Life As A Hemmings (sequel to ABLH)

ten

I woke up and Jacksons head was on my chest, his arms around my stomach.

My parents went somewhere early this morning and won't be back until tonight, they took my brothers with them since I had Jackson.

I ran my fingers through his hair as he slept peacefully. His eyes opened and he looked confused, but then looked up at me.

"Hey," he spoke raspily.

"Hi," I spoke as I have him a tired smile.

"What time is it?" He asked.

I looked over at the walk clock and said, "10:34"

"Shit, I have practice today," he spoke as he coughed.

"No you dont," I spoke as I felt his forehead.

"Why not?" He whined back.

"Fever, you're staying here," I spoke as I got out of his grasp.

"Emma, I have-"

"Shut up Jackson, you aren't going," I spoke as he sighed and rose from the couch.

"Dude, it's cold," he spoke quietly as I tried to find him a thermometer and some medicine.

"C'mon," I spoke back as I grabbed his hand and led him upstairs to my room.

I went to my closet and grabbed one of my dads long sleeved shirts and tossed it to him. He took of his shirt and I gasped.

He had a few bruises and cuts on his stomach and sides.

"J," I spoke in shock as he looked down.

"Em, it's not what you think. We get rough at practice," he rambled.

"Are you sure?" I asked as I examined them.

"Yes, that's all it is," he spoke as I looked up at him.

"Can I ask you a question?" I asked as we laid down on my bed.

"Of course," he spoke.

"Was your dad a criminal like people say?"

He sighed, "Yeah."

"What'd he do?" I asked calmly.

"He raped a girl at the age of 3 or 4 and shot a teenager at a gas station. Then, he tried to take the girl and got her, that's when he raped her," he mumbled, "My dad was a total ass and I can't imagine what hell my dad put them through. The doctors said that he had some sort of disease where he got confused on some things and told people the wrong. He kept on telling people that she died by getting shoved around at a concert and that caused her to get brain damage. She actually had cancer and Alzheimer's."

My eyes went wide. His dad did this to me? I thought he stole or something.

"Jackson, where did this happen?"

"Atlanta, it was like a little over 10 years ago."

Oh shit.

"If I tell you something, you promise not to flip?" I asked.

"Yeah, why?" He asked concerned.

"That little girl and teenager was me and my father."

His eyes widened and he stood up from the bed and paced back and forth.

"No," he spoke, "it wasn't you. Please god tell me you are lying to me right now."

I shook my head, "I'm not."

He ran his fingers through his hair as he breathed heavily. He shook his head and tears filled his eyes.

"No, Emma, I don't believe you," he stuttered.

I rose from my bed and grabbed a box from my closet. My Uncle Niall got a newspaper from the day it happened and it had me and my dads picture on it.

I handed it to Jackson and he looked at it for a minute and one hand flew to his mouth and tears steamed down his face.

He looked up at me, then back down at the paper, then up at me.

"Em, oh my god, I'm so sorry. Dear god, this is awful," he sobbed as I walked closer.

I grab the newspaper and lay it on my bed, taking his hands in mine

"Look at me," I whispered as he looked in my eyes.

"That was years ago and I had no clue who you were. I was 3 for crying out loud. I'm fine and so is my dad, as you can see. Let this go," I whispered towards him.

"Let it go? Do you not remember what my dad did to you? You should just leave me," he mumbled.

My hand went to his jaw and I made him look back at me. "Let it go, please."

I saw the exhaustion and sadness in his eyes, "Fine."

He dropped his hands and sighed, "I really need to go home before my mom freaks."

I nodded, "Okay."

His feverish lips met my forehead and he left, shutting the door behind him.

//

"Em? Baby girl where are you?" My Uncle Michael called.

"Up here!" I called as he came upstairs.

Arden was dead asleep in his arms and he looked kind of worried.

"What's wrong?" I asked him.

"Why was Jackson here last night? I came in this morning to get your father so he wouldn't be late and saw him with you on the couch."

"He had a nightmare and called. I told him to come over and we watched movies until we fell asleep," I told him as we sat on my bed, Arden resting in his arms.

"The paps caught him leaving earlier and he was crying. Did something go wrong?" He asked.

"I figured out something that you'll be pissed about," i spoke.

"What?" He asked.

"Do you remember when I got taken and raped and dad got shot?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Jacksons dad was the one that did it to us."