by Terri Marie
Tyler smiled at his friends and family. The stress and turmoil they'd suffered clearly showed in their eyes.
"To sleep or not to sleep?" he asked.
"Let's get the hell out of here," said Jacob. "I'm ready to go home."
Tyler listened as everyone agreed. "Okay, gather up your things and let's hit the road!"
"Ty," interrupted Sean. "We don't have a vehicle."
Everyone turned to stare at Vincent. "Well, it's better than having to get us a gun."
"A gun? What?" Emma's eyes grew big.
Jacob smiled and kissed her lips.
"Wait a second guys," began Vincent as he stopped on his way to the kitchen to get the phone. "My track record with renting vehicles isn't the greatest. Sean, break the cycle and rent us a van."
"Yeah, I'll take care of it." Sean laughed as he walked over to the phone.
"All I'm taking is my purse. I don't want any reminders from this road we've been forced to travel. None of it." Renee looked up at Tyler.
"That's a good idea, Sweetheart." agreed Tyler. "I think we should follow suit and leave this nightmare behind us. Let's just walk on out the door."
A black van arrived within the hour. After Sean signed the papers and handed Tyler the key, they all stood at the curb staring at it. A fleeting look of anxiety crossed each of their faces; Tyler knew it'd take some time to heal.
"We don't need tinted windows anymore, it's okay now." Tyler's stress level rose right along with theirs.
As they hopped on the freeway, the tension in the van was still noticeable. They continued to look at every car as they passed by. Maybe it was curiosity, but maybe it wasn't. Tyler turned on the interior light and looked at Emma through the rearview mirror. He winked and she grinned. It was the first hint he'd seen of the real Emma Ward in months.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Emma didn't think she'd ever see Southfield again. All of the familiar crowded streets, the buildings, even the traffic lights that seemed to last forever were making her smile. It wasn't a sign of happiness, but a veil over her sadness, as if she'd been forced to say goodbye to a close friend that day she'd had to flee from her home. She swore she'd never complain about this city again. Emma could sense the uneasiness in Tyler as he slowly pulled into her parking lot. The last time she'd been here, Robert and the crooked cop were sitting right there. She'd chosen to help her friends, out of the goodness of her heart, and ended up having to run for her life. She asked herself if she'd ever offer anyone a helping hand again. The answer was yes. Emma would always help others, but something had happened to her heart. It felt dark. It felt cold.
"Ems, are you sure about this?" Tyler asked as he pulled the van up to her walkway.
"I don't want you to be alone tonight, Honey. Let me come with you," whispered Jacob.
"I'll be okay. I'll see you at work tomorrow." She smiled and went right out the side door. She knew they'd stay out there for a few minutes, to make sure everything was fine. After turning on all the lights, Emma cracked open her front door, stuck her arm out, and waved at them. She listened as the van drove away.
Her apartment smelled like death warmed over. The plants were dead, and the odor from something rotting in her kitchen was overwhelming. She stared at the moldy dishes in the sink. Emma got her cleaning gloves out from a cupboard and began to fill the sink up. She poured some strong cleaner in the water, and got out a dishcloth from the drawer.
As Emma wiped down the counter, she came across a grocery list that Brian had written out for her. That was the first night she'd met him. The first night he'd been off the streets. Walking into the bedroom he'd slept in, she noticed the pj's she'd let him borrow, folded neatly on the bed which he'd made. Emma sat down on the floral quilt she'd purchased only a month before they'd had to leave.
Was this how all time was going to be measured now? Before or after we had to leave…Brian had gotten the crap kicked out of him the night he'd arrived. For only being a young teen, he was one of the bravest guys she knew. He'd taken a bullet in the back for Renee that horrible night in Castle Lake. He could have been permanently injured or killed.
Emma walked into each room and cracked the windows. She went to fully open them, but something stopped her. Her first thought was that it'd be too easy for someone to get in. Someone.
