Come Rain Or Shine Part 7

Chapter Fifteen.

"How much time do we have until we meet Ava?" Emmie asked as she watched the houses turn back into tall brick city buildings. She was surprised when the driver answered her question.

"A little under an hour, Miss Emmie."

"Is there anything you'd like to do before we meet Ava and Aunt Molly?" Jemma asked.

Emmie thought for a moment before she answered. She had a whole city's worth of possibilities in front of her, but there was only one thing she wanted to do. She nodded her head in silent resolve before speaking.

"Can you take us to Silas's office?" Emmie asked quickly before she lost her nerve.

"We aren't supposed to meet him until after the dress shop. That was the plan," Jemma said, biting her lower lip.

Emmie wondered how many times Silas had gone over this plan with his sister. Clearly she had been given strict instructions judging the amount of thought Jemma was giving this suggestion.

"Please," Emmie smiled as she pleaded, grabbing the girl's hand. "Let me surprise him. He won't be disappointed. I promise."

Emmie was surprised that she already felt so at ease with his sister. Something about the shared experience at Bell House made her feel like the girl was a kindred spirit. She couldn't help but think this may have answered some questions she had about Silas being attracted to someone like her. She and Jemma were a lot alike. If he had spent a good bit of his life caring for his sister, it only made sense he had projected those same protective instincts onto her.

A wide smile spread across Jemma's face as she squeezed Emmie's hand. "Oh, why not?"

"Thank you, Jemma," Emmie said as she noticed they were nearing the little shop they'd gone into earlier to get supplies for the Bell House children. All at once she remembered something she'd seen and shouted, "Stop the car."

The driver halted the car with his hands gripped tightly to the steering wheel. He looked quickly in each direction for danger. When he was convinced he hadn't hit anything and there was no immediate danger he turned around and frowned at Emmie. Clearly the driver was less than amused.

Emmie chewed her bottom lip to hide the grin playing at the corner of her mouth. "Sorry, nothing's wrong. I just need to go back in that shop. I'll be right back." She grabbed her purse and reached for the door handle.

"If you'll just wait a second." The man sighed and pulled the car off near the curb of the street.

The driver attempted to get out and open the door but Emmie was out of the car and running down the sidewalk before he had the chance. She was back in the car within five minutes with a package wrapped in thick brown paper and red gingham ribbon.

Jemma looked at her confused and laughed. "You are an impulsive one, aren't you?"

Emmie grimaced playfully. "More than you would care to know."

Jemma thought for a moment. Emmie regretted her words as soon a she said them. She could tell that Jemma was thinking of the information she'd heard her share with Ava yesterday. Emmie's stomach sank as she realized that she was going to have to explain all of that in detail to her best friend. She shook her head to clear her thoughts. She would not think of that now. Each day is what you make of it. She was determined to make today a good one.

She leaned forward and whispered to the driver, "Take us to Silas."

As they drove deeper into the vein of the city the number of automobiles thickened to the point where the car was constantly starting and stopping. The sidewalks were crowded with people walking from building to building. Emmie had never in her life seen anything like it.

Jemma leaned over to her and pointed up at the windshield making Emmie look at a row of tall buildings they were nearing. "See the one that's white on the bottom and brick on top with big gold doors?" she asked.

"Yes. Is that his office?" Emmie asked.

Jemma nodded as they pulled up to it.

b.u.t.terflies settled in the pit of her stomach. She wasn't exactly sure why she felt nervous. Maybe because she had never been to a city this large. Maybe because it was sinking in that Silas worked in some fancy law office in downtown Chicago. Maybe it was because he bought her nice things when she needed them without her asking. Maybe it was because she was getting to know his family. But she doubted it was any of those things. It was because he knew her well enough to plan for her to volunteer at Bell House and keep it a surprise. Even though he knew she would be angry until she put it all together.

The building was as grand on the inside as it appeared on the outside. Marble, dark woodwork, and gold accents gave the place a feeling of luxury. The girls had taken an honest-to-goodness elevator up to the fifth floor. It had a man inside whose sole responsibility was to operate the little square contraption. Emmie couldn't imagine that being what someone did all day long, but the man seemed perfectly happy. He was full of smiles as he helped them exit into the hall.

Jemma stopped at a desk and spoke to the lady seated on the other side. She was beautiful with short blonde hair and fancy shoes. She also had on way too much makeup.

"Is he expecting you?" she asked with seeming annoyance.

