(10 months later)
“My brother’s going to be released from the
hospital tomorrow.”
I looked up from the charts and graphs on my
laptop to find Emma standing in the office
doorway, holding Abigail at her hip.
“What?”
She shifted Abigail to her other side and sighed.
“Yeah, I just got a call from my dad. Apparently
he’s been treated and is taking his medication
like he’s supposed to. They decided it was okay
to release him as long as he lives with someone
in the family.”
It took me a few moments to process
everything she was telling me. “Is that even
legal? I mean… he killed so many-“
“I know,” she interrupted. “But if the doctors say
he’s better… then why shouldn’t he be able to
live with someone in the family?”
“I don’t want you anywhere near him, Emma,” I
said firmly, standing up.
“Ricky-, “she began.
“No. Not after what he did, Emma.”
She sighed and narrowed her eyes at me.
“Ricky, he’s my brother.”
“I don’t care who he is, you’re not going near
him.”
She tried to blink away the tears that were
forming at the edges of her eyes, but one
escaped and slid down her cheek. “I already told
my dad I would pick him up tomorrow,” she
whispered. “I got to talk to him and he wants
to meet Abigail.”
“No, absolutely not,” I told her, taking a few
steps forward. She shifted Abigail in her arms
again and looked up at me. “I don’t want that
monster anywhere near you, let alone my child.”
“That monster , Ricky,” she began, “is my brother.
Despite what he’s done, he’s still my brother.
My father has already agreed to release him
from the hospital, but he’s in Brazil for the rest
of the month and asked me to pick him up. I
told him I would and whether you like it or not
I’m going to do what my father asked me to
do.”
She was glaring at me with anger burning in her
hazel eyes. Emma has never yelled at me like
that before. Sighing, I forced myself to stay
calm and put my hand to her cheek.
“I just don’t want anything to happen to you if
he had some sort of breakdown and attacked
you in the process.”
She placed her free hand on the top of mine
and kissed me.
“Nothing will happen as long as he’s taking his
medication. And the doctors have ensured us
that he has been. Please,” she begged. “He
misses me. And he wants to meet Abigail so
badly.”
I sighed again. Maybe she was right about her
brother. What if he really is better?
“Okay,” I finally agreed. “But I want you to keep
in touch with me so I know you and Abigail are
okay.”
I watched her face light up as she smiled
widely. She kissed me, then said, “Thank you,
sweetheart.”
“I love you,” I said. Abigail began crying before
she could reply. Emma started shushing Abigail
quietly and bouncing her up and down while
patting her back gently.
I think someone’s hungry,” she said to Abigail in
her ‘baby-talk’ voice. She went to leave, but
turned around and kissed me once more. “I love
you more. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” I said as she walked out of
the office, off to feed Abigail. “I love you.”
~
(The next morning)
“Call me when you get there, okay?” I told her
through the van door window as she got her
seatbelt on.
“Okay.”
Click.
She turned to me. “I wish you could some. I’m
going to be lonely for the two hours I have to
drive on the way there.”
“What about Abigail?” I asked, glancing at the
car seat behind Emma’s seat.
“She’s asleep, and I want to keep it that way,”
she said.
“I know, I’m sorry. But I have a very important
meeting today that I can’t miss,” I said.
“I know, I know,” she said back, rolling her eyes.
“But I will miss you.”
“I’ll miss you, too. I love you, Emma.”
“I love you, too, Ricky,” she said. I leaned in and
kissed her hard. I loved her so much, and I
didn’t want anything to happen to her. It would
kill me if anything bad had ever happened. She
pulled back and I opened the side door to kiss
Abigail goodbye. She was bundled up in her
favorite pink blanket and clutching her worn-out
teddy bear in one hand, sleeping soundly inside
of her carrier.
I kissed the top of her head and whispered,
“Goodbye, my precious angel.”
I closed the door and waved to Emma as she
pulled out of the driveway. She waved back and
blew me a kiss. I pretended to catch it and
place it on my heart. She laughed and then
rolled up her window. She waved at me again
and then drove out of sight.
“Goodbye, my sweet Emma,” I whispered.
“Goodbye.”
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