Emmalee (4 page)

           
“Nothing.  Except if I were you, I’d wear your
Converse or your tennis shoes.”

           
Okay, now I was dying to know what was going on.  “Mom—?”

           
“They’re in the great room, hurry okay?”  With
a little wiggle of her eyebrows she was gone.

           
For Pete’s sake. 
I dug around my closet and
found my worn black and white striped Converse.  Quickly I
slipped my flats off and them on.  If there was one thing that
drove me nuts, it was surprises.  Especially surprises where
everyone else already knew what the surprise was, except me.  I
bounded down the stairs and spun on the post as I turned in the
direction of the great room.  With another set of rapid steps
I’d crossed the threshold and then stopped.  Gasping, my
hand flew to my mouth to stem the burst of laughter.

There stood Chase all decked out
with a knight helmet and plastic sword.  He awkwardly placed his
hand over the hilt of his sword and half bowed.  “Lady
Emmalee, I am at your service.”

           
“What in the--?”  I couldn’t help it, I
giggled. 

           
“What?  Can’t you tell what I’m supposed to
be?”  He held his arms out dramatically and made a circle.

           
He is crazy. 
“You’re a knight.” I
chuckled and shook my head.

           
“Yep.  See?  I’m your knight.  Sir
Chase!”  He proudly smirked and awkwardly put the visor on
his helmet down.  It covered his whole face.

           
I raised my eyebrows and began to really laugh.  “Oh! 
Well, Sir Chase, can I ask why you’re ah—my knight
today?”

           
He raised the visor and attempted to imitate an English Lord but,
failed miserably.  “Yes, milady, you may.”

           
I turned when I heard a faint giggle behind me at his silly voice. 
There stood Georgia in shorts and a t-shirt, all smiles, and I
grinned with her.  Chase cleared his throat and brought my
attention back up to him. 

           
“Me and Lady Georgia would like to take you for a ride on our
trusty steed.”

           
“Yeah!”  In her excitement, Georgia ran up to Chase
and took his hand.  “Me ‘n’ Chase has fixed
the paddle boat!  We wants you to come with us.  ‘Cept
Chase said you’d be too scared if he didn’t remind you he
was your knight first.” 

           
“He did?”  I caught the faint sparkle in his eyes
and for a moment my heart sputtered.  He had one lock of dark
brown hair that had fallen on his brow beneath the cheesy helmet.

           
“Is it true, Emma?  Are you scared of the lake?”

           
I looked down.  Georgia’s beguiling blue eyes gleamed into
mine, so much so that I answered her honestly.  “Yes. 
Very
scared.”

           
“You don’t go in the lake at all?”

           
“Not since I was a little girl.”

           
“Oh, so you won’t go with us?”  Her smile
fell.

           
“I—uh—”  I glanced at Chase. 
Instantly he removed the helmet and our eyes locked.  His gaze
was so strong and steady.  I knew that he would never let
anything happen to me.  I took a deep breath and smiled
shakily.  “Well, I guess it’s safe, as long as my
knight is there by my side.”  

Chapter Four:

“Do you have a map? I keep
getting lost in your eyes.”

           
“What are you going to do with them?” I asked once he’d
set the helmet and sword down on the coffee table.

           
He looked at them and shrugged.  “I don’t know. 
I’m sure they’ll come in handy again.  Who knows me
and Georgia might ask you to come fishing with us next.”

           
“Ha ha.”

           
Georgia bounced up and down.  “Yeah, you have ta come
fishin’ with us!  I’m soo good!  Even Chase
says so, huh Chase?”

           
“Yep.  Even I says so.”  He grinned up at me
and I caught his sparkle again. 

           
Why is it the Andersons have the most beautiful eyes?  It so
isn’t fair
.

           
“I wanna hold your hand and Chase’s ‘kay?” 
Georgia clasped my hand before I could answer.

           
“But what if I want to hold Emma’s hand, too?” 
Chase grabbed my hand.  “See this won’t work.” 
He leaned down and caught Georgia’s hand too.  “We’ll
all have to walk in a circle to get to the lake.”  Slowly,
Chase put his words to action.  Georgia and I both giggled as
our hands tugged within his grasp and we began to walk in a circle
out of the room.

