Unfortunately, while sewing kept her hands busy it left loads of idle time for her mind to sit and think. There was so much on her mind. Lost in the emotion of the past, she had completely forgotten to ask Silas about the fire in Smith’s Grove and why Walter had mentioned Bo. It was just as well though, he probably wouldn’t have told her over the phone anyway.
Emmie wasn’t sure if she should divulge the details she’d learned of her past to Ava. Mrs. Del Grandé was the grandmother to her unborn child. Did Ava really need to know the ugliness of what had happened? Emmie was worried it would make her feel unnecessarily anxious about leaving her child with Gabe’s mother. In the end Emmie decided that was the same sort of reasoning her mother had used to keep the truth from her. Ava’s earlier words came back to her. She’d told her she was stronger than she looked.
When Ava came into the room she told her the truth. Ava was as horrified with the whole account as Emmie had assumed she would be.
Her friend stared at her from across the room with her mouth hanging open for a moment before she composed herself. Emmie looked down and played with the needle and thread in her hands. Her heart hurt each time she retold the story. She hoped this would be the last time she had to recount the details. Although it was awful to tell Ava and Silas the truth, the one thing she had learned in the past few months was it was better to have painful honesty rather than half-truths and secrets.
Ava closed the space between them and took the needle from Emmie’s hands. She knelt down in front of her friend and looked up at her with wide eyes. “I know that was a difficult thing for you to share. Thank you for trusting me enough to tell me. My heart is heavy for you and for Gabe.”
Emmie only nodded. She had no more words to say.
“That Marco Del Grandé is some kind of awful isn’t he? Tricking your mama, cheating on his sick wife. Mrs. Del Grandé has never been anything but nice to me. When she was here the other day she told me she was happy about the baby. You two have been the only ones to tell me that. I guess I understand why she’d be so unconventional now. She still yearns for the child she lost.”
Emmie nodded. She was glad that Ava didn’t really seem to be frightened of her future mother-in-law but she did find it curious that she did not seem harbor any resentment to the woman.
“It doesn’t sound like Mrs. Del Grandé was perfect though. She tried to take me away from Mama. That is just plain crazy. I don’t care what kind of life she had suffered,” Emmie said.
Ava’s face fell for a moment as she thought through Emmie’s words. She stood and wrapped her hands around her waist. “Do you think she really would have gone through with the kidnapping? I mean if she was a danger to children don’t you think Ma would have kept me from her?”
“She locked my mother out of the house and said she was keeping me. That sounds pretty crazy to me,” Emmie said.
“I suppose you are right.” Ava paused and a deep frown settled on her face. “It had to be the medicine. I can’t see that in her character. She would have had opportunities to take me as a child.”
Emmie realized Ava was probably right but that didn’t make it any better. She didn’t want to be any closer with the Del Grandés than she had to be. She wasn’t afraid of them but she didn’t like the things she had learned about them.
Ava shook her head and sat down beside her best friend. “I’m sorry.”
“Why?”
“I know this isn’t what you wanted to hear. You give me hope though. I’ve been up here worried all of this time that my baby was somehow going to suffer from the negativity that surrounded me since I found out I’m carrying Gabe’s child. I look at you and you are one of the strongest people I know. And jeez, Emmie, you came from about the saddest story I’ve ever heard, yet you have gone on to be a great person,” Ava said, touching her friend’s arm.
“Thanks Ava . . . I think.” Emmie laughed at the odd compliment.
“Is it better to know?” Ava asked.
“Honestly, I don’t know.”
Ava nodded. “I think sometimes it’s better to not know.”
Emmie shrugged. “I guess I’d rather know. At least it helps me understand why Mama acted the way she did.”
“Your mother’s story is a sad one,” Ava repeated softly.
“Her story with Marco was sad. But she was happy being a mother. I’m not saying that she wouldn’t have changed it but she was a great mother,” Emmie said.
“I know she was. I just think her life probably didn’t turn out like she had planned,” Ava frowned.
Emmie took a long look at the wedding dress. “I suppose that’s the way of life.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Ava asked.
“Well look at you. All your life, since we were kids, you’ve talked about this big wedding in a big fancy church. Bless your heart if they aren’t forcing you into a shotgun wedding. It’s not fair the way they are taking it away from you. You could put this off another month and with the ruffles on this dress no one would know,” Emmie said.
“Don’t you bless my heart or feel sorry for me,” Ava said, looking her friend in the eyes.
“I didn’t mean anything bad by it. I only meant . . .” she said to her friend.
“I know you didn’t mean it in a bad way but I really don’t want anyone’s pity,” Ava said.
“But all of these years you’ve dreamed of your wedding. Good Lord, Ava, you’ve taken me through every detail for years.” Emmie gave her a mock groan in an attempt to make her best friend smile. She was relieved when it worked.
“I dreamt of what I knew. At that time all I knew was a wedding. I thought a wedding was romance and love. I was wrong.” Ava shrugged and ran her fingers down the length of her dress. “Don’t get me wrong. I’m going to enjoy this little wedding and I love my dress but it’s not the wedding I’m pining for anymore. It’s the life with Gabe. Sleeping with him each night. Seeing him rock our sweet baby.” Ava rested her hand on her stomach. “A dream changes with life Emmie. Sometimes we don’t know what we want until we see it. Everything else was just smoke and mirrors.”
