Emberly Emerson world is turned around when she learns her best friend is coming to Beverly. While she is excited about the arrival of her friend being there, others not so much. With these new changes, comes new problems and Emberly has to go throu...
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THE NEXT MORNING, AFTER GETTING herself ready for school, Emberly descended the stairs and made her way to the kitchen. She expected the house to be quiet—like it usually was—but to her surprise, everyone was there. Jessica sat at the table scrolling through her phone, a cup of coffee steaming beside her. Evelyn leaned against the counter, dressed and ready for her day but already looking slightly annoyed, as if she'd rather be anywhere else.
"Morning," Emberly said, her voice flat despite her effort to sound casual.
"Good morning," Jessica replied, glancing up. Her gaze lingered on Emberly for a moment, as if weighing her mood. "Actually, I was going to ask both of you something. Have either of you told Liam about being... siblings?"
"Half-siblings," Emberly corrected automatically, grabbing the orange juice from the fridge. She twisted the cap a little harder than necessary and poured the juice into her glass, deliberately avoiding her mom's eyes.
"No," Evelyn said, her tone clipped but measured. "We think it's best to hold off for now."
Jessica set her phone down, her expression calm but firm. "Why? It's been a few weeks. Don't you think Liam deserves to know he has two sisters?"
"Half-sisters," Emberly muttered, taking a long sip of her juice. The bitterness in her tone was impossible to miss. "And you—who kept this from us for seventeen years—are suddenly worried about us telling him why?"
The room fell into a tense silence. Emberly's words hung heavy in the air, her frustration sharp and unyielding. She hadn't planned to lash out, but the anger she'd been holding back finally slipped through the cracks.
Jessica's lips pressed into a thin line. She didn't immediately respond, her eyes studying Emberly with a mix of surprise and something else—understanding, maybe. She had expected some pushback eventually, but it was still jarring to hear Emberly speak with such raw anger.
"You're right," Jessica said quietly, her voice steady but edged with authority. "But that doesn't give you the right to speak to me like that. I'm still your mother, and I deserve respect."
Jessica stood, moving to grab her purse from the counter. "Mark's already at work, and I picked up extra hours at the hospital tonight. You two can order takeout for dinner." She placed a couple of twenty-dollar bills on the table before turning back to them.
"I love you both," she said firmly, her voice softer but resolute, before heading out the door. The click of it closing left the room feeling colder, emptier.
Emberly turned back to her juice, staring into the glass as if it held answers. She could feel Evelyn's gaze on her, sharp and questioning.
"What was that about?" Evelyn asked finally, her voice tight with controlled irritation. "Why did you have to talk to Mom like that?"
Emberly's grip on the counter tightened. "Are you serious? I was just being honest. Was anything I said wrong?"
"No," Evelyn admitted after a pause, but her arms crossed over her chest defensively. "But being honest doesn't mean you get to be cruel. Mom's trying her best—this isn't easy for her either."