"No," it was Emmie who answered her, "but trust me, he won't mind."

"Mr. McDowell doesn't like to be surprised with visitors when he's working. Especially since he has been out of town lately. He has a lot to catch up on. Jemma, I'm surprised you wouldn't know better," the lady said with a frown at the younger girl.

"I know he doesn't but honestly, he won't mind. I swear it," Jemma said, stepping around the girl who was now standing up from her desk.

"What are you, the gatekeeper?" Emmie laughed and spoke to Jemma. "Do you know the way?"

Jemma smiled and grabbed Emmie's elbow. "Yes, I do."

"You cannot just walk in there unannounced," the woman huffed as she followed them.

Jemma pointed to a door at the end of the hall, ignoring the woman. "That's his office. I'll go see if I can find Trick or Pop just to give you some time."

Emmie knocked once and slowly opened the door. For a moment she did worry about what the gatekeeper had said. What if he was in some important meeting? As soon as it opened enough so she could see him, her face spread into a wide grin. He sat in a big brown leather chair talking on the phone, clearly engrossed in some conversation until he saw Emmie standing in his doorway smiling with a brown package in her hand. She had never seen him look so surprised. He stuttered into the phone then told the person on the other end he would call them back. He hung up the phone and pushed his chair back. Emmie was at his side before he could stand.

"Is everything okay?" he asked, his voice full of concern as he looked up at her.

Emmie didn't know when she'd ever seen him look more handsome. He looked like such a gentleman, sitting there behind that big mahogany desk. He had stacks of paperwork spread before him organized in neat piles. She wasn't surprised. Everything he did was well-organized. Including his little adventure for her today. She nodded to answer his earlier question and took a step to close the last inch of s.p.a.ce between them. Before she lost her nerve, she bent down and planted a kiss right on his mouth, right about the time the blonde made it to the door.

"Mr. McDowell, I am sorry. I told her she couldn't come back here but . . ." the lady began but couldn't finish as she took in the sight before her.

"Edna," he spoke with his lips still pressed to Emmie's.

"Yes sir?" she asked, looking down at her feet.

"Emmie is always welcome in my office. Now, close the door," he said gruffly.

As soon as the door was closed he grabbed Emmie and pulled her down into his lap. She had missed his touch. When his arms were wrapped around her, there was nothing she felt she couldn't do. Silas kissed her until she felt her insides turn to mush. She felt him smile with his lips still pressed close to hers.

"I'm liking this new a.s.sertiveness you've found in Chicago. It suits you." He laughed, barely pulling away from her as he spoke.

Emmie laughed to herself, amused at his words. She knew he would be happy about this little surprise visit.

Chapter Sixteen.

When his phone rang Emmie unfolded herself from his lap and rested against the edge of his desk. Silas leaned around her and grabbed the phone, pulling it closer to him. It rested just at her side. She had never seen such a fancy phone in all her life. Black. Shiny. Expensive. His voice was all business as he talked quietly to the person on the other end of the line, asking questions and giving instructions. He reached around and grabbed one of the stacks. She felt it pull under her. She shifted her weight and he pulled it out from under her. He playfully smacked her leg with them before he read a series of numbers into the phone.

He hung up, put the phone back in its proper place, and leaned back in the chair. Silas sat there for a moment taking in the sight of her propped on his desk. He liked this little surprise. He liked the sight of her sitting there ruining his neatly organized stacks. She looked so smug. Silas noticed the brown package she had carried in tossed on the corner of his desk. Clearly she had forgotten all about it.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of this little visit? I seem to remember the plan was for us to meet you after you saw Ava this afternoon," he asked.

Emmie snorted, "Don't be mad at your sister for veering from the plan. It was my idea."

"Because you just couldn't wait until this afternoon to kiss me?" Silas squeezed her knee. She felt her body warm at his touch.

She picked up the newspaper near her and smacked his hand. "Don't you pick on me, Silas. I came up here to say I was sorry."

"You are great at apologizing. Remind me to make you feel sorry for something again . . . soon." He gave her one of his crooked grins and took the newspaper from her hand, flattening it out on his desk with a grin. "I need that one. If you are going to hit me again use this." He handed her a blank notepad.

She dropped the notepad and looked at the newspaper he had flattened on his desk. It was a copy of the Kentucky Journal. She frowned up at him and opened her mouth to ask why he needed the newspaper but didn't get the chance.

