04-13-2025, 06:40 PM
(This post was last modified: 04-13-2025, 06:41 PM by Emily Shale-Vanders.)
Liam went down to get the food and handed the baby off to Hayden again. "I'm doing alright - learning what family is again." Elyse said as Hayden looked at her.
Emily's eyes were on the baby. It all came rushing into her now. Everything that had been set in motion since she found out that Rachel was in danger. Emily's breath hitched. She felt Elyse's hand on her again, heard her murmur something about it being okay. Emily's eyes moved from the baby to the drink Hayden had made - the drink she hadn't touched.
Then she began to speak - feeling oddly comfortable with these people she barely knew. "Rachel was always a little odd...a pretty good deal naive too. She was always good at helping others process their emotions, but always struggled with her own. Mom and dad's death hit her really hard. Then her and her boyfriend broke up. I thought...I thought her behavior was because of the break up. That she was processing it in her own way. I did what I thought was best - I told her I was there for her - we all did - but we gave her space. I thought that's what she needed. And now..." her stare remained. "I find out someone was manipulating her. Using his powers to take advantage of her."
Emily wiped her eyes. "I know it's not my fault. It's not Rachel's fault, but I keep going over the past week and thinking if there was something I missed. Something that could have stopped this so that if it happens again - with our other sister, or..." she looked at the girls playing and then at the baby and then back at the drink. The drink that she couldn't drink. "I'm late..." she finally said, hands going to her stomach. She hadn't wanted to tell them that, but it needed to come out - to give context to what she felt. "It could mean nothing, but it could mean something big. I thought I was ready, and now I'm second guessing. I know - I know it's something I'll learn and I have time, but...my mom isn't even here to help. It's just this all was thrust on me, and sometimes, it's all overwhelming. It's easier now with Jared but..."
Emily stopped, wiped her eyes again, and looked up at first Elyse and Anna, the first who was openly crying and Anna had a sad, but supportive look on her face, and then she turned to Hayden with the small child in his arms. "I'm sorry, it's just a lot and I'm a little scared and worried and everything...please don't tell anyone. I wanted to wait until I knew for sure before telling Jared." She didn't know who they would tell, but still she said it.
Emily's eyes were on the baby. It all came rushing into her now. Everything that had been set in motion since she found out that Rachel was in danger. Emily's breath hitched. She felt Elyse's hand on her again, heard her murmur something about it being okay. Emily's eyes moved from the baby to the drink Hayden had made - the drink she hadn't touched.
Then she began to speak - feeling oddly comfortable with these people she barely knew. "Rachel was always a little odd...a pretty good deal naive too. She was always good at helping others process their emotions, but always struggled with her own. Mom and dad's death hit her really hard. Then her and her boyfriend broke up. I thought...I thought her behavior was because of the break up. That she was processing it in her own way. I did what I thought was best - I told her I was there for her - we all did - but we gave her space. I thought that's what she needed. And now..." her stare remained. "I find out someone was manipulating her. Using his powers to take advantage of her."
Emily wiped her eyes. "I know it's not my fault. It's not Rachel's fault, but I keep going over the past week and thinking if there was something I missed. Something that could have stopped this so that if it happens again - with our other sister, or..." she looked at the girls playing and then at the baby and then back at the drink. The drink that she couldn't drink. "I'm late..." she finally said, hands going to her stomach. She hadn't wanted to tell them that, but it needed to come out - to give context to what she felt. "It could mean nothing, but it could mean something big. I thought I was ready, and now I'm second guessing. I know - I know it's something I'll learn and I have time, but...my mom isn't even here to help. It's just this all was thrust on me, and sometimes, it's all overwhelming. It's easier now with Jared but..."
Emily stopped, wiped her eyes again, and looked up at first Elyse and Anna, the first who was openly crying and Anna had a sad, but supportive look on her face, and then she turned to Hayden with the small child in his arms. "I'm sorry, it's just a lot and I'm a little scared and worried and everything...please don't tell anyone. I wanted to wait until I knew for sure before telling Jared." She didn't know who they would tell, but still she said it.