“Ems, you're pregnant.” His words echoed in her head. The room started to spin. She felt like she was going to pass out. She continued to breathe, bringing herself back from the brink of unconsciousness as the nurse from earlier rushed in with a cup of water, encouraging her to drink.
She grabbed the cup and chugged it. Pregnant? That wasn't possible! She had been on the pill for years. Years upon years. This had to be some kind of misunderstanding. That damn phlebotomist-in-training fucked something up!
“Emily, it is okay. Calm down and we will talk.” Dr. Bennett slowly talked her down off the edge. She came back to planet Earth eventually, listening to Dr. Bennett go on about medication interacting with other medications. She had been put on some extremely hefty antibiotics after her accident which very well may have reduced the effectiveness of her birth control.
“By the looks of the HCG numbers, you are about four or five weeks pregnant but because of your unpredictable cycle, we are going to need an ultrasound. I can't do that here in the office, you are going to have to go upstairs to radiology. I will have Debbie at the front desk call over and they will get you right in. Okay?”
Dr. Bennett looked at Emily as she continued to stare at him with a blank look of shock on her face. Holy Hell. This wasn't happening. This was the worst possible news Emily could have ever received.
Forty-five minutes later, Emily was spread-eagle with a vaginal probe moonlighting as an ultrasound machine, shoved uncomfortably in her vagina. When Dr. Bennett had said ultrasound, this was not what she had bargained for. Minute by minute this day was getting worse.
The ultrasound technician clicked away with glee, typing on her keyboard occasionally and barely acknowledging Emily at all. A few more clicks and an uncomfortable shift of the probe finally made the woman start talking.
“Here we go!” She exclaimed like she had just found Black Beard's hidden treasure nestled inside the fluffy walls of Emily's uterus. “Tricky little bugger.” Emily tensed as the woman continued her work.
“Looks like you are almost five weeks along. Little guy has a faint heartbeat. Would you like to see?” The question didn't really register in Emily's mind. She nodded yes without even understanding what she was agreeing to. She was officially running on auto-pilot at this point. The real Emily had checked out the moment Dr. Bennett started questioning her last period.
“That little flickering on the screen, that is the heartbeat,” she said while pointing at the screen. Emily squinted to focus in on the tiny flash of light as a small tear streamed down her face. She was going to be a damn mother and she was scared shitless.
A few moments later the technician removed the alien probe and started printing a plethora of ultrasound pictures for Emily to take with her. She slid her jeans back on as quick as she could before waiting for further instructions from the technician, bursting into the hallway of the hospital. She came to a screeching stop when she ran into a chest that could have doubled as a damn brick wall.
“I'm so sorr...” Emily froze in shock. One hand clenched her ultrasound pictures, the other held her purse. The chest she had run into was the last chest she wanted to see. Jared stood, looking down at the ultrasound pictures with rage in his eyes.
Emily quickly turned away increasing her pace for the waiting area while Jared stayed put in the middle of the hallway, staring at her as she continued to retreat. The look in his eyes had been like a knife to the gut. She had to get out of the hospital as quick as she could.
Fuck the neurologist this afternoon. I am going directly to the safety of the firehouse.
When she finally reached her car she tossed her purse and the photos on the passenger seat before she repeatedly hit the lock button on her doors. Her pulse was through the roof as she threw her car into reverse then flew out of the parking lot, never looking back.
She flew into the parking lot of the station, throwing her car in park as she clenched the steering-wheel, her hands shaking uncontrollably and her stomach flip-flopping in her throat. She took deep breaths, talking herself through it, but nothing was working.
Tom and Becca hovered near her car window. Without thinking she leaned over pushing the unlock button. Avery opened the door, pulled her out into his arms and Tom went to work cutting the engine.
As Avery cradled her in his arms, right in the parking lot for everyone to see, Captain Sullivan made his way out to check on the scene unfolding at his house.
