Chapter 3

She sings and shakes to the rhythm of the music heard from the pickup, which is located a little further away and puts another book on the shelves of her new library, which slowly seems to be filling up. It hasn't been long since she got home, but she can't sit still because of the nervousness she's feeling. She looks at the clock once again in the kitchen and continues unpacking. She still has some time before she has to get ready, and the boxes aren't going to empty on their own no matter how much she wanted them to. The small apartment is finally starting to fill up now that most of her stuff is in place. A bed is next to the wall at one end of the room, a little further there is the sofa with a knitted blanket, a leather armchair, and a second library built into the wall already filled with books. Her guitar rests next to the large window from which she can see the view of Chicago, and her black typewriter is on her small wooden desk. Two of her favorite items. After a while she empties the last box of books, even touching some in various places on the floor, and she starts to get ready.

The plaid woolen shirt she wears for a jacket over her fitted black blouse keeps her warm as she walks the streets of Chicago, but the nervousness she feels again makes her tremble slightly. She checks the message once again with the address on her cell phone and continues. Around her on the sidewalk children walk holding their parents' hands, couples hug, and friends laugh at their jokes while sitting in the shops there. She even missed the people who lived there, and she wants to sit down and observe them for a little longer. But before she knows it, the lights from the corner bar appear in front of her. "Molly's" she reads the sign and smiles. It is more beautiful up close compared to the photos. She takes a deep breath just like she did in the morning and pushes the wooden door, entering the bar. Directly the voices and laughter overwhelm her, while her attention is focused on the lights hanging from the ceiling. It's so beautiful.

The place is full, and people are sitting everywhere. She can even see two or three men standing. Even Sergeant Platt is here talking to Mouch. She tries to remain unnoticed by him and looks the other way searching for the person she came here for in the first place. In her search, her eyes are connected to those of Ruzek, who is sitting on the other side of the bar, and shortly afterward, his whole company turns towards her. She is glad to recognize some people in here beyond Platt and Mouch, so she decides to go to them. Halfway through she sees Adam whispering something to the others, but it is too late to turn around and leave. So gathering the courage that has left inside her, she smiles and continues walking.

"What is she doing here?" Adam asks, looking at Emma at the door, making the others turn to see where he is looking. Kevin was sitting next to him while Kim, Jay, and Antonio, were sitting in the other seats. 

"Kim, did you tell her to come?" Kevin asks her, drawing the attention to the table again. 

"No, I don't even remember talking to her about Molly's... even though I talk a lot," Kim replies, bringing the bottle back to her mouth. 

"Whether you told her or not, she saw us, and she's coming this way," Adam says again, trying to be discreet. But suddenly, her smile as she approaches them makes them feel remorse that not only they didn't tell her about the place but also because they didn't want her with them out of work. Not yet, at least.

"Hi, I'm sorry. I didn't think I'd find you here" 

"Um, yes, we thought we should come over for a beer. You left earlier, and we didn't manage to tell you to come with us" She had indeed left earlier than anyone else since she had nothing to fill out other than Trudy's papers, but that didn't stop Kim from trying to justify their actions. 

"Yeah, don't worry, I understand. I did leave quite early," she reassures her. After all, she could not misjudge them. They had just met her.

Behind the bar stands a man with a mustache cleaning various glasses with a white towel. Next to him, a girl serves those who sit on those stools, smiling at a man in front of her. She can only bet with herself that these two are in love. Both people who work here, as well as many of those who talk to them, remind her of something, but she is sure that she hasn't met any of them except Mouch. Maybe they were in a photo, she thinks.

"Did you come alone?" Jay asks this time, drawing her attention. 

"Um, yeah. The truth is, I'm looking for Christopher Herrmann do you know if he's here today?" she asks them, finally revealing the reason for her sudden appearance but catching them unprepared with her answer. 

"A while ago he went in the back room, he'll be here any minute," Antonio informs her, and without leaving them any room for more questions, she turns to the other side.

Indeed, after a few minutes, the door in the back opens, and Herrmann shows up carrying a crate of beers. She laughs at how abstract he is that he doesn't even raise his head to look around. So, taking the initiative herself, she goes to him, and after she is sure that he arranged the new bottles and observed the other man working, she starts talking raising the tone of her voice so she can be heard. 

"Excuse me, do you have black tea with forest fruits?" At the sound of her voice, Herrmann turns abruptly, unable to believe that she is in front of him. It had been a long time since he last saw her, and he could admit that she had become a beautiful lady. Just as sweet as she used to be. But when did she come back to Chicago, why didn't she tell him? They talked on the phone at least once a week, informing each other of their news, but this was never been said before. He could not forget it. Her voice pulled him out of his thoughts again. 

"My God, Chris, I thought you'd be more excited to see me," and before she could finish, Herrmann stood beside her, grabbing her in his arms. 

Everyone was looking at them, stopping their conversations without understanding what was going on. All that could be heard beyond the soft music was Emma laughing as the bar owner still spun around with her wrapped tightly in his arms.

"Oh, my God, kiddo, what are you doing here? When did you come, why didn't you call me?" he bombs her with a bunch of questions, pulling away to hold her at arm's length and kissing her forehead. 

"It's been a few days, but I wanted to surprise you as soon as I took care of some things" 

"So you're back to stay?" he asks her with clear hope. Tears glistened in his eyes. Always so sensitive. She nods at him. 

"I'm here to stay" He hugs her with one hand, and suddenly he yells at everyone in the bar. 

"The next round is on me guys. My daughter came home."