Real Happiness (12/6/15- )

Real Happiness // Chaper Two

Chapter Two: Memories And Secret Chests

When she awoke the next morning, it took Emma awhile before she remembered the day before, and how she has to pack up and leave the few friends she's made in this town. Looking around the barren room, she noticed something peeking out of one of the boxes. Getting up and throwing on her robe that was hanging on the end of the bed, she shuffled her way over to the boxes.

Kneeling down, she carefully pulled the lid up and took out what was peaking out. It was the picture of Ryder and her, hugging when he told her that he was leaving. Suddenly, she was thrown back into the moment...

~*~

"Ry, don't go!" The eight-year- old girl begged while sobbing. "Please don't leave me, like Daddy, Uncle John, and Aunt Sarah did. Please!"

"Lee, I have to, and as much as I want to stay. I can't. I have to move in with my aunt and uncle, but I will never forget you, and will try to get back to you." The ten-year-old boy, Ryder, promised. Before pulling the sobbing, little girl, Emmalee, into his arms. Burying his face into her neck, he willed himself not to cry. "I will always love you. More than you will ever know." He whispered, so quietly, he thought she didn't hear.

"I love you too, Ryder," She replied, squeezing him tighter.

~*~

Coming back to reality, Emma realized that she had started crying. Angrily wiping away the tears, she thought to herself, 'I will never see him again. I am leaving the one place that he knows that I will be, and I'm leaving it.' Looking up at the ceiling she said, "What I am going to do?" Then putting her hard in her hands.

Picking herself up off the ground, she made her way into the bathroom. Turning the shower on and stripping off her nightgown and robe, she turned toward the sink and stared long and hard at the razor blade. Finally deciding against it, she turned away from the sink and stepped into the shower. Sinking down to the shower floor, Emma let out all the pain and sadness through her sobs.

"Honey, can you come down here?" Syd heard her mom yell up to her. Standing up, she quickly finished her shower before getting dressed in black leggings, an oversized sweatshirt, and a pair of Uggs slippers. Shuffling her way downstairs, she found her mom in the living room with something in her hands.

"What do you need, mom?" She asked, sitting down in the armchair across from Jenni.

"I want to show you something. Yesterday when I was cleaning and packing I came across something that I had forgotten about." Handing Emma what she had in her hands, Jenni continued. "This was your father's, and he asked me if anything happens to him, John, or Sarah before you were 18 to give this to you."

Looking down at the wood and gold chest Emma remembered out of nowhere how her dad, John, and Sarah had died in the war. She remembers seeing The Letter in her mom's hands before they both fell to the floor. Jenni crying for her dead husband. And Emma for her dead dad.

Carefully, she opened the lid to the box. Inside was a stack of pictures, a pile of army medals, and at the bottom she could see an envelope. Pulling out the pictures, she saw that they were of her, her mom and dad, Ryder, and his parents. Flipping through them, she came to a picture that was of all of them. Their parents were at their sides, with Ryder and her in the middle. It was of the vacation they had taken before her dad, Greyson, and John and Sarah left for the war that they had been deployed to. It was the last time that they had all been together. Putting that picture and the rest to the side, she took out the medals next. These were her father's. She slid her fingers over the bumps and grooves in the medal before she put them to the side with the pictures.

Finally, she pulled out the envelope that was located at the bottom of the chest. Turning it around, she noticed that it was sealed with her dad's signature wax seal. The seal was of a lion in the middle and the wax color was a blood red. Slowly, she opened the envelope, trying hard not to rip it. Inside was a letter. Taking out the letter, she opened it and began to read out loud for her mom to hear, too.

~*~

Dear Emmalee,

If you are reading this, it means that something has happened to me and the Apollo's. I hope that you never have to read this, but since you are, I hope everything is still okay. Down to business, there are a few things that I had the wish to tell you on your eighteenth birthday, but since I won't be there to tell you in person I guess have to tell you this letter. You have to realize something, things are not as they seem. People will lie to you, and there is nothing you can do about it, but try to decipher the lies from the truths. You have to pick who you trust. You cannot let anyone gain your trust, for if you do, people will take advantage of you. I wish there was more time, I have so much to teach you, but since there isn't, there's one thing I would like you to take away from this: Choose your choices wisely and be aware.

Sincerely,

Your Father

***

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