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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TWO WEEKS LATER
EMBERLY SAT AT THE COUNTER beside Evelyn, her fingers idly tracing the rim of her coffee mug. Across from them, Jessica and Mark moved around the kitchen, tidying up after breakfast. The clinking of dishes and the soft hum of the radio filled the room, creating a comforting background noise.
"Okay, so you remember you have your appointment with Ms. Lane today at 3," Jessica said, her tone gentle but firm.
Emberly suppressed a sigh, leaning back in her chair. "I know, Mom. I've been seeing her for almost three weeks, and yet you still feel the need to remind me every single day."
Jessica shot her a pointed look, but Emberly could see the concern behind it. She wasn't annoyed, really—just a little weary of the constant hovering. She knew her mom was trying her best to be supportive, but it sometimes felt like she was being watched too closely, as if everyone was waiting for her to slip up again.
"How about we do something today as a family?" Mark chimed in, breaking the tension. He glanced up from drying a plate, his smile easy and warm. "We could go see a movie or something. It's been a while since we all did something together."
"I'd love that!" Evelyn said, her face lighting up. "I heard they're showing some new movies. Can Liam come too?"
At the mention of Liam, Emberly couldn't help but smile a little. Her relationship with her newly discovered brother had been going surprisingly well. She, Evelyn, and Liam had clicked almost instantly, like missing puzzle pieces finally finding their place. If someone had told her a month ago that she'd have a brother and they'd be this close, she would've laughed in their face.
"Sure," Jessica replied, rinsing out a glass.
"Uh, I can't come," Emberly said, standing and pushing her chair back. She felt the weight of everyone's eyes on her as she grabbed her empty mug and carried it to the sink. "I'm heading to Crenshaw today to check on Spencer. He just lost his dad, and I figured I should see how he's doing."
Jessica frowned, her movements pausing for a moment. "That's awful. Please tell Grace and the family I'm so sorry for their loss."
"I will," Emberly said, rinsing out her mug before setting it in the drying rack.
She turned back to grab her bag and keys from the hook by the door. The jingling sound reminded her of how long it had taken to earn back her car privileges. After everything that had happened—the late nights, the arguments, the drinking—it was a small but significant step toward rebuilding trust with her mom and Mark. It felt good to have that little piece of independence again, even if she still felt like they were watching her every move.
"Are you sure you're ready for this?" Jessica asked, her voice softer now.
Emberly nodded, slinging her bag over her shoulder. "I am. I hated not being there for him when it happened, but I was...I was trying to figure myself out. Now that I'm in a better place, I need to see how he's doing. He was there for me when I needed him. It's my turn to be there for him."
