Authors: Meg Gray
Marcus questioned what he was doing as
soon as he and Brayden started up the steps. In the days since Emma left
Seattle, Marcus had thought of nothing but her. They’d spoken on the phone
once, but the conversation was short. He’d inquired about her sister and she’d
inquired about Brayden. He’d picked up the phone more than a dozen times since
then to call her again, but he could never get his fingers to dial. The image
of her finding comfort in another man’s arms continuously surfaced,
interrupting every moment of every day.
He felt like he had lost his chance with
her and so much still left unsaid.
He was miserable in Seattle without her
and easily made the decision to come home early. Now, he stood in front of
apartment 3B and he wondered if he should have called first, but there was no
time to reconsider, because Brayden was knocking. He hoped this was the right
apartment, he hoped she was home and above all, he hoped she would be happy to
see him.
Marcus creased the top of the two
envelopes he’d brought with him, one addressed to Emma and the other to him.
The sound of the deadbolt disengaging and the turn of the doorknob started his
pulse racing and then there she was, smiling.
“What a great surprise,” she
said and knelt down to Brayden who threw his arms around her neck.
“Hi Ms. Hewitt,” he said. “I
missed you.”
“I missed you too. I thought
you weren’t coming back for another week.” She stood and looked at Marcus.
“I think we were both ready
to come home.” He smiled.
“Oh, I …” Emma started to
say when a little girl with the biggest, roundest brown eyes Marcus had ever
seen tugged on her t-shirt.
“Who is it Auntie Em?” her
tiny little voice asked.
“Chelsea this is Brayden,
from my school and his dad, Mr. Lewis. Can you say hello?”
“Hi.”
“Where’s your sister?” Emma
asked.
“She’s still watching Toy
Story.” Chelsea wound a long curl around her finger.
“Is it Toy Story One, Two or
Three?” Brayden asked and Chelsea looked at Emma.
“It’s Toy Story Three,” she
answered for her niece.
“That one’s my favorite,” he
said.
“Wanna watch with us?”
Chelsea asked.
“Can I Dad?” Brayden asked
and Marcus looked to Emma for permission, but she wasn’t looking at him.
“It’s okay with me, if it’s
okay with Ms. Hewitt,” he said and Emma nodded at Brayden. She pulled the door
open wider, letting them inside.
“I’ll be right back,” she
said and followed the children down the hall.
Marcus walked into the
living room, bright with the afternoon sun. An island of boxes sat stacked in
the middle of the room. A bookshelf stretched along one wall with photographs
displayed on every level. Stepping closer Marcus examined each frame. They all
seemed to be of Emma’s roommate, Seth, and another guy with blond curly hair.
He picked one up of Seth and the other man, arms draped over each other’s
shoulders standing in front of the ocean with the sun setting in the back, when
Emma walked back in.
“Ah, you’ve found the Kelly Shrine,”
Emma laughed nervously.
“The what?” he asked.
“I call it the Kelly Shrine.
Every time those two go somewhere or do something together, Seth frames another
picture and puts it up there. I’m sure he’ll make room for it in their new
place together.”
“They’re getting a place
together?”
“Yeah, Seth met Kelly down
in LA last year. That’s why he wanted to transfer, so he could be closer to his
partner. I hope it all works out for them. They seem really happy together.”
Marcus smiled as he set the frame
back into its place. Seth never was his competition. Marcus felt like a window
inside him opened up and the birds of relief fluttered out.
“This is for you,” he said,
remembering the envelope in his hand addressed to her. She stepped closer and
reached for it, their eyes locking for a moment. From inside the envelope she
pulled out the check and then stuffed it back in.
“This is too much,” she
protested. “It’s more than we agreed on and I left two weeks early. I can’t
accept this.”
Marcus didn’t take it back.
“No, no that’s exactly what we agreed on.”
Emma lifted her chin, ready
to argue with him, but he cut her off.
“Don’t you remember the
clause in the contract about all pay being collected if the designated
objectives were met and/or in the event that a family emergency would require
you to leave early?”
“No, I don’t remember that
clause at all,” she said, the corners of her mouth turning up.
