Emily's Daughter

by Linda Warren

  Jackson tried to suppress the rage inside him, without success. “I’ll have a talk with that young man and his parents. No one’s threatening my daughter. No one.”

  “Jackson,” Emily said quietly, and that soothing voice calmed his anger.

  He took a quick breath. “Did he or anyone give you drugs?”

  Becca shook her head. “No, but they kept trying to get me to drink. I just took sips and pretended I was.”

  “Do you have any idea what those guys had in mind for you?”

  “Yes, and I was so scared.”

  “That’s good, because we learn from fear and I hope to God you’ve learned something.” He took another breath, trying to maintain his cool, but the thought of what could have happened to her drove him on.

  “Look at your mother’s face. If your goal was to hurt her, you’ve succeeded. How does it feel to hurt the person who loves you most in the world?”

  A sob erupted from Becca’s throat. “I didn’t mean to hurt you, Em. I really didn’t. I don’t know why I say and do these awful things. I don’t even know who I am—am I your sister or your daughter? Some days I know, but other days I get so confused I—I lash out. I’m sorry. I just don’t know who I am.” Tears rolled down her cheeks and Emily caught her face and held it.

  “You’re my daughter,” she told her softly. “You’ve always been my daughter.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes, really, and in time it will get easier, but we have to be able to talk and we have to be able to deal with the anger and resentment.”

  “But it feels like it’s all my fault.”

  Emily frowned. “What are you talking about?”

  “When I was small and I said my prayers—” She hiccuped. “I used to pray that I’d wake up and you’d be my real mother and you’d take me to live with you and I’d be your little girl. Now it’s come true and it’s all my fault.”

  “Becca, Becca.” Emily wiped tears from her face. “It’s not your fault. Besides, I did the same thing.”

  “What?” Becca blinked.

  “When I came home that first Thanksgiving, you had on a pink nightie, and when you saw me you kicked out with your feet and waved your hands as if to say, ‘I knew you’d come. I’ve been waiting,’ and I wished you were my little girl. I’ve wished it every time I held you and every time I saw you. There was a bond there, and subconsciously we must have sensed it. That’s why we’ve always been so close.”

  “Yeah,” Becca agreed. “You’re my mother.”

  “Yes, I’m your mother,” Emily said with a catch in her voice.

  “And Jackson is my father,” Becca said.

  Jackson had been standing apart, letting them talk, but now he moved to sit near Becca. “Yes, I am,” he said, taking her hand and holding it.

  “You both must hate me for the way I’ve been behaving,” she mumbled, her hair falling across her face.

  Jackson pulled her hair back. “We could never hate you. We’re your parents and that comes with unconditional love.”

  “I’m sorry, so sorry,” Becca cried, and threw her arms around Emily. Jackson saw Emily wince, but he knew she didn’t mind the pain. “I’m sorry I hurt you. I’ll never act like that again. I promise. I love you.”

  “I love you, too.” Emily kissed the side of her face. “Everything’s going to be all right.”

  Becca reached out an arm and pulled Jackson close to them. “Yeah,” she murmured happily. “Everything’s going to be all right.”

  This was what Jackson had been waiting for, but it wasn’t complete, not yet, and he hoped he wasn’t moving too fast for Emily. He just couldn’t be patient any longer. Looking into Emily’s eyes, he spoke to Becca. “I was planning on changing Emily’s last name to Talbert, and I was hoping you might like to do the same thing.”

  Emily was taken aback, but only for a second. She wanted them to be a family, but a small part of her wanted Jackson to ask her in a romantic setting. Then she asked herself what could be more romantic than this, holding their daughter between them? Nothing, absolutely nothing. Her heart filled with love and she waited for Becca’s answer.

  “Change my name to Talbert?” Becca asked cautiously.

  “Yes,” Jackson replied.

  “I’d be Rebecca Ann Talbert.”

  “That’s who you are,” Jackson reminded her.

