Emmi's POV:
My jaw hung open as far as it could go without hurting, which honestly wasn't far at all. I stared at my parents in shock. "What do you mean you two aren't divorced?"
"Well...we wanted to try and work things out. We still love each other, your dad just thought it was a better idea to be somewhere else when his drinking got worse. He was worried about things." My mom explained.
I looked at my dad, as anger consumed me, "So you left your family so you could just keep on having your drinking problem instead of helping it?" I yelled.
"No, that's not it at all. I tried to stop when it started, but I was too far deep into a black abyss that I couldn't climb out. Since your brother's beat down, my alcoholism just got worse. I couldn't live with the guilt of it somehow being my fault it happened, so I drowned that guilt with drinks. I needed to try and fix myself before my anger consumed me through my drinking. I left, because I didn't want to hurt my family. I was scared, Emmilia." My father explained with tears in his eyes.
My expression softened as I tried to gather words to say. I didn't have any. I was still mad at him for fleeing when things got hard. Yes, I understood why he did it, but I was still angry with him over it. I sighed, shaking my head, "Dad...I get it, but I'm still mad you left us. I'm happy you are getting the help you need, I just wish it didn't come with us not being a family."
"Hey, we are still a family." He told me. "Just because your mother and I are separated, doesn't mean I don't want to be a part of your life. I am in therapy now, and working on forgiving myself. My drinking isn't as bad now either and soon I'll be coming back home."
"Please leave. I need some rest. Go get food, I don't care." I said to both my parents. I could tell they both wanted to protest, but the hurt and anger in my swollen face warned them not to.
Once they left, I cried as hard as I could. I didn't care if my body hurt like hell. My parents lied to me and the fact that my dad thought he could just come back to live in the house hurt me even more. They never realized how hard it was on Brooks and I when they started fighting over every little thing.
I tried to text Maddox, but my hands were shaking too much to even get the right words down to make sense. I didn't want to call him or even video call him, I knew I wouldn't be able to get the words out that way either.
I ended up crying myself to sleep and when I woke up, I saw both my parents sitting and talking like civilized people. They hadn't noticed I was awake yet, so I just listened quietly at what they were speaking of.
"I hated leaving you and the kids. It tore me apart inside, but I felt like I had no other choice. I couldn't live with myself if I hurt any of you." I heard my dad tell my mom.
"I know, sweetheart. Emmi will come to understand it all. Just give her some time, okay? She knows you love her and I know she loves you. And I know how awful it has been for her to hear us argue all the time. She had never seen it until Chester was gone, which is when all of this started. She was hurt more than Brooks when you left to get better, because you two have that father daughter bond." I heard my mom say.
Just listening to them talk how they did before my older brother was beaten to death made tears form at the base of my eyes. "Daddy," I choked.
Both my parents turned, not realizing I heard every word they said. "Sweetheart, I am so sorry for causing you so much hurt. I had no idea me leaving to keep you safe would have done this to you." My dad said, walking over to me. He sat down at the foot of my bed, taking my hand and holding it gently, "Emmilia, I never wanted you to see me as the monster I had become from your brothers death. That was a piece I didn't want you to know. I love you, sweetheart."
"I love you too, daddy." I sobbed. "I'm sorry for not listening and taking into account your reasonings." I noticed my mom left to give us some time together and I smiled, thanking her in my head.
"Do you still want us to leave?" He asked.
I shook my head, "No...it'd be really lonely on Thanksgiving without you two." I sniffled with a giggle. He rested his hand on my cheek and brushed my tears away. My dad was always the one who could cheer me up the best when I was little. And looking at how Maddox treated me and his actions towards me, they reminded me of my dad.
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An hour passed and my mom returned with dinner. I looked at the bags she had in her hands and realized they weren't from the cafeteria in the hospital. They were from my favorite restaurant, Herbs and Pasta, the best Italian restaurant near town. My mouth watered hungrily and my mom smiled, "I figured you'd want something tasteful instead of bland for Thanksgiving dinner."
"Yes, please. Thank you, mom." I smiled.
My mom brought my tray over and put it over me, so I could eat, while her and my dad set their food on the foot of my bed on either side of me. We talked and laughed as we ate, and even though I was in a hospital, it felt like we were whole again. It was definitely one of the better Thanksgivings I had had in half a decade.
Once we were done with dinner, I got the video call that Maddox said he'd do after he finished dinner. I answered eagerly and my parents chuckled. "Eager to see me again?" Maddox wiggled his brows.
