The Kents

Forty Eight

"Okay." I mutter and hang up.

A huge part of me was relieved she didn't run to that asshole.

But where could she be?!

Could she have possibly gone to her mother's place?

But why?

Although she has been going recently...

I don't think about this for a second more and start steering the wheel towards her mother's house.

~~~~~~~~~~

Nothing! Nothing, but dust, locked doors and locked windows.

My chest tightens further... I really hoped I'd find her already.

I will not forgive myself if anything happens to her.

Even if she broke a nail! I won't forgive myself...

I head to the second last place before I decide to head down to the police and ask for her search immediately.

The tree house...

And for the second time today, I've almost had a heart attack.

She wasn't there either...

My phone pings right before I lose it...

'Her phone is back on and she just texted she's fine but won't pick up or say where she was at. Come home...'

I get Erik's text and immediately thank god she was fine...

I head home and pray she'd be there and end my torment...

The wheels of my car screech noisily when I hit the brakes. I jolt out of the car.

"Emma?" I approach her and inspect her from head to toe.

It was her...

She was fine.

She wasn't crying...

She was just staring up at me with those worn-out pair of innocent ocean blue eyes.

I pull her to me hungrily.

Crushing her in my embrace.

"Don't do that again Emma! I swear I'll lock you in the house if you ever disappear like that again, do you understand?!" I shook her shoulders repeatedly.

She didn't respond.

She stared at me again with the same worn-out look.

What it is? What does she want me to say?

Her stillness concerned me...

"Speak to me Em... Where were you?" I ask and keep her at arm's length, inspecting her.

"I just walked around..." She replies with a faded voice.
I sigh in relief.

We stare at each other for a moment and then she looks away, breaking our contact.

So I start to speak...

"Silver's father has cancer..." I utter and this time she turns and focuses on what I was saying.

"She was falling apart. She wanted me to tell Andrea because she couldn't..."
She gives me a doubtfull look...

"But that's just about it Emma, at first I thought she was going to pull off one of her dramatic acts. But no, she wasn't here to act... She just needed help."

"So no, I did not kiss her, I wouldn't have, and I never would. Not even over my dead body." I rush the words out for her and she lowers her gaze demurely.