  Becca’s face brightened. “Yes, I am. I’m Rebecca Ann Talbert.” She glanced at Emily. “I think I’d like to have my real name.”

  “That would make your father and me very happy.” Emily smiled, and stroked her hair. “Go upstairs and get some sleep. We’ll talk again in the morning.”

  Becca hesitated. “Em…?”

  “Hmm?”

  “I really am sorry for the way I’ve been acting. I understood why you did what you did, but I just kept getting so confused. Even though I knew I was your daughter, I was afraid you loved her more than me. That doesn’t make any sense, but I couldn’t shake the feeling.”

  “I know, angel, and it’s okay,” Emily reassured her. “We’ve all been a little confused.”

  Becca smiled a genuine smile. “Are you going to call me that?”

  “What?” Emily asked, not realizing she’d called her anything different.

  “Angel. You called me angel. Jackson does, too.”

  “That’s because you are our angel,” Jackson answered before Emily could. “Now off to bed so I can talk to your mother.”

  “Will you be here in the morning?” Becca asked him.

  Jackson glanced at Emily. “Yes, he will, and every morning from now on,” Emily answered with a smile.

  “Great,” Becca said, and kissed them both. She bounced up the stairs and Emily felt the noose around her heart give way and break free.

  The smile lingered on her face as she looked at Jackson. “You want to run that by me again?”

  “What?” He moved close to her.

  “You know.”

  He picked up her hand and kissed it. “Emily Ann Cooper, will you marry me?”

  “In a heartbeat.” She kissed his lips again and again until he captured them in a passionate vow. When he drew back, they were both breathless. She took his hand and got to her feet with a grimace.

  “Emily, you need to go to a doctor.”

  “I am a doctor and all I need is a hot bath—and you. I want to lie in your arms and—”

  “Wait.” He quirked an eyebrow. “Remember we have a teenager in the house.”

  “That teenager will be asleep in ten minutes and a bomb wouldn’t wake her.”

  He held an arm around her waist and they slowly made their way to her bedroom. He undressed her slowly and moaned when he saw the dark bruise on her side. “That bastard,” he growled.

  She kissed his chest and started to unbutton his shirt.

  “Oh, Emily.” He sighed with longing. “I don’t think you’re in any condition for this.”

  “I’ll be the judge of that,” she said lightly. In the bathroom, she turned on the tap for the Jacuzzi, then added bath salts to the water, and when it was steaming hot she stepped inside and eased down into its depths.

  Jackson quickly removed his shirt, socks and shoes. He grabbed a washcloth and knelt at the edge of the tub. He stroked her body with long, sensuous movements. She closed her eyes with a wondrous sigh as Jackson’s hands and the water took her away. He touched every inch of her and it was the most delicious feeling she’d ever experienced.

  He lifted her from the water and toweled her dry with the same caressing motions. Sitting on the edge of the tub, he pulled her between his legs and rubbed lotion into every tantalizing, aching inch. She opened a drawer and handed him an Ace bandage. He carefully wrapped her midsection. They didn’t say a word. They didn’t have to. Love was guiding their every movement.

  Jackson turned down the bed, locked the door and hurried out of slacks that had suddenly become too tight. Emily slipped into bed and he crawled in beside her, gather
ing her close against him. She felt his arousal and her heart pounded loudly in her ears. His lips began a thorough search of all the sensitive places he’d discovered in the tub. He kissed, caressed and stroked, and her hands were equally generous with him. Their lovemaking was slow and gentle, but it expressed an urgent need that left them gasping and wanting more.

  “I love you,” he whispered.

  Emily was drifting in a euphoric state, but she heard his words and looked into his green eyes. “I love you, too. I have always loved you and I will never stop loving you.”

  Jackson buried his face in the warmth of her neck, their bodies still joined, still needing that contact. Slowly he eased to the side and she nestled into him.

  “How are you feeling?” he asked with concern, his hand lightly rubbing her stomach.

