by Rebecca Pond
Title Page
Emma’s Heart
Brides of Theron: Book 3
Copyright © 2013 by Rebecca Lorino Pond
The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
Dedication
To my wonderful husband, David, Thank you for believing in me. To my loving daughter, Chelsey, my son Charles, and my step-daughter Meagan, I love you. To my parents, Jack and Billie Lorino, thanks for putting up with me for so long now. To Rebecca Anthony Lorino my “Twin” and sister-in-law, I am so happy that we have become so close. To Kylie, my grand-daughter, you are so precious and Maw Maw loves you.
Contents
Title Page
Dedication
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Other books in this series:
Glossary
About the Author
Chapter 1
“Emma, you have a table that is waiting to order.” Beth called to Emma who was sitting on a stool in the kitchen rubbing her lower back.
“Emma did you hear me? You’ve got customers.” Beth poked her head around the corner to see where she was. “Girl, you better get out there. They seem to be the sort of people that will cause trouble if they have to wait much longer.”
Emma turned to face Beth and shook her head, “I just can’t handle these double shifts anymore. My back and my feet are killing me.” Beth watched as Emma got up slowly, and moved to the doorway looking around the corner to see the group Beth was telling her about. “Are you being serious Beth? Those guys look like they just came from a science fiction convention. Why the hell are they wearing sunglasses inside and at night?”
Beth laughed, “I don’t know honey, but they’re all yours!” She gave Emma a shove towards the table assigned to her and watched as the young woman strolled over to the waiting customers. Beth could see that the girl was exhausted and flat worn out. What a life this girl had to overcome, and overcome it she did. Beth recalled the first time she laid eyes on Emma.
Emma came into the diner several years ago and sat at the counter after slinging her overstuffed backpack across the back of the chair. She was a bit dirty and skinny and looked as if she had spent a night or two on the street. She looked over the menu and started digging for spare change in her purse. Beth could see that the girl desperately wanted to eat but did not have enough money.
“What can I get you, honey?” She asked.
The young girl said, “Look lady, I am really hungry, and I only have $3.95. Is there any way that you could serve me something to eat and I can work off the rest by washing dishes, bussing tables or anything really. It has been a while since I’ve eaten anything.”
Beth looked her over and said, “Let me talk to Sammy and see what we can do.” She went into the kitchen to speak to her husband. “Sammy, you have got to see this girl. She looks just like what I imagine Katie would look like if she would have survived the cancer.”
Beth watched as Sammy peered at the counter from just under the food warmer and looked at the girl with a frown on his face. “Beth, we can’t help every girl in the city with money problems. I will make her a burger and fries and you can send her on her way. Okay?”
“She offered to work for it. Maybe, we should offer her a job? Janie quit two nights ago.”
“Let me think about it Beth. But, for right now, tell her the burger and fries are on the house.”
Beth looked over to the girl and then to Sammy a bit disappointed. “Alright, I will tell her.” She walked out of the kitchen and began to collect the tip and wipe down the counter next to the girl, “Sammy’s going to make you a burger and some fries. He says they are on the house. What can I get you to drink honey?”
“Coke, please, and there is no way that I will take it for free. I want to work for it. I’m not going to take handouts. I’ve made it this far without them, so please let me work for the food.” Beth nodded to her and the girl said, “I see you have a help wanted sign in your window? Are you hiring?”
“Well, yes we are. What is your name, honey?”
“I’m Emma Caron,” the girl said just as she heard the ding of the bell from the kitchen.
“Your food is ready, honey. Excuse me a minute, will you.” Beth went to the kitchen knowing that she could have taken the food from the warmer shelf between the counter and kitchen. “Sammy, she asked about the job, and I say we hire her.”
She watched as Sammy rolled his eyes and shook his head, “Yes, dear. Do whatever you want. I know that you will anyway.”
Beth smiled and kissed Sammy on the cheek. “I love you, baby,” and took the plate to the girl, who ate it so quickly that it was a wonder she did not get sick. When she was done and emptied the last bit of coke from the glass, Beth said to her as she refilled it, “You’re hired.” Emma had been a loyal and responsible employee all these years, and Beth was going to tell her husband Sammy to let her go home and rest as soon as she could.
Emma took a deep breath as she straightened her uniform, grabbed three menus from the counter, and reached into the pocket of her small apron to retrieve an order book and a pen. She was so glad that this was her last night of working these tiresome double shifts. For the past week, she had been asked to work multiple double shifts in order to help her boss Sammy out of a jam. One of their waitresses had gone into early labor, so he needed someone to cover her shifts until he could hire someone new to replace her. She really didn’t mind helping him out, but her feet and back were screaming otherwise.