“Is everything okay Miss Taylor?” He questioned her with concern written all over his face. As if she was snapped out of a magic spell, she turned to the captain and answered his question.
“Yes, I am just... a little shocked.” With her words he rubbed her shoulder and walked into the firehouse with Tom by his side. Emily looked at Avery, running her finger down the side of his face before tears started falling.
“Emily, it is okay. Tell me what happened.” His tone was slowly becoming frantic.
“Jared. I walked out of the exam room and ran right into him. His eyes. His eyes were filled with rage. If there weren't people all around us, I don't know what he would have done. I ran. I ran until I got to my car and sped the whole way here.” Her words became more frantic as the tears started falling faster.
She stood up, reaching for the car door. She climbed over to the passenger’s seat and pulled the strip of ultrasound pictures.
“Avery,” she said in a whisper, afraid of his reaction. Hell she was still reeling from her own reaction. The idea had not fully settled in to her mind, but she knew there was no way she could go on without telling Avery.
He turned to meet her gaze as she held up the strip of ultrasound pictures. While she tried to bring herself to smile, she started to sob uncontrollably instead. The look on his face went from shocked, to scared, settling on ecstatic in the matter of seconds. Before Emily could speak he picked her up and spun her around the parking lot shouting with excitement while raining kisses over her tear stained face.
“We're going to be parents? When? How?” He yelled, slowly attracting a crowd in the open bay of the firehouse.
“The medication from the accident, Avery. It apparently murdered my birth control.” She let out a small chuckle, trying to make a joke and get back to being herself after having an out-of-body experience the last half hour. Avery continued to smile, even with the crappy birth-control news. He wasn't upset like Emily automatically assumed he would be.
“But Avery, Jared knows. When I ran into him, I had the ultrasound pictures in my hand. He saw them. He was angry; I could see it all over his face. He wanted to fly off the handle but he couldn't. He couldn't do it at work, so I ran.”
Her words paralyzed him with fear and anger. There was no way he would let that sick fuck hurt Emily or his baby.
“Em, I want you to go home and turn on the security system. I will be home as soon as I can get there. I am going to call Detective Denton, and tell Captain Sullivan. This ends. TONIGHT.” Avery's tone became harsh. She had never seen him that upset, but she would follow his instructions and head directly home and wait for him.
“I need you here until at least nineteen hundred hours, Avery. I cannot get coverage in here before then.” Captain Sullivan said while shaking his head with disapproval from the other side of the desk. In the past hour Avery had spilled on everything that happened over the past two weeks, adding the pregnancy icing onto the cake. He was sure the captain was going to jump over the desk and strangle him before he spit out his desperate plan to ask Emily to marry him.
Once Gran knew there was a bun in the oven she wouldn't allow her boy to get away without some kind of a ring firmly planted on Emily's finger. His planning hadn't made it past the ring though. He was still in shock over the situation as a whole. The look on Emily's face when she held up the strip of ultrasound pictures had clearly explained to him that she was just as surprised. In fact, she looked downright horrified.
It certainly wasn't something they had planned. His chest swelled w
ith pride, in the typical chauvinistic my boys can swim kind of way. But what warmed his heart was the fact that everything felt right— minus the fucking psycho stalking the love of his life.
As he turned to leave Captain Sullivan's office, the man of few words spoke again. “Avery, none of us will let anything happen to her. Especially Denton.” Avery turned and offered his superior a nod before walking out of his office. His phone buzzed in his pocket repeatedly, the caller ID flashed Detective Denton's number again.
“Yeah?” Avery answered his phone, anxiously awaiting the newest update on Jared.
“He is at work still, his car hasn't moved from the hospital parking lot yet. But when it does we will be following it.” Denton answered. “I have my connection in the lab working double-time on those samples as a favor, but I don't have anything to go on yet, Martin.” The reality of the situation still remained, until they had the actual DNA connection to the blood and evidence inside Emily's apartment from the break-in, there was nothing the police could actually do until he was caught breaking the law under their watch. Avery just prayed Jared was stupid enough to get caught.
