EMIT (THE EMIT SAGA) (30 page)

“What?!”

“I know! T
he best news is that we’re seeing each other again.”

“Wow! You work fast.”

“It all feels like a dream. I really can’t believe it,” I admitted.

“I had some Chad news
, but now it seems pretty dull.”

“
Stop. What happened?”

“He asked me out
for lunch tomorrow,” she said happily.

That night, between the medication
and Daniel, I slept like a baby.

“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.”
Einstein

When I opened my eyes and looked at the time, it was ten o’clock. Oh my God! It took a moment, but then I was awash with emotions that were so confusing. Did that all happen or did I dream it? Please let it have been real. I jumped out of bed.

I had
to call Daniel, but first I had to let Amber out. This was extremely late for her; hopefully, Grammy had done it. I threw on my bathing suit and a sundress and ran downstairs.

Grammy was outside talking to Daniel. I was so happy
to see him that my heart was pounding out of my chest. She saw me and said, “Good morning, I was about to wake you.”

“
Hi, Grammy.” I was looking behind her, staring at Daniel. I wanted to run to him.

“Good morning, sleepyhead,”
he said.

“Daniel and his friend stopped by to see if you wanted to go boating,” Grammy said.
I looked around and a guy was sitting at the table. “I said we’re shopping this morning, but perhaps later, if you’re up for it.”

“Sure, I’d like that
.”

I sat down across from them and Daniel introduced me to Brad. He was tall, had black curly hair, dark eyes and was quite muscular.

Grammy asked if I’d like some fruit and yogurt, but I said I wasn’t hungry. Who could eat with Daniel to stare at? He filled and consumed me.

Daniel came over and as he sat, he placed his hand on my leg. “Come on. You have to eat something. You need to take care of yourself.” Feeling his leg pressed against mine and his hand on my thigh caused
me to stop breathing.

Grammy seemed pleased that Daniel had intervened and I said, “Fine, yogurt would be great.” Daniel could take
care of me whenever he wanted.

Brad watched us, but said nothing. The agency wasn’t
happy with our involvement and I wasn’t sure what Brad thought, but I didn’t care.

Grammy came back with the food and I obediently ate the yogurt and some strawberries.

“Oh Grammy, did you feed Amber?”

“Yes, a while ago. She started barking at seven.”

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t hear anything.” I felt terrible. The deal with Amber was that she slept in the den. In the morning when she barked, Mom, Dad or I rushed downstairs to take her out, so that she didn’t disturb Grammy whose bedroom was downstairs. “I’ll let her sleep in my room tonight, so she doesn’t wake you.” Normally, we didn’t allow Amber on the second floor because of Uncle Ian’s allergy, but since he wasn’t here, it wouldn’t matter.

“Absolutely not. You need your sleep right now.” As I began to protest, Grammy stopped me and said, “You were in a car accident and you’re healing. I don’t mind taking care of Amber.”

Daniel stood up and said they had to go. As his hand gently brushed my back, my body tingled from the exchange.

At the superma
rket, I saw an NSA car with an agent, I’d never seen before. I helped Grammy as best I could, but with one arm, I was basically there for company.

Back home, I called Daniel. “Hi. When do you want to go?”

“Now. I’ll be right over. I’m in the channel by Fleets Neck.”

I ran downstairs and found Grammy on the phone. When I walked in, she handed it to me and said, “Your mom wants to talk to you.” I hoped she hadn’t mentioned Daniel.

“Hi, how are you feeling?” She didn’t sound angry or annoyed, so that was a good sign.

“I’m getting better.”

There was a pause and then she asked, “Grammy said you’re going boating with a boy named Daniel. Is that the same Daniel from New York?” Oh no, she knows.

“Yes, it is. I was just about to tell you,” I fibbed nervously.

“What is he doing out there?”

“He’s visiting a friend in Peconic. I saw him at the Causeway Beach. What are the odds, huh?” I said sounding truly surprised.

“It’s uncanny. Chappaqua, Cutchogue not to mention France, it’s eerie.”

“Do you think he’s stalking me?” I asked, feigning astonishment.

“Of course not, but it’s still very strange. When you asked to stay with Grammy, you had no idea he’d be there?” she grilled.

“You think I came here because he was?” I asked incredulously.

“Well, the thought has crossed my mind,” she admitted.

“I wasn’t speaking to him, so how would I know that?”

“You also told me that you didn’t like each other. What’s going on now?”

“Well, I thought he had a girlfriend
, but I was wrong so…” I stopped.

“Okay, and?”  Mom asked.

“We worked everything out and we’re dating,” I said quickly and waited for the hysteria.

There was a long pause and she
said, “I like Daniel, but please be careful, okay?” That was it? She wasn’t going to overreact. Grammy heard the whole conversation and looked relieved.

Thinking of Daniel, I looked out the window and saw him coming up the beach towards the house. I kissed Grammy on the cheek. “I have to go. I’ll be back around six.” I turned and asked, “Can I invite Daniel and Brad for dinner?”

“Sure, call and let me know if they’re coming.”

I ran out and found Daniel sitting by the pool.

“Hi.” He got up and wrapped his arms around me. “You’re awfully happy.”

“I’m happy because I’m with you.
My mom knows you’re out here.”

“How did it go?” he asked.

“Fine, even after I told her we were dating.” Suddenly, I realized that we hadn’t talked about that. Was I presuming too much? “Was that okay?” I asked, feeling super insecure.

