Our Time Will Come - An After Story

88

Emery

"There you are, my dear" Karen chimes as she places a hot chocolate on the counter before me. Only Karen, would make everyone a hot chocolate in such a crisis, marshmallows, whipped cream, the lot. It's five in the morning and nobody has slept a wink in this whole house. Since grandpa Ken got the news that my father has been arrested on the suspicion of attempted murder, it's safe to say that the household has been rather unsettled.

I still refuse to look at my uncle Landon after the stunt he pulled. I still believe that he is the reason that my Father committed this dreadful crime. After the eventful weekend, my father was on the edge and I believe that Landon pushed him over that edge. Yet my father is in freaking jail and Landon is enjoying a nice, warm hot chocolate at his mothers house. I'm getting madder by the second, just thinking about it.

"Addy, you have to calm down dear. All of this stress isn't good for the baby!" I overhear Nana Karen say from across the room. Addy has been pacing this whole house, since she learned the horrifying condition that the father of her child is currently in. She eventually listens to our Nana and takes a seat at the kitchen counter like the rest of us. "Why would uncle Hardin do such a thing!?" Her voice is shaky as she leans onto her fathers shoulder. That's it. I've had enough. I have to say something. Before I know it, I'm on my feet.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe because your dad called him and gave him orders to?" I scoff. Her eyes widen as she pulls away from her fathers embrace. "What?" Her bottom lip trembles. "That's right. I heard Uncle Landon on the phone to my dad, he gave him his permission to go out there and Kill Austin Priestley. He encouraged him. Reminded him that he had betrayed his niece" I say loud enough for everybody to hear.

"Landon?! Is this true?" My grandpa bellows and my uncle begins to stutter uncontrollably. "I'm sorry! Okay?!" He admits, whilst standing from his seat. "It's just - I -".

Landon is cut off, when my grandfather answers the phone. "It's Tessa" he announces, before placing a finger in his opposite ear to improve his hearing.Why is my mother calling everyone, but me. "What?!" His eyes widen and my excitement grows as the expression on my grandpa's face is a good one. "Vance?" He sighs. Vance? What about my grandfather? He's talking in riddles!

"That's great! Thank god!" He yells, before hanging up and I want to shake him so that he will share the news. "The charges have been dropped. Hardin is innocent. Vance somewhat witnessed the crime and took all of the evidence to the station" actual tears brim at my grandpa's eyes. I don't know what to say. Thousands of questions begin to reel in my head. Why is Vance in New York, was Kimberly with him? What are the chances of him witnessing a crime that my father was accused of? Why am I asking myself the least important things?!

"Oh my gosh" I break the silence, wrapping my arms around my grandpa in excitement. "Your mother sounded like she was going to cry with relief!" he squeals.

Oh my gosh, it's just hit me. My poor mom. My father has been here all weekend, she has been left alone to deal with Auden and the twins, my father returns and on the same night, he is arrested. She must have been frantic with worry. "I need to go be with them" I announce and my grandfather nods in agreement.

"This is great" Landon chimes and everybody in the house turns their heads sharply at him in sync. "What?!" He scoffs. "What? What? Landon are you for real? You know how impressionable Hardin is. Hardin didn't do this, but you encouraged him to. If he did attack that boy, he would have been locked away for the rest of his life. Your nieces and nephews would be fatherless, poor Tessa would be all alone... I - I have no words" my Nana bursts into tears. I automatically head on over there to comfort her, though, I'm sure I'm the one who needs comforting right now.

"I'm- I'm sorry" my uncle stutters. "Sorry doesn't cut it, Landon" my Aunt Nora cuts in. I instantly feel for my uncle and feel the need to defend him. Why? I'll never know. Maybe it's because I've realised that life is too short to hold grudges and now that my father is free, it doesn't matter.

"Uncle Landon, it's okay" I approach him, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. The whole room gasps at my forgiving nature and they're right to. I'll admit, it's not like me to let something go so easily. Landon returns the gesture and I offer him a soft smile.

I glance around the room for Addelyn and my eyes find her seated at the kitchen counter, still. Her head is buried in her hands and she hasn't said a word. Why isn't she happy that my father has been released? Why is she staying silent through all of this? "Addy? Aren't you going to say something?" I wave my hands in the air. "What is there to say? Austin is still lay in a hospital bed with tubes everywhere and a bleed on the brain. Your father might be free, but the father of my child isn't" she mutters and I realise that she is more focused on Austin than anything else.

"You know what? I think it's about time we head home too, honey" Landon says to Nora, but loud enough for the rest of the room to hear. I hope they don't decide to fly home with me, It's just.. I've had no sleep and I was kind of hoping to use that time to reflect.

"What? But you just got here last night!" Nana Karen emotes, her voice shaky. "I know that, mom. But I can't take any more of this. This has been too much" he admits. "Too much for you? Think about how it's been for your poor daughter! She needs you at a time like this" my Nana hisses. "I'm sorry" he shrugs, before heading up the stairs, presumably to go pack. Nora follows him. I'm thankful that I have been living out of a suitcase for the past few days and all that I have to do Is close it ..and I'm good to go.

I take in my surroundings, making eye contact with each and every person in this room. I'm surprised when I realise that Abby is no longer here. Typical. She has gone back to bed, hasn't she? Only Abby would put beauty sleep before the livelihood of her older brother. "I suppose I'll go get my stuff too" I shrug. "I'll take you guys to the airport" my grandpa chimes, as I approach the stairs. I mime a thank you to him on the way past.

"Emery!" I'm dazzled by Addy calling my name. "I really am glad that your father didn't do this and that he's free. I just... I didn't. I -" she attempts to explain herself but breaks down. "Hey" I shush her as I wrap my arms around her. I squeeze her tightly to silently tell her that I understand. "I love you" I whisper to my beloved cousin. I pull away from our embrace and hold her hands as I tell her that everything is going to be okay. My heart breaks for this girl. Her parents are leaving the state on bad terms with her, she left her friends behind in New York, the father of her child's life is on the line. She must feel so alone. If school didn't start back on Monday, I would probably stay here for the foreseeable just to be there for her, but enough is enough. I need to focus on me, for once in my life.