           
“Chase!  We can’t do this the whole way!” 
Georgia protested.

           
“Why not?”

           
“Cuz, then you’ll have to walk backwards the whole time.”

           
Chase stopped.  “Oh, that won’t work, you’re
right.  I don’t suppose either of you would want to walk
backwards then?”
           
“No!”  I laughed.  “Ladies do not walk
backwards.”

           
“All right.  Well, then, I guess that means we’ll
have to do it Georgia’s way.  Sorry, Emma.” 
Chase grinned as he released my hand and broke the circle.

           
“That’s okay.  I would rather holdGeorgia’s
hand anyway, huhGeorgia?”

           
“Come on.  Let’s go already.  We’ve gotta
get to the lake!” Georgia demanded as she pulled us both toward
the back of the house.  Chase and I chuckled as we followed her
short little legs.

           
Within minutes we were at lake, with life vests on.  I was
trying to control my unease as Georgia coaxed me to climb onto the
shaky paddleboat with her. 

           
“Just step down, you’ll be fine.” She waved her
little hands in front of her life vest.  “Come on. 
You can do it.”

           
Great.  I’m getting encouragement from a six year
old.  Okay, I can do this.  Look, it’s only like two
feet from the dock.  See?  Two feet.  Just step.

           
Just as I had convinced myself to gingerly take a step forward, I
felt Chase’s arm wrap around my side and with one large bound
we both landed into the rocking boat.

           
Ahh! 
In confusion, my heart jolted within my chest and
I tried to recover my balance.

           
“There, wasn’t that easier than worrying about it?” 
Chase’s voice near my ear caused me to let out a delayed
scream.  The boat pitched wildly to the side when he dodged my
shriek and I clung to him.  “Whoa!  Okay, calm down. 
Hang on.  I’ve gotcha.”

I felt Chase’s strong arms
wrap around me.  After a moment the swaying stopped and I felt
secure enough to relax a bit.  “Thanks,” I mumbled
into his shoulder.

           
“You’re okay, now?”

           
I’m such a wimp.
  “Yes, I think so.”

           
“Okay, here’s the deal, we’re going to both sit
down together.  On the count of three, okay?”

           
No!
  I clung tighter and nodded yes.

           
“One.  Two.  Three.” 

In less than a second Chase had
glided us easily down to the wide bench.  As I felt the solid
plastic beneath me, I let go of his shoulders, first one hand and
then the other and gripped the seat. 

“There you go.” He
chuckled.  “Now try opening your eyes.”

           
Huh?
  Surprised my eyes flew open and I was assaulted
by the sun bouncing happily off the water. 
Ugh.
 
I didn’t even know my eyes were closed.  Seriously, I
have got to get a grip. 

           
I heard a soft giggle and focused my squinting gaze on Georgia next
to me.  “You really are afraid of the water, aren’t
you?”

           
“Not the water.  Just the lake.”

           
“But why?”

           
“Because sweets—” Chase leaned over me and ruffled
her hair. “—when Emma was little, her boat had an
accident in the water.”

           
“It did?”  Her eyes became huge.

           
“Yeah, I almost drowned.”  I attempted to laugh; it
sounded more like a croak.

           
“Wow!  Really?”

           
“Yep, Chase rescued me.”  I tried not to look at the
vast amount of water all around us.   

           
“Chase did?  My brother’s a hero?”

           
“Well, yeah he is.”  I looked over at Chase.

           
All at once he became a flurry of activity as he got the boat ready
to set off.  “Don’t believe it.  I’m not
a hero, just a knight doing my duty.”  He untied the rope
from the dock and pushed.

           
I held on tighter while the boat rocked a bit and glided away from
safety. 
Why did the Anderson’s have to make such a
large lake anyway?

           
“Okay,Georgia, you ready?”

           
She scooted farther down the seat and nodded.  “Yep. 
Let’s go.”  Her little legs began to pump the
peddles. 

           
I watched fascinated, as Chase kept speed with her.  In no time
at all we were gently moving across the water.  After a few
seconds of nervousness I began to enjoy the sensation.  It was
unexpectedly wonderful.  I had forgotten how much I loved the
feel of a boat skimming beneath me.