"What did you have to be sorry about?" he asked, leaning forward in the chair.

She refocused herself to the conversation. She could ask about the paper later. "Yes, I'm sorry I was angry when we left."

"You were angry when I left you with money? I didn't notice," he said smugly.

She picked up the notepad and playfully smacked him again. "Yes, you did. And I apologize. I should have known you would not have just sent me away with money to shop for the day. I know you better than that. I should have trusted you."

Silas stood, coming to his full height. "I wasn't angry that you were mad. Maybe I should have explained it to you but I thought it might be nice for you to figure it out. You always do love a mystery to solve. I thought maybe it would be part of the fun for you. Did you enjoy it?"

Emmie took a deep breath and put her hands on his chest. "It was one of the best things I've ever done. Bell House is an amazing place."

"It is. We have a couple of their kids coming here tomorrow to run errands," Silas said, pushing her hair behind her ear.

"I had a few questions about it actually," Emmie said, looking at him.

"Why am I not surprised?" he asked. "Ask away."

"Ha ha." She pretended to laugh at his snide remark about her questions. "Do you go there often?"

"Not as often as I used to," he answered.

"Did your family receive help from them when you were young?" Emmie asked.

"Not that I have any memory of," he said thoughtfully and then added, "most of my memories are of us helping out at the house. Mainly with money but from time to time we've helped in other ways. Back when I was a teenager it was the place I always went with my friends." Something about the memory made him laugh.

"You volunteered there as a teenager, Silas?" Emmie asked in an adoring voice.

Silas belly laughed. "Not exactly. We'd help out a little, but I guess our primary motivation was there were a lot of young girls stopping in from other countries. We were always happy to show them around town."

Emmie's grin turned to a deep frown. "I should have known teenage boys wouldn't be thinking about helping immigrants."

"Oh, we helped them out all right," he teased and pulled her into him. "Say, aren't you new in town?" He leaned down and whispered in her ear, "I could show ya around."

She smacked his chest, tried to contain the giggle bubbling up from her chest and failed. He laughed too. It came out as a deep throaty sound.

"So you don't help out there as much as your sister then?" Emmie asked into his chest.

"I hire people from there, we support them financially. None of us would be where we are today if Mrs. Bell hadn't helped Pop all those years ago. The Bells are a good family. We will always be in their debt," Silas said seriously.

"It is a wonderful place. I wish I could volunteer there again. Do you think you could help me arrange it?" she asked, pulling away from him.

"I might be able to work something out. It would be easier if you were staying with me. Maybe we could say you are staying with Jemma at my house in the city." He rubbed his jaw as he thought, then shook his head. "I'm not sure though. People are sensitive right now because of Gabe and Ava."

Emmie took a step away from him as the realization dawned on her that he wasn't surprised yesterday when she had mentioned that Ava was with child.

"How long have you known?" Emmie asked with a frown.

"A while," he answered.

"A while as in since we came to Chicago or a while as in since we were in Kentucky?"

"Kentucky. Somewhere between Bardston and Bowling Green if you want a more precise location," he answered.

"And you didn't tell me? I thought we said no more secrets." She put her hand on her hip.

"You never asked me. I did not lie." He grinned.

"I had no reason to ask and that was something you just should have said. I would have told you," she said and then wondered if that was the truth.

"No," he shook his head, "that was not my truth to share. You always say you and Ava are like sisters. You needed to hear that from her lips, not mine. Besides, in case you have forgotten, you had yourself in your own pot of hot water down there. You didn't need to go borrow trouble by jumping in hers."

"What makes you think I would have jumped in hers?" she asked.

He grinned before he answered, "What was that you asked me to do for Ava? Oh, and what was that fight with her about when you unloaded, in front of my sister I might add, everything that had happened in the last month? Oh, that's right. It was about you two needing help concocting some crazy plan to get Ava with Gabe. You know it will bring on a firestorm if my aunt or uncle hear about it and there you are, sitting right in the middle of it."

Emmie couldn't help but grin as she replied, "I have to help her. She would help me."

Silas nodded. "I know that. When you see her tell her I've got it worked out."

"Thanks Silas. How are you going to do it?" she asked.

He closed the s.p.a.ce between them and brushed her hair back from her face. "It's another surprise, Mo Chuisle."

"Is it a secret because you want me surprised or a secret to keep me out of the trouble if her parents find out about it?" she asked.

"Both," he answered then grinned. "You know me well."