Page 47 of Modern Persuasion

I checked my phone. I had taken more than three hours to read all of the story.

Fredrick: Emma?

Fredrick: Emma?

Fredrick: Emma... did you read it?

Fredrick: Please... say something...

Fredrick: Please text me when you're done reading.

Emma: Where are you?

I didn't get a response, so I tried to think of where he could be. I ran down to the Musgrove's house half a mile away.

"Is Fredrick here?" I said when I got into the kitchen where Mr. Musgrove was making a sandwich. I caught my breath as I waited for his answer.

"He went into town for lunch with Seth and Louisa."

"Thank you," I said and left without waiting for a response.

I started my walk into town and spent the time deciding what to say to Fredrick. I came up with terrible ideas. There was too much to say. I had to explain everything. I had to apologize. I needed to kiss him. I tried to figure out where they would go for lunch. There were only a few options. I kept checking the time on my phone. Thirty minutes had passed since I had left my house.

I could see the storm beginning to roll in from the west. I was glad I couldn't see the mess my hair must have been because of the humidity. I felt that I needed to find Freddy before the storm hit. I found Seth and Louisa quickly after my long walk.

"Hi!" Louisa said when she saw me. "Why are you all sweaty?"

"Where is Freddy?" I asked and tried to fix my hair and clothes.

"Oh, so you can call him Freddy, but I can't?"

"LOUISA!"

"Interesting," she said, narrowing her eyes. "He isn't here. He was all agitated, so he took the car. He said something about going for a drive. Seth suggested going out to Provincetown."

"What? He's gone?"

"For a while, at least. Want to have lunch with us?"

I didn't respond. I left and started my walk back home.

"Emma, it's about to rain! At least stay with us until it's over!" Louisa called after me.

I didn't care.

Both the rain and my tears held back as I walked home. I was so emotionally exhausted that there was nothing left in me. That all changed when I got to my driveway. The Musgroves' car was there, and Freddy sat on the front step. His long legs were stretched out in front of him and crossed at his ankles. He was leaning back and looking up at the dark clouds above us.

"Freddy?" I said as I walked up the path to the door.

He looked up at me. His eyes were red. In an instant, he was on his feet and walking toward me. I was unable to hold anything back. I ran into his arms and felt them wrap around me as he lifted me up and kissed me. I wrapped my arms around him. I didn't want to pull away. I didn't want to ever be separated from him again. Eventually, we had to breathe, and I heard the rumble of thunder.

"I've been trying to find you since you sent me the text," he said.

"I went to find you. You never responded," I said, opening the front door and pulling him inside with me.

"Emma, I've been responding to you since you sent it."

I pulled out my phone from my pocket and saw I had missed quite a few from many people. I had never turned off the 'do not disturb' option on my phone. I didn't care now and led Fredrick up to my room to be alone.