Long time, no see. (Robert Pratt)

[Emily Niah (DELETED 5213)]

She nodded her head up and down. She did feel better then when she first walked in but she still felt sick. She was unsure what to do here as a job. She'd love to work with the children and teach them what she could but in truth she'd be happy to do anything. She had to think for a moment.

"I could do just about anything you needed help with really."

Her voice was more normal now and she knew was going to be okay with this, at least when she was around others. It would take some time but maybe she could train herself to thinking that he was still dead. It could not be too hard to do. Her family had told her and her brother that he was dead for 16 years now and they made it look easy. She was strong so she should be able to do it.

She was still going to go back home to talk to her family though. Even if she had to pretend that he was gone she still wanted to know the truth of what had happened.

"So you had said that you don't have any children or your own, Are you married though?"

Her mother had never re-married. She had never even seen her go on a date. She seemed happy though she did have a sort of aura about her that was not here with him. He seemed far more at easy them her mother did.

[Robert Pratt]

"Ok, well I tell you what."

She seemed calmer now than she had been, so he let her go and shuffled back a bit to give her, her space.

"Why not shadow Belle and be her assisstant? She goes everywhere and does everything, so it will give you an idea of all the things we do here and a bit of a taste of everything. I'm sure she won't say no to some help, and she'll always find you a job to do here or there? I think you'll do really well with her, and she'll look after you and be a shoulder if you need one and can't find me."

He got up and went over to his desk, finding her a pamphlet on the Sanctuary and all the things it offered, his phone and email details and also the website for the community boards and info pages. He came back over and gave it to her, so she'd have numerous ways of reaching him and the rest of the people here - as well as a forum on which to reach out and meet people on.

"Me? Married?"

He shook his head sadly, even though he wore a wedding ring on his left hand.

"No, I'm not married, and no kids. It's.... a bit of a regret of mine to be honest. I just think I could have offered so much to a son, or a daughter - a wife even. But I guess, it just wasn't meant to be."

His tone was very wistful, and it was obvious he meant what he said and really did wish he had a proper family. It was something he'd always wanted, and something he'd always longed for and felt was missing in his life. Even now. But it had just, never been.

[Emily Niah (DELETED 5213)]

She watches and listens to him as he tell her that she can work with Belle. She liked the elderly woman and she thought that it was a good idea to work with her till she got the hang of things. He hands her the pamphlet and she quickly flips through the pages.

"I'd like to work with her. I think it would be fun."

She frowned at his tone when he was talking about regretting not having a wife or kids. She could tell that the stories she had been told about her father and how he was with her, her mother, and her brother.

She hoped to change the subject before she got upset again. "Well I would not be able to start for a few days. I need to go home and see my mother first."

[Robert Pratt]

"Excellent then! I'll let her know."

He stood up and offered her his hand to help her up too, then once they were both up, he walked out of the room and looked around for Belle. He spotted her at one of the long tables, helping a guy with his homework from college and he smiled. He waited until Belle spotted him and then smiled and beckoned her over. When she got there he gave her a hug as she looked a bit stressed and then directed her to Emily.

"Here Belle. I've just hired you an assisstant! So delegate what you like, look after her, make sure she's got all she needs and I think you'll get on like a house on fire. She's got to go home to her family for a few days, but when she's back - she'll report to you and you can see her right."

He turned and looked at Emily, suddenly having a thought.

"Emily, do you have somewhere to stay? Do you own a place here in Harper Rock?"

[Emily Niah (DELETED 5213)]

As she stood and waiting for him to return she looked around the office. What on earth was she going to say to her mother. 'Hey mom, so you know how everyone has told me that dad was dead? Yeah well no he's not I just had a job interview with him.' She had to scoff at herself for the thought of saying to her mother. She at least had a plane ride to think of how this was going to come out. Maybe she would go to her church first and talk to her paster about what she should do. Either way she had to tell her family. She had to know the truth. Robert and Belle entered the room and she smiled at the elderly woman. She would greatly enjoy working with the woman.He ask her if she has a place to stay. She did though she was unsure how pratical that would be once she started working her. It was on the other side of town after all. "I've been staying in a hotel on the other side of town while I've been here." She should probably look for a place closer to her though to save her on time and money.

[Robert Pratt]

He made a kind of snorting noise and shook his head at her when she said she was staying in a hotel.

"No no. You can stay here, we'll include room and board with the job. So when you come back to us - just bring your stuff and find Belle or I, and we'll get you all set up in one of the rooms or apartments above. We'll see what's free when you're back."

He looked at Belle who nodded and grinned, then she grabbed the taller girl and hugged her tightly.

"I'm looking forward to getting to know you dear. You hurry back to us ok? Now, if you excuse me?"

She nodded to Robert and he smiled back as she went back to the man she'd been helping, to see how he was getting on. Robert then turned back to Emily with a smile.

"So, anything else? Or are you needing to head off for the night? Time is creeping on a bit."

[Emily Niah (DELETED 5213)]

Emily hugged Belle back and then pulled out her phone to check the time. It was getting late and if she was lucky she could catch either a red eye or an early morning plane back home. She'd call her mother on the way to the airport to let her know she was on her way. The sooner she could talk to her mother the better. She did have one question though. "Mr. Pratt, I do have a question but its not so much about Solace but more about the city as a whole." She thought for a moment and then shook the question from her head. "But it can wait till I get back." She made sure she had everything that she needed. She walked up the him and hugged him tightly. "Goodbye Mr. Pratt. I hope to see you soon." She then turned and walked out quickly, not noticing that her locket with his picture in it had fallen out and onto the sofa.

[Robert Pratt]

He waited for her question but it didn't come, she simply said she'd ask later so he thought nothing of it. When she hugged him tightly, he was a little surprised and taken aback - but he wrapped his arms around her and gave her just as tight a hug back again, stroking her back gently. He saw her to the door and watched her walk down the road, smiling at how well the night had gone, and how nice a volunteer she was going to be.

He turned back into the building and frowned. The accounts were still there waiting for him, and it was going to be a battle! Heading into his office, he totally missed the locket on the sofa as it had partially slipped between two cushions. Sitting at his desk, he switched the screen back on, on his computer and tried to pick up where he'd left off, to get back into it all again.