A Stolen Heart

by Beverley Hollowed

  “Emma,” he smiled nervously at her. “I am sorry I didn’t see you. Are you ok?”

  “Yeah, I’m fine,” she said as calmly as she could. They stood for a moment in awkward silence.

  “So how have you been?” he asked unable to hide the edge in his voice.

  “Good,” was all she could say. She shifted nervously from one foot to the other. She tried to avoid eye contact.

  “Well you look great,” he said. “Marriage must be treating you good.”

  Emma felt numb. She didn’t know what to say. Should she tell him about Jonathan? She didn’t get a chance.

  “And you have two very beautiful little girls,” he said digging deep within himself to keep things as normal as two old friends catching up. “They are beautiful like their Mother.”

  “Thank you,” Emma managed to say, her voice was hoarse and she choked back the tears that were fighting to be freed. Again there was an awkward silence.

  “I am glad your life has worked out for you,” he finally said, his words cut through her like a knife. She wanted to ask him why he changed his mind. Why he broke his promise and broke her heart but she could find the words. “I hope you are happy.”

  “I should get back to my friends,” she said, swallowing the lump in her throat that was almost choking her. She didn’t know if he meant his words or if he was being deliberately cruel.

  “Emma,” he said grabbing her arm. Her heart pounded fast in her chest. His touch felt like a lightning bolt, shooting up her arm. He looked into her eyes. “I’ve missed you.”

  Emma didn’t reply. She could barely breathe. She just stared back at him.

  “I’m sorry,” he said letting go of her arm. “You should go back to your friends.”

  He turned and walked away. Emma just stood there and watched. She felt frozen to the spot.

  “There you are,” Jenna’s voice came from behind her and broke her from her trance with a jump.

  “You scared me,” Emma said turning and smiling at her friend.

  “Hey!” Jenna looked concerned when she saw the expression on her face. “Are you ok”?

  “Yeah,” Emma nodded and smiled as brightly as she could.

  “It’s him isn’t it?” Jenna said. As usual she didn’t miss a thing. “He is here.”

  Emma just nodded.

  “You okay?” Jenna asked once again.

  “Yeah,” Emma sighed and smiled. She linked her friends arm. “Come on, let’s go get very drunk.”

  They walked back to the others at the table and ordered another round of drinks. After a couple more drinks the guy doing the Karaoke called Jenna’s name she smiled at Emma and stood up and headed towards the stage she took the mic and waited for the music to start. When it did she began to sing, all be it, flatly along with the track.

  Even though her singing was incredibly bad the whole crowd began cheering her on and she gave it all she could. When she finished she took a dramatic bow and the crowd cheered and clapped louder.

  “Now you have no excuse” Jenna said to Emma breathlessly when she got back to her seat. “I kept my end of the deal”. Emma realized she had no choice.

  “Emma Daniels” the host of the karaoke called her name. She took large gulp for her drink and walked to the stage. This time she was going to do it. She wasn’t going to run away.

  “Are you sure you want to do this?” the host asked as he handed Emma the microphone. Emma was mortified that he remembered her last time on the stage.

  “Yes,” she replied and smiled gratefully. She took the microphone him and took her place in the centre of the stage. She looked down at her friends and they all smiled encouragingly at her. She could see the nervousness in their faces and it made her giggle a little.

  Then she looked over at the bar and saw Zach sitting at the end of it. He smiled at her reassuringly also. She smiled back at him. Jenna followed Emma’s gaze. She could see a fair haired guy with amazing eyes staring straight back at Emma.

  She knew it must have been Zach. Emma was right, Zach was really handsome. She couldn’t help but noticed the way he stared at her. Like she was the only person in the world. It was obvious to Jenna that he clearly still had feelings for Emma.

  She looked back up at Emma, who was now looking at her. She smiled. Jenna winked back at her and gave her the thumbs up.

