Lies You Tell (DE)

52.

" This parent thing seems to be getting harder and harder lately, I wish you were still here. Sometimes I need a hug from you, you always knew what to say and do," Emily said softly, looking at Rich's placement on the mausoleum wall through solemn eyes.

Emily looked at the bright red roses in her hand that she'd purchased from the floral section in the grocery store on her way to the cemetery before putting them in the small vase attached to the marble wall, tucking her frigid hands into her pea coat pockets. The bright colored roses brightened up the stone colored marble causing a beautiful contrast in colors and ironically adding some 'livelihood' to it. It was chilly outside and there was a little breeze in the air, blowing lose strands of Emilys hair from her ponytail that framed her face around.

" I'm sorry I don't visit you as much as I should. It just feels easier to not think about you because it still hurts.. I still miss you so so much. Please keep watching over our little girl, I don't know what I'd do if I lost her. She's all I have left of you," Emily said grievously.

" Surprised to see you here,"

The hair on the back of Emily's neck stood up feeling a chill go down her spine as she quickly turned to see Max. Emily glared at him clutching her designer bag.

" Oh relax, ain't nobody gone touch you. I've put you through enough already," He snickered placing his hands behind his back as he approached his former best friends placement, rubbing the pad of his thumb across the velvet petals of the roses Emily had just left.

" Why are you here?"

" The same reason you are, to see Rich," He said casually, turning to look at her with dark, hooded eyes.

The corners of his lips curved to a wicked smile showcasing the single gold cap on his top row of teeth.

" You have no right to be here," Emily snarled, her eyes cutting into him like blades.

" I have just as much of a right to be here as you do, I loved him too,"

Emily felt her body begin to heat up as her blood reached a boiling point hearing the very man that took the love of her life say he had a 'right' to him at all.

" You have no right," She said oppressively, her voice lowering a couple octaves. " You betrayed him and you ruined my family,"

" That doesn't mean I loved him any less Emily, he was my brother first," Max objected, raising his head to show authority. " It was strictly business, that's all it's ever been. It was never personal,"

Emily remained silent as she watched him walk past her with her jaw clenched tightly. Stopping in his tracks as if he had one more thing to say, he turned on his heel to face her.

" One more thing," He said lowly. " If you don't want to lose your last piece of him," Max said, nodding towards Rich's placement. " I'd keep her away from Joseph,"

" He'd never hurt the people he loved, unlike you," She said retorted venomously.

Max chuckled. " He's more like me than you think, I raised him," He said with devilish grin and a twinkle in his eye before strolling back down the path toward where their cars sat idol.

Graces index finger traced the sharp edge of the page she was reading, preparing to turn the page as she neared the bottom. She tilted her head, reading the last sentence before flipping the weathered paper. She just happened to glance up, her eyes meeting Joseph's. His orbs were dark and seemed to be in deep thought as he was leaned over with his arms resting on his legs.

" Are you mad at me or something?" She asked, closing the book with her thumb between both halves as to not lose which page she was on.

He blinked a few times, his eyes seemed to lighten as he pulled himself out of his thoughts, focusing his attention on her. Curving the corners of his mouth down, he did a small head shake. " Na, why?"