  She ran her hands through the hair on his chest. “Happy, lethargic and very loved.”

  “Me, too,” he whispered. “But I was talking about the ribs.”

  “What ribs?” She gave a bubbly laugh similar to Becca’s. “They’ve had the Talbert touch and now I don’t feel any pain.”

  “Oh, God, Emily.” His arm tightened around her. “I don’t know what I would’ve done if anything had happened to you or Becca today.”

  “It didn’t. We’re fine,” she assured him. “We’re so lucky you showed up when you did.” She raised her head to look at him. “By the way, how did you manage that? When I called the condo, Mrs. Henry said you hadn’t arrived yet.”

  “I called from the plane right after that, and Mrs. Henry told me where you were and what was going on. I was on a private plane owned by a friend. It was the quickest way to get here. Anyway, the pilot’s a bit of a daredevil and when I told him where I needed to be pronto, he landed in a field not far from the bar. We’ll probably be hearing from the Houston authorities, but I knew time was of the essence. Several cars stopped to see what the landing was about and a guy gave me a ride to the bar. I called the police from his cell phone.”

  She rested her head on his chest. “It all worked out. That’s the main thing.”

  “I still can’t understand why she’d put her life and yours in such danger.”

  “Rebellion,” she told him simply. “You’ve had loving parents all your life, but once you lose that anchor you’re scared and you hit out at everything and hurt yourself and the people you love.”

  “Even though I’ve had loving parents, I know what it’s like to lose that anchor.” He stroked her arm. “It’s not the same thing, but the emotions are similar to what you went through with your parents—the sense of betrayal, of the support you’ve always counted on being taken away from you.”

  “Yeah, that’s why I was reluctant to discipline Becca or force her into anything. I thought all she needed was time, but when I came home and saw the house and was unable to find her, I knew I’d been wrong. What we needed was you and your stabilizing influence and guiding love.”

  He kissed the top of her head. “If anything, I think she learned a valuable lesson tonight.”

  “I do, too, and now she has us to help her through the weeks and years ahead.”

  “She sure does and—”

  The phone rang, interrupting them. Jackson answered it immediately, as he was closest. She could tell he was talking to the police.

  When he hung up, he said, “The cops have been trying to put this guy away for a long time, and if you’re willing to testify, they think they can do it.”

  “You bet I will.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes,” she answered confidently. “It might save another girl from going through the same ordeal.”

  He kissed her gently. “I’ll be right there with you.”

  “I know,” she said, and moved to get out of bed.

  “Where are you going?”

  She reached for her pink silk robe lying across a chair and realized her ribs weren’t hurting as much anymore. Indeed, the Talbert touch was working. “I want to check on Becca—make sure she’s okay.”

  “I’ll come with you.” Jackson found his slacks on the floor and hurried into them. “This is all the clothes I have. I didn’t have time to pack a bag.”

  “I think we can find clothes for you in Houston,” she teased.

  “We’d better, ’cause I’m not leaving you…ever again.”

  They shared a lingering kiss, then walked down the hall to Becca’s room.

  She lay sprawled on her stomach in an oversize T-shirt. She’d kicked the sheet off and her long hair flowed across the pillows. Her shining face was turned toward them.

  “She’s about the most precious sight I’ve ever seen,” Jackson whispered.

  “Yes, she is,” Emily agreed, and reached for the sheet to cover her. She stared at her daughter for a moment, then stepped back into Jackson’s arms.

  “We finally have our child,” she said in a trembling voice.

  “Yes, we do,” Jackson said. “And I think she knows that now.”

  THEY WERE MARRIED three weeks later in Rockport. Emily stood in Becca’s old room at her parents’ house staring at herself in the mirror. She couldn’t believe her eyes. She’d mistakenly told Jackson that she’d always dreamed of walking down the aisle on her father’s arm, wearing a white wedding gown. She was only half serious; it was just a girlhood dream and she’d outgrown it. But Jackson had other ideas. He had a friend in New York whose wife worked in the fashion industry. He explained that he wanted a special dress as soon as possible. Emily reluctantly gave her measurements, thinking she could find something just as suitable in Houston. Looking at herself, she was glad Jackson hadn’t listened to her. The dress was one of a kind and it fit like the dream she’d always had.