Emmie had no idea what to say. That was the wisest thing she’d ever heard come from Ava’s mouth. She stood and joined her friend in front of the large window that overlooked the lawn. She wrapped her arms around Ava in a tight sisterly hug.
“You are an amazing lady,” Emmie whispered.
“I’ve had had a good model, my friend,” Ava said softly.
Chapter Twenty-eight
Emmie’s eyelids were heavy and dropping closed as she finished the last stitch on Ava’s wedding dress. She had carried this dress around for days like a toddler with a blanket, determined to finish it before she went to bed. She had no other alternative. Ava couldn’t get married in an unfinished dress. Tomorrow was Ava’s wedding day. Ava had spent nearly all day with her mother finalizing preparations. Emmie had spent all day with the dress. Her stomach churned at the thought of seeing Gabe’s family tomorrow. That was going to be awkward. At least Silas would be with her.
She stood and moved across the room, draping Ava’s dress across a fainting couch in the corner of the room. She smoothed it gently to work out some of the creases and wrinkles. A long loud yawn escaped her as she moved back to the bed. Never in her whole entire life had a bed looked so inviting. She hadn’t been sleeping well, but she was so tired she didn’t think that would be an issue tonight. Slipping off her dress she realized she had left her nightgown hanging in Ava’s bathroom that morning after her bath. There was no way she was redressing and walking down the hall to her friend’s room for a nightgown. Her slip would work just fine. There were quilts enough on this bed to keep her warm. Emmie closed her eyes and fell asleep before her head hit the pillow.
*
“Rise and shine, Emmie,” a soft, deep voice called near her ear.
A throaty laugh filled her mind. Silas. She was dreaming of him. Her lips curved into a smile and she tilted her head toward the
sound. Velvet warmth touched her temple and her ear.
“Emmie, Emmie. Wake up,” the second voice was loud, high pitched, and distinctly excited. She frowned. Ava was in her dream too. No, that was no good.
Frigid winter air hit her skin as the covers jerked back. Emmie’s heart pounded. She popped open her eyes and screamed.
A hand covered her mouth. She panicked. It was black as night in her room and she couldn’t see anything. The feeling of the hand covering her mouth brought back a dark memory that she’d worked hard to let go. Her hands came up and clawed at the fingers covering her mouth. The hand moved and framed her face gently.
“I’m sorry, baby. It’s just me. Wake up. It’s just me. I didn’t want you waking Ava’s parents. I didn’t mean to scare you.” Silas rubbed her cheek as he spoke.
Nightmares of the past floated away like dust in the wind as she felt Silas rubbing his wide hand across her cheek.
“Come on, Emmie. Put your clothes on; we’re in a hurry. Oh, I simply cannot wait. Thank you, Silas. You are just the best.” Ava danced around the room tossing dresses, shoes, scarves, and hats toward Emmie.
Bewildered, Emmie turned her eyes toward the window. It was the middle of the night. She probably hadn’t been asleep more than a couple hours. Emmie was tired and curious enough about what was going on that she started dressing before she even had the details of the situation. Ava didn’t seem panicked. Silas was smiling. If there was nothing wrong why were they here? She paused, reaching for the button on the sleeve of her dress.
“Why in the world are the two of you making me get dressed in the middle of the night?” she asked, looking back and forth at the two of them. Her voice was thick with sleep.
Silas opened his mouth to answer but Ava cut him off.
“Just get those clothes on. Don’t forget a hat and scarf. It’s a cold night. Hurry,” Ava whisper-shouted.
Emmie turned to Silas with an arched eyebrow. He buttoned her sleeve and pulled a thick wool scarf around her neck. “She’s right. It is cold.”
They didn’t put on their shoes until they reached the back door. For the first time Emmie noticed that even Silas had only worn his socks in the house. When they reached the back lawn she asked, “Will someone please tell me why we are sneaking out of the house like a bunch of kids in the middle of the night?”
Ava looped her hand through her friend’s crooked elbow and smiled. “Old Man Dan’s is frozen, and I get to see my Gabe.”
Emmie heard the words, but the two ideas didn’t connect in her mind. Silas laughed at Ava’s explanation but offered no words of his own. He put his arm around her shoulder and hugged her in close. Emmie walked, flanked by her best friend and the man that meant the most to her in the world. The air was cold. The ground was frozen. However, her heart had never felt warmer. They followed the lake behind the house for a few yards until they reached a fencerow lined with trees. Silas let go of her, picked up Ava, and sat her down easily on the other side of the fence. When he turned around to Emmie she was already stepping up onto the bottom slat of the black wooden fence, her hands gripped tightly to a thick post. He caught her under her legs and pulled her weight into his body.
“I’ll take care of you.” He grinned as he plopped her down on the ground and steadied her on the other side. His long legs and agile body made quick work of hopping the fence.
“Silas, do you not think me capable of climbing over that tiny excuse of a barrier?” She poked his rib and laughed.
