I shake off all thoughts of Joanne, Emily, and emails and pull out the new script pages to take a look. It takes a moment to refocus before my work-brain kicks in. Thankfully the scenes they want me to do are the ones I half expected, and the dialogue has changed only slightly from the previous draft of the script.
There are three scenes to learn, and I have only one full day to prepare. It should be enough if I focus but I’ll need to get my head straight and back in the game.
I look at the oven clock. It’s too late to start learning lines tonight. Besides, I need to work out what the hell I’m going to say to the police tomorrow about the whole Joanne/Emily situation. I wonder for a second if I can delay going into the station—after all, this audition on Monday could change my life. But then I don’t think I could live with the idea of Emily not getting the help she might need. Besides, if I report it early tomorrow, I can put it to bed once and for all and have the rest of the day to focus on the script. Which gives me tonight to find out as much as I can about Emily’s disappearance.
My eyes stray back to the open laptop on the coffee table as I feel myself being dragged back into Emily’s life.
I head over to the open laptop and skim through the messages.
Marla left Emily at a New Year’s Eve party and didn’t hear from her properly for the next two days.
I pick up where I left off.
Sun Jan 3, 8:04am
Can you meet me at the coffee shop?
I can be there in 30 minutes?
Thank you x
Then nothing until that night.
Sun Jan 3, 7:21pm
For the record I say do what your heart tells you. This is your life, your choices.
But please be careful & call me straight after. I’m here if you need to vent. Anytime!
Thanks. You’re a good friend, so, thank you. God, I wish we’d met in high school! I know this is the right way to do it…at least for me. It’s their mess, they can fucking fix it.
Mon Jan 4, 2:15pm
I’m here. Nervous.
Shit, okay. Don’t be nervous! You’ve got this. You know what to say, you’ve covered everything.
Em, you know you don’t have to do this right?
I do.
I want to do this.
Mon Jan 4, 2:45pm
Done. It’s an offer. And I have everything they just said on my phone.
My eyes snap to Emily’s mobile phone on the table beside me but there’s no way I can open it.
I read on.
Okay. Is that admissible?
Let me know when you are safe home.
Home. Wow. Holy shit. I don’t know if it’s admissible but it’s enough, if you know what I mean. I actually feel better! I was scared I wouldn’t but I do. I think this is going to work.
Fucking hell you’ve got balls!
How were they?
They were weirdly businesslike. They listened, then they had a discussion, and then they made an offer.
What did they offer?
They gave me three options. I’ll tell you this evening. But they’re good. If it works then in a way it’ll all have been worth it.
Worth it?
Well…not for nothing.
Tues Jan 5, 10:08am
Just got a call. They’re pulling out.
Do they know you have the last meeting on your phone?