I felt my cheeks get warm at his comment, "No..." I mumbled.
"You're face is starting to get less swollen. You've been icing it, I take it?" I nodded. "Good. I don't like seeing your pretty face like that. How was your dinner?"
"It was good. My mom got Herbs and Pasta, but it was a little hard to eat, because of my swollen lip, but I managed." I smiled. I looked behind him and raised my brows. "Where are you?"
"My room. More private that way. Fam is downstairs and I needed some alone time. I love my family, but they can be overwhelming sometimes. Especially during holidays or special occasions." He mentioned. We both heard a knock on his side and his door opened.
"Maddy, can't you put your phone down once today?" I heard. I giggled at the nickname and he glared at me.
"Penny, I can't right now. I'm on a phone call."
"Ooooo, is it your girlfriend? The pretty one who got hurt that you were talking to your mom about?" We both froze. Had he really spoke to his family about me? When we weren't even a thing?
"Uh...yes, but she's not my girlfriend. She's just a close friend of mine, who I care about very much."
"Awe, my baby cousin has a crush!" I heard another voice call out. It was a guys voice this time.
I watched as he panicked, "N--no! Red, get outta here! And I'm two years younger than you, old fart!" Maddox snapped back. "I thought you were heading back to college early?"
"Eh, I figured I'd stay a while longer. Plus, Aunt Whinne wants us to pick names for Christmas this year. Secret Santa, remember?"
I snickered at how embarrassed Maddox looked. "Call me back when you have more privacy."
"No! Don't hang up!" He turned his attention to me. "I mean um...please don't hang up?"
I heard footsteps getting closer to the phone, "Is that her?" Red asked.
Suddenly, the phone was facing a dark red-headed twenty year old guy with brown eyes. "Give it back, Red!" I heard Maddox yell.
"She looks cute, from what I can see with her face being swollen." He told Maddox. His attention turned back to me, "Hope you're doing okay. We heard what happened from the news and from Maddy here."
"Uh...yeah. I'm okay. In quite a bit of pain, but I'm okay." I gave a nervous smile. Then I heard a squeal from behind Red.
"Penny, what the hell?" Red flinched.
"I wanna meet her too!" I chuckled at Penny. Red turned me to a thirteen year old brunette girl with blue eyes. She was cute and peppy. "Oh my gosh! Hi!" She waved frantically.
I gave a half wave, "Hi," I smiled awkwardly.
And then, I was snatched from Red's hand and I saw Maddox again. "Out!" He pushed.
"Aw, but Maddy!" I heard Penny wine, knowing there was a pout on her face.
"Nope. Out!" He pressed.
"Sheesh, Mads. We just wanted to meet your girl." Red huffed.
I watched Maddox's face harden, "She's not my girl! She's a close friend of mine. That's it."
It was quiet from his cousins after that and I heard his door shut. He went back to his bed and sighed, running his hand through his hot mess of hair. "So...that was interesting." I said.
"Sorry about them. They're always poking their noses in places they don't belong." He rolled his eyes and ran his hand down his face with a sigh. "That is why I went to my room before I called you."
I chuckled, "Yeah, I can see that. My parents say hi, by the way. They're sitting in here with me and heard the whole thing."
"Honey, we're gonna go take a walk. Give you some quiet time." My mom smiled.
"Okay, thanks mom. Don't be back too late, otherwise I don't think you two will be able to get back in." I waved goodbye as they left. I looked back at Maddox, "So...I have something funny to tell you."
"Oh? What is that?" Maddox asked.
"My mom said that you are interested in me as more than friends. She says she can tell just by the way you act around me on Wednesdays and the fact that you pick Brooks and I up for school every day." I laughed. Please don't be wrong, mom. I begged in my head.
"I um...do..." He avoided eye contact and my heart stopped. "I didn't want to say anything, since I was still trying to figure my feelings out. But I can't keep denying the strong feelings I developed for you, Emmi."
"R--really?" I gulped.
He nodded, "Yeah...but I know you don't want anything right now. So I don't want to force you into something you're not ready for...if you feel the same way that is."
He just confessed he liked me...like...like liked me. Like interested in dating me. What? Was this seriously happening right now? I felt my heart thump in my chest and I felt my chest tighten. Alarms went off and Maddox looked up, worried. "Emmi? Emmi! Answer me!" I heard his voice crack and I hung up. He didn't need to see my panic attack that he accidentally caused.