Understand (Mama Emma) | Continued|

Chapter 9

Previously

"It all makes sense now" I chuckled "So how have you all been?

.

.

Norman, ray?"

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"Emma? Wha..? You're alive?"
"Hmm....I'm alive and well as you can see" Emma replied, her rifle still pointed at Amberlyn.
"Emma..." Gilda, her younger sibling sobbed, taking a step towards her. Emma pointed her rifle at Gilda.

"Don't move, I will not hesitate to shoot you Gilda"

They stared at her, all of them at a loss for words. This wasn't the Emma they knew, this wasn't her at all. She didn't have the same presence as the kind Emma they knew. Almost everything about her was different.

The silence that hung between the grace field siblings was suffocating. Finally Ray decided to break the silence.

"Emma! Why are you doing this?" He asked in a small voice.

"I think you are already aware of that"

"Don't you feel anything when you have to ship your kids out Emma? No pain?" Norman asked. Emma smiled

"What happened to you Emma? You're not Emma anymore" Ray said
"I am Emma. I have just realized a lot of things now. I'm not quite the same Emma now though so you are right Ray. I'm not the Emma you knew"

Norman took a step towards her.

"Emma"
"I said don't move Norman" she pointed her rifle at him
"Emma, you were the one who said that you wanted to save everyone, back when Ray was so against it."
"I told you, the young me was naive- Do not move AMBERLYN" 

Ray took a step towards Emma, making Emma point the Rifle at him. He  gave Amberlyn the 'Run away, we'll take care of things here' look.

"Ray, Stop! Go away or else I'll have to shoot you."
"Then Shoot"
"RAY! I said go! Take Norman and else and go! Leave me and my children alone" Emma said, moving back subconsciously as Ray kept on moving towards her.
"I won't. Shoot"
"Leave me alone Ray, it was my decision to become a mama"

He silently stared at Emma for a while

"Are you happy with your decision?"
"I am"
"Do you don't ever regret shipping out your children?" 
"I don't"
"Can you look me in the eye and say that?"
"Hmm" Emma looked at Ray, directly into his eyes and said "I've never regretted shipping out any of my children"
"Bullshit"
 
Emma just stared at Ray, confused.

"What do you—"
"Shut up Emma! Look around you! Look at your children! Do you like seeing this terror on their face?! You can't say yes because you don't! Your face right now, It's screaming 'Get me out of here'. Do you seriously not realize you're crying?! Look at yourself!"

Emma touched her cheeks. They were wet because of the stream of tears flowing down her eyes. 
'Why am I crying? '

"I—"
"Emma" Ray cut in, his tone of voice suddenly soft "You don't have to protect us anymore. Let us protect this time around. I promise, we will not let anything happen to you or the kids. I promise. Come with us Emma, let's go back. Let's go home"

"I—" she sniffled, dropping the rifle "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." Her sniffling turned into heart wrenching sobs. Everything she had been holding in for so long, the perfect façade that even fooled herself into believing, broke. 

"I'm so sorry. I want to run away from here. I don't like it here. It's suffocating, It hurts so much, I hate sending them all off to their deaths, I hate it so much. I'm so sorry. Take them away please, get them out of here, take them with you. Don't let them die too please. I beg you" Emma said between sobs. "I wanted to save them...I.." 

'That's right...I wanted to save them, all of them. I didn't want anyone to die. Why did that change? When did that change?'

Everyone just stood there, numb. 'How much did you have to bear by yourself?' 

"Mama" a small voice spoke next to Emma. Emma looked up, blinking away the  tears blinding her vision, to see who it was. 

"Mia?" Emma spoke, unsure. Her voice was hoarse from crying
"Mama, Don't cry. We love you. Don't cry please" Mia said, as she hugged Emma, crying in her shoulder "Don't cry mama, because if mama is sad then we become sad too"

Emma held on to the little kid in her arms, squeezing her reassuringly while tears continued to flow down. The kids slowly walked towards Emma and hugged her, crying. 

"Ray, Norman" Emma said, looking up at her old family "Take them away please, save my children. They can't live here, they're going to die."

"You're coming with us too Emma. We won't leave you here"  

"I wish I could but I'll die either way"

"Emma"

Emma's eyes widened in horror the moment she heard the voice. 

 'Why is she here? I didn't notify the Headquarters about anything yet. The children, I need to protect them'

"Oh mama, Did you do what I asked you to?" Ray asked

'Huh?'

"Yes Ray, It's all ready"

'Huh?'

Isabella turned to Emma and smiled softly.

"Emma" she said, crouching down next to Emma "Run away my dear. Go enjoy your freedom. We'll all soon come too, you won't be alone dear. Take your children and go away from here."
"But the chip..."
"There is none dear...Don't worry, go." She gave Emma a slight push and Ray grabbed Emma's hand  and pulled her up from the ground. He looked at Isabella and said 

"I leave the rest to you mama. We'll be waiting"
"Of course my dear"
"Arigatou mama"
"Be careful"

With that, they all ran away. Away from the plant, away from their so called home, In search for a better fututre.

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5 YEARS LATER

"Mama! Look at this painting I made!!" Mara said proudly, holding her drawing right in Emma's face. 

"Mara, I can't see if you put it so close to my face"

"Ookayy. Here, look at it" she handed the drawing to Emma and plopped down on her lap. Emma patted her head 

"It's beautiful dear"
"So can I hang it in the back with the other decorations?"
"Of course dear, It's your birthday after all. Now go, give it to papa"
"Okie mama!" She ran to the living room where Ray was, holding her 1 year old sister Naomi who was sleeping soundly in his arms.

"Papa! Papa papa!" she whisper shouted
"Hm?"
"I'll look after Naomi, please hang my painting with the decorations. Everyone will be coming soon" 
"Sure princess" Ray said, kissing his daughter on the cheek, earning a cut giggle from her. He placed Naomi in her crib and went to place the drawing in the center of the decorations. 

"Mara! Come here for a minute. Clean the table, I need to put cake" Emma called. 

They finished preparations and the door opened and 

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARA!!!" 

They all partied the night, singing and dancing happily. They were living the happiest moments of their life with everyone by their side, safe and sound and happy. God really has a plan for everyone.

END

A/N: Thank you for reading. I hope you all liked it :)