“Well, it’s in there. If
you’d like I can recommend an attorney to review it for you?”
“That’s fine,” she said.
“I’ll take your word for it. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. I hope it
helps you get a little closer to buying your new car.”
Her smile, tainted with
contrition, grew wider. “I already bought one,” she confessed. “I went against
the Hewitt-way and bought it on credit. My brother-in-law went with me a couple
of days ago to pick it out.”
“Really, so what’d you get
this time?”
“Come here, I’ll show you.”
She jerked her thumb over her shoulder and he followed her to the window. “You
would have walked right by it when you came in the front doors. Right there.”
She pointed down to the street.
“Oh,” he said, spying the
cute red Jetta parked in front of the building. “Jetta’s are good cars.”
“No, not that one the other
one,” she said.
The only other car, except
for his Mercedes parked on the block, was a minivan. He pointed out the window
too and she nodded.
“Yep, I got a minivan.”
“Wow, how practical of you,”
Marcus teased her and she shrugged.
“I’ll need it.” She turned
toward him, her smile fading. “I’m moving in with Audrey and her family, so I
can help with the girls and get Audrey to appointments until she’s healed and
Finn won’t need to take time off work.”
“What about your job?”
Marcus asked.
“I’ll still be teaching.
Susan, another kindergarten teacher had a baby and only wants to work half a
day, so she and I will team-teach this year. I can have my full-time job back
next year, if I want it.”
“Those are a lot of
sacrifices for you to make.”
“Not really,” Emma said,
forcing her smile. “I’ll get cheap rent again and I love being with my nieces.”
“You’re such a generous and
loving person, Emma.”
Emma half grinned and then
wrapped her arms around herself, looking out the window. “She’s my sister.
They’re my family. It’s the least I can do.”
“They’re lucky to have you.”
He wanted to reach out and touch her, but she’d stepped away heading for the
kitchen.
“Can I get you something to
drink?” she asked and slipped the envelope with the check into her purse.
“No thanks, I’m fine,” he
answered, tapping the envelope he still held in his other hand. “I almost
forgot,” he said, holding up the envelope, the one addressed to him. “This came
in the mail and I wanted to show it to you.”
She came to stand next to
him again, the sunlight hitting her hair as she pulled out the page. Quickly
her eyes scanned the paper and then she folded it, tucking back into the
envelope.
“This is great,” Emma said,
handing it back to him. “Congratulations. I know this is what you wanted.”
“Thanks,” he said, accepting
it. “Portland Private Academy wouldn’t even be considering Brayden if it wasn’t
for you. And it was what I thought I wanted, but I’ve decided not to continue
the application process there. I think there is a better place for Brayden.”
Emma turned her attention
out the window, not saying anything.
“Brayden’s going to miss
having you for a teacher next year…” Marcus continued.
Emma swallowed hard and
nodded, “I’m going to miss him too.” She was still looking out the window.
“I’ve already told him he
can drop by and see you whenever he wants. I hope that’s okay?” He watched her,
trying to gauge her reaction.
“Of course,” Emma said, but
the smile she offered was tight.
“And me?” he asked quietly.
Her smile faded and she
didn’t answer.
“Can I see you anytime I
want?” he asked.
She remained silent, but
nodded. He’d danced around this long enough and it was time for him to say what
it was he’d gotten in his car and driven home early to say.
“Emma somewhere along the
way during this past year I fell in love with you. You’ve changed my life and
my son’s. I can’t stand the thought of transferring Brayden to another school
if it means not seeing you every day, because when I’m around you I feel like a
better man, a better father. With you, anything seems possible. Being in
Seattle without you didn’t feel right. And I know that if it didn’t feel right
up there it will only be worse down here. You know me—you know what I’m like.
You know I’m not perfect.” He stepped in and took her hands. She looked up.
“Please, can I see you?”
Emma raised her watery eyes
to meet his, “But I thought you were moving back to Seattle.”
