Against the Law

Chapter 10: Noah

Hello, my beautiful readers! I am back on track. I feel well rested and much better after my surgery, so on with the story!

James' POV

Emily sat on the sofa with me by her side.  I watched as she struggled with her thoughts, as tears streamed down her face.  My heart sank deeper the longer I watched her. I could see the fear written all over her face.

As more tears welled up in her eyes, I sat in front of her on the floor and wrapped my arms around her. "What's wrong? Talk to me, Em. I'm here." She looked me in the eyes, and I gave her my most comforting smile.

Taking a deep breath, she moved closer into my arms, "There's something I need to tell you," She whispered, her voice trembling. 

I looked at her intently, my eyes brimming with concern. "What is it, Emily?" I asked, my voice gentle and reassuring.

Emily seemed to hesitate for a moment before finding her voice. "I... you found some drugs in my system when you found me, but I'm addicted to a lot of drugs, James. And recently, it's been a problem. I can't seem to focus without wanting to just swallow a bunch of pills to help..." she admitted, her voice barely audible.

I took her trembling hands, trying to soothe her with my touch. "Emily, thank you for trusting me enough to let me help you." I answered with compassion.  "Do you mind if I ask how your drug abuse started?"

The pain in her eyes was undeniable, a reflection of the immense sorrow she seemed to have carried for years.  Then, taking a deep breath, she looked into my eyes. "I...I'll tell you..." she began, her voice quivering. "It's about my brother, Noah."

I rubbed my hand over hers, silently urging her to continue but trying not to push her too much.

"Noah... he was only twelve when we lost him," Emily spoke softly, her voice filled with a mixture of grief and determination to keep going. "It was a tragic accident that no one could have foreseen."

Emily paused, seeming to search for the right words to convey the magnitude of the tragedy.  She sighed deeply, closing her eyes. "It was a stormy night," she continued, her voice trembling. "My parents had been arguing, and my father... he had been drinking heavily. I had locked myself in my room, terrified of the chaos unfolding downstairs."

More and more tears welled up in Emily's eyes threatening to spill over, but she pressed on. "I-I heard a loud crash, followed by a deafening silence. Fear overtook me as I ran downstairs, my heart pounding in my chest."

She took another moment to compose herself as I slid her into my lap as I sat in the floor. Her voice was barely above a whisper as she continued. "What I saw, James... it haunts me to this day. My f-father... he had become violent, and in his drunken rage, he had harmed Noah. My innocent, beautiful brother."

Her voice cracked so much as she told her story, overcome with the weight of her emotions.  I remained silently by her side, just being support.

"My mother and I rushed Noah to the hospital, but it was too late," she continued, her voice filled with sorrow. "Noah... h-he didn't make it. The doctors tried everything they could, but his injuries were too severe."

Tears continued to fall from her eyes more and more.  "I blame myself for not protecting him, for not being able to save him," she confessed, her voice heavy with guilt. "It shattered our family, tore us apart."

I gently wiped away Emily's tears. "Emily, I am so sorry. But you cannot blame yourself for Noah's death. If you would've done anything, it may have been you that had severe injuries along with Noah. So please, no blaming yourself." I murmured, filling my voice with empathy. "You don't have to carry this alone any longer, Em. I'm here for you, always."

"Thank you, James. Sharing this with you... it means so much to me." she whispered as she laid her head on my chest, soaking my shirt with her tears.

___

Emily lays in bed, her body weakened by the stress of the day. Her spirits were low today. Her once vibrant energy was now reduced to a mere flicker. I sat by her side, my eyes filled with concern, as I watched over her.

"I put you to bed. You need to rest, Emily," I gently remind her, my voice soothing and comforting." "Don't worry about anything. I'll take care of you and whatever else needs to be taken care of."

Emily mustered a small, weak smile. Over the last week, I became her pillar of strength. I attended to her every need. I sat by her side.  As Emily finally drifted to sleep, I held her hand, rubbing soothing circles on her hand. 

"You're not alone, Emily." I whispered softly as she continued to sleep. "I'm here."

This was a short chapter only because I wanted to fill you in on what happen to Noah, and how that changed Emily into who she is today.