Echoes

Chapter 11

Emily awoke to a sharp knock on the cabin door. With her phone dead and no way to check the time, she dragged herself to the door, still wearing the clothes from the night before. When she opened it, Jason stood there, a storm of emotions on his face—concern, frustration, and something unspoken.

"You didn't answer your phone last night," Jason began, his voice tight with urgency. "I saw the for-sale sign at your old place. I looked up this cabin's number. What's going on, Emily? Why didn't you tell me you were moving?"

Emily's heart pounded with a mix of frustration and sadness. "I'm moving, Jason. I need a fresh start," she snapped, trying to keep her voice steady. "It's my life. I don't owe you an explanation."

Jason's face hardened. "Not owe me? Before Charlie died, he asked me to look after you. He wanted me to make sure you were okay. And now you're just abandoning everything?"

Emily's anger flared. "Charlie wanted me to find happiness! I'm trying to do that here. Just because you made some promise doesn't mean you get to dictate my life!"

Jason's expression was a mix of hurt and disbelief. He stepped further into the cabin, his presence filling the small space. At that moment, Sean walked into view, having heard the commotion from outside. He paused, his expression shifting from confusion to concern.

"Is everything okay?" Sean asked, his voice cutting through the tension. He took in the scene—Jason's rigid stance, Emily's flushed face—and his protective instincts flared.

Jason's eyes snapped to Sean, and his anger escalated. "You've got to be kidding me. Are you seriously moving on with him already? Your husband just died, Emily! You should be grieving, not—"

Emily's frustration erupted. "Get out, Jason! Just leave! You have no right to judge me or my choices!"

Jason's face turned an angry shade of red. "No, I'm not going anywhere until you understand how messed up this is. You're practically throwing yourself at a stranger while your husband's memory is still fresh!"

Sean stepped forward, his presence commanding attention. "Jason, this isn't helping. You need to step away and come back when you've calmed down."

Jason turned to Sean with a sneer. "And who are you, exactly? Some shrink? You think you can just waltz in here and fix things?"

Emily, her emotions on edge, grabbed Sean's arm tightly. "Let's go, Sean. I need to get out of here."

Sean gave Emily a reassuring nod, sensing the gravity of the moment. "Alright, let's go."

They moved swiftly away from the cabin, Emily's grip on Sean's arm firm and her face pale with a mixture of anger and distress. Behind them, Jason stood in the doorway, his frustration palpable. As the door slammed shut, Sean guided Emily down the path, both of them keenly aware of the raw emotions still hanging in the air.
They drove away from the cabin, the road winding through the countryside as the car seemed to absorb Emily's silent tears. The air was thick with tension, punctuated only by her uneven breaths and the occasional sniffle.

Sean glanced over at her, concern etched deeply into his features. "You have to slow your breathing," he said gently.

Emily looked at him, her face a portrait of distress. "What?" she croaked.

"Your breathing," Sean repeated, his tone calm yet urgent. "You're going to have a lot more problems if you don't control it. Deep, slow breaths. In through your nose, out through your mouth. Fill your diaphragm with air. It'll help."

Emily nodded, trying to follow his instructions. She closed her eyes, focusing on the rhythm of her breath as she inhaled deeply through her nose and exhaled slowly through her mouth. Gradually, the panic eased, though the sadness lingered.

When they arrived at Sean's house, he parked and turned to her with a concerned look. "Want to tell me about that?" he asked.

Emily took a shaky breath, struggling to compose herself. "That's Jason," she began, her voice cracking. "He was Charlie's best friend. They were in the military together. Supposedly, he made a promise to Charlie to keep me safe if anything ever happened to him."

Sean's expression darkened, his concern deepening. "He's dangerous," Sean warned.

"He's harmless. This is the first time he's ever yelled at me. It was his idea for me to visit Stockton. I just feel like he's not dealing with Charlie's death very well," Emily explained, her voice still trembling.

Sean's expression remained grave. "That's not it, Emily," he responded, the caution clear in his voice.

Emily looked at him, confused. "What do you mean?"

"I'm just saying, there might be more to it. Sometimes people act out of character when they're hiding something," Sean said carefully.

Emily took a deep breath. "I was going to go back to Grandview tomorrow and grab a few things. I hired some movers to pick up my stuff on Monday."

Sean placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "I'll help you," he offered. "We can get everything sorted together."

Emily gave a small, grateful nod. "Thank you, Sean."