Robert was no longer a threat, but the ripples he'd caused in their lives were more like tidal waves. Would she drown? She hadn't been shot, but she'd been bathed in the blood of her family. Emma had felt the devastation in the back of the van. She'd never prayed so hard in her life or felt a loss so great.
The horrible smell was starting to leave her apartment. It wasn't because she'd cleaned anything; she had just gotten used to the foul odor. Emma walked to the bathroom and stared at herself in the mirror. Her hair was dry and in total disarray, the dark circles under her eyes made her look like she'd been punched, her cheek bones were way too prominent, and yet, she hadn't noticed any of that until now. Emma removed the brush from the sink drawer, and began running it through the long red strands. When she was finished, she looked at the brush; it was covered in hair.
She used to have a home, but now she didn't. What was once familiar felt foreign, like it all belonged to someone else. Maybe I should just go to bed. But Emma knew there was no way she could sleep. Robert's creepy friends knew where she lived. He'd contact them. Maybe the cops knew who the corrupt guys were and had already arrested them.
Emma didn't know how much time had passed. She walked around her apartment in a fog. Her mind was miles away when she heard the soft rapping on her door. Running into the living room, Emma unplugged the lamp, lifted it over her shoulder, and went to the door. She turned the outside light on. Slowly, she lowered the lamp, and unlocked the door.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Jacob hoped he hadn't startled her. As soon as Tyler had dropped him off, he'd hopped in his Jeep and drove straight back to Emma's apartment. Something wasn't right. He could feel it. He went from living with her and fearing for her safety, to nothing. Now she was out of his sight, and he couldn't handle it. When she walked towards her apartment, she'd reminded him of an empty shell.
"Hi Jacob." Emma didn't even smile. She simply blinked at him.
"May I come in?" As she stepped away from the door, Jacob walked inside. The smell smacked him in the face like a hard slap.
"Can I get you something to drink? I haven't gone to the grocery store yet." Emma sat down on the sofa.
Jacob felt his heart pull from his chest. She'd only been home about an hour, and had completely crumbled. He quickly looked around for her purse. Spotting it on the carpet next to a chair, he reached down and grabbed it.
He took Emma's hand and pulled her up from the sofa. She looked at him, half resigned and half lost.
"You're not staying here, Baby." Jacob kept his voice soft and calm.
"I have to. My clothes are here and I have work in the morning. Do you want something to drink?" Emma asked again.
Jacob gently led her out the door and into his Jeep. Whatever it took, he wasn't going to let her fall to pieces. Robert wasn't going to haunt her anymore. If Emma wanted to live on her own, that'd be fine. But she wasn't going to come back to this apartment. The horrible memories must be killing her.
"You passed the store. I need to pick up some stuff so I can pack my lunch."
He didn't have the heart to tell her what time it was. They'd driven half the night to get back to Southfield. There was no way he was going to let her work in the morning. She hadn't even gotten any sleep in days. Hell, weeks.
As he pulled into his driveway, he looked over at her. Emma was staring straight ahead. He put the Jeep in park, and then walked around, picked up her purse, and helped her out. When he opened his front door, she began to aimlessly walk around. He turned the lights on, and watched her expression shift to confusion.
He was grateful the cleaning lady had been doing her job in his absence. He sat Emma's purse down on the
kitchen counter.
"You've made a mistake. This isn't my apartment. I have to go to the store and get some stuff to pack my lunch."
"I'll take care of your lunch, Emma."
His eyes began to water as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to his chest.
Chapter 16
Jacob called Tyler at home around eleven that morning.
"Jacob! How was your first night of sleeping in your own bed?" Jacob could hear him folding up a newspaper.
"I haven't been to bed yet, Ty. I need some help." He kept his voice low.
"What's going on? I can come over if you want. I've called the office and let them know we made it back safely, but laying low today."
"It's Emma. I got her out of her apartment early this morning. She's losing it, literally." Jacob sighed heavily into the phone.