  It was a French-influenced design of textured roses. The bodice was strapless and the skirt slim-fitting, flaring out slightly around her ankles. The veil was layered. The whole ensemble could only be described as spectacular. Jackson hadn’t seen the dress yet, but when he did she knew he was going to love it. The dress was as special as this day.

  She took a picture of Becca from the dresser and smiled into the brown eyes of her little girl. She now had her daughter, and today she would marry the man she loved. Her little girl’s father. They would unite as a family, and Emily’s heart swelled with so much love and happiness.

  “Oh. Oh, my.”

  Emily turned at her mother’s voice. Rose stood in the doorway in a champagne-colored suit. Her hair was neatly done and she even wore makeup. She looked ten years younger. The stress and guilt over Becca was gone and she was experiencing a new lease on life. Already, the heart spells were fewer.

  “Oh, Emily Ann, my baby, you’re so beautiful,” Rose murmured, walking over to kiss Emily’s cheek. As she did, she noticed the picture in her hand. “You know, she’s always been your daughter. Even when she was a toddler, she recognized the sound of your car, and whenever she heard it, she’d run to the front door screaming your name. I used to resent that closeness, but the therapist has helped me understand all that. I never dealt with the death of my daughter, and for a while I just…lost my mind.”

  Emily hugged her mother, knowing that was true. She now understood the extent of Rose’s breakdown. Love had opened Emily’s heart and eyes, and she could honestly say she had forgiven her mother. The heartache from the past would probably always be with her, but it didn’t dominate her life or control her emotions anymore. She had too much to be grateful for.

  “I know, Mom,” she whispered.

  “Thank you, baby. Thank you for forgiving me.”

  “Oh, Mom, don’t make me cry. Becca has very diligently worked on my makeup and I can’t mess it up.”

  “The limo Jackson sent is here. Hurry,” Becca called from the hallway.

  “I love you, Emily Ann.”

  “I love you, too, Mom.” Emily said, fighting back tears. They embraced and neither seemed eager to let go.

  “Hey, what’s the holdup?” Becca asked, walking into
the room.

  Emily released her mother and smiled at her daughter. As maid of honor, Becca wore a long dress of pale pink, strapless and slim-skirted like her mother’s. Her dark hair was up, and pink roses adorned it.

  “Nothing, angel,” Emily answered.

  “Wow,” Becca mouthed. “Every time I see you in that dress, it just takes my breath away. When Jackson sees you, he’s going to fall in love with you all over again.”

  And he did. Emily could see it in his eyes as she walked down the aisle. New love strengthened by the old. Love that bound their two hearts together for now and forever.

  LATER THEY HAD A RECEPTION and dinner at the country club, hosted by Rose and Owen. Everyone was happy and laughing and drinking champagne, even her mother. Her father was talking and smiling more than she’d ever seen him. Her wedding day couldn’t have been more perfect.

  Jackson had rented a hotel suite in Corpus Christi for the night. It was the only honeymoon they wanted. They preferred not to spend time away from Becca. She’d be going off to college soon enough.

  After the reception, Becca offered to show George and Maude the sights of Corpus Christi and Rockport. Colton, who’d been Jackson’s best man, asked to go along, and Becca made a scornful face that Emily didn’t understand. Becca didn’t like Colton and she wondered why.

  A few hours later, Emily was soaking in the hotel’s big tub, sipping champagne by candlelight; she smiled at her husband.

  He smiled back.

  “Thanks for this wonderful day, the dress, everything,” she said softly.

  “It was my pleasure, Mrs. Talbert.”

  She cocked her head to one side. “Hmm, that sounds nice, but I think I’ll keep Dr. Cooper as my professional name.”