a secret affair; nobody has to know. But then she quickly remembers that brat who was eyeing Mia at the club bar that day and realizes she wants Mia all to herself. She's going to go crazy, that's for sure.
"Damn," she lets out a sigh and squeezes her eyes shut. "I don't know what the hell I'm going to do with you, Mia."
Chapter 27
Leah puts her racket in its case while watching Emily do the same and thinks about how quickly all their training sessions together pass. She loves tennis and normally time flies when she's on a court, but with the lawyer, she feels it slipping through her fingers.
"I'm exhausted," Emily comments, wiping sweat with her towel, unaware of her trainer's thoughts.
"Have dinner with me?" Leah blurts out, causing Emily to turn, surprised by the question.
The lawyer wants to break into one of her enormous smiles, but forces herself to contain it because she isn't sure that dining with Leah—despite how much she wants to—is appropriate given the current circumstances between them.
"I want us to talk about something," Leah clarifies as if reading her mind and guessing her doubts.
"Okay," Emily accepts, a bit nervous, remembering that Leah went to see Stella. What if she's had second thoughts and hasn't broken up with her?
