Chapter 114: Breakup
"I can't believe you're all still gawking over there. These days, lots of people choose extended breastfeeding. It's called 'attachment parenting,'" Caroline said, exasperated with her clueless coworkers.
Ever since the customer with the older child arrived—or more accurately, since the kid, who was about Danny's height, had slipped under his mother's shirt and started nursing—a group of people had gathered around staring at the mother and child like it was perfectly normal.
Max, blowing a bubble with her gum, delivered the most brutal observation: "That kid's so old, shouldn't it be called 'attachment parenting'? And wouldn't he have to come up for air?"
"Not necessarily," Oleg said enviously.
"He's way past bottle-feeding age, right? That kid's almost as tall as me," Danny said, turning to Max, but because of his height, his gaze could only reach... well, inappropriate places.
Danny looked up and blinked innocently.
"Don't even think about it!" came two voices in unison.
One shout came from Max, the other from Ron, who was holding a tightly bundled Emma.
"Ron!" Caroline and Max exclaimed in surprise. They hadn't seen Ron in days since the last party, only texting back and forth.
Ron released Emma and waved to the two gorgeous waitresses. "Hey there, beautiful ladies."
"Well, I'll be damned. I've lived long enough to see everything," Earl said, shaking his head as he carried the hot coffee pot.
"Nah, I think you're still as smooth as ever," Ron patted his shoulder. "So which lovely lady will I be serving today?"
"Waiter, I'd like to order," the nursing mother raised her hand.
"That's my section." Caroline grabbed the menus before Max could speak and guided Ron and Emma to her area. "I don't want to deal with that. I respect it, but it still grosses me out. Ron, is this your new girlfriend?"
"Yeah, this is Emma. I'll introduce you properly later." As Ron spoke, his hand got pinched hard.
Ron could clearly sense Emma's displeasure; she didn't want to eat in such a rundown little diner, but he didn't care. He pulled her to sit down and order.
After Caroline left, Emma immediately complained, "Seriously?! I thought you were taking me somewhere classy, but you brought me to this dive!"
"You said you wanted to see where I work and meet my other 'girlfriends,' and now you have," Ron shrugged.
He was getting pretty fed up with Emma's constant whining. Since yesterday's airport fiasco, he'd heard nothing but complaints from her.
Even last night, when Emma had come onto him, he'd only given her a quick peck and pushed her away.
If you hate America so much, why didn't you just stay in London? Why did you have to come here?
"Which one are you talking about? The brunette with the big rack? Or the blonde with the long legs? If it were me, I'd go with the blonde. At least she seems to have some class, but she's still nowhere near the girls in London's high society."
Emma casually critiqued the two waitresses.
Ron just felt Emma was becoming less and less appealing. He really didn't know why he'd gotten involved with this diva in the first place.
Maybe it was because sleeping with Hermione in her Hogwarts uniform had been such a turn-on?
Damn Hollywood fantasies messing with his head. If the real Emma had been half as charming as movie Hermione, Ron wouldn't even be considering a breakup.
"That's right," Ron said with a sarcastic smile. "Yep, that's my life. Besides, that waitress you just said couldn't compete with London society girls? She's from a world your fancy friends couldn't even dream of reaching."
"No way!" Emma didn't buy it. "How could someone from that kind of background be working in a dump like this?!"
"Believe it or don't, her dad just had some bad luck and went belly-up."
Ron didn't elaborate. Just then, he spotted a newspaper someone had left on the table. He picked it up and placed it in front of Emma. "Look, there's an auction of her family's stuff today."
Emma saw the headline and gasped, "Oh my God, you're saying she's Caroline Channing?!"
"Yep." Ron nodded. He'd expected Emma to apologize for her rude comments, but instead Emma continued:
"Can you take me to her family's auction today? It's been advertised all over London, and there are several pieces I'd love to buy."
Emma's excited expression reminded him of sharks in nature documentaries. When one shark gets wounded, instead of helping, the others smell blood and devour their own kind.
He felt disgusted by such a woman.
Despite Max's tough background, she never kicked people when they were down. Even Megan Fox, who was also in entertainment, was incredibly loyal.
No wonder Paige and Megan couldn't stand Emma. This only strengthened his resolve to end things.
"No, I won't take you there. I'd never show up at an auction of my friend's belongings. It would break her heart. If you're interested, you can go yourself, but you sure as hell won't be going with me."
"Ron!" Emma hissed angrily under her breath: "Are you seriously going to side with some washed-up rich girl over me?!"
"No, no, no," Ron shook his head. "I don't measure the value of friends by their bank accounts. That would make them feel like stock options. Does befriending someone make me look more important?"
"And I don't name-drop royalty to make myself seem more sophisticated."
"Ron!" Ron's words hit Emma like a slap. Her whole face flushed red: "Do you have any idea what you're saying?"
"Absolutely I do," Ron shrugged casually. His original plan for bringing Emma to the diner today was to use her celebrity status to help boost the sisters' cupcake business, but given her attitude, that was clearly a lost cause.
Ron decided to cut to the chase: "Alright, you know what? We're done here. Don't worry, you can leave now, and nobody's going to stop you."
"Ron! I hate you!" Emma grabbed a glass of water and threw it at Ron's face.
Unfortunately, Ron blocked the water with a napkin. Emma stamped her feet and stormed off in a huff.
(End of chapter)
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