Page 37 of Two Favors Repaid

Anne changed the topic swiftly, going on to speak about some of the stories she’d been working on. Emma realized she liked the woman’s dry humor.

“I’ll help clean up,” Anne said, “then I have to go.”

“I’ll help you,” Emma said. “Least we can do since you cooked, Rob.”

Rob looked about to argue then shrugged and went into the bedroom, giving Emma’s hand another light squeeze as she walked by.

Anne began washing the dishes, and Emma dried, putting each item away as she did so since Rob didn’t have enough counter space to leave things to dry. They worked in companionable silence for a moment. Now that she was dressed, Emma felt like she was on more solid ground, though the statuesque blonde was still half a head taller than her even in ballet flats.

“I’m sorry I surprised you like that,” Anne said quietly. “Rob shared his alarm code with me, and I ...”

“That’s okay. I didn’t expect to see anyone.”

“He hadn’t told you about me had he?” Anne’s green eyes twinkled.

“No,” Emma said honestly. “We’ve known each other a long time. We just haven’t gotten round to talking about everything.”

Anne smiled. “He seems happy with you.”

“I’d like him to be happy,” Emma replied noncommittally. She still didn’t know where their future happiness might lie. “It’s a complicated situation,” she said.

“I imagine. He’s a good man, you know?”

Anne held on to a glass she’d just washed. For a moment, she didn’t release it, just stared at it.

“We grew up very poor. I don’t know if he’s mentioned that.”

Emma shook her head. Rob was one of those rare people who listened more than he talked—and even when he spoke, it wasn’t usually about himself.

“Our parents … our parents didn’t take good care of us. Our dad was gone more often than not, and our mom was … there just often enough that social services wouldn’t take us away from them.”

Emma didn’t say anything, knowing anything she said would come out sounding like a platitude.

“Rob was four years older than me. He took care of me from the moment I could walk. There was never enough food in the house. We went hungry all the time. My mother would make herself a coffee every morning.” Anne’s voice cracked.

Emma stood frozen, waiting for her to continue.

“She used up most of the milk, rarely left more than a cup for our breakfast. Rob would turn to the counter and pour it into two glasses, one for each of us. He always told me wild stories during breakfast, things that had happened—or maybe hadn’t happened to him at school the previous day—while we drank our milk. Maybe he thought I wouldn’t notice that his glass was mainly water tinted with just enough milk to color it. I still don’t think he knows I know.”

Emma stilled. She wanted to cry for the little boy Rob had been.

“What don’t I know?” Rob asked from the doorway. He was wearing sports clothes again. Now that Emma knew what lay under the loose T-shirt, she just wanted to take it off again.

“You’re not wearing your uniform.”

Way to state the obvious, Em.

“I’m not going in today. Susan and Alma will call me if they need anything. We’re going to train again.”

Anne arched an eyebrow. “Train?”

“Rob’s teaching me self-defense,” Emma said.

“Want to join us, Sis?”

“And ruin this hair?” Anne laughed. “I need to get going anyway. I’m late as it is. Thanks for breakfast, Rob, and it was so nice meeting you, Emma.”

“Likewise,” Emma said, surprised to see she was sorry to see the woman go. She wanted to learn more about Rob and what he’d been like as a child.