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Episode 23: Missed Calls

"Are you sure that you're okay? It was quite cold last night. Around 8 degrees Celsius, they said on the news." Talia continuously prodded at Emily.

The actress nodded repeatedly.

"For the hundredth time, I'm fine. I swear. I promise. What else can I say for you to believe me? Tattoo it on my heart?"

"Well, if that's the case..."

A hard slap was delivered to Emily's back and she yelled out in pain. She looked up to see her manager looking down at her defiantly.

"What the hell was that for?"

"That was for leaving when I told you I'd be back. Five minutes and you've fallen off the face of the earth. Do you have any idea how worried I was?"

The spot was throbbing but the pouting girl couldn't argue with her.

She brought her hands up to rub at it while mumbling, "I said I was sorry like twenty times. Wasn't that enough?"

"I'm afraid 'sorry' doesn't cut it this time around, you smartass."

"I'll treat you to Olive Garden then."

"Now that's what cuts it."

Can't helping it, Emily burst out laughing.

The woman's addiction to the casual dining restaurant was crazy.

She bet Talia could recite the menu like a bible passage, and with just as much reverence.

"On a more serious note," Talia paused as she took a seat in the car with Emily in the passenger seat. She was insistent on the fact that she wouldn't let the actress out of her sight before filming began. "You have a ton of missed calls from yesterday. It's quite concerning. I didn't know that there was someone that worried about you than me...maybe even more."

Talia handed her the cellphone from out of her jacket's pocket.

She knew everyone in her client's life.

The man that had rang off her phone off the hook was not one of them.

Emily's stomach clenched while she punched in her password and saw a long list of missed calls with only one contact.

Nicholas.

She gave Talia a sideways glance, knowing that she must have seen his name on the screen without even having to unlock it.

However, her manager only had this to say, "It's your business. You can tell me when you want to."

"I want to." Emily released a sigh which was entangled in her words.

"Then tell me."

"I- I can't."

The disappointment on her face couldn't be hidden as Talia looked ahead through the window.

Emily's face couldn't help but reflect a solemn image as she caught herself in the rearview mirror for a second.

She wanted to tell Talia.

She really did.

But there was way too much fear within her meagre mortality for what would be her manager's reaction. In both mind and body, Emily was scared to the bone that she would judge her. Scared doesn't even begin to cover it actually. The girl was incredibly terrified.

Talia was a rational and out-spoken woman.

No dount, she was bound to say what was on her mind when informed about Emily's impromptu marriage.

There would be much chastising and scolding of her rash behaviour which led to the decision of tying the knot. With a complete stranger as well. All in the form of a lecture by a manager/ concerned mother figure.

It may sound dramatic to the ears of others, but to Emily her fear was rational.

One couldn't understand from where her concerns stemmed unless they knew Talia Shaw like she did.

There would only be two reactions - no in between.

Either it was surprise, borderline awe at the boldness of Emily...or complete and utter disbelief painted with disappointment.

A devastating canvas Emily didn't want to be a spectator of.

The girl couldn't bear to see the other side of the spectrum if it wasn't complimentary. By that she meant the I'm-so-shocked-by-you-but-you-go-girl type of reaction.

"Why?"

"What?"

"Why can't you tell me?"

"Talia-"

"You know what? Never mind. I'm not even going to force you to tell me who he is. As I've said before, what you do is your business. As long as you know the consequences your actions have on your career and you as an individual, then do whatever you want. You don't have to report every little thing you do to me. It's not like I'm your mother."

Way not to sound super triggered about it, her client thought sarcastically.

"It's not like that."

"Then what is it like?"

"I just don't want you to judge me, okay?"

Her manager's face tore out a scowl.

"I don't think there's anything that you could do which warrants me to judge you."

She was careful with her words as Emily's face displayed her obvious disbelief to her words.

"Okay, maybe that was a bit of an exaggeration. But the bottom line is, I would never judge you for your life decisions. We're all human beings. We all make mistakes. Why should I have a 'holier than thou' attitude when it's a common fact that we all screw up once in a while?"

Emily ran a hand through her hair. Her lips trembled as the words lingered at the tip of her tongue. She was having a difficult time forming a mere sentence.

"I- are you most certain that you won't judge me?"

"Emily!" Talia finally snapped harshly.

"Okay, okay!"

The actress took a deep breath, until both of sides of her lungs got numb.