"…What's she doing?" Tyler asked cautiously.
"She's been cleaning my house, talking and walking in circles…I need help. I'm really worried about her." Jacob looked around the corner. Emma was standing at the window staring, with a rag in her hand.
"Jacob, she hasn't been eating or sleeping for a long time. Pile all the stress and fear on top of that, and this is the outcome. You're going to have to help her to eat and sleep. If I'd have known she was this bad, I'd have never let her leave the van alone."
Jacob knew his brother would fly over to his house if he'd ask, but his big brother needed a reprieve from taking care of all of them. "Let me keep trying. I'll let you know how it goes." Jacob hung up the phone, walked around the corner and noticed that Emma hadn't budged from the window.
He approached her very slowly. When Jacob placed his hands on her shoulders, she looked up at him. He could tell she knew who he was, but she didn't know him.
"Hi, Emma." Jacob kissed the top of her head.
""Do you want something to drink?" Emma asked brightly.
Without another word, he lifted her in his arms and walked up the stairs. Jacob slowly laid her down on the bed, and before she could speak, he curled up against her and held on tight. His arms were strong, so he encircled Emma to make her feel safe. He'd fight sleep for as long as he needed to, just so he could watch over her. Reversing the effects from Robert wouldn't be easy, but Jacob silently promised to guide her through it.
By three o'clock that afternoon, Jacob's shoulders were killing him. Emma's chest was rising and falling in a steady rhythm, but still he worried. He didn't want to wake her, so he slowly slid his arm out from underneath her, and rolled out of bed. Emma moved ever so slightly, but still she slept. He stepped softly out of the bedroom, pulling the door closed quietly behind him. Jacob made his way down to the kitchen, picked up the phone, and then walked to the laundry room. His brother answered on the second ring.
"Is she okay?" were the first words out of Tyler's mouth.
"Emma's asleep, but I'm worried," whispered Jacob.
"Just keep checking on her. When she wakes up, make sure you get food and water into her system. Emma needs to be nursed back to health." Tyler also talked in a low voice, as if Emma was right beside of him.
Jacob walked into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. The shelves were bare. "I don't have anything here for her to eat, Ty." He closed the door and began quietly opening cupboards. "Nope, nothing."
"I'll be there in forty-five minutes. I know exactly what she likes. I'm not going to knock, so just watch for me." He quickly hung up the phone.
Jacob left his land line off the hook in case someone decided to call; he didn't want it to wake Emma. Just as he reached the bottom of the stairs, to go up and check on her, he heard a commotion. The sounds of fast footsteps and whimpering were coming from the bedroom.
Running up the steps, taking two at a time, he saw her standing by the banister. Her whole body was shaking.
"It's okay, Emma." He slowly approached her. "It's Jacob. You're at my house."
"I know who you are, but why am I here?" Emma wrapped her arms around herself.
"Your apartment wasn't in any condition for you to stay there. I came over, picked you up in my Jeep, and brought you here. Do you remember?" Jacob knew that he had to choose each word carefully.
Without answering his question, Emma looked over her shoulder towards the bedroom, before turning back to face him.
"Do you have any coffee? I feel pretty fuzzy." Emma tucked her hair behind her ears.
Jacob had seen a can in the cupboard. "I'll make some. Would you like to come downstairs with me?" He held his hand out.
"My head hurts. Do you have aspirin, too?" She still hadn't moved from her position.
"Come with me and I'll get you some." He figured her head hurt because she was dehydrated, and Tyler had mentioned she needed water. Emma held onto the banister and carefully moved her feet down each step. He slightly bent his knees, ready to grab her if she started to fall.
She didn't take the hand he'd offered, so Jacob slipped his arm under hers, and escorted her to the dining room where the shades were drawn; it was much too bright in the kitchen for someone with a headache.
After he got her seated, he returned to the kitchen and filled a glass with water. "Can you drink this for me?"
"I'd like some coffee and aspirin, please." Emma explained with slight irritation.
