49

They walk down the wrong path they took and realize the mistake they made.

"I thought someone asked me 'oh you have never been?' as if he spends all his days prancingng around the Blue Turnip halls, you did not even know we made the wrong turn. Look at what could have happened to us if she did not give us directions." Lewis chides Sam like a parent and Sam just keeps his gaze on the floor like a scolded puppy.

"Alright superman, you were right. You did great, Sherlock. Case closed." Sam is trying to hide his embarrassment, so he wants to stop the discussion and save his pride.

"Come on, she said fourth room by the left. This is it." Lewis tells him. They are standing in front of a door with the number on its post. Lewis knocks twice and they hear a sharp noise, then nothing. Lewis is at alert and his hand instinctively goes to his back where a weapon is tucked and securely hidden by the cape. He waits a while, then knocks twice again when he hears no footsteps coming towards the door.

Someone opens the door. It is a strange woman with a white, powdery smudge at the entrance of her left nostril. She rubs at her nose and fixes her gaze on Lewis's outfit.

"Oh look who we have here. Darling Emily's knight in shiny armour. Who would have thought you would arrive in full costume? Come on in, your damsel in distress is getting ready." She says with a smirk on her face. Her eyes seem dilated and her tone is slightly shaky. Coupled with the smudge on her nose, Lewis can take a guess that her brain is in the clouds right now.

"Thanks." Lewis steps in with Sam. The woman walks in front of them. It is a big suite, could pass for an apartment. There are clothes thrown around in disarray. Spilt coffee on the rug, an empty bottle of whiskey is sitting on the glass table and a bra is hanging on the TV. Sam and Lewis look around the living room with wide eyes.

"Seems like y'all had a wild night…" Lewis says. The woman does not say anything, she instead goes to retrieve a cigarette pack from a cabinet and picks a stick out. She sticks it in her mouth and lights it up.

"Uhm, where is Emily?" Lewis asks. The whole point of coming here in the first place is because of Emily, it would make no sense if she was not here.

"Toilet right down that door. Probably puking her ass out." A blonde lady comes out of a room in the suite puffing smoke into the air while she speaks.

"Wouldn't sidekick like to have a seat while we wait for princess to be done?" She points at Sam with her fingers between the cigarette.

"Are you talking to me?" Sam seems offended by this. Why would this thin, sick looking Blondie call him a sidekick. For all he cares, he never wanted to be here. But she does not know any of this, so he keeps calm.

"Whoa, a feisty one you got there… how'd you keep him in check, Captain?" The two ladies both laugh at their joke. But Lewis and Sam do not find this funny. Lewis proceeds to find Emily. He walks through the adjoining door and Sam is about to follow him when the blondie holds him back.

"Back up, sidekick. Let superman handle this one. You sit right there." She points at the white sofa and gestures for him to be seated with a threat in her eyes. He shrugs and gets comfortable on the couch. She gives him a creepy smile and he looks away. He glances at his watch nervously.

Lewis finds the bathroom and knocks lightly.

"What is it, Ash? Leave me the fuck alone." Emily yells from within the bathroom.

"It's just me, Em." Lewis replies softly. He waits for her. She opens the door a little and squints into the distance.

"Lewis? Is that you?" She asks.

"Yeah, we have a party to attend today. Remember? I am sure you could not have forgotten that made you take me to a Gucci store for a makeover." Lewis says with light humour. She opens the door completely and Lewis takes a god look at her. Her mascara has stained her face and she looks like a ghost of herself. She looks like she has been crying or is it just water. Lewis wants to reach out and feel her face but he hesitates. She might react violently to that. She does not look stable.

"Ohh I remembeeeerrrr. You came. Oh my God, and you are wearing the outfit. You look amazing." Emily is smiling so widely, it looks like her jaw could crack. This version of Emily is throwing him off.

"You have to get cleaned up and get ready. You have put so much work into making this day perfect. I remember someone mentioning today is your redemption. I think that was the word." Lewis says in a baby voice. She looks at him a while and laughs aloud.

"Ohh you are good at this, I will give you that. Today is my redemption. And you.. you are here for me… oh my God." Emily laughs aloud again.

"Yes, I am here for you. So you will not keep this snack waiting. You will shower and do your make-up and I will be waiting outside, okay?" He says gently, nudging her back into the bathroom.

"Haha, okay Lewis." She replies. As he walks back out he can hear her singing Pharrell Williams' Happy. He chuckles at himself.

"What did you two give her?" Lewis questions the two ladies. The blond lady stares at Lewis Ike he grew two heads on a whim. Then she laughs aloud.

"Oh dear, you wanna lock me up. File a restraining order to protect Princess Emily, heiress of R&E fortune. Come on, Bruce Wayne, go on with it." She has a southern accent and blows smoke at Lewis's face while she laughs.