Chapter 31: ᴛʜɪʀᴛʏ-ᴏɴᴇ

George Lancaster had just nearly finished reviewing the files his secretary had brought him when Zain entered his office.

“Hey. I think I'll be going now for lunch, George.” He informed.

George nodded, then smiled, wriggling his eye brows teasingly. “Still no going for lunch with your business partner, huh?” He'd noticed how happy Zain got whenever he was going out for lunch, and there was no doubt he would not be alone. As a male himself, his perceptions allowed him to guess his companion would be a woman.

“Come on, George.” Zain drawled, ever so his evasive self. “By the way, I spoke with the head engineer and he said they were having a hard time with the building since the architectural plan is quite nuanced.”

George chuckled. “Poor engineers. I'll go there to once again supervise them for the weekend. I know you'll barely be able to do so wanting to sort out the problems in your own company. I hope they're settled soon.”

“Thank you, partner.” Zain smiled, but there was something about it George couldn't pick. “I'll be going.”

Zain was a man who was dedicated to his work and quite talented, and George liked him for that. Yet there was a little something peculiar and mysterious about the way he behaved with George. The man was too damn bent on maintaining just the professional relationship between them even while to the other members of the board of directors and other employees, he displayed his friendly nature.

George stretched wearily to ease some stiff muscles when the door closed behind Zain, missing the initial stages of his marriage to Emma where he would take her out on dates. They'd always enjoyed time together. Naturally, much time into the marriage, the dates and outings became less and less until it'd become intermittent presently.

After sorting out the files some minutes later, he decided it was time to renew some memories and called Emma. She picked after it dialed for a few seconds. “Hello, wife.” He crooned, feeling warm.

“Hello, love.” She returned with the same tone he'd used, and George shook his head.

“I just wanted to pick you up and take you out for a lunch date. You know it's been quite a while since we had one. Are you at work?”

“Actually no. I'm on my way to a restaurant.” Came her reply.

“That's no problem at all. Just tell me where and I'll come there.”

“The thing is...” She began, and her silence was the telltale of her nervous uncertainty. “I'm actually with Zain.”

“Zain?” He asked, surprised.

“Yes.” He heard a slight suck of her, as if she was holding her breath.

“But we talked about 18 minutes ago and he didn't mention anything about picking you out for lunch.”

He didn't know what to feel about the fact that Zain had lied to him.

Eventually though, he decided that Zain had really not lied, and that perhaps he only had the intention of inviting Em on his way out. “Okay. Tell me where you guys are, and I'll come there.”

“The thing is...We're almost done and about to leave.”

George was left stunned for a couple of seconds. “So soon?”

“Uh, yeah. I just...had a lot of things to do back at the Fashion House. You know with the upcoming fashion show and all.”

“I see.” George sighed, unable to even shake the disappointment in his voice.“Okay, see you tonight, sugar. Love you.”

“Love you too, coconut.” She replied affectionately but there was a hint of something in her voice.

George decided that it was probably just regret for accepting Zain's invite out since that was what had prevented the two of them from going together.

Suddenly, he wondered just how many times Zain had taken her out, and chastising himself for the sudden pang of wariness, he told himself this was probably the first since Emma would've told him if otherwise.

But the hollow feeling remained in his chest.

Not wanting to have a lone lunch, George invited his secretary Gina, who seemed far too giddy and thrilled by the prospect to refuse anyways. She was a beautiful woman who had the looks of a model. Well, she said that'd been her dream but it never happened.

George liked her, though sometimes the way she dressed and flirted with him made him wary. She was very outgoing though, which should've made lunch together more enjoyable. But instead there was a feeling of mild agitation he couldn't seem to shake off.

**~**~**

It was about two hours and a half after he'd returned from his lunch break when Eva called him. The worry in her tone alarmed him instantly.

“What is it Eva? Is something the matter?”

She hesitated for a while before speaking. “George, have you heard from Emma?”

“Yes. We spoke almost three hours ago. She went out for lunch together with Zain, isn't it?”

“She did. But I'm worried because she hasn't returned, and we really need to make preparations towards the upcoming fashion show.”