           
And then after a few more minutes, I got brave enough to ask, “Are
you going to need help Georgia?  I feel bad that you’re
doing all the work.”

  Georgia looked up at me and
smiled.  “No way!  This is my favorite part. 
It’s fun.”

           
“It’s true,” Chase said.  “She loves
this.  It’s one of the reasons I had to get it fixed so
quickly.  She was so impatient.  –So, are you okay?”
He asked me.  “You’re hangin in there?”

           
“Yeah, actually.  It’s nice.  Thanks.”

           
“Would you ever do it again?”

           
“What, ride in a paddleboat?”  I grinned and gently
leaned back in the seat.  “As long as my knight is there.”

           
“Girls.  You’re all demanding, aren’t you?” 
He chuckled and glanced out across the lake toward a cluster of trees
on the other side.  “You know, I would believe you, if
you’d actually let go of the seat.”  He turned back
and smiled.  “As it is, I’m not sure I’ll ever
be able to get you back out here again.”

           
I rolled my eyes. 
Whatever.
  I decided to answer
him truthfully.  “Okay, so I love it out here, but yeah, I
can’t imagine coming back any time soon.”  I looked
down at my hands as they clung on for dear life.

           
“Why’s that?”

           
Chase’s quiet voice near my ear caused me to jolt my head up. 
Concerned blue eyes glittered into mine.  “I—uh,
well, there’s—I mean, first I’ll have to see if I
have any nightmares.”
           
“Nightmares?”  I thought that he would laugh at me,
but instead he asked, “Are they really bad, then?  Do you
still have them?”

           
I looked down and nodded.  “Look, let’s not talk
about it, okay?  That’s all I need to think about right
now.”
           
He chuckled.  “I’ll bet.  Okay, so let’s
change the subject.”  He leaned back and I watched his
legs move a moment before he asked, “Oh!  So how is your
hunt for a new best friend going?  Any luck?”

           
Any luck?  Are you kidding?
  “You didn’t
think I’d find a friend very fast, did you?”

           
“Well, no—”

           
“Of course I found a friend.  She’s awesome too. 
You’d be surprised at how many things we have in common.”

           
“Really?”  He looked skeptical.  “This is
the girl you’ve decided to make popular?  I mean, you’re
talking about the same one?”

           
“Of course I am.  Her name’s Hannah Smith.  You
would really like her.  She’s normal and funny, you know? 
Like, she’s not hung up on the newest and latest thing. 
And, she has no idea that she’s pretty!  Like, none at
all.  I can’t wait to show her how to enhance her beauty.”

           
“Wait.”  Chase sat up.  “So you’re
going to take a nice normal girl and turn her into your little
clone?”

           
“What does that mean?  My little clone?”

           
“You don’t know what this could—”

“Yes, okay, I want to improve
her life.  Is that some major crime?  She’s great and
people should get to know her.”

           
“I’m not saying—”

           
“You know what?  I know perfectly well what you’re
saying and you’re wrong, Chase.  Dead wrong!  What is
up with people thinking I’m some shallow snob all of the
sudden?  I care, really care about things, okay?  And this
is something that means a lot to me right now.  Just because you
can’t see the good it will do, doesn’t mean the potential
isn’t there.  I’m going to give my friend every
opportunity she deserves.  Sometimes the difference between
success and failure is an open door.  Well, I’m opening
doors for her.”

           
“Whoa, Emma, calm down a bit.”

           
“Calm down?  When you’re the one accusing me of—”

           
“I’m not accusing you of anything.”  He took a
deep breath and agitated I waited for him to answer.  “I
just hope you know what you’re doing, okay?  I wouldn’t
want this to get out of hand.”

           
I rolled my eyes again.  “Please, Chase.  We’re
talking a friend here, that’s all.  I’m not
redefining her life or something.”

           
“Chase!  Are you gonna help or what?”

           
We both looked over atGeorgia.

           
“Stop, bothering Emma and get movin’!  We’ve
been goin’ in circles now for like two minutes, cuz you’re
not doing anything.”

           
“Oh!”  Chase laughed.  “Aye, aye,
Captain, I’ll get to it right away.”

           
I shook my head and chuckled at yet another of Chase’s bad
accents. 
For a guy who’s lived in foreign places, I’m
surprised he’s not better at them.