Shielded In The Shadows

Now he was confused. Glancing from one to the other, he asked, “What?”

“Nothing.” They answered in unison.

He put down his crab fork and the leg he was holding. “Tell me what’s going on.”

Jay shook his head, but Sheila looked at him. “We’re worried about you.”

“Sheila.” Jay’s tone wasn’t quite as commanding, but the message was the same. Accompanied by a bit of acceptance, as well.

“We want grandchildren,” she added. “But we know that if we mention this to you, you’ll just shut us out, so we don’t,” she concluded.

Jayden’s first instinct was to get up and leave the table, leave them sitting there. The fact that he felt that way bothered him. He wasn’t a high school kid anymore. And wasn’t going to run from things.

The idea that his parents thought they had to treat him like his mother’s fine china...

“You know I don’t intend to have a family,” he told them quietly. “And you know why.”

They nodded, both meeting his gaze openly.

“So, I don’t get it.” He frowned. “Why would you think that’s going to change?”

“You’re maturing, son,” Sheila said. She’d always been the one to have the emotional talks with him. His father had been the enforcer. “People change as they mature. Perspectives change.”

“This isn’t a perspective,” he told her, completely confident in what he was saying. “This is a life choice. One I’m not going to change.”

“Okay.” She looked to Jay, who put his hand over hers.

“You’re too much like me,” was all Jay said. He wasn’t like his father at all, but he let that go. Or at least, wasn’t willing to accept that he had to be like him.

“And there’s no reason to worry about me, either.” Picking up his utensil, he went back to work on dinner. “If you must know, I spent the weekend enjoying myself, not working.”

He had to give them that much. They were his parents, and he loved them.

* * *

Everything clicked for Emma on Sunday. Case files, prep for the morning, motions written and ready to file, grocery shopping down, bathrooms cleaned, and an email to Sara, asking her to call at her earliest convenience. She did, that same day. She wasn’t at work, but she was checking email. And said that she’d try to set up a meeting with Suzie within the next couple of days—preferably at the Stand.

Emma made a big bowl of pasta salad for dinner, with enough to take in for lunch a couple of times during the week. And she thought about Jayden.

It was good that he’d left as soon as they’d gotten up. That she hadn’t heard from him all day. They were doing it right. Sticking to their plan. It was working.

Remarkably, fantastically, well. All parts of her agreed on that one. For the first time in the couple of years that she and her dark side had been so critically at odds, Emma couldn’t distinguish between herself and Ms. Shadow. She felt oddly...at peace. Buoyant, even.

Her life’s map was on course. To the point that she’d openly spoken about the actions she was taking to start her own family. She’d told Jayden, knowing that it would put distance between them. That meant she could look forward to Jayden’s return that night guilt-free. Even more so when he didn’t call to suggest they dine together again. That would be too much like them becoming an item.

She’d expected to hear from him by seven that night, though. Hoped so, anyway. Not if he had an issue at hand. Of course not then. His work came first. She’d just had a thought or two about some fun they could have, things she’d like to try. Things she’d never even thought of before that day.

When Chantel called at seven forty-five, Emma’s heart jumped. It was close to dark and she was nervous about being alone. Not afraid, exactly, but uncomfortable. She could leave. But had already made the decision that she wasn’t going to let the creep push her out of her own home. She really just wished Jayden would get back. He knew the threat to her was still valid.

He was practically the one who’d made her aware of how very real the threat was. Wanting her to take it seriously.

“Just calling to let you know that I’ve got a couple of people stationed outside your home.” Chantel’s words didn’t make sense at first. Emma glanced out the window. Saw no one. “The car in the driveway next door. Your neighbor is out of town and gave us permission to park in the driveway. One or the other of the officers will check your perimeter at least once an hour.”

“I don’t understand.” Had something happened to Jayden? “I...”

“The chief says a threat to a prosecutor, most particularly one with the personal and emotional issues you handle, is not to be ignored. We aren’t taking any chances. Until we find out who did this, or have reason to believe you are no longer in danger, you’ll have protection.”

“But Jayden...”