Page 57 of Caught in the Middle

'Lucy!' This time her name sounded a lot closer. Her head snapped round to see Emma walking towards her from the bottom of the corridor, looking just as stunning as she did last night. Her blonde hair was blown out like a 50's pin up girl, sliding down the back of her emerald green, figure-hugging dress.

When she got in front of her, she pursed her lips and eyed her outfit. 'Okay,' she said, 'so, never wear jeans again.'

Lucy felt her face burn with shame. She thought she had done a pretty good job this morning, but apparently not.

'Anyway, welcome to the club,' Emma said wryly, 'I'll be giving you your introduction, or whatever you want to call it.'

She stormed off, her impossibly thin stilettos clacking loudly across the marble floor in the direction she came from. Lucy guessed she was meant to follow her, so scuttled after her as quickly as she could, but trying to keep up with a ridiculously long legged model creature was pretty hard.

Emma marched back up to Lucy's bedroom, and burst open the door like she owned it. This annoyed Lucy slightly - she didn't mind Rachel moseying around, but she wasn't as keen on Emma, so she'd rather she'd give her some privacy.

Perhaps she'd talk to her about it when she was an official member of the household.

When she stepped back through into her living quarters, she was surprised to see that in the time she had been downstairs talking to Joey in his office and calling her mother on the phone, that the room had been meticulously tidied and polished. She looked down to the fluffy carpet - hell, it had even been hoovered, she thought. Her bed sheets had been changed to a different silk spread.

Well, she could definitely get used to this.

She quickly noticed that there was a gold box on her bed, with a large white bow sitting on top.

'Eurgh,' Emma sighed, 'I remember when I first received this box. I'm so jealous of you right now.'

She flopped down on Lucy's freshly made bed, and despite the fact she had an exciting present waiting for her, she couldn't help but feel pissed off. It's exactly something that Elena Riddings, her housemate would do, just absolutely impose herself in Lucy's personal space.

Lucy sat on the end of the bed and tore the box open excitedly. To her surprise, it was practically empty, spare a small, silver envelope sitting at the bottom.

She frowned at Emma who grinned back at her, and fished it out. There was definitely something in it, as it felt heavier than it looked. When she turned it over, she realised it was stamped with a heavy, red wax seal, with an eagle emblem in the middle of it.

'How very Harry Potter,' she muttered to herself.

She tried to open the letter carefully, she'd never had an envelope with a wax seal on before... it seemed rude to just tear it open! A small black card fell out, along with a folded up letter.

She picked up the card and turned it over.

A black Amex, with her name on it.

Her heart racing, she quickly fumbled for the letter.

Lucy,

Welcome to my family. I have enclosed what you have probably been waiting for, your credit card. Please, do not hesitate to spend whatever you want. You're under my roof now, and you are to be spoiled with everything you've ever wanted.

I think you will like it here.

Joey x

Lucy blinked at the letter. She must be dreaming.

'It's unlimited,' Emma practically whispered.

Lucy, who had struggled to pay the rent and feed herself through the three years she had spent at university could not comprehend the meaning of 'unlimited.' To her, it was going on a huge shopping spree in Topshop, eating out at a really nice restaurant and not having to do a runner.

But when she sat there and thought about it, she could do anything.

She could... buy the Range Rover she always wanted - even though she can't quite legally drive - she could get a chauffeur. She'd always dreamed of going to Las Vegas, and now she could. In a private jet. With all her friends.

The possibilities were endless, and she didn't quite know how to take it.

Emma studied her carefully.

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