Something About Blending
Chapter Two
Piper laughed when she saw her bleary-eyed friend walking towards her with two cups of coffee. “Rough night?” she asked accepting the cup offered to her. “Teddy was up with nightmares and then this morning he decided he didn’t want to go to camp. Which naturally I made him do anyway even though he’s not my biggest fan right now. He’s starting kindergarten in a month, I need him to be socializing with kids his own age. He has friends from preschool and all the playgroups and even from tee-ball and what not but he still spends too much time with adults,” Emerson told her best friend who just laughed again as they walked to work. “You worry too much. Teddy’s going to be fine in school. Besides he’s probably at camp with kids going to public school and we’re sending him to Ascension,” Piper told her. The two of them exchanged a look and started to laugh so hard they had to stop walking. “We aren’t even religious and we’re sending Teddy to one of the best Catholic schools around,” Emerson gasped as Piper wiped a tear from her eye.
Shaking their heads Emerson reached for her key to unlock their West 79th Street art gallery and studio. “Hey can you handle class alone on tomorrow?” Emerson asked flipping on lights. “Of course. Why though?” Piper called down from the studio where she had gone first. “I want to take Teddy to the library group after I pick him up from camp,” Emerson yelled back. As she was flipping the closed sign to open Emerson heard a clatter on the stairs. “Are you going because you want Teddy to socialize or because you want him to socialize or because you want to see tall, dark, and single?” Piper asked pointing a handful of paintbrushes at Emerson. Blushing Emerson muttered something her friend couldn’t hear but knew enough to guess. Dancing around the gallery Piper started singing about Emerson having a crush. “Piper, either go upstairs and finish your painting or man the gallery because I have to develop my photos from our trip last week so I can get them on the floor,” Emerson said using her best stern mom voice. Piper danced by her and up the stairs still singing until she was drowned out by the stereo system.
Holding his phone between his face and his shoulder Derick helped Amelia put her sandals on. “Hey Mac, just calling to let you know that I won’t be at captain’s today like I thought. It’s a beautiful day so Amelia and I are going to go exploring. See you for the work out tomorrow,” he said to his captain’s voicemail while his daughter squirmed wanting to go already. Throwing some snacks and his wallet into his backpack Derick asked Amelia what she wanted to do today. Amelia thought for a moment. “The library and the park. But not the same park as always. A different park,” she said hopping off her chair to stand by her dad waiting for him to be ready. “Then we’re off, Amelia and Daddy take Manhattan,” he said taking her hand and swinging them. The three- almost four -year old laughed and helped swing their hands. As they left the building and walked to Amelia’s favorite library she told him stories about her favorite pirates- pirates from the stories he tells her every night.
As they neared the library Amelia tugged on Derick’s hand and walked as fast as her legs would take her. “What kind of books do you want today?” Derick asked making their way into the children’s section. “Daddy look! It’s story time!” Amelia exclaimed in a whisper before letting go of his hand to go join the other kids on the rug. Smiling Derick watched her go before looking around for books to read to her. He had just picked up a children’s biography on a pirate when a voice spoke from beside him. “What on earth are you doing here when any normal person would be at work on a Thursday at half past eleven?” the voice asked sounding amused. Turning, Derick saw Emerson smiling at him also holding a stack of books. “I could ask you the same question,” he responded with a smile. Emerson laughed and tilted her head. “I’m an artist. We make our own schedules. What’s your excuse?” she countered. Derick smiled, “I don’t work a lot in the summer. It makes up for how much I work the rest of the year.” Emerson nodded and noticed his books. “Pirate phase?” she asked her face breaking into a grin. When he nodded she motioned for him to follow her. Sitting down on the carpet in front of a stack of books Derick noticed she had led him to a pirate section.
“So I was thinking,” Derick started as he looked for some books for Amelia. “That must’ve been painful,” Emerson teased turning from the books to look at him. “It’s been a while since I’ve tried the whole dating thing but I think that you should go out with me sometime. Maybe this weekend,” Derick said with a nervous smile. Emerson returned his smile with one of her own. “Believe it or no it’s also been a long time since I’ve dated. I would like to go out with you sometime though,” she told him. Taking a piece of paper and pen from her bag Emerson wrote her number down and handed it to him. “Why don’t you call me and we can get a drink or something?” she suggested. Derick nodded and thanked her for showing him the pirate books. As she walked about she pulled out her phone to tell Piper she would be back at the studio soon while he used his to text Mats that he got a date.