“Oh, I know you are capable. If you had on those pants of yours I probably would have let you do it too . . . and enjoyed it. But we are in a hurry and you have on a dress,” he said, looping his arm around her shoulder again.
She smacked his arm playfully and laughed.
“You have a pair of pants, Emmie?” Ava asked curiously. “What kind of pants and how does Silas know about them and I don’t?”
“It’s a long story. I made them to wear with Bo in the woods and it turned into this big deal. Silas has an odd affection for Ronnie’s old tailored denim pants,” she said, laughing.
“Yes, tightly tailored denim,” Silas added.
“Emma Rose, how scandalous,” Ava laughed. It was good to see her in such good spirits.
“I had no idea old work denim could be so scandalous, but apparently it is,” Emmie laughed.
Silas stopped as they passed through a wooded area. He turned again and pointed for the girls to look ahead. In the distance Emmie could make out about six small flames. The fires formed a large circle. She could barely hear the voices of the people gathered around them. She frowned and looked at Silas, but it was Ava who spoke first.
“He’s already there, right?” she called, walking faster. She was already several feet ahead of them.
“Yes. Gabe, Trick, Jemma, and a few of your friends should already be there,” Silas said.
Emmie turned to Silas. “We’re meeting everyone in a field in the middle of the night?”
“No, we are meeting them at an ice rink in the middle of the night.”
“And you think the Johnson barn parties are strange? At least it’s not freezing in the barn.” Emmie laughed and turned to follow Ava.
“Oh, don’t worry sweetheart, we’ve got ways to keep warm.” He reached his arm out and pulled her back into his chest.
Emmie felt his lips on her neck, leaving a soft wet trail of kisses. His warm breath traveled slowly from her neck to her ear. His arm tightened at her waist pulling her as close as their layers of clothing would allow. Silas spun her around. He watched the distance behind her for a moment; she turned to see what had captured his attention. Out of her peripheral vision she vaguely caught sight of Ava joining the others. How sweet that he had watched to see that she made it to them. She opened her mouth to tell him so but never got the chance. She felt the leather of Silas’s glove on her chin. He pulled her face back to face him. His grip was firm and strong. As his eyes bore into hers he walked her backward a little deeper into the woods, so they were out of eyesight from the others. Her heart pounded in her chest at the sight of him coming toward her. She stepped backward until she reached the heavy base of a large tree. She felt the bark scrape her back through her coat. His mouth met hers with a force she hadn’t felt from him in a long time. Maybe since that day in her kitchen when she’d worn the pants they discussed earlier. He kissed her until her lips were numb. His hands rooted in her hair and pulled her nearer to him. Silas pulled away only an inch or two and licked his lips. He ran a hand under her coat, touched the silky material of her dress and rubbed his hands gently along her ribs.
He swallowed hard. “How do they feel?”
Emmie had a hard time finding her voice. She only nodded to indicate she was nearly pain free.
“You promise me this doesn’t hurt,” he said, lifting her until her heels barely left the ground.
“I’m good,” were the only words she could form.
Silas licked his lips again then applied more pressure, lifting her a little higher. Even if it hurt, she would have never told him. Some things were worth the pain. He picked her up higher off the ground and balanced her against the tree. Her legs wrapped around his waist and her hand weaved through his dark hair. His kiss was so urgent, so eager. There was a fire in him tonight.
Two minutes, twenty minutes, two hundred minutes. She couldn’t say how long he’d kissed her. But when they separated it felt like too soon. She leaned in for one last kiss. He obliged and laughed.
“Are you all warmed up?” he asked with a devilish grin.
Emmie smoothed her hair down. She attempted to calm her rapidly beating heart and her trembling limbs before she said, “I think my insides have melted.”
Silas leaned his head back and laughed.
A quiet moment surrounded them again as Silas wrapped her in his arms. He leaned back and looked at her. She was surprised to see him look so serious when she pulled away.
“What’s wrong?”
; “Emmie, do you like it here?” he asked.
“Yeah, it’s a little cold but you’ve taken care of that,” she said, making an attempt at a joke. It came up a little short.
“No, I mean here. Near Ava’s family and mine. Here in Chicago,” he said.
“Yeah.” Emmie nodded, thinking aloud as she answered the question, “I like it. I mean it’s not home but it’s nice here.”
Silas’s face fell. He looked down at the ground and nodded.
“What? What did I say? I like it here.”
He gave her a smile but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Nothing, I just wondered is all. Come on, they’ll be anxious if we don’t show up soon.”
With that he grabbed her hand and pulled her out into the clearing. In silence they walked together, down the path and toward the fires.
Chapter Twenty-nine
Emmie had never before seen two people so happy to see one another. Gabe and Ava were alone, away from the others. They were standing about ten feet from the small fire on the far side of the rink. She saw Gabe rest his hand on her abdomen as he said something. Emmie turned away from them. Their moment was too private to watch, but her heart warmed for Ava. Of course it was silly for them to be out here sneaking around when tomorrow Ava will give the rest of her life to him, but Emmie also thought it was romantic. She turned to Silas as something dawned on her.
Come Rain or Shine (Shine On Series, Book Three) Page 14