“I'm out of here at seven, I will touch base with you then.” Avery said before the call ended. His phone buzzed once again with a text from Emily.
Emily: Home. Alarm on. What time will you be home?
He quickly answered to help put her anxiety at bay.
Avery: Shortly after 7pm. Love you. Be safe.
Gran and Emily moved through the kitchen with skill, working side-by-side to make dinner without a care in the world. Emily had come home and locked up exactly like Avery had instructed, but she wasn't about to tell Gran what the day had brought. She wanted Avery to have the honor of dishing the baby news.
Six-thirty rolled around and she knew Avery would be home soon, so without thinking twice she turned the alarm off and made her way to unlock the back-deck doors. They had discussed their safety plan and instead of using the front door, they would use the deck at all times until Jared wasn't a threat. That way they could see anyone who stood on the other side of the doors.
The only worry Emily had about the deck was the amount of glass that could easily be broken. She had always wanted to replace the doors, but it had never been her place, since it was her parents' home. It would take away from the beach charm as well.
A short time later Gran retreated to her bedroom while the chicken baked in the oven and Emily ran to the bathroom. She had known of her pregnancy for a whole eight hours and her bladder had already shrunk to the size of a pea. The flash of headlights in the driveway alerted her to Avery's homecoming. He was a little bit early but there was no doubt Captain Sullivan was in on the events of their day. He certainly had a soft spot for her for some unknown reason.
While Emily stood at the sink washing her hands, her phone buzzed in her pocket signaling a text.
Avery: Leaving work now. See you soon.
Avery's message instantly made her blood run cold. Whoever was parked in her driveway wasn't Avery. Fuck!
She stood up on the toilet, peering out the window only to see a white Acura sports car parked in her driveway. A car that was not familiar to her at all. Instead of texting Avery back she immediately dialed Detective Denton in a panic.
On the second ring he answered. “Emily?” Denton asked through the line.
“Detective. There is a suspicious white Acura parked in my driveway. Avery isn't home yet and the alarm system is off. Can you please come check this out?” She slowly unlocked the door while Denton kept her on the line.
“I am on my way, and I am calling Ponce Inlet police now on the radio. Stay on the line with me.” He instructed as she heard his sirens come to life.
Emily slowly walked out of the bathroom and into the hallway leading to Gran's bedroom. That is when his voice stopped her dead in her tracks.
“You thought I would just let you go? You thought you could go on and have a happily ever after with someone else?”
Detective Denton frantically spoke to her on the line, “Emily? Who is there? EMILY! SPEAK TO ME!” He yelled, his voice becoming louder with each word as she stood with her back toward the voice frozen in horror.
This was it, the end of her life. There was no way Jared was going to let her walk away from him. After the murderous look on his face earlier in the afternoon this would be the end of the road for her. Her hands shook uncontrollably and her cellphone fell to the floor shattering into pieces.
He walked toward her, but with each of his advancing steps she took one backward.
“Jared, I don't know what you want from me, but you are scaring me. You walked away from me years ago. You left me. I was broken for a long time.” Her sobs got louder as he watched her suspiciously.
“I didn't want to, Emily. But he made me. He made me do it. He covered it all up. He held it over my head,” Jared rambled on. His white knuckles gripped the black handle of a large butcher's knife, its steel blade glinting in the light.
“I had no choice Emily. I didn't mean to do it! I didn't mean to do any of it!” His words got louder until he was shouting at her. “I DIDN'T WANT TO KILL THEM! IT WAS A GODDAMN ACCIDENT!” His words made no sense.
“Who? What are you talking about?” She asked in a caring and sympathetic tone. Maybe if he believed she was on his side, he would let her go free without hurting her.