He scrambled for words. "The label says they work best if you drink a full glass of water." Hopefully she fell for it. Jacob wished Tyler would hurry.
"It does? I've never read that before." She looked at him suspiciously.
As he was trying to think of what to say next, he heard his brother's Mercedes in the driveway, by the backdoor. He sat the glass of water in front of Emma and ran to let Tyler in.
"Whose here?" she asked. The mounting anxiety was obvious.
"Tyler!" Exclaimed Jacob, as he shifted his eyes towards the dining room. He hoped his brother would pick up on his unspoken communication.
Tyler nodded and walked into the dining room. "Hey, Emma, how are you?" He sat a takeout container from her favorite restaurant onto the table, then bent down and kissed her forehead. She felt warm. He turned to Jacob and mouth the word 'silverware.'
Jacob grabbed a set out of the drawer, along with a few napkins, and sat them on the table.
"Why aren't you at work, Tyler?" She stared up at him.
"I'm on my break." Jacob could tell that Tyler was thinking fast as well. "I didn't want to sit in a crowded restaurant, and they only had one takeout container left, so I figured you wouldn't mind splitting one with me. Jacob, could you bring me some silverware too? Emma and I are going to share." Tyler pulled a chair out, slid it close to her, and sat down.
"I'm not really hungry." She shook her head and leaned back in her chair.
"Emma, you know how much I hate eating alone." Tyler laughed, trying to lighten her mood.
"Just a couple of bites then." She picked up her silverware as Tyler opened the packed container of roasted chicken, broccoli, mashed potatoes and gravy, and squash.
Emma stared down at the food and licked her lips. "Jacob, will you have some too?"
Tyler stared at him and ever so slightly, nodded.
"I sure will!" Jacob returned to the kitchen and brought out another set of silverware.
Tyler put his fork into the container and scooped up a very small amount of the mashed potatoes, and brought it to his lips. He didn't eat it because she wasn't looking at him.
Jacob did the same thing. He watched her spear a piece of broccoli and put it into her mouth. She began to chew.
"My mouth is dry. Can I have something to drink?" She sat her fork down.
At first, Jacob felt panicked when she mentioned the word 'drink,' fearing she'd go right back into that circle of conversation. "I have one for you. Look." Jacob moved the water towards her.
She just stared at it. Tyler reached out and lifted the glass to his own lips, pretending to sip it. "Em, this doesn't taste very cold to me. Can you try it?" He slowly handed it to her.
>
"Really? That's odd." Emma sipped the water. "It tastes fine to me." She took a long drink, and then another.
Jacob took the glass to the sink and filled it with more water. This time, he handed it to his brother.
"Emma, does this one taste better?" Tyler pretended to take a sip, and then handed the glass to her.
"Let me see." She took another sip, followed by a long drink. "It tastes good." She smiled and sat the water in front of Tyler.
"Have you tried the chicken yet, Emma? The mashed potatoes are good too. I think I like the sweet potatoes the best." Tyler looked at her and smiled.
"Those aren't sweet potatoes. It's squash." Emma looked at him like he was out of his mind.
"I don't think so. Here, try a bit and tell me." Tyler lifted a forkful of the squash to her lips. She opened her mouth and began to chew.
"It's squash, silly. Jacob, try some. It's really good." Emma picked up a fork and handed it to him. He dipped it in the squash and put it in his mouth.
"It's delicious." He took Tyler's lead. "I'd like a bite of that duck." Jacob cut off a piece.
"That's not duck, it's a chicken breast." She began to laugh at the brothers.
"No way," Tyler shook his head. "I don't believe you."
Emma continued to laugh, but she accepted the chicken that Jacob held in front of her mouth. "It's definitely chicken." She cut another piece off, then dipped it into the gravy and ate it.
Jacob watched in wonder as she began to eat normally. By the time she pushed the container away, the food was nearly gone. "Emma, are you sure this water is cold enough? I don't think it is."