  The music of Rihanna’s, ‘Take a Bow’ began and Emma brought the mic to her mouth. She began to sing. Jenna was surprised how beautiful Emma sang. And while Emma sang, she became lost in the words of the song. It was like she had been taken to another place and time.

  She saw Emma differently somehow. She seemed freer then she ever seemed with Jonathan. Jenna liked this side of Emma. As she sat and watched her friend sing she occasionally glanced over at Zach. He never took his eyes off Emma for one second.

  When Emma finished, the whole pub shook with the applause she received. She made her way back to the table.

  “Wow,” Jenna said when Emma dropped into the seat beside her. “Where did that voice come from?”

  “I told you,” Louise said triumphantly. She turned to Jack and gave him a stuck her tongue out at him.

  When all the excitement died down, they all began chatting among their selves. Finally Jenna had a chance to talk to Emma alone.

  “I saw him,” she whispered in Emma’s ear. “And the guy couldn’t keep his eyes off you.”

  Emma glanced over at Zach and indeed Jenna was right. He was sitting looking straight over at her. Emma felt confused. Why was he looking at her like that? He was the one who left her. And now he was the one engaged to someone else. What was it he wanted from her? Emma truly didn’t know what to think.

  Emma tried not to look at Zach for the rest of the night but she could feel his eyes burning into her back. But she tried her best to forget about him and enjoy the company of the people that matter so much in her life.

  Jenna made them laugh with stories of her and Emma back home and Jack told stories of some of the things they got up to when they were kids. Emma couldn’t remember the last time she laughed so much. It felt good to fell normal once again. To not to be looked at like, ‘The Poor Widow Daniels’.

  Emma also couldn’t help but notice there seemed to be a bit of chemistry between Jack and Jenna. She was amused as she watched them chatting with each other and playfully flirting with each other. But seeing them together she wondered how she never thought of it before, they were perfect for each other.

  “Are you okay?” Louise said breaking her from her thoughts.

  “Yeah I’m good,” she replied and gave her sister a hug. “Thanks Lou.”

  “For what?” Louise asked.

  “For being you,” Emma replied. “For not treating me like I was about to break.”

  “I just want you to be happy again,” Louise replied. “And treating you like a china doll isn’t helping you get back on track.”

  “How did you get so grown up?” Emma said squeezing her sister’s hand.

  “I had a good teacher,” Louise replied with a smile. She nodded over towards Jack and Jenna. “I think I sense loves young dream blossoming.”

  “I know,” Emma said in a whisper. “They are all over each other.”

  They both laughed and watched with great amusement as their brother worked his magic on Jenna.

  “I need to use the restroom,” Jenna announced as she stood up and dragged herself away from Jack. She grabbed her bag and headed to the toilet.

  When she finished she checked her reflection in the mirror and headed back out to the rest of the gang. When she walked out the door she came face to face with Zach. He had been waiting outside the bathroom for her.

  “Hi,” he said.

  “Hi,” she replied surprised that he would come up and talk to her. “It’s Zach, isn’t it?”

  “Yeah” he replied surprised at the fact she seemed to know who he was. “You are a friend of Emma’s.”

  “I... eh... yeah I am,” s
he said.

  “So I guess, as you know who I am,” he continued. “You also know, well, about our history, mine and Emma’s.”

  “I do,” she replied curious where this conversation was going.

  “The thing is eh... I’m sorry I don’t know your name,” he said as he realized he didn’t know who he was talking to.

  “Jenna,” she replied. “My name is Jenna.”

  “Hi Jenna,” he said shaking her hand. “As I was saying, I know this is going to sound really strange. I need your help. I really have to talk to Emma. And I was hoping you could get her to meet me, maybe outside”.

  “I don’t know,” Jenna replied unsure if she should or not.

  “Look I know she is married now,” he replied. “And I promise I am not trying to wreck her marriage. But I just need to talk to her, just for a second.”

  Jenna realized he wasn’t aware that Jonathan had passed away. She wasn’t sure if she should say anything so she decided not to tell him.