“Your parents you dumb bitch!” He ran his free hand through his dark hair as he started to pace back and forth in her hallway. “I didn't mean to do it! I panicked and that is why I walked away. I couldn't look you in the eye knowing he would never let me tell you how he covered it up.” Tears formed in his eyes as he relieved his conscience of what must have been a terrible guilt. He mumbled to himself before he looked up to meet Emily's eyes.
“Jared, we can get through this. Talk about it. Please just tell me who made you do this?” She prayed her desperation and faked sincerity would hold him in his place until someone came to her rescue.
“BEN! Ben covered it all up!” His arms started waving in the air again, flashing the knife into her view once again. Her stomach churned as her heart jumped into her throat. She was going to be sick. She was going to vomit right there in the hallway and leave herself even more vulnerable for him to hurt her.
He advanced on her again and her back bumped against the wall.
“Fuck! I have already told you way too much. FUCK!” He yelled. Only a few feet separated their bodies.
“I'm sorry my love, but I just can't let you go.” He whispered as he continued toward her, lifting the knife from his side.
“I suggest you back up, boy,” Gran's voice broke the silence as she cocked the shotgun in her arms, the chilling sound echoing through the first floor of the house.
Emily eyed Gran standing behind Jared with a giant shotgun pointed at his back.
“Drop the knife,” she demanded. His arm slowly lifted into the air, still holding onto the knife before turning toward her voice. “Drop it!” she insisted, moving the barrel of the gun so it squared with his face.
The knife fell to the floor as Jared continued to stare at Gran. To her right hand side she noticed a large vase her mother had given her for a housewarming gift when she moved into her first apartment. She remembered how much Jared loved it, as a flood of memories washed over her. Jared's friendship with Ben, Ben being missing the night their parents had died, Jared turning up the morning after their death unable to look her in the eye, everything of their relationship rained down on her absent mind.
Without thinking twice she grabbed the bulky, white vase and ran, crashing it into the back of his unsuspecting head. His body fell forward, face first onto her hard wood floor with a loud thud. Gran followed his body with the barrel of the shotgun, as Emily leaned in closer to examine his eyes.
A loud crash startled both women when the front door was kicked in.
“DAYTONA BEACH POLICE!” Denton's voice echoed through the first floor of the house. She eas
ed back in relief.
Emily dropped to the ground and pulled her knees to her chest. Relieved but still shaken up, she sobbed quietly. Gran called out to the police officer in the distance.
“Over here!” she called out. The police found them in the hallway, Emily crying hysterically and Gran toting her gun militarily. “This son of a bitch had her at knifepoint,” Gran explained.
They handcuffed and hauled Jared away.
Emily's mind ran wild thinking of his words. He had killed her parents? He had been the asshole behind the wheel of that car that evening? What was Ben's role in the plot? Nothing made sense! He had only left her with more questions.
He wouldn't stop talking though, thinking back to just a moment ago when she lunged at him with the vase. It wasn't about stopping him from hurting her, or hurting Gran. It was revenge. She wanted him to hurt as bad as she did the night she learned of her parents' deaths. She wanted him to live in the pain she had felt over the past few weeks, looking over her shoulder everywhere she went because he had become such a threat to her. She'd never been so angry in her whole life.
She snapped, launching the vase at Jared's head as hard as she could. It took every ounce of strength she could muster up, but it has accomplished everything she wanted. Hurting him in a way he would never forget. If she could have got away with killing him like he got away with killing her parents, she would have, right there with innocent ol' Gran watching her every move.
“WHAT THE FUCK?” boomed Avery's voice from the front door as his footsteps pounded through the house. The uniformed police officer swiftly moved toward him in an attempt to stop him before Denton spoke up and they retreated.
In an instant, Avery was aware of what had happened. He took Emily in his arms and held her until she was calm.
“We are going to be taking him to the station. We would like Miss Taylor, your Gran, and you to come along Avery.” Denton snapped Avery back to reality. Emily detached herself from his side. The strength of this woman would never cease to amaze him. After the evening she had, to just jump up and put on a brave face so she could take care of business. Emily Taylor was something else.
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