So apparent

 "Can't you just..just quit," Emily stood her ground in a stare down with Liam. She didn't know why he was still at that grocery store. Sure, it was a hop, skip and jump (so to speak) from where he worked. But did he ever take a break?

She'd packed her backpack full of homemade goodness. Actually, her mom made the cold noodle salad and turkey sandwiches, but Em had packed it. 

"Just give me thirty minutes, OK?" She practically herded him toward the picnic tables. 

"Why?' He was in a fret, "Another to-do list?"

"No, that's taken care of," she nodded about her Dad's retirement. Finally, they sat down and got situated. She got out the food and served him. "And..and I'm sorry if..if I took up too much of your time." She practiced the little speech. It was a direct order from her mother. She told her by the way she was treating Liam... he was certain to run from her. 

She did her best to be calm with him. Finally, he was someone her father liked and she liked too. He'd been to the house once for dinner. But he hadn't been back.

"So how's work?' She wanted to know.

"Fine," his dull voice might as well have said nothing. God, she wanted to kick him in the shins. She gritted a smile.

"You need to quit the grocery store," she told him.

He only sighed.

"What did they do to you? Did you sign some kind of mandatory contract?"

She almost got a smile out of him. She ate her food probably quicker than he did. Honestly, she hadn't changed a bit since high school She loved everything chocolate and she probably ate too many sweets, but she loved her job at the preschool and she ran just to run since she couldn't dance and seemed to make trouble everywhere. So she did her best to tire herself out.

"Look, if..if you quit that job, I'd make it worth your while. You could come over, and eat dinner and.." she shrugged. "It wouldn't cost you a thing. Besides, my dad would really like it, if he knew what was going on. He's going to miss that job so much." She was being honest, but possibly not totally. "And..and I could see you too."

Of course, she wasn't sure if he was even listening. He was on his second helping of the noodle salad.

"Sure," she thought she heard him say.

"What?"

"Fine." He gave her an even lip as if he didn't want to talk about this anymore. He looked at the time. He needed to get to the grocery store.

Her luck, her dad probably talked him into this long before she had a chance.