Unexpectedly, Milo - Matthew Dicks [139]
“Not too many people can,” Emma said with a smile.
To Milo’s surprise, there was no discernible change in Emma as they passed over the New York—Connecticut border and into Fairfield County. He wanted to think that all of Emma’s talk about New England being a black hole was bullshit, but he knew that it was not. This was simply another instance of Emma handling a difficult situation better than most would. Even though there might be a battle between the present and the past raging in her head, she continued to smile as the wind blew through her hair and she breathed in the smells of the Connecticut shoreline.
“If we go straight to Edith’s house, I can make it on time,” Milo said. “Would you mind coming with me before we go to see Cassidy? I haven’t seen Edith in almost a week, and I don’t ever go this long without stopping by. Is that okay?”
“Sure. Cassidy’s waited twenty years to see me. She can wait a couple hours more.”
Milo thought that Emma could wait a couple more hours as well.
At a quarter after three, Milo and Emma pulled into the driveway of Edith Marchand of Stancliff Road in Glastonbury. He had never been late for an appointment with Edith before, and he had half expected her to be standing on her front stoop, waiting for his arrival.
“I’ll be less than an hour. Okay?”
“What?”
“I won’t be more than hour,” he repeated.
“Milo, I’m going inside with you.”
“No, you’re not. She’s not expecting you. This is my job, Emma. I never bring visitors with me.”
“Milo, I am going inside with you or we are leaving. I’m not going to sit in this car for an hour waiting for you.”
“Emma, I can’t let you—”
Edith’s voice interrupted midsentence. She was standing on her stoop, just seconds after Milo had expected her to be there, and she was shouting his name. “Milo! Is something wrong?”
“Please just wait here,” Milo pleaded.
Instead of waiting, Emma opened the door to the Honda and climbed out. “Hello!” she shouted. “I’m Emma, a friend of Milo’s. Do you mind if I join you today?”
“Not at all, dear,” Edith said, louder than Milo thought she was capable of. “Good Lord, why are you two just sitting out there? Come on in.”
Emma stuck her head back into the car and flashed Milo a sarcastic grin before slamming the door shut and turning up the walkway toward the stoop. “I’m sorry, but Milo never told me your name.”
“It’s Edith, dear. Come on in. Milo, are you coming?”
He was sitting in the Honda, the engine still running.
Fifteen minutes later Milo was serving tea to Edith and Emma and preparing to rake the living room rug.
“So let me guess,” Edith said, directing her question at Emma. “You are the young lady from the videotape. Am I correct?”
Milo attempted to answer, but Emma spoke first.
“Actually, no. I’m an old friend of the woman on the tape. We’re going to see her later this afternoon.”
“Oh, that’s too bad.”
“Why’s that?” Emma asked, lifting her feet to allow Milo to rake beneath them.
“Yeah, why’s that?” Milo asked.
“I don’t mean to tell secrets, but Milo has a crush on the girl on that videotape, and I was hoping that she was you. I like you.”
“He does?” Emma asked, nudging Milo with her foot. “Really?”
“Yes, he does, and don’t let him tell you otherwise. But he’s still married and needs to decide on things with that wife of his first before chasing some girl he’s never even met before.”
“I’m standing right here,” Milo said. “Could you please not talk about me like I’m invisible?”
“I wasn’t,” Edith said. “You know how I feel. But Emma, if things don’t work out between Milo and his wife, I want you to know that he’s a fine catch.”
“Oh, really? Why do you say that?”
“Well,” said Edith, leaning forward in her chair, “he is just a nice man, and I’m sure I don’t have to tell you how hard that is to find sometimes.”
“No, you don’t,” Emma said.
“It’s a shame too,” Edith said. “I have a son named Tony, and I love that boy dearly,