UNJUSTIFIED HATRED {completed} (wattys 2015)

CHAPTER 14- NEW DAY

Emily woke up tired, she had been tossing and turning all night with little sleep. The scenes the day before haunted her. She still couldn't believe yesterday even happened, let alone Ash's reaction. Yawning, she got out of bed then walked into the bathroom.  After washing off, she got dressed in her work clothes. She didn't know what her place was anymore or if she was still employed but got dressed in her work clothes anyway; dressing in the work left her ready for anything Mrs. Hurley had to say.  

She headed to the kitchen first, she needed to eat something and also take her prenatal pills before embarking on any duties. If she had one.

She walked into the kitchen to find both Sherri and Carol already there chatting quietly. They stopped talking abruptly when they saw her come in. The surprise on their faces quickly turned into relief as they both walked to her then hugged her fiercely.

"Oh my lord, girl you scared us shitless yesterday!" Sherri exclaimed then gave her another fierce hug.

 Emily giggled at Sherri's choice of word. "Shitless? Really?" Leave it to Sherri to say something like that.

"Don't pay her no mind" Carol added in her Jamaican accent that Emily loved so much. She vowed to visit Jamaica at least once in her lifetime just to hear how the people talked. As educated as Carol was, she still had the accent and Emily loved to hear her talk. Carol also had the dread to match; hers were shoulder length and filled with grays.

 "So how are you? What happened to you?" Carol asked urgently looking Emily over and searching for any sign of distress. She found none.

"And what was going on here yesterday?" Sherri added. One a time please, Emily wanted to say instead she remained quiet.

First thing first, food; she had another mouth to feed now.  She walked to the cabinet, grabbed a bowl, and then walked to the refrigerator. She took out the milk, poured some into her bowl before grabbing the cereal that was sitting on the kitchen island. She poured some into her bowl of milk, picked the spoonful up but stop midway to her mouth

"Can I eat first?" she asked when she saw the eager looks the other helps were giving her, both waiting for the answers to their questions. They nodded for her to go ahead.

Emily smiled then shoved the spoon in her mouth. After two spoons, she sighed loudly. Sherri and Carol were both looking too inpatient for her to ignore. She was glad they were worried about her. It must have been a scare to them, especially Sherri, seeing her pass out like that had to have been shocking for the older woman.  

"I am fine. Not dying or anything" she assured them hoping it would ease their concern. It didn't.

"So what happened? Why did you pass out like that?" Sherri asked, concern laced in her voice. Emily felt bad for Sherri; she couldn't imagine how Sherri must have felt at that moment. She knew she would have come closed to passing out herself if the table was turned.

"I passed out because I was exhausted and dehydrated which I shouldn't especially with my condition" dαmn.  As soon as the word left her mouth, she realized her mistake. She shouldn't have used the word condition. She was supposed to make them worry less instead she had done the exact opposite.

 "Your condition?" Both Sherri and Carol asked at the same time. "You just said you were fine" carol added her wrinkled brows brunched together.

Emily swallowed the cereal in her mouth. She really needed to use her words well. "I'm fine, just pregnant" she answered nonchalantly. She figured if she downplayed it, it wouldn't be as shocking.

She laughed lightly when she saw both women with their mouth hanging open. "Shocked the hell out of me too" she cringed when she remembered her reaction when the doctor had delivered the news. They must have thought she had gone looney. Jeez, thank God they didn't take me to the psyche ward.