“Of course, that’s what I want, too,” he said and hugged me. I was so relieved.

The boat was very close to land and Daniel tried to help me up. It was difficult going up the ladder with one arm, so he jumped up on the deck and lifted me in.

Daniel must have just refueled because the boat reeked of gas and Brad was not there.

“Aren’t we missing someone?” I asked confused.

“Brad’s working,” said Daniel.

“Oh, I was going to invite you two to have dinner at Grammy’s tonight.”

“I would love to come, but Brad will take a rain check. He has plans,” he said and
winked.

I called Grammy and told her that only Daniel would
join us. After I hung up, I started feeling guilty. “Does lying get any easier?”

“It
’s never easy, but necessary at times. The boat’s not bugged, so we can talk freely.”

That was good because I was so sick of being spied on. “
So tell me about your jammer?”

“It
gives me privacy. Remember our first breakfast date on Columbus Avenue?”

I nodded
and smiled. “So it was a date?”

“Well, I thought so.
When I ask a girl I like out, it’s a date.” He winked at me. “During breakfast, I turned the jammer on. The team texted and called, but I wouldn’t answer so they contacted James. When I got his call, I knew it would be heated, so I went outside.”

“That’s why you returned in
such a foul mood.”

“
Yeah. I told him that our conversations were off-limits and if there was anything relevant to the case, I’d let them know.

“I thought I had
no privacy at all, so I’m happy.”

“
And that’s also why James showed up at your apartment the night Billy attacked you. James went to the NSA apartment to tell everyone about Frank. I wasn’t there and since they couldn’t hear what was going on, James got angry and stormed upstairs.”

“That’s right. He didn’t know what was going on,” I said, recalling that night.

“After we left, he told me about Frank and ordered that I end things with you.”

“Does he blame me for Frank’s death, too?” James t
reated me like such a nuisance.

“No. His problem is with me. He says I should’ve waited until this case was finished before I got involved with you.”

“I’m not sure that it’s just you. I think he hates me.”

“It has nothing to do with not liking you,” he said. “He’s concerned about the case.”

“This is insane. I don’t know anything. All this spying is a total waste of your time.”

“
For now, you are our best lead and we will continue to protect you.” Daniel stated.

I shook my head and said, “You really are an oddity.”

“You have no idea,” he quipped as he stared off into space. The way he said that was strange.

“What does that mean?” I asked.

“I’m just kidding, but why did you call me an oddity?”

“Well, you’re a nineteen year-old spy,” I said, surprised that he didn’t understand.

“I’m an oddball, you’re right,” he agreed.

“I didn’t call you an oddball. I said oddity.”

“I know, but I did. Those words have similar meanings. Okay enough, let’s go have fun.”

Daniel raised the anchor and asked, “So where do you want to go?” I couldn’t keep my eyes off him. His bright blue eyes hypnotized me “A beach, or we can go to Sag Harbor, Shelter Island or Greenport. Your wish is my command,” he said in a funny accent. He took my hand and I got goose bumps.

I didn’t care as long as I was with him. “Wherever you want is fine with me.”

“As long as I’m with you, it doesn’t matter.” He
must have read my mind.

“Let’s just go for a ride,” I suggested.

Daniel started the engine and we set off. We motored towards New Suffolk and I watched the scenery whizz by. Boats zipped around the bay and it was quite busy near Robins Island. Daniel’s hair was blowing in the breeze and whenever he looked at me, I just wanted to hug him and never let go. I was staring at Daniel and hadn’t noticed a huge boat race by, which caused a large wave to batter us on one side. The boat leaned sideways and since I wasn’t holding on to anything, I fell out of my chair. Pain shot through my arm from the fall and I cried out. Daniel stopped the boat and rushed over. He picked me up and placed me on the cushions in the back of the boat. I was totally humiliated and was more embarrassed than hurt. Once Daniel was convinced I was okay, we continued on.

The noise of the engine was so loud that we couldn’t talk, so I asked to go to a beach and we headed across the bay to the South Fork
.

Daniel helped me off the boat and said, “I’ll be right back.”

He returned carrying a bag, a blanket and an umbrella. After he put everything down, Daniel presented me with a sandwich.

“You only had yogurt this morning and I had a hunch that you wouldn’t eat anything.”

“Thank you so much.” I took a bite of my sandwich and smiled. “Turkey, lettuce, tomato, onion, honey mustard and mayo.”

“I know all of your favorites. I hope that doesn’t upset you.” It sort of did, but what could I
really do about it?

We started talking about his job because it was always the big elephant in the room. “How long have you guys been watching me?”

“We’ve been watching your dad for a while now. I had to go to Australia for work and vacation. I got back the beginning of June and was watching your Dad. Things went haywire with this case and I was assigned to follow you about two weeks before we spoke.”

“So when I saw you at the MET, you were already following me?”

“Yes, I didn’t realize you saw me until I heard you tell Lily.”

I c
ringed that he heard everything I said about him. “But you left me and went into the café.”

“I had to eat. S
omeone else took over,” Daniel explained.

“Why did you ask me about a movie? What was the point in that?”

“I was in the process of gathering the plants and chestnuts and you noticed me. I decided to talk to you and later, spoke to James about letting me get to know you.”

I sat there staring at him.
“Why?”

“At first, I really wanted to help you because you were young, but later everything I knew, saw, and heard made me want to know you more. I wanted to see your eyes looking at me and hear your voice talking to me. Eavesdropping on your life wasn’t enough.”