“She hasn't returned?” He felt an inexplicable gnarl in his stomach along with the twinge of worry. “She told me they were done and about to return  Have you tried her phone?”

“I have but she won't answer. She's never done this before.”

“Eva, please calm down. I'll call Emma and get to you after.” George assured her before hanging up.

With an ominous feeeling, he dialed Emma's number. The first one rang until it went to voicemail. So did the second, the third and the fourth. He paced his office pensively, feeling worried. What could possibly be keeping her from answering?

George decided to call Zain who'd probably returned to his company. The man picked up after a while. “Zain, is my wife with you?” He hadn't meant to sound so harsh and demanding.

“What's with that tone, man?” The other man from the other end came back just as harshly. “Emma is not with me.”

“Then where is she? Eva said she hasn't gone back to the fashion house. And I know the two of you went out for lunch together.”

“I don't know George, she's probably gone home.” Zain replied, sounding a bit worried.

That annoyed George and compounded his worry. “You didn't even care to drop her off in order to ensure her safety? Zain, what the...”

“Before you jump to conclusions George, listen to me first. All that I can tell you is to go home. She needs. . . she really needs you right now.” Zain's voice was calm yet filled with worry.

“What are you talking about? What did you do to her?” he demanded gruffly.

Zain hissed, seemingly getting annoyed himself. “I didn't do anything to her George. Just go home and check up on her.”

As the call died, George wondered all the things that could possibly cause Emma to go home and not her office most especially without even calling Eva to inform her. He didn't have any success which only increased the sense of distress.

Shutting down his laptop, he closed the electronic device shut and made his way out of the office. “Gina, please cancel all my appointments.” He said and didn't wait for his secretary to ask any questions.

**~**~**

Maggie, Emma's aunt was ascending the stairs when George entered his house. She turned to look at him quizzically with a raised eyebrow. “You too?”

“What do you mean by that, Maggie? Is my wife home?”

“Yes. She was acting very strange and wouldn't even return my greeting as she went up. I think she's in your...,”

George was off as relief sagged through him only to be waylaid by anger for the fact that she'd made him so worried. Emma sat on the bed when he entered the room, back facing him. “You know you could've...”

He had every intention of chastising her, but his words spiraled into nothingness when he saw her body quaver in a way that suggested that she was crying, and he felt a tug at his heart as he rushed towards her.

“My love, sugar, what is wrong?”

She fell into his arms immediately she saw him, but he caught sight of her tear-stained face before she did. Every tremble of her body was like the edge of a pin into his heart.

“Did Zain do something to you?”

Why was he having so much suspicions about Zain today?

Emma pulled back and shook her head without speaking.

“Then what happened? Why are you crying. Eva called and told me she was worried because you hadn't returned to work and I rushed home immediately. Come on speak to me. Why are you crying?” He felt a surge of panic waiting to strike.

Wrapping her hand around her self, she merely cried more, and it was heart wrenching to watch. However, she pulled back when he meant to take her in his arms again. That bit of refusal to accept his comfort made him pause as he absorbed the hurt.

It'd been so long since he saw her like this; so emotionally deluged. More than four years to be exact, and he wondered about the catalyst of the sudden relapse.

He clasped her by the shoulder, feeling frustrated by her silence. “Emma, please talk to me. What the hell happened? Why are you crying so much? Sugar, please talk to me. Don't do this to me.”

That was when she said something that made him freeze with incredulity. “Later, George. Right now, I just need to be alone.”

His breaths stalled as he found the jags into his heart intensified.  From the very start of their relationship, they'd been honest with each other and had promised to never hide anything. This sudden refusal of hers to share her pain hurt a helluva lot. “Emma, I....”

“Please.”

He stood up slowly, still shocked and hurt, while she stared at him with no attempts to rectify her words.

“Fine.” He said, nodding.

It wasn't for the fact that she'd appealed for space, nor because she'd never done so before. It was the way she said it, as if she didn't see him as someone she should share this pain with.

“Could you. . . could you please call Eva and pick up Amy from school later?”

“I'm her father Emma. And I can see perfectly well you're in no state to pick her up. There's no need to repeat my responsibility to me.” He retorted, feeling hurt and bitter as he stormed out of the room.