  “I am not sure it’s such a good idea,” Jenna said not sure that it was something Emma would want to do, at least not tonight. “Anyway I thought you were getting married.”

  “I am,” he replied surprised that she knew this information. “But I need to know...I just need to talk to her.”

  “Look Zach,” she replied interrupting him. “You seem like a really nice guy and I know Emma thought the worlds of you but I think she has been through enough. I don’t want her hurt again.”

  “I would never hurt Emma,” he replied offended by what she said. “I just want to talk to her. Please.”

  “Look I will ask her,” she agreed. Something made her feel sorry for him. “But I can’t promise anything.”

  “Thank you Jenna,” he said gratefully. “You don’t know what this means.”

  “Don’t mention it,” she replied then added. “But if you upset her or hurt her in anyway. I will kick your ass.”

  Jenna returned to the table and took a large swig of her drink. Jack noticed she had an uneasy expression on her face.

  “Are you okay?” he asked. He really liked Jenna.

  “I am fine,” she replied with a smile. She looked at Emma, who was having a very animated conversation with Grace and Louise. She looked so relaxed. Jenna considered saying nothing but she glanced back at Zach, who looked at her pleadingly.

  “Emma,” Jenna called her. “Can I have a quick word with you?”

  “Sure,” she replied. She got up and followed Jenna to the ladies room.

  But when they got to the doors of the ladies room Jenna stopped before they went in. Emma looked at Jenna confused.

  “What’s wrong Jenna?” Emma asked. Her friend was acting so strange

  “Don’t kill me okay,” Jenna started and straight away Emma felt nervous.

  “What did you do?” Emma asked instant panic swept through her and her heart thumped rapidly in her chest.

  “I didn’t actually do anything,” Jenna replied. “But when I came out of the restroom earlier Zach was waiting for me.”

  “What?” Emma asked getting more confused. “Why would he talk to you?”

  “He could see I was with you,” she explained. “He wants to talk to you.”

  Jenna gestured toward the side door of the pub and Emma turned and saw Zach standing there. Emma was mortified. She looked back at Jenna who gave her a smile.

  “You’re kidding me, right” Emma said looking at Jenna in complete disbelief. “It’s like being back at school, ‘my mate wants to know if you’ll meet him outside.’ This is stupid,”

  “I don’t know what you mean?” Jenna replied.

  “Forget it,” Emma replied realizing her friend was just trying to help.

  “Maybe you could hear him out,” Jenna suggested. Jenna walked away from Emma and left her standing face to face with Zach. It was time to face the past like it or not.

  Chapter 17

  ~Five years earlier~

  Emma was sitting on the bench at the end of the pier waiting for Zach. It was two days since her night with Zach. She had agreed to meet him there at nine. She was going to tell him her decision.

  She was going to tell him that it was him she wanted. He was the one she was really in love with. She had decided to call off the wedding. She knew she could never say goodbye to him.

  She called him that morning and asked him to meet her. But she decided to tell him face to face what she had decided.

  She sat there and looked out at the sea. She always felt so small compared to the hugeness of the sea. Even though it was still only the start of May, the sun hadn’t quite gone down. It was still a lovely evening.

  She looked at her watch. It was ten minutes past nine. She thought it wasn’t like Zach to be late. She opened her bag and rummaged inside for her phone. She thought she might give him a quick call.

  “Emma,” a voice called from behind her said softly.

  “Well it’s about time” she said standing up and turning around. She expected to see Zach standing there. But she didn’t. “Jonathan.”

  Jonathan pulled her close and kissed her passionately.

  “God I have missed you so much,” he sighed holding her tightly.

  “What...what are you doing here?” she asked shocked to see him standing there. “I thought you weren’t coming until Thursday.”

  “Well I thought I’d surprise you,” he said a little disappointed about her reaction. “I thought you’d be happy.”

  “I...I am,” she replied. “I just... I wasn’t expecting to see you standing there.”