She let out more air, until she felt like there was nothing left inside. Then her lips parted and spoke the well awaited words.

"Erm maawed."

"What?"

Talia could hardly hear the words the girl beside her mumbled.

"I'm maawed."

"Emily, seriously? How do you expect me to hear you when your voice is lower than those kids obsessed with ASMR? If you didn't want to tell me then don't just-"

"I'm married, okay?!"

Talia's felt her eyes pop out of her head. Her hands resting on the dashboard began to shake as if she was beginning to have a seizure.

Surely she had not heard Emily well.

No, she couldn't have.

Because for a second there she thought she said she was-

"I'm married." Emily repeated, her eyes screwed shut in anticipation.

Oh shit. She really did say that.

Talia sat there stunned as her brain tried to process the situation. She was about to call the brunette out for the prank she was obviously pulling until the verbal diarrhea began.

"It's been almost two months. I'm so sorry I didn't tell you. I swear, it's not that I didn't want to tell you, it's just that I was afraid of how you'd react. Even in this moment, I still am. Please don't be mad at me."

Talia sat there, frozen.

Her brain seemed to be experiencing technical problems.

It would be highly advised that the person beside her should come back in the next hour or so.

"Please, say something." Emily begged when a long interval of silence floated by following her words.

"After all he's done to you," Talia's voice was icy and she settled Emily into a stare that could have frozen over the Pacific. "After all the hurt he's put you through, you still go and get married to that conceited bastard..."

Emily shook her head. "No, I'm-"

"Emily, excuse my language, but are you fucking insane? How could you be as dumb as to fall into his trap again?! Just when I thought you had escaped the worst thing you ever had, you're back at square one. I know I said I wouldn't judge you, and I'm not, trust me - I'm not...but this guarantees some serious intervention."

Emily felt herself laughing internally.

"Talia, I'm not-"

"Maybe I should call up your old therapist, Doctor Brown. She'd know what to do in this situation, because frankly, I sure as hell don't! All I can do is suppress the urge to give you a good ass whipping like you deserve." She snapped, her Bronx accent coming out in her speech.

"Put down the phone." The actress enunciated slowly.

Emily grabbed the device out of her hand when she failed to listen.

Talia sent her a heated look.

She was getting pissed alright.

"Give it back."

"No."

"You need help."

"No, I don't."

"If marrying Jake doesn't mean you need help then I don't know what-"

"I'm not married to Jake!"

Time froze.

Talia whipped her head around so fast, she almost got a whiplash. Maybe she did; the side of her neck ached a little as she stared at Emily. What the actress had just said warranted more attention though.

"What?" Talia breathed out.

"I didn't get married to Jake. I would never do that, not in this life nor the next. I'm not that crazy."

Her mouth was agape as she finally began to process Emily's words. "T-Then..."

"Then who are you married to?"

"Nicholas."

She blinked numbly.

"Who?"

Emily pursed her lips. "The guy from my phone."

"I figured as much. I was asking who he is, not how many times he has called your phone, which was, the last I checked, twenty-one times."

Emily felt the guilt from having worried Nicholas coming down on her. She had to make sure to call him and explain the situation as soon as she wrapped up this conversation.

"He's Nicholas King."

His full name was all it took for her manager's mouth to expand into an 'O' that did little to express her shock.

"Are we talking about the Nicholas King, one of the most sought after bachelors of New York, or a rundown version of him that works in a bar downtown who just so happens to have the same name?"

"The bachelor- well, not so much anymore...but yeah. That's him." Emily couldn't help the pink tinge that made its way to her face at the end of her sentence.

"Oh. My. God."

Talia clapped her hands in pure amazement, her previous tone transcending to one of praise.

"No way! You're not messing with me are you? When did this even happen? How did I not know that the two of you knew each other? Not to mention that you were engaged and got married in secret! Emily, you sly little fox!"

"Am not." Emily said between trying to gauge her expression.

"Are too!"

She didn't seem as upset anymore.

Compared to earlier, Talia maybe was even excited.

"Wait."

Talia paused as her eyebrows furrowed with a sudden thought.

Oh, here it comes.

"I'm right...you don't know each other. I'm sure of it. If that was this case, you would have at least said a few greetings back when you'd attend social events, like the massive after party in Paris three years aback. Maybe I'd even catch you in his company at least once. I've never even seen that number call you before now that I think about it. So..."

Talia's voice was scarily low.

