What's Forever

Chapter 61

"You're here." I tearfully stated, not letting go as he walked inside.

"I'm here." he said, limping a little.

"I'm sorry ... come in ... sit down. Let me get your ..."

"I've got it, don't worry, go inside." Emmett said, kissing my temple.

"I just ... how are you here?" I asked my brother.

"Got hurt and they sent me home." he replied, sitting on the sofa.

"Jer ... what happened?" I asked, sitting next to him.

"An explosion ... my leg ..." he muttered, lifting his left pant leg to show me scars ... so many scars. "I'm lucky I didn't lose it."

"What about Andy?"

"I haven't heard from him in a while. I had a friend who was collecting all of my mail and he sent it to me when I was hospitalized but there was nothing from him." Jeremy said.

"Wait a minute ... how long have you been out? Why did it take you so long to find me?" I asked.

"I've been in the hospital for two months, but I didn't get your letters until two weeks ago." he said.

"You could've called me!" I argued.

"I ... Tina ... I wasn't in the best place to be around." he muttered.

"You ... I'm sorry, of course ... I just, I missed you and I didn't hear from you for almost a year." I sniffled.

"I know and I'm sorry, I'm here now. Who's the guy and the girl in the kitchen?" he asked.

"That's Emmett, he's my boyfriend and Leah is a good friend. You guys can come in here." I told them.

Emmett and Leah walked into the room, both of them tense and not really wanting to be in the company of the other. Emmett had a soft smile on his face and Leah was just unusually tense, even for her.

"Em, Leah, this is one of my older brothers, Jeremy. Jer, that's my boyfriend Emmett and my friend Leah." I said.

"Nice to meet you man, I've heard a lot about you." Emmett said.

"Val ... who's there ... oh my word." Grandma Morgan said, scrambling over to the sofa. "Look at you, you're here." she said, cradling his face in her hands.

"Hey grammie." he said, kissing her cheek.

"I'm gonna head out, give you some time together." Leah said, an odd look on her face.

"Are you sure? At least finish eating." I told her.

"It's fine, I'll take it with me." she insisted.

"I'm gonna go check on Ava." Emmett said, kissing me quickly.

"How is she?" My brother asked.

"Big and beautiful, she's such a happy baby." I said, trying to stop crying.

"She's so cheerful and is always babbling." Grandma Morgan said.

"And this Emmett guy, what's his story? He doesn't seem like your normal type." Jeremy said.

"I know, he really isn't but I love him and he loves us." I smiled.

"Wait until you see him with Ava. You know, it breaks my heart that Chris didn't get his time with her but I'm so happy that she has Emmett because that man adores her and his family loves her." Grandma Morgan said.

"We'll see." he said.

"Jeremy!" I scolded.

"It's my job to be an unreasonably stuffy big brother. I have to make sure he's good enough for you and that baby."

"He's amazing and I love him and so does Ava." I told him.

"I don't think I've seen you smile like this about a man ... ever." he said.

"We can talk about this tomorrow ... right? We have tomorrow right?" I asked him.

"Yeah, we do ... I've been honorably discharged." he sighed.

"Are you okay?" I asked worriedly.

"I'm ... not but I'm working on it." he replied.

I snuggled into his side, sighing softly when he wrapped his arms around me. Having him here, looking at him, and feeling him is amazing but he's only here because he got hurt. There's also the fact that I'm missing a brother. Haven't heard from Andy in a year and I don't know when or if I'm going to again. I have to take advantage though, take advantage that he's here and just enjoy the time with him.

"The guest room has some teenager stuff from a friend's daughter. It's not everywhere but you'll have to share for however long you're here." I told him.

"Okay."

"How did you get here?" Grandma Morgan asked.

"Flight and then I rented a car. I wanted to surprise you." He said.

"Consider me surprised, so very happily surprised."

"Where are my bags?" he asked.

"I put them upstairs in the guest room." Emmett said as he walked down the stairs.

"You live here?" Jeremy asked him.

"He kind of does." I smiled.

"He definitely does. The boy has his own place though and they go between them." Grandma Morgan said.

"We'd never leave you alone." Emmett said, kissing her cheek when she stood next to him.

"Are you hungry?" I asked him.

"No, I had my fair share of airport food. I just need a shower."

"Where else did you go?" Grandma Morgan asked.

"Stopped by the cemetery and came straight here. Had to see all of my girls." he said, hugging me again.

"I love you." I told him.

"I love you too."

"Let's get you to bed. Anything I should know?" I asked.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Nightmares, noises that bother you?"

"You've been reading up." he chuckled.

"Yes, I have, hoping for the moment you came home."

"Nightmares ... I don't think they're that bad but stay away just in case." he warned me.

"Can't promise that but we'll handle it. Come on."

"You don't ask." he said as he got up.

"Ask what?" Grandma Morgan asked.

"How long I'll be here."

"That is because I know better. I will enjoy your time with me without putting expectations on it. You'll be here however long you want to be here, my doors are always open to you and Andy." I told him.

"I know, love you."

"Love you too, now go shower."

I went upstairs and showed him where everything was and before I could leave the room he called me.

"What's up?"

"Who's your friend again? The one who took off earlier."

"Leah?"

"Yeah, what's her story?" He asked.

"You'll have to ask her." I smiled.

"Maybe I will." He said, winking at me before I shut the door.