“Hi guys. My name is Emma, and I will be your server today. Can I start you off with something to drink?” She placed a menu in front of each of them and looked around the table at the three men, who seemed to be watching her every move behind the dark lenses of their sunglasses. When she didn’t get an answer right away, she started to list a few of the drinks that they served at the diner in order to break the silence. “We have: coffee, soda, water, juice…”
The man sitting closest to the window answered for the three of them, “Water for all.” She found it a bit unusual that he didn’t remove his sunglasses when he was speaking to her. It was also very odd, that just after he spoke out his order, he kept looking at her waiting for a response from her. The customers she was used to serving would normally return to their conversations as soon as they ordered the drinks they wanted, turning their attention to the menu in front of them. They sometimes would become upset if she did not leave to get what they wanted right away. These guys were just strange and their presence made her very uncomfortable.
“Sure, three waters coming right up,” she answered. After giving them a small fake smile she quickly moved away from the table. Yes, she thought, she was very glad this was her last double shift. The strangest damn people came out of the woodwork and into the diner this late at night, and it was always her luck that they seemed to be seated at the tables t
hat she was responsible for. Shrugging to herself, she grabbed three glasses off the shelf.
“What’s up with those three huge guys Emma?” Beth came over and whispered near to Emma’s ear so that she wouldn’t be overheard by the customer sitting at the worn pale green Formica counter nearest to them. The customer probably wouldn’t have cared anyway, because his attention was focused on his coffee and reading the news in this morning’s paper. “Wearing sunglasses at night brings new meaning to that old Corey Hart song, but that song was way before your time.”
“I think they are a bit creepy, Beth. I mean, come on, it’s freaking nighttime. How the hell can they even see when they go outside with lenses that dark? Honestly, it doesn’t impress me one bit.” Emma finished filling the glasses with ice and water, and then put each of the glasses on a tray. She picked up the tray, rolled her eyes in Beth’s direction, and then walked back over to the table.
“Here you go guys, three ice waters,” she said as she started placing a glass in front of each of the men. “Are you ready to order yet, or do you need some more time?” She reached into her apron and stood waiting for the men to order with her pen and order pad in hand.
The same man by the window answered, “We only require water. No food.” From what she could tell, all three of the men were now staring directly at her from behind the dark sunglasses. This was beginning to make her feel very uneasy as she was starting to feel the shivers start to move up her spine. She wanted nothing more at this moment, than to move away from the creeps as quickly as she could.
“Okay guys, but if you change your mind just give me holler.” As she walked back to the kitchen, the feeling of uneasiness was quickly becoming anger. What a complete waste of her time. Not only were the customers that normally came in this late at night creepy, but now she wasn’t even going to get an order or a tip from this table. She went back into the kitchen, and resumed her spot on the stool with a plop.
“No order Emma?” Sammy asked.
“No Sammy. They only wanted water,” she returned her attention to her back and aching feet. She was exhausted and it was really starting to show. She was aggravated with the fact that she was not going to make much money in tips tonight. It was really slow with the rain, and now she just wanted to end her shift and go home. Tonight was a bit slow, and she could count only six customers in the diner right now including the sci-fi psycho’s.
Sammy must have been reading her mind, because he said softly, “You look tired, Emma. Why don’t you go ahead and go home, baby. I will take care of your tables. It’s slow tonight anyway. There’s really no need to keep you here waiting on those fools. They’re probably drunk or something anyway.” He smiled and waved the spatula through the air as he gestured towards the dining room.
“I knew I loved you, Sammy.” She got up slowly and stretched her back. She placed a kiss on the old man’s cheek, “Thanks Sammy. I am so beat. I’ll see you guys on Tuesday.” She reached for her purse that was under the counter in the kitchen. “Are you sure you don’t need me to stay?” Though she appreciated being off early, she hated the idea of giving him more work.
Sammy shoed her with the spatula he had in his hand, “Go on, and get out of here girl. Enjoy your couple of days off. You definitely earned them. Just be careful on your way home.”
“Bye. Don’t work too hard.” She smiled at her boss. She turned her head and glanced over to the strange men that were sitting at the table she had just turned over to Sammy, and noticed that two of the three men were watching her as she left the diner. This kind of attention was unsettling. She walked away from the diner as quickly as she could and never looked back. Emma wondered why those guys were making her feel so uncomfortable. Why were they staring at her? Was this some kind of joke or initiation rite for some kind of sick club? She was just glad to be going home, and she thought, let Sammy deal with them.
The walk home wasn’t far. It was only about two blocks from work, but right now it was way past midnight, and this was not exactly the best time to be out on the street alone. The streets were quiet tonight and soaked from the rain. With the lull in the storm, the few people that were out at this hour came stumbling out of one of the many bars that lined the street of this particular neighborhood. It was usually the drunken patrons of these clubs that almost always made their way into the diner throughout the night to get some food or coffee to help sober them up before they drove themselves home. For the past week she had been the one stuck waiting on these drunken fools. It was a good thing that they usually tipped her well. Tonight however, something felt different somehow, and it wasn’t just because of the thunder and lightning rolling in the sky at a distance.