“No,” he shook his head,
wondering where she’d gotten that idea, but it didn’t matter. “Our home is
here.” He could feel her relaxing, the tension in her releasing and without
hesitation he kissed her from the depths of his soul. He felt her arms slide
around him and press into his back. He leaned into her and she arched her back,
holding tight to him. She moaned with desire and his heart leapt with gladness.
He pulled back, kissing her lips softly before looking into her eyes. The sound
of feet pattering down the hallway toward them made him take a step back, but
he couldn’t take his eyes off her.
“Dad, can we stay a little
longer and watch the movie again?” Brayden begged.
“Well, I was thinking we
might need to get some lunch,” he said, his eyes still locked onto Emma. “What
do you say we all go for burgers?”
Brayden jumped up and down
in the hall. “And root beer floats?”
“And root beer floats,” he
conceded, smiling at Emma who was still watching him.
“Go get your shoes girls,”
Emma said and when the thunder of footsteps disappeared down the hall, he took
Emma in his arms again and kissed her.
Emma rested her hands on the splintery
rail of the old fence. Wrapped in a down jacket, she stood and watched her
father lead Brayden around the frozen ground on top of Daisy, the new pony for
the farm, who plodded along like a puppy on a string. Brayden’s grin spoke
volumes about the kid he was today—carefree and loving. He no longer went to regular
therapy sessions, but Dave checked in on him when he stopped by the school.
Marcus was quick to consult Emma whenever he had a concern about Brayden, no
matter how big or small. He was an incredibly attentive father.
Emma looked up at Marcus, who watched
Brayden over the fence. His smile came so easily these days.
The back screen door to the old farmhouse
slammed shut. Chelsea raced across the ice-encrusted grass in heavy winter
boots, her red velvet skirt swishing. “Is it my turn yet?” she called.
“Almost,” Emma said, reaching out to
stroke the little girl’s hair as she climbed the rails next to her. The door
slammed again and Lauren, bundled in a stocking hat and gloves came out of the
house. Audrey and Finn followed her. Audrey carried a steaming cup of coffee to
the bench in the yard and Finn sat next to her, wrapping his arm around her.
Lauren reached the fence and tried to climb up next her sister, but she
couldn’t get her footing. Marcus walked over and lifted her to sit on the top
rail, keeping his arms tucked around her, so she wouldn’t fall.
Brayden made another lap and Chelsea
waved at him, eager for her turn. Henry stopped the pony, hopped Brayden off
and reached for Chelsea, pulling her over the fence and putting her in the
saddle. Brayden climbed up next to Lauren.
“How was that?” Marcus asked him.
“It was amazing Dad. Can I have a pony?”
Marcus looked at Emma. “We’ll see.”
“Mom said there would be enough room for
one at the new house.”
Marcus looked at her again. “Really, is
that what Mom said?”
Emma smiled back.
Mom
, it had
taken them awhile to all get used to that. Brayden had called her Ms. Hewitt up
until the wedding last summer and once she’d moved into the condo with the two
of them they tried having Brayden call her Emma until he finally asked if he
could just call her Mom.
Marcus took a step closer to Emma,
keeping one arm around Lauren and encircling her with the other. “Let’s take it
one step at a time. Move first, then talk pony.”
They were moving next month to a home
outside of the city with a little acreage. Emma would be able to have a garden
in the summer and there was a small stable for a pony or a horse. Emma couldn’t
wait for the move. She loved being with Marcus and Brayden, her family, but the
condo wasn’t her idea of a family home and they were going to need more room.
Emma rested her hands on her stomach,
the way she’d seen expectant mothers do all the time. Last Christmas, they’d
announced their engagement and this year they had another surprise to share
with the family.
“But Dad. I really want a pony.”
It was Lauren’s turn for a ride. Chelsea
came over and asked Brayden if he wanted to go see the chickens. He climbed
down and followed her, letting Marcus off the hook. Marcus stepped behind Emma,
wrapping both of his arms around her.
“Last week he was hoping we’d get him a
dog,” Emma said, leaning her head back into Marcus’s chest.
“I
know what I’m hoping for,” Marcus said.
“What’s
that?”
“I
hope it’s a girl,” Marcus whispered in her ear and rested his hands on top of
hers.