From: magsrose@comcast.net   
      
   Chapter 6 - 2   
      
   Emma was pleased when Yves told her the next day that she had come   
   just to see her but then got a little suspicious when Yves asked to   
   speak to her privately. When her dad came upstairs with them to join   
   in on the conversation, she really began to dread whatever it was that   
   Yves wanted to tell her. It could only be bad news.   
      
   Yves started talking about the painting and the fact that someone   
   wanted to steal it. Yves said that she intended to keep the thief from   
   doing this but that she would have to be very careful not to get   
   caught herself.   
      
   Emma knew the painting Yves was talking about. There had been a lot of   
   advertisement concerning the fact that it would be available for   
   people to view at her Highland Games. Emma got a sick feeling in her   
   stomach. Yves continued to talk saying that Frohike and the other guys   
   had agreed to help her out.   
      
   Now Emma knew why Yves wanted to talk to her in private. She was   
   certain what was coming next. She was not going to be allowed to go to   
   the Games! Yves's unfortunate choice of words at this point were, "It   
   would be better if you did not go to the Games, but…" Emma did not let   
   her finish. "No," she looked at her dad, "please, you can't do this to   
   me!"   
      
   Frohike put his hand up to silence her. "Emma, stop it and listen to   
   what Yves has to say."   
      
   "I know what she's going to say, 'It's for your own good,' but I've   
   waited all year and everyone is coming for the first time ever! You   
   can't make me stay here! I have to go! I HAVE TO!"   
      
   Yves put her hand on Emma's arm to get her attention. Emma turned away   
   from the two of them and ran downstairs to the work area with tears of   
   frustration blurring her vision. In her rush she slipped down the last   
   two stairs and landed on the bottom with a thud. Langly came over to   
   see what the racket was all about and found Emma sitting at the bottom   
   of the stairs.   
      
   "Emma, what happened? Are you all right?" He helped her up. She clung   
   to him saying nothing. "Where are you hurt?"   
      
   Frohike stood at the top of the stairs, also concerned. "Is she okay?"   
      
      
   Langly looked up at him, "I don't know. She won't talk to me."   
      
   Frohike came down and tried to take her from Langly but she pulled   
   away from both of them, retreating farther into the maze of shelves   
   and tables that filled their workspace. Langly turned to Frohike   
   looking puzzled. "She didn't let Yves finish. She thinks that she's   
   not going to be allowed to go to the Games."   
      
   That made sense. "Geez, no wonder." Langly tried to talk to her.   
   "Emma, come on. Would you just stop for a second and listen?"   
      
   Emma kept backing away from them with her hands over her ears. She   
   just couldn't accept it. She wouldn't listen to it. If she just denied   
   it then it wouldn't be true.   
      
   Not watching where she was going, she finally bumped into something.   
   It was Jimmy. She turned and looked up at him. He was frowning at her.   
   "Jimmy." He didn't say anything. He just picked her up and carried her   
   over to the red couch where he dumped her like a sack of potatoes.   
      
   She was so surprised by his actions that she just sat staring up at   
   where he towered over her obviously angered by her behavior. When she   
   tried to move, he simply shook his head. She slowly sank back on the   
   couch. She had never seen this side of him before and didn't want to   
   anger him further.   
      
   Frohike and Yves soon joined Jimmy. Langly and Byers stood farther   
   away, listening but not participating. Jimmy stepped back to where the   
   other two men waited.   
      
   Yves began again. "Emma, you didn't let me finish." Emma wanted to put   
   her hands over her ears again but knew she wouldn't get away with   
   that. Yves continued, "I was trying to say that it would be best if   
   you were not at the Games BUT if we are careful, you should be   
   perfectly safe."   
      
   Emma blinked a couple of times then turned to her father. "You mean I   
   can go?"   
      
   "There are a few things you'll need to agree to but other than that, I   
   don't see any problem with it." Frohike explained.   
      
   "Then why didn't you tell me that in the first place?"   
      
   "You wouldn't let me." Emma was surprised that Yves smiled when she   
   said that.   
      
   Emma could feel her cheeks getting hot which meant they were bright   
   red. She hung her head in shame. "I'm sorry, Yves."   
      
   "You need to look at her when you say that," Frohike corrected Emma.   
      
   She repeated her apology, doing it the right way this time.   
      
   Yves accepted the apology graciously and outlined the restrictions   
   that Emma would need to follow to be allowed to go to the games.   
      
   Emma listened politely but there was one thing she wanted to amend. "I   
   can do all that but can I at least go see the painting one time? I've   
   seen pictures of it before and I'd like to see the original. I promise   
   I'll be really quick and won't get in the way."   
      
   Yves and Frohike looked at each other. Yves nodded. Frohike told Emma   
   that would be fine. "As long as you promise to stay away from the   
   building the rest of the time and don't tell anyone else, especially   
   the other children, what we are doing."   
      
   "I promise." She held up her hand like she was swearing to tell the   
   truth in court. "Actually, it won't be that hard to do what you say.   
   There's lots of other stuff to do."   
      
   Once again happy and excited about the upcoming weekend, Emma asked,   
   "Is that it? Are we done?"   
      
   Frohike shook his head. "I think that you and I need to go discuss   
   your temper tantrum."   
      
   This was not what Emma wanted to hear but she understood that she   
   hadn't given Yves a chance to tell her the whole story before she blew   
   up. Father and daughter left the others to go upstairs to talk in private.   
      
   As soon as they were out of earshot, Yves started laughing. Byers   
   asked, "What's so funny?"   
      
   "When Jimmy first told me that Frohike had a daughter, I wondered why   
   he didn't have a DNA test done to be certain. Now I can see that she   
   really is his child."   
      
   "What? That she has his wicked temper?" Langly asked. When Yves just   
   laughed again and nodded, he added with a snort, "I could have told   
   you that."   
      
      
   All the folks from Seattle were to arrive the following Wednesday.   
   Emma wanted to meet them at the airport but Frohike refused. She could   
   wait until they got to the house. All the new furniture was in place   
   and the refrigerator and pantry well stocked for the invasion of the   
   'West Coast Scots' as Langly called them.   
      
   On Tuesday, Emma was very restless so Frohike took her back to the   
   house to expend her energy there. She dusted and vacuumed and kept   
   fussing with the furniture and the beds to make sure everything was   
   perfect.   
      
   On Wednesday, she kept watch at the window from the moment their plane   
   should have touched down just in case it came in early. Frohike went   
   online to confirm if their plane was on time. It was but not early as   
   Emma hoped. He left her alone though figuring she could enjoy the   
   anticipation.   
      
   Finally, two large rental cars pulled up outside the house. They were   
   both Chevy Suburbans. "They're here," Emma yelled as she flew out the   
   door as if she had been shot from a canon. Frohike watched as she ran   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)