The Dove And The Grenade.

Chapter 25: Original Princess.

 "Where are we going?" Emily asked from the backseat. Her brown eyes were wide with curiosity. It's been forty-five minutes since they've left the driveway and neither Eliese nor Matt has told her where they're going. She was starting the get antsy and nervous. Matt woke her up early that morning and they had a "special breakfast" of bacon, eggs and blueberry chocolate chip pancakes. That made her suspicious. Her mom and Matt were being unusually kind to not only each other but her. After yesterday Emily would've thought they'd be lecturing her about no makeup, no boyfriends, no miniskirts, and all that fun stuff; but they didn't. After breakfast Emily still had to do the dishes, wash, dry and put them away. There were no differences there. After that Eliese told her to get dressed but no skirts or dresses. Emily put on her Clipper's tee shirt under a red and black plaid shirt with the sleeves rolled up, a pair of shorts and her white All Star's with her black beanie. Eliese made sure Emily put sunscreen on as well. Emily may be Native American and doesn't burn but skin cancer is very much preventable. Emily made sure Matt put sunscreen on because he does burn and it's supposed to be hot and sunny today.

'What if they're taking me to the orphanage to leave me there forever?' Emily thought waiting for a reply from either of them. Emily's asked a few times where they were going but neither of them would give her a straight answer. She was scared that they're taking her to the orphanage to leave her there. They are having another baby after all. That means they're building a new family and Emily can't possibly be a part of that. Matt is Genevieve's dad and Nathan is her dad, a family can't have two dads and a mom. And Emily knows that her dad doesn't want to be around her so she can't go live with him. The orphanage is the only possible place she could go.

"Don't worry, we're almost there." Matt said from behind the wheel. He glanced back at the ten year-old in the rear view mirror before looking over at Eliese sitting in the passenger seat. She scrolled through her phone and replied to text messages from people she once knew back in School. She was unsure how they got her number; she hasn't talked to these people since she got pregnant with Emily and they turned their backs on her. She didn't want to be a part of their lives but she was flattered that they were saying nice things about her now, unlike back in School. Eliese could almost scoff at the nice things they were saying. She wanted to tell them off about how they treated her back then but she opted not to, instead she was nice to them. She even showed Matt the texts this morning when they were getting ready. Matt asked if they knew those people, Eliese had to explain that she was friends with them back in School before they abandoned her when she got pregnant. Matt laughed and continued to get dressed in a muscle shirt and cargo shorts. Eliese was envious of him; it was easy for him to get ready while she had to make sure everything still fit her properly. She opted to wearing a tie-dye tee shirt and short shorts. It concealed her ever growing baby bump but it was light enough to wear without dying of heat.

"We are here." Matt said pulling into an empty parking space. Emily sat upright to look out the window, she feared the worst but what she saw made butterflies flutter in her stomach and a smile grow across her face. The family of three bought their wrist bands from the ticket booth then ventured into the amusement park. Of course Emily had to stay close to either her mom or stepdad. That was common sense but she was so excited to go on the rides and play the games. Eliese made sure she brought the camera to take pictures since she couldn't go on a lot of the rides. Matt went on them with Emily, Matt laughed while Emily squealed then giggled. Emily had to give her mom her hat otherwise it'd go flying off of her head when she was on the rides. Emily was even tall enough to go on some of the rides she couldn't go on last year, which made her very happy. But it made Eliese a bit sad. Her baby was growing up; she's going to be eleven years-old in November which is in eight months. It's been ten years since Emily was born and it hasn't been easy. Eliese has made some crummy decisions but she feels that she's getting her life on track. Example: She's standing here pregnant with her second child in a relationship where he hasn't hit her and he actually loves her, she's watching her best friend and her daughter laughing and having fun. There are some novelties in life that can't be explained, or be captured in a picture. You can look at a picture and see the happiness, you can remember but you'll never get the same amount of happiness. It's like getting high, the first time you get high is the best and every time after that is just a picture of a memory. That's how people get addicted to drugs; they're chasing that picture perfect memory of pure happiness.  

After Matt and Emily rode on a few rides they decided it was time for lunch. Eliese agreed with that decision. The trio ordered a couple slices of pizza and enjoyed their lunch on the pier in the warm sun. Matt and Eliese shared a look with each other, as if telepathically telling each other now is the time to talk with Emily about the future. But they were unsure of how to approach this topic. Do they dive right in or do they ease into it?

"Are you excited for summer?" Matt asked, easing them into the topic. Emily nodded and sipped her diet coke.

"Yeah, I'm excited to take a break from School. The work is getting harder." Emily explained shortly. Eliese nodded at her daughter with a smile.

"You're grades are doing fantastic, I'm really proud of you." Eliese reminded Emily that she's proud of her for doing her best in School. Emily smiled weakly and shrank into her shoulders with blush on her cheeks.

"Are you excited to help your mom decorate Genevieve's room?" Matt questioned taking a bit of his pizza. The two adults watched as the young girl sank into something unknown, they knew they just watched the happiness drain from Emily's brown eyes.

"I guess so." Emily mumbled lowly and shrugged, bowing her head down slightly. Matt and Eliese exchanged worried expressions.

"You know, we still love you, right?" Eliese told her sad ten year-old daughter, placing her hand on the girl's knee with a weak mothering smile. Emily looked up at the two adults with tears glossing her eyes.

"Why would you? You have a new baby to love now." The young girl mumbled. Her words shattered Eliese's heart and crushed Matt into dust. They were saddened by what she said. She thinks that just because there's a new baby coming means they no longer love her.

"Emilia Rose St Clair, you listen to me and listen good." Eliese told her daughter in a strict but mothering tone. Emily looked up at her mom with tears in her heartbroken brown eyes. Her bottom lip stuck out slightly.

"Just because another baby is on the way doesn't mean that we don't love you. Matt and I will always love you, even when you decide it's a good idea to wear my makeup or act out. Nothing can change our love for you." Eliese reached to the bottom of her heart to tell her daughter that. She didn't want Emily thinking she and Matt don't love her anymore. Matt and Eliese could see Emily starting to conjure up something but they weren't sure what. Her eyes dried of all tears and her face became hard.

"I have a secret to tell you."