  She hugged him again this time she tried to seem like she meant it. She looked over his shoulder and saw Zach standing across the street. Emma’s blood ran cold.

  He just stood there and watched Emma embrace Jonathan. Emma knew by his face that he was crushed. She knew he must have thought Jonathan was the one she chosen.

  Emma wanted to run across the road and tell him it was him she loved. That it was him she wanted to be with. But she couldn’t.

  She knew she would have to tell Jonathan the truth. But she needed to do it properly. She still loved him. They have had three wonderful years together and she had to respect that.

  As she and Jonathan walked back to her parents’ house she quickly looked over her shoulder to see Zach. He was still standing there just watching her and Jonathan. He looked like she had pulled his heart out and stomped all over it.

  By the time they reached the house she could no longer see Zach. Emma couldn’t believe what had just happened. She followed Jonathan into her parents’ house and tried to pretend she was happy to see Jonathan.

  She tried all night to get a minute alone to call Zach and explain what had happened. But every time she tried, someone would call her or interrupted her.

  But Zach had made up his own mind about what he believed was going on. She had chosen Jonathan. That’s why he was here. She had picked him and she asked him to come because she couldn’t stand being without him anymore.

  He walked around for a couple of hours, heading nowhere particular just trying to clear his head. Then he found himself at O’Grady’s. He slumped onto a bar stool and ordered a large whiskey.

  “Zach,” Joanna called as she walked out of the back office. “I thought this was your night off?”

  “It is,” he replied without looking up from his drink. “I am here for purely social reasons. I am going to get drunk.”

  “What’s happened?” she asked sitting on the bar stool beside him. “I thought you were meeting Emma tonight?”

  “So did I,” he replied taking a large gulp from his drink. “But when I got there she wasn’t alone.”

  “Who was she with?” Joanna asked hopefully. She knew that Zach had asked Emma to marry him and he was meeting her that night to get her answer. Joanna had hope Emma would turn him down. She really liked him. She thought he liked her too. That was until Emma turned up and ruined everything.

  “Look I don’t really feel li
ke talking about it,” he said getting up from the bar. “I think I will call it a night after all.”

  “Do you want some company?” Joanna asked hoping he would say yes.

  “Thanks Jo,” he replied. “But I wouldn’t be good company. Maybe some other time.”

  “It’s a date,” she said flashing him her cheesiest smile. She couldn’t help but feel disappointed. But she wasn’t going to give up hope yet.

  Zach went back to his apartment and flopped on his couch. He wished Emma would have at least phoned him. He reached for his phone.

  He keyed in her mobile number but couldn’t press the send button. He threw the phone back down on the sofa. He got up and got a bottle of whiskey out of the press and poured himself a large glass. He knocked it back in one go and poured himself a second glass and took it to the sofa.

  When he finished the drink, he just sat there in the dark until finally he fell asleep.

  Emma however didn’t sleep. Every time she closed her eye she could picture Zach’s face in her mind. She could only remember the way he looked at her as she walked away with Jonathan.

  She tossed and turned but just couldn’t drift off to sleep.

  Suddenly there was a very light knock on her bedroom door.

  “Come in,” she said turning to the door to see who it was. Jonathan quietly crept into her room. He was sleeping in Jack’s room down the hall.

  Emma said that she felt a little uncomfortable sleeping with Jonathan in her mother’s house as they weren’t married yet. Jonathan had, at first, thought she was kidding but was surprised when he realized she wasn’t.

  But the truth was she didn’t want to share a bed with Jonathan because she felt if she was going to call off the wedding it would be unfair to lead him on and sleep with him.

  “Can I come in?” he said standing at the door way. “I promise I will be a gentleman.”

  Emma pushed herself up in the bed. She switched on the light on her bedside table.

  He sat down on the edge of her bed and took her hand. He looked lovingly into her eyes and gave her a reassuring smile. Then his smiled faded.

  “Are you ok?” he asked her softly.

  “I am fine,” she replied nervously. “Why?”