The air was thick and humid. It seemed to absorb the noise that would be coming from the soles of her tennis shoes meeting the asphalt as she walked at a fast pace down the side alley that led to her tiny apartment. The alley itself was too narrow for more than one car to access at a time, and it was clean and free of blockages. There were many potted plants that sat outside a few of the doors that led to some of the other apartments in her complex. Her little apartment was the smallest of them all, but it was all she could afford on her meager waitress’s salary. The complex was owned by Sammy and Beth and they were renting her the efficiency apartment at a very good price. Beth was aware that Emma had no desire for a roommate, and Sammy could understand why. She did not want anyone to be able to rule over her life, she had enough of that as a child.
Using the light from the porch she took out her keys and began unlocking the door. She hung her keys on a nail that was on the wall and tossed her purse onto the only chair in the room. After securing the door with its two deadbolt locks and a chain, she went into the only other room with a door, and turned on the water in the tub. The tight and sore muscles in her back and feet were screaming for the soothing effects of soaking in the hot water before she went to bed. She added a bit of strawberry scented bubble bath, and undressed, letting her clothing fall carelessly onto the white tiled floor. Stepping into the hot water Emma let out hiss as she slowly sank into the depths of the water in the tub.
“Damn, that’s hot! Ouch!” She turned water off with her toes as she settled her back against the end of the tub so that she could soak. Just outside the tiny frosted window over the tub, she could hear rain drops begin to fall as they hit the metal overhang that extended from the side of the building. The sound was similar to rain falling on a tin roof. A distant roll of thunder could be heard far off in the distance and she could see a quick flash of lightening that would light up the sky through the window.
“Dang it, I forgot to turn on some music,” she chided herself as she thought about getting out of the tub to switch on the stereo. However, the effort of leaving the soothing hot bath water was too great, so in the end she decided against it. She settled on listening to the sound of the rain as she leaned back and closed her eyes, listening to the rain drops as they picked up their tempo. She found the steady sound of the rain drops falling on the roof to be quite relaxing.
Emma was so happy that she would have the next two days off. First, she was going to sleep as long as her body would let her. Then, when she was up and ready, she would take care of the few errands that she needed to run. She desperately needed groceries, there was a mound of laundry to do, and most importantly, there was a new release at the bookstore she wanted to pick up. She had been waiting for months to read the next book in the vampire series she was hooked on. Two days off of work would give her a lot of time to read the new book, and she might even finish it. It’s not like she had anything else to do, or anyone to go out to see. Being alone was how she liked it anyway.
Emma had been alone for as long as she could remember. She never did find out who her parents were, and she spent the majority of her childhood being bounced around from foster home to foster home. Emma remained in the state’s care until she was eighteen, and then she was booted out of the foster care system and forced to take care of herse
lf. This was fine by her. She was always a responsible person, and had to grow up faster than children in traditional families would.
Emma had managed to save a good bit of money while in foster care from working any job she could find. So, when the time came to leave the only life she had known, she had enough money to set out on her own. It was her dream to move to Florida. Once she was free, she bought a bus ticket and moved there to start a new life. She had never been on vacation in her entire life and always dreamed of visiting Disney World.
She settled herself in Orlando, Florida. At the first opportunity, she went on her first visit to Disney World. It was the best time she had ever had in her life. She went on the rides, and walked through the parks just like a small child in awe. There were so many things to do and see, and she wasn’t going to leave until she saw every last bit of the grounds. She even managed to buy herself a couple of souvenirs to remember her visit. But, as it always did, the real world came back to slap her in the face. She quickly ran out of money, and needed a job in the worst way.
It didn’t take her long to find a job waitressing. She had been working in Sammy and Beth’s diner for six years now. Over time, Sammy and Beth became the only true family that she had ever known. Sammy and Beth had been married for over thirty years. They lost their only daughter, Katie, at the tender age of seven to cancer. They were constantly looking out for Emma and making sure that she had everything that she needed. At first it was uncomfortable having two people worrying about her like they did, but eventually she got used to it and accepted it, eventually letting down her guard. She had built a wall to protect herself from what had happened to her when she was still in one of her many foster homes.
On the second day of working at the diner, Beth found Emma in the bathroom of the diner cleaning herself up by the sink. Emma jumped when she heard Beth say “Emma, what are you doing?” Beth was looking wide eyed at the open book bag full of personal care items on the bathroom counter. “Don’t you have a place to stay honey?”