“I’m sorry, repeat what you just said?!” Emily screamed at the top of her voice. Her eyes beaming with surprise as she stared at Roxanne who stood in front of her.
Roxanne smiled, she had known this would be Emily’s reaction. She had decided to stay quiet about the job offer until Emily returned. Now that her best friend was back and had settled down, it was time to tell her about it. Especially now that Lancelot would be leaving tomorrow. She had already packed her things down, just in case Emily convinced her that she was not making a mistake.
“You heard me right!”
“So you’re telling me, that Mister good dick refused you a job on Monday morning, only to present you with a bigger mouth watering offer on Tuesday morning?! And the job requires you to move to London, with him?!” Emily repeated, causing Roxanne to laugh.
“Ayy ayy captain.”
Emily dug her fingers into her afro curls and screamed.
“Girl, shut up!” She screamed aloud.
“You have got to be fucking kidding me! So you’re coming back here, with almost a million dollars, after working for just three months?” Emily asked again. Just like Roxanne, it was all too good to be true.
“Yes! He’s willing to transfer a thirty thousand dollar advance today, if I so please.” Roxanne added, smiling as she moved to Emily, who was seated on the bed.
“Girl! This is good news!”
Roxanne fell on the bed beside Emily.
“I know right?” But, the statement had come out less enthusiastic than she had wanted it to, and Emily caught note of it.
Her smile disappeared slowly, worry taking over her gaze.
“Everything okay baby? There isn’t a condition you cannot meet to the job right?” She asked, suddenly growing defensive. When Roxanne didn’t answer, Emily sat up with a frown.
“Baby, I hope he’s not asking you to…”
Roxanne sprung up, laughing at how quickly Emily had gone all “mama bear” on her. Emily frowned.
“It’s not funny Roxy! You got me so scared!”
Roxanne couldn’t help but hold her stomach in laughter.
“Are you sure you don’t wanna have any kids?” She asked, still laughing.
Emily frowned and smacked her with a pillow.
“It’s not funny Roxy. I mean, you two fucked before. I was beginning to think he offered you the job with the condition that you’ll agree to do it again.” Emily said, her expression hard.
Roxanne’s laughter died as she smiled reassuringly.
“No, there’s nothing of that such. You know me Em, I would have given him a slap across his cheek and walked out of the restaurant if he dared.” As she spoke, she placed her hand on Emily’s knee.
Emily’s scowl died off slowly. Roxanne was right.
“That’s a relief Roxy. But you had me there, with your silence, I ain’t gonna lie.”
Roxanne chuckled again.
“But, I’m worried though.” Emily added, causing Roxanne to roll her eyes.
“What now, mama bear?”
Emily shot her a scowl, laughing sarcastically.
“Hahahahaha. Very funny.”
Roxanne chuckled. Emily sighed and spoke up again.
“You’ll be moving away from home, with this guy. To work for him, is he really to be trusted? I mean, you’ve only met him three times. And I’m not assuming he is a fraud or anything, because… I mean, he owns a company here. But, I’m just saying… I don’t know, it’s a really big decision to make.”
Roxanne sighed, her smile still on her face.
“I know Em. And that’s why I needed to talk to you first. Plus, I didn’t have a choice as well…”
Emily laughed, Roxanne continued.
“I just really need to take this. There are a lot of things it could change for us…”
“Baby, you know that I’ve always got you right? So, if it’s the rent you’re worried about, or the car, I can…”
“And for me too!” Roxanne cut in. She moved closer to Emily as she spoke.
“I need this, for me. I have already been through a lot here. It would not hurt to be away for sometime. A new country comes with new faces, new people, new currency, new air, new timeline, new weather. And I really, really, really need something new in my life. Don’t you think so?”
A new man too, hopefully, Emily thought as she smiled.
This had been what she wanted to hear. She had no problem with Roxanne leaving, she just needed to be sure she was doing it for herself, and not because of the responsibilities she had to fulfill. Roxanne had always been with Emily, even when her earlier days as a professional artist didn’t earn her much. It was her turn to cater for her best friend, and she did not ever mind sharing what she had into two. She would never mind, Roxanne was currently the most important person to her.
However, since she was leaving because of herself and not for some misguided sense of duty, Roxanne had her blessings, all of them.
So, she broke into a smile and stretched her arms apart for an embrace. Roxanne hurried into her arms, and Emily laughed.
“I really feel like I should adopt you from your mother.” Emily said, placing a kiss on Roxanne’s head.
“Believe me, I wouldn’t mind.” Roxanne replied, laughing.
“Have you spoken to any of them?” Emily asked, running her hands down Roxanne’s hair.
“No.” She spat.
“Is there a reason to?” Roxanne asked again. Frankly, she did not want to speak to any of them. She did not need them jinxing the one good thing she had come across after all this time, with their sheer badluck.
“You don’t have to, if you don’t want to.” Emily replied, and Roxanne sighed, melting against her chest.
After few minutes of intense best friend moment, Roxanne jumped up.
“Well! I have a contract to sign, you need to help me go through the clothes I packed, seeing as you’re the fashionista between us…”
“Like hell I am!” Emily called out, with a smile on her face.
Roxanne just chuckled and continued.
“Then, I have to let him know that I have accepted, and get the flight info for tomorrow.” Roxanne finally said, walking to the door.
“Roxy!” Emily called out, Roxanne stopped to turn to her.
“You know I love you, right?”
Roxanne smiled.
“I know you don’t have a choice.”
“Oh! Fuck you!”
“Come help me go through my luggage!”
“Get the hell out of my room you silly ass bitch!” Emily yelled, laughing as she threw a pillow at Roxanne, who dodged the hit by running out of the door.
Outside Emily’s room, Roxanne placed a call to Dankworth line.
“Dankworth Group of companies.”
This time, she smiled at the voice.
“Roxanne Harvey, I accept the contract.”
Now she could almost see him smile.
“Excellent! Welcome on board, Miss Harvey.”