Escape from Mr. Whitman (Emma and Theodore) novel Chapter 209

“What? Emma’s already here?” Cecilia’s voice rang with surprise.

Emma wiped her hands and stepped out of the bathroom, a playful smile on her lips. “Yep, just tidied up my hair a bit. I may have a bum leg, but I still care about looking good.”

Jared suddenly erupted into a fit of coughing.

“What’s wrong, Jared? Is it a crime for me to care about my appearance? Or does it not matter since, you know, I’m a cripple anyway?”

“No, no, that’s not what I meant—” Jared stammered between coughs.

Emma realized something funny: the moment she stopped tiptoeing around her own pain, everyone else seemed to lose the nerve to be dramatic.

Cecilia jumped in to steer the conversation away, “Oh! Emma, we were just telling Theo about planning a beach trip. Want to come with us?”

Emma looked over at Theodore, her expression unreadable, half amusement, half challenge.

Theodore shifted in his seat, clearly uncomfortable.

Of course Emma knew why. Just before dinner, he’d told her he’d be spending time with his grandmother instead of joining this trip.

“Theo thinks it’d be great if you joined us, right?” Cecilia pressed, trying to lighten the mood.

Theodore shot Emma a pleading look, silently begging her not to blow things up.

Emma just smiled. “No thanks. I mean, what’s a cripple who can’t swim supposed to do on a beach trip?”

Theodore’s brow furrowed, but he kept his cool. “You don’t have to swim to have fun at the beach.”

“Oh, but you do!” Emma’s eyes went wide with mock innocence. “What if Cici and I both fall into the ocean? You’d save Cici first, and since I can’t swim, I’d just drown, wouldn’t I?”

But now she realized—if she owned her own flaw, if she wielded it herself, the only ones left feeling attacked were the people around her.

“Emma, can we just keep it together? Everyone’s here,” Theodore pleaded, frowning, worried she was about to cross another line.

Emma grinned. “Funny thing—I’ve always been the one keeping it together. But I’ve noticed: the more I hold it in, the less anyone else bothers. And the moment I stop, suddenly everyone gets their act together. So maybe I’m done playing nice.”

Right then, a knock at the door interrupted them. Hanley quickly chimed in, “Okay, okay, food’s here!”

Emma realized she’d been wrong about something else, too. Why had she ever avoided meals with these people? She should have just come and eaten her fill! Now, as each dish was brought out, she reached for it first, and the others barely moved.

“This one’s for Cici,” Theodore murmured as a platter of seared tuna was set down.

“Oh? I’m not allowed to have any?” Emma asked, turning to Cecilia with a mischievous smile. “Cici, am I banned from this one?”