"How did this happen?"

Emily gulped.

Talia wasn't faltering in the glare she was sending her way.

"I kind of...um...asked him to marry me." Emily said as she screwed her eyes shut in fear.

"You did what?" Her manager exploded in shock.

At this point, Talia had been pulling at her afro hair with her manicures. They looked like the cost to get them done could cover her utility bills. Priorities right? Can't live with them, can't live without them. That was Talia Shaw's outlook on life.

"Yeah. Shocking, I know." Emily giggled nervously.

"For any woman outside of your social circle and inside mine, a definite 'yes'. Especially my sister, Pam, who's crazy worried about the absence of a man in her life. These days, she keeps going on and on about fertility deprecation because she's getting too old."

"Isn't she like thirty three?"

"Yeah, paranoia does that to a single woman sometimes. You'll know when you hit that dreadful thirty mark."

"Actually...I beg to differ."

"Anyway...for you Emily, this news is definitely quite a shocker. It's a crime to even call it that. It's much bigger than just a shocker. It's like the moment Beyonce dropped her album 'Lemonade' and made the world shake because of her confessions of Jay Z having cheated on her. On Beyonce. Now you've gotten married in secret. You did that."

"It's that crazy?"

"That insane."

Emily chuckled a bit.

She glared her way, making her snap her mouth shut.

"Too soon?"

Talia nodded.

"You were saying?"

Emily released a shaky breath.

"It was the day I went to sign the documents for my marriage with Jake beforehand, just like we've always planned. I know you'll call me crazy when I say it's also the day after I found him and Stella with their tongues stuck down each other's throats, but I was in shock. I couldn't believe he'd do something so awful to me. Naive of me, I know. Long story made short, I overheard Nicholas talking about needing a wife himself in the moment because of his own business pursuits and that mentally unstable version of myself, well...she kind of popped the question."

"And he said 'yes'?"

"Well, obviously. I just told you I was married."

"Emily..."

"Sorry, I was actually being a smartass right there."

"At least you know."

"Well, yeah. Nicholas said yes after confirming who I was and 'bam'! - just like that, I'm married to another man who is not Jake Mallion."

"That sounds more complicated than my love life...and honey, it's non-existent."

Emily laughed.

This time Talia didn't scold her.

"I would beg to differ."

"Of course you would."

There was a moment of taking in everything that was just revealed before Talia faced her with concern etched onto her features.

"Does he treat you well?"

Emily felt her cheeks raising instantaneously. "Yes."

"Well, that's all that matters."

Emily snapped her neck to have a good look at her.

"What?"

"If he treats you like you deserve, which is like a princess, then there's nothing to argue about is there?"

To say Emily was flabbergasted would be the understatement of the century.

"Just like that?"

Talia looked at her, confusion on her face at the girl's disbelief at the reaction she gave.

What did she expect? Pitch forks and fire? Did Emily not know she was a grown ass woman? She could do whatever the hell she pleased. As long as it was within the confines of the law.

"No lectures? Or a week long contemplation of how to deal with me after this?"

"Calm down. It's not like you ran someone over. You only got married. To an amazing man at that. And from the way your eyes lit up when I asked how he treats you, I believe he treats you nicely. Is there something else that you want to discuss?"

"Uh...no."

"Then good." Talia ended firmly.

Emily had no other way to describe this feeling other than it being similar to a weight lifting off her shoulders.

"Oh, and I'd advise you to give him a call before we start shooting because you won't be getting more than a five minute break in between. You missed a lot of scenes yesterday. If you don't, you'll have him calling again for hours. I have a feeling you don't want to do that to your dear husband now, do you?"

Emily nodded as she briskly took up her phone, not bothering to entertain Talia's teasing, and stepped outside the car.

She knocked on the window for Talia to roll it down when she remembered something important.

"What?" Talia asked when she was levelled with Emily's stern expression.

"Oh, by the way, you can't tell anyone about this."

Talia made a face.

"Who am I gonna tell? Oprah? Not even she would be interested in your so-called dramatic Romeo and Juliet love story. Taylor Swift was enough for that department. We don't need a 2019 remake."

"Talia. Quit it." Emily scolded quietly.

She rolled her eyes. "I'll be sure to keep my lips sealed if that's what you want to hear."

The woman smiled gratefully, her eyes shining.

"Thank you." Emily said before she walked away to call the man who had her filled with anxiety.

***

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