Chapter Twelve..... Tristan
After Emmaleigh and I eat breakfast, she heads back to her house.
"I will pick you up around seven." I tell her.
"Okay I'll see you then." She smiles and kisses my cheek. This has to be the perfect date she will ever experience. I decide to do a picnic in the park. She loves the outdoors and the stars. I walk to the park and see these trees alined in a perfect circle. This is the spot. I walk back home and run into my mom.
"Hey can you make diner for Em and I tonight? Like as in for a picnic, please?" I ask.
"Sure. Where will you have it at?" she asks.
"In the park under lights hanging in the tree." I say with a smile.
"Sounds romantic. Did you do it already?" she asked.
"Uh no but I will." We both laugh. She walks off and her smile turns into a frown. She looks like she is hiding something.
"Mom are you okay?" I ask.
"Yes I am and you will be too." she says. I don't understand what she means by this but I don't really care. Tonight is about Emmaleigh. I drive to the park and start decorating. I put lanterns that will light up when it turns dark and some lights you would see on Christmas trees wrapped around the tree. If she doesn't like this I will probably cry. I go back home and see Sarah watching TV.
"Hey Tristan." Sarah says.
"Hey Sarah." I say. I sit beside her and she looks at me.
"Are you and Emmaleigh going to get married?" she asks. I almost choke on my own saliva.
"What?" I ask while coughing.
"You heard me. Are you?" she asks with a giggle.
"I don't know. I haven't thought that far ahead." I tell her.
"Well you need to because she is the best thing that has happened to you. Don't let her go." Sarah says.
"You know you are to smart for a five year old." I say.
"I'm five and three quarters." she says.
"Whatever Sarah." I push her and then she pushes me. My mom then yells from the kitchen.
"Your basket is finished Tristan." she says.
"Thanks Mom." I tell her. I change my clothes into a green polo and khakis. I grab the basket and head to my car. I give my mom a hug and she walks upstairs.
"I have to make a phone call. I will see you in a little bit." She gives me a half smile and she continues up the stairs. I drive to the park and put the basket down on the blanket. I drive to Emmaleigh's house with a blindfold in my hand. She climbs out her window in a beautiful blue dress. I still hate the way she is treating her father. I don't want to be the bad guy in this situation. She climbs in and smiles at me.
"I hate sneaking around your father like this." I tell her.
"A year ago he gave me the silent treatment and now I'm returning the favor." she says. I put the blindfold over her eyes and she is startled.
"I guess you don't want me to know anything huh?" she says.
"Now you are getting the picture." I tell her. When we pull up to the park, I stop and open her door and pull her out. She is very tense and I see she is nervous.
"Don't be scared Em. Everything will be okay, I promise." I tell her. She nods and I pull her towards the picnic. I stop her and take the blindfold off of her. Her eyes wonder off to everything. She looks at all the lights, the beautiful picnic, and finally at me.
"Wow." Although it was one word, it was enough for me to feel accomplished in all of my hard work.
"I knew you would say that." I tell her. I put my arms around her and give her a hug. I then kiss her on her forehead.
"It's so beautiful." she says.
"Just like you." she blushes.
"That was really cheesy." she laughs.
"I know but you loved it." I say.
"True. Did you work on this all day?" she asks.
"Yes well my mom made the food but I did the rest." I tell her. We then sit and eat. This is one of the best nights of my life. After we finished, we cleaned up the food and garbage. We decided to lay down and look at the stars. I look over and see her looking at everything. She is like a light in the dark and I can't stop staring. When she turns her head and looks at me, I knew now was the moment to tell her the three little words that have killed me on the inside.
"I have to tell you something Emmaleigh." I say.
"Okay." She says. She clearly sees that I'm nervous. So she grabs my hand and holds it close to her chest. Which shows me that it's okay. I smile and put my free hand on her cheek.
"I love you, Emmaleigh Eldridge." I blush and she almost cries.
"I love you too, Tristan Baker." She says. Those were the words I have been dying to hear and now my day is complete. Nothing could ruin this day. We are so close to kissing when we hear someone pull up in the parking lot. We look and see a lady in a fancy working suit.
"Emmaleigh Eldridge?" she asks.
"Yes that's me." She says.
"Hi! I'm Lorraine Parker from Child Protective Services and I'm here about your father." she says. Her breathing suddenly stops and she starts to cry.
"I'm going to take you in until your fathers court hearing." Lorraine says.
"Why is he going to court?" She asks.
"We were called about him abusing you for almost a year and whatever happens to him in court determines what happens to you." she says.
"What?" She asks. My breathing suddenly stops. Now I know why Mom was acting weird when I left.
"If he goes to jail, you will have to go live with your Aunt Martha in New York." she says. She stops breathing and looks over to me. I'm mad and upset all at the same time. She looks mad at me and I wouldn't blame her.
"Did you tell?" She asks me.
"Uh I didn't tell her." I point to Lorraine.
"Then who did you tell?" She asks. Tears are pouring down her face.
"Uh I might have... uh..." I stutter. How am I suppose to tell her my mom did all of this to her. It would make me sound like she hated her.
"Tristan spit it out." She says firmly. I have to tell her the truth. As they say 'The truth will set you free.'
"My mom. I couldn't lie to her... I mean she wondered what happened and I told her. I'm sorry." I say. She stands up. Whoever said 'The truth will set you free.' is a complete liar.
"Come with me Mrs. Eldridge." Lorraine says. She looks at me as Lorraine is pulling her away. I start to cry and my heart was officially crushed. She looks away and I'm so mad that I don't know what to do with myself. I turn off the lights that made Em and I so happy, that made us realized our love for each other, and the ones that brought it all down in a blink of an eye. I drive home and barge in the door.
"How was the picnic sweetie?" Mom asks. I stare at her with tears streaming down my face.
"What happened!" She exclaimed.
"Don't act like you don't know what happened." I tell her. She then looks at the ground.
"I'm sorry I couldn't keep that a secret. You know that!" she yells.
"You know that if her father is convicted she will have to move in with her aunt." I tell her.
"Maybe it's not that far from here." she says.
"New York. Yeah it's not that far!" I yell at her. She looks hurt but I don't care.
"I knew she would break your heart." She says. She starts to walk away.
"No Mom. She didn't break my heart."
"What do you mean?" she asks.
"She didn't break my heart. You did."