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She was right. Not many people would take on another couple’s daughter, but with her mother addicted to heroin and her father having died in a car accident, Solomon had been there. He was her mother’s boyfriend before she’d relapsed. After the last fight between them, the first and only time she’d ever heard Solomon raise his voice, she’d woken to find her mother gone.
“Where is Mom?”
Papa Solomon took a deep breath before looking her in the eyes. “Your mother is gone.”
“When is she coming back?” Would Emma have to leave too? Papa Solomon was the nicest out of all of her mom’s boyfriends. He didn’t try to get into her bedroom when she was changing or hit her like the others.
“She’s not. At least, not until she can get healthy.” His sad eyes told the truth. Her mother wouldn’t be back—ever.
“Where do I go now?” Emma asked, hoping Solomon wouldn’t send her to child services. Anything was better than that.
Solomon shifted closer, his kind eyes directed at her. “You’re my daughter now. You’ll stay here with me and my son as long as you want to.”
That was the first time Emma had felt like someone truly loved her. In the moment, she hadn’t known that was what it was, being starved of it her whole life.
That was the pivotal experience that changed her life. And maybe it was time to accept that the only person who would love her enough to choose her like that had just died.
And I wasn’t even here to say goodbye.
Her lungs squeezed tight around the shards of glass of regret.
I failed him.
6
Link
Link ran his fingers over the wooden armrest on the chair he was sitting in. His eyes swept to the antique desk with files piled on each corner of the otherwise organized area. The walls were lined with books, the scent of fresh coffee tinting the otherwise stale air. A few certificates of education hung on the wall, all awarded to Michael Driscoll, his father’s estate lawyer.
The door behind him opened and shut. Soft feet padded towards the chair next to him. He didn’t need to look over to know the sweet, strawberry smell was from Emma.
The old chair creaked as she sat. He cut a quick glance in her direction. It had been a week since she’d walked out his front door. Dark circles underlined her dull blue eyes. She tucked a stray strand of her blond hair that escaped her messy bun behind her ear. Her cloudy blue gaze met his as a lightning bolt of energy whooshed through him. His chest tightened, his shoulders weighed down by a swirling hurricane of emotions. Guilt. Lust. Shame.
The side of her mouth quirked up, unsure. “Hey.”
“Hey.” His voice cracked. He wiped his sweaty palms on his jeans.
After a few minutes of awkward silence, she unscrewed the cap on her ginger ale and took a sip.
Is she nauseous? Could she be . . .
Was she pregnant and afraid to tell him? Not that he would blame her. Everything had come out wrong that morning. Could morning sickness happen that quickly?
He sat straighter, turning towards her as he pointed to the drink. “Are you . . .” Link couldn’t even say it out loud.
Her eyes darted between him and her ginger soda. She rolled her eyes and then narrowed them on him. “I thought you never wanted to speak of that again?”
He cleared his throat, checking the door for the lawyer they were expecting any minute. It remained closed. As he turned back to Emma, hurt flashed in her gaze before she closed off, erecting a wall between them, making her unreadable again.
“We may have to if you’re . . .”
She huffed and shook her head, crossing her arms in front of her chest as she stared at the floor. “It doesn’t happen that fast—the symptoms. I took the plan B pill that morning. I’ll know for sure in the next few days.”
“And then?” Link asked. Would she tell either way?
“And then we can continue never talking about it, or if I am pregnant, I’ll make the choice that is best for me,” she grit out.
He sighed and reached out for her hand before thinking better of it. The steady thrum of energy from their connection took him by surprise. “I’m sorry I was an asshole. This is my fault. I’ll support whatever decision you make. I’m really sorry for putting you in a position to have to make a difficult choice.”
