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I looked at her, and I shook my head. “You don’t understand, Emily. With all due respect, you don’t.”
She stood up and shook her head. “I think I very well understand it. You just want a billionaire to take care of you. He’s probably going to toss you aside like how he did with my mom and—”
“No. He won’t,” I spat out.
Emily looked at me, unsure of what to say. I needed to tell her everything. I couldn’t just let this go.
“Emily, your father told me many things that he didn’t want to tell anyone but you. He loves you a lot, but he’s struggling a lot. He doesn’t know what else to do, other than to keep it hidden from you.”
“So, why are you telling me this?”
“Because, Emily, I don’t want to ruin the friendship that we have. I understand that you don’t know what to say, but I’m not leaving your father. He’s a great man, and he and I get along so well.”
She sat down on the bench again and grabbed her thighs. “Well, at least he cares about someone.”
I touched her shoulder. “He cares a lot about you. He’s just got his own baggage, which he never managed to work through with your mom. He’s struggled, and the man’s suffered. He wants to make things better between you and him. He’s told me that. I didn’t call you here to talk about that, though. I’m here because, with everything that’s happened, I don’t want you to keep holding back anymore.”
Emily’s eyes welled up, and I could see the anger in her eyes.
“He loves you. A lot. He’s told me a whole lot about what you were like when you were younger. He regrets leaving you out to dry like that,” I told her.
“I know. He’s told me plenty of times,” she said as she shuffled on the bench. This was hard, even for her.
I brushed my hand to her cheek. “Your dad loves you. And, well, you don’t have to consider me a stepmom or anything. But we’re happy together.”
“I suppose so,” Emily said with anger.
I laughed. “I know you hate me, Emily, and I know that you’re mad about this, but I’m an adult. I’m not the child that you remember playing with.”
“So why? Why can’t you just choose someone normal? Why can’t you fall in love with some random man that was never connected to me?” she cried out.
I shrugged. “I don’t know. Love works in strange ways Emily, and as much as I would love to give you an answer for that, I can’t. I’m so sorry about this.”
She nodded. “I know. I’m sorry. It’s just hearing all of this is so hard, McKenzie. I want to be happy for you. I’m trying to be.”
I knew what it was like. Emily moved away from Aaron because of the pain and trauma of their relationship and the marriage to her mother.
“I know. He wasn’t happy, though, and he’s told me things that he wants to tell you when he’s ready, of course. But he loves you. And I love him. I’m not going to change that,” I told her.
She turned to me and sighed. I could tell this was hell for her to hear.
“I don’t like this, McKenzie, but also, I know when to give up. As much as I don’t want this to happen, I want to support you.”
I brushed her face and looked into her eyes.
“And I want to support him as well. I love him, Emily, and I’m serious about that. This love that I share for him is…different from what I’ve felt in the past. But I’m glad that you kind of get it,” I said.
Hearing this probably was so weird for her. I didn’t blame her. The birds chirped, and I brushed my feet into the grass. Emily needed to make a decision.
Could we still be friends after all of this? Or was it just too hard to do at this point in time?
She took a deep breath and turned to me. “You really do love him, don’t you?”
I nodded. “More than I’ve ever loved anyone else. And you’ve known me for a long time. I don’t fall in love.”
“I know. I’m a little jealous. I’ve had bad relationship after bad relationship. I want to have the happiness that you feel. I guess that’s where I came from. I still don’t understand how you can fall in love with a grumpy guy like him, but I accept it. You’re happy, and that’s what matters at the end of the day,” she said.
I smiled. It was nice to know that. “Thank you, Emily. Hearing that makes me feel much better.”
