Waiting For Love (Wild Creek Ranch Book 2)

Chapter Twenty-Four

As Ember drove into Fordsville, she saw that there had no change in the past ten months whatsoever. Everything was the same, just as it was when she had left. She drove down the marketplace and all the memories came fresh to her mind, of Rex and his Ford F-250, their meeting in front of his aunt's boutique, everything. Her throat was choked with emotions when she parked her car right inside her grandparents' house. Climbing down, she watched eith tears in her eyes, the house which had been her home since she had lost her parents. 

The front door opened and her granny and gramps came out, looking at her with disbelief. "Honey? You've come home?" Whispered granny with disbelief, holding out her arms open for her. 

Ember couldn't hold her tears any longer. She ran and hugged her granny and then her gramps who too had tears in their eyes. Afterwards granny stared at Ember with despair, taking in her sunken eyes, hollow cheeks and dull hair. She had reduced considerable weight and didn't at all look healthy. The top that she wore hung loosely on her and made her look thinner than ever. A sob escaped granny's mouth seeing her skeletal state. 

"Are you sick, Ember? I won't let you go back now that I've got you," she said vehemently. 

"I'm fine granny. Don't worry," she said carrying her bag into the house. Her ganny and gramps eyed one another. They decided not to take up the topic right now or Ember would return to Helena right now. 

Ember freshened up came down to the breakfast table where granny's delicious pancakes, breakfast burritos made her mouth water. This was the best part of coming home. Her childhood bed and granny's food. "Adelaide's party is tonight, isn't it?" Asked gramps and Ember nodded. 

"I wouldn't be attending, Ember. Will you be okay with going there alone?" Asked granny. She didn't like going to Wildcreek Ranch after that bitch of a woman, Charmaine,  Charlotte Wilson's niece came to stay there. Twenty-one year old Charmaine was Charlotte's brother's daughter who hunted the boys, trying to hook up with any of them. She didn't leave Rhett and Sawyer too who were already married. Granny Stacey and granny Jenny hated her and so did everyone at the Wilson household, even Charlotte for that matter.

"Sure granny. I'll just stay there to bless baby Andrea. I'll  return as soon as I'm done, " she told granny. Ember had no plans to stay longer than thirty minutes there. She couldn't hold up longer than that. She had informed Adelaide and she agreed to Ember's request to release her as soon as possible. 

Granny wanted to warn Ember about Charmaine but then thought against it since it might make her not go to Wildcreek Ranch. Adelaide called her twice already to ask if she had reached Fordsville or not. She wanted her to come over immediately but Ember wasn't ready to face anyone right now. 

She spent time with her grandparents, showing them photographs of her hospital, her patients eagerly. Granny felt tears in her eyes everytime she looked at Ember. She looked so broken and nothing as she looked earlier. Her emerald eyes lacked it's previous lustre and she hardly smiled. She was surprised to see the ring still on Ember's finger just like it was when she had left home. She had no idea how to react any more. She just prayed to God that soon Ember found her happiness in life. 

Ember went to her room after lunch to sleep. It had been months since she had a good sleep. Granny didn't disturb her since she looked as if she needed the rest. When she woke up it was already five so she just picked up a white simple sheath dress and tying her hair in a bun, she was ready to go. She had bought gift hampers for baby Andrea and drove to Wildcreek Ranch with a poker face. She would try to act as normal as possible. 

She parked her car and got out. Memories of her days spent here came rushing back to her mind. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, in and out. She was brave enough, strong enough to do this. 

"I've come only to see you my baby Andrea, " she whispered to herself. 

She carried the hampers and walked towards the front door. Laughter, chatting and cooing could be clearly heard from inside the house. The door was unlocked and she pushed it open. Everyone was busy laughing. There was a cradle decorated with Adelaide sitting beside it. Photographs were being taken of the mother and her baby. Ember didn't look at anyone else. Keeping her eyes focused upon her friend and her baby only, she entered the room, slowly walking towards them. She hadn't come to meet anyone else. 

Adelaide gasped seeing her. Her face paled and her smile disappeared. "Ember?" She asked with disbelief. 

Ember smiled a little and nodded. There was a pin dropped silence all around her as the others noticed her too but she didn't look at anyone else. She walked towards Adelaide who had stood up in a state of shock. Ember hugged her friend while Adelaide broke down into tears. 

"Shh, it's okay Adel. Won't you show me my baby Andrea?" She asked quietly. 

"Yes see, there she is. Won't you take her in your arms?" Asked Adelaide through her tears. Ember picked up Andrea who looked beautiful like a little angel in a pink dress with a pink bow tied to her hair. She held her in her arms, close to her chest and closed her eyes, feeling overwhelmed by the little one's warmth. Her tiny fingers held onto her dress as she slept on Ember's shoulders. 

Granny Jenny came forward, towards Ember. "Won't you sit down dear?" She said, indicating a couch. Ember nodded and sat down with Andrea. She gave the gift hampers to Adelaide. Granny Jenny sat down beside her, a look of concern in her eyes as she watched Ember. 

"Ember, can I get you something to drink?" Asked Rihanna. Ember looked up and saw her right in front of her. Rhett and Ryder were also there and smiled at her warmly. 

"No thanks, " she said quietly. She didn't look around for fear that she would see the only person whom she didn't want to meet. Casting her eyes down, she stared at baby Andrea in her arms, her fingers gripping one of hers as she slept. She could hear loud voices of the men in the next room, playing some game. 

"How long will you be staying in Fordsville, Ember?" Asked Rihanna. 

"I'll be leaving tomorrow, " said Ember. Andrea woke up and wanted a feed, so Ember handed her to Adelaide. 

"So soon? We could have caught up," said Rihanna. Raine too rushed inside to see her. 

"Next time, " said Ember. 

"So, how are you liking Helena?" Asked Rex's mom, sitting with her. Even Renée came over looking radiant as ever. 

"I love my job there, " said Ember. "Congratulations Renée. " 

"Thank you. So any news? Wow, you have a beautiful ring on your finger," said Renée, picking up her hand. Ember extracted her hand away. She didn't want so much attention. She looked up to check if anyone else saw her ring. Her eyes met with the blue ones of Rex, sitting at the far end of the room near the bar, with a glass of whiskey in his hand. A beautiful blonde woman of around twenty- one was sitting beside him, trying to touch him. He stared at her without a single expression on his face. Ember realized that she had never seen that girl before at Wildcreek Ranch. The way she was touching Rex was proof enough that they might be together. So he had moved on. Ember looked away. 

Adelaide came back with Andrea and requested the photographer to click a few pictures of them with Ember. "I'll send you the pictures, okay?" Said Adelaide. Ember nodded. It was time to go home. She took her leave saying that she wasn't feeling very well. They didn't pressurize her anymore. 

It was dark outside and she walked dejectedly towards her car. She had bravely faced everything but inside she was completely broken. After nearly a year, seeing Rex had saddened her but what broke her was the fact that he had moved on. 

"Will you go away without saying a hello to me?" Said Rex's voice from behind her. Ember froze. 

"Hello Rex, " she said without turning around and continued walking towards her car. She heard footsteps behind her but she didn't turn around to see. The faster she got out of this place, the better it was for her mental health. 

Rex caught her arm and whirled her around. "Just because you're wearing someone's ring doesn't mean that you won't talk to me at all," he gritted out. Ember was shocked. So he hadn't noticed that she wore the ring he had given her? Good enough. 

"I have nothing to talk about," she told him.