Always (Bold As Love 4)

Emily falls asleep so abruptly that it worries me. One second she is recovering from crying and the next she is out like a light. I never thought I would see Judy in person. Emily is the younger version of her mother. Even if Judy isn’t lying about being sick, to be sure Emily wouldn’t make amends with her mother. Soon, Mike and Drake have returned from their day out together, and I slip from Emily’s embrace to go speak with him.

“She what?” Mike roars after I tell him what happened. He begins pacing around the kitchen table with his arms crossed defensively on his chest.

“What’s going on?” Emily’s sleepy voice asks from the entryway. “Oh, right,” she answers her own question. The sound of her chair scraping as she slides it beside me echos in the room. Plopping into her seat, Sweetness leans her head on my shoulder.

“You feelin’ okay, hon?” Mike asks her.

“Yeah.”

“I’m going to call your mother. Find out what’s really going on here,” he says with determination.

“And if she’s telling the truth?”

“We’ll deal with that when the time comes.”

Mike leaves the room and it’s just me, Sweetness, and the sound of whatever cartoon Drake is watching in the next room.

“You must be hungry. Want me to fix you supper?”

“I’ll do it myself,” she replies, standing up. Sweetness begins to rummage through the cabinets in search of food. The only reason I don’t stop her is because I figure she wants to do something. Anything to keep her mind off her mother.

Aggressively, Emily grabs a box of mac and cheese and throws it on the counter. I stand and walk behind her, wrapping an arm around her as if it is a seatbelt, the other going around her waist.

“Let me do it,” I coax.

“I’m not helpless.” She sounds so defeated, and I hate it.

“I know you’re not.”

“All I wanted was a summer with my dad, you, and Drake. You were gone for two weeks, and my mother shows up not once, but twice. Fantastic start to a summer.”

With a sigh, I realize that I don’t know what to tell her. So I hold her tight. The moments pass by slowly until Sweetness finds my missing words.

“Sorry, love. I can do this. It was a moment and now it’s over.” Sweetness steps out of my embrace to walk over to the tossed box. I watch as she picks it up and rips away one end. She fills the pot with water and clanks it down on the stove, splashing water as she does so. Sweetness sighs a breath of air and briskly walks over to a drawer to snatch a rag out. Emily wipes up the water and stands before the stove. Her back is stiff as she takes several deep breaths.

Her head is down, watching the water. Her hair is in a messy bun, and she’s dressed in a pair of my sweatpants that are two sizes too big and an orange tank top. My feet move forward, demanding that I comfort my Sweetness, until I’m standing behind her. I lean down and the heat rises from her neck, beating against my face. Barely, just barely, my lips make contact with the back of her bare neck. With my eyes closed, I repeat the action as I move towards her shoulder, stopping every few centimeters with another kiss. Lost in her scent, a mix of strawberry, cleanliness, and the perfume she a

lways wears, my arms wrap around her tiny waist and pull Sweetness against me.

“Jake,” Emily’s voice is low and cautious.

“Mm?” I ask between kisses.

“Stop."

I freeze. She's never told me to stop before. I take a step backwards, giving her space, as much as she needs. Sweetness steps forward and grabs the box, pouring the noodles into the pot. I silently watch as she stirs the macaroni. Her movements are clear. Suddenly, she swivels to face me. Her steps are even, full of purpose. Standing before me, looking into her eyes, I catch a glimpse of the Emily I first met. Sweetness leans into me, wrapping an arm around my neck and squeezing tight.

Emily turns back to the pot and just as it is almost done, Mike returns.

"It's true," he says grimly.

Emily doesn't say a word. Mike and I both watch as she finds a bowl and scoops the pasta into it. Sweetness shrugs and leaves the kitchen to go to her room. Hm. Interesting. Mike is left in the kitchen as I follow her. Walking down the hall, I can faintly hear music playing in her room. My heart shatters at hearing Monster by Skillet playing and to see Emily is sitting up, Indian style as she places the half empty bowl on her nightstand. Her arms are outstretched and turn towards me as I crawl into bed beside her. Sweetness hugs me tightly, pressing her lips against my neck.

"Tomorrow. You and me. Let's get out of here for a bit," she says looking into my eyes, searching for an answer to an unasked question.

"Where do you want to go?"

"The beach. I want to feel the hot sand beneath my feet, the cool water surrounding me, and you by my side. Do you want to go, love?"