Emma

Emma and Divorce

When Emma got home from school, her parents were sitting on the couch waiting to have a talk with her.  When she sat down in the kitchen across from them, she felt like the end of the world was fast approaching.  Then her mother decided to stomp on her spirit and say, "Your father and I are getting a divorce."

It was horrible.  It was so terrible she wanted to get up and kick things.  Emma couldn't believe it.  After explaining that they always going to be friends, Emma still thought all they would do was fight.  While her mother and father were okay with it, Emma wasn't in the slightest.  She got up, and stood there, enraged.

"WHY."

"Emma, calm down."

"Shut the Hell up, Dad!"

"Emma Lou Thomas!"

"Fuck all of you, leave me the hell alone."  Emma grabbed her backpack off the couch and walked to the door, "I'm going to Jeremy's, bye."  Emma screamed as she slammed the door.  She was far too upset to deal with any of this nonsense.  She was just starting to get middle school, and she was having a good day.  She got to meet the new kid, and now she had a couple more people to hang out with at lunch.  

Life wasn't complicated for Emma until this last year.  It was enough to lose her best pal Buddy, but now her parents weren't going to be together, and that was awful.  Emma knocked on Jeremy's door, unaware of how she looked at the moment.  Jeremy pulled her in for a hug, and Emma finally noticed how wet her face was, and how stuffy her nose became.  She had a pounding headache, and she couldn't stop crying.

"Em's, you okay?"  Jeremy asked.  He patted her on the back and walked her inside.  The house was empty, aside from a couple duffel bags in the kitchen, and a few dishes in the sink.  He cleared a space for her on the couch.  There was previously a stack of newspapers in that spot.  "Here, just sit here and calm down for a bit.  I'll get you something to drink if you want."

Emma nodded, and thought about some of the best time she'd had with both of her parents present.  She couldn't let this happen.  She couldn't let them get divorced.

Jeremy brought her some hot chocolate and melted peppermint and marshmallows in it.  He sat down next to her and sat with his hands together and his eyes focused on the table.  He wanted to make this a little easier for Emma, whatever it was must have been pretty bad.

"Em's, you alright?  Should I call Ebony and Reed?"

"No, they'll figure it out later okay?"  Emma said as she brought her feet up on the couch with her, and put her knees to her face.  She could sit like that forever, she didn't want to get up from this couch anymore.

"Figure out what?"  Jeremy asked.

Emma was quiet for a really long time, but Jeremy sat real patiently with her.  He was no more suited to solve this problem than any other middle school student.  Jeremy waited patiently, and thought carefully about their current situation.

He remembered how she reacted when Buddy died, he started thinking that maybe Toby died to.  He didn't know what was going on, but he was determined to figure it out.  While he waited, Emma muttered, "My parents are getting divorced."

Jeremy seemed shocked.  The Thomas family always seemed pretty well put together, but apparently there were some mixed feelings on the block.  Emma moved a little bit, and held out her arms for Jeremy to hug her.  She didn't want to sit by herself on this side of the couch anymore.

She pulled him in and leaned against him, trying not to lose her cool.  Jeremy held her and patted her back, trying to reassure her in any way possible whatsoever.  He hoped it could be just a little easier to make her feel better, but he didn't know what to do.  Then he pulled out his phone and started googling stuff like 'kitten takes a bath' or 'charlie bit my finger', stuff that was classic and amusing. 

Emma stopped crying after awhile and just started watching.  She put her arm around Jeremy and he held his arm around her hip.  As they sat there, it got quieter, and quieter.  Emma stopped watching videos, and instead started falling asleep on the couch.  

Emma woke up for a brief second to find out she'd passed out right on top of Jeremy.  She patted him on the shoulder, trying to get him to wake up.  He opened his eyes very slightly and smiled, "Are you feeling better Em's?"

She nodded, and laid back down, "Can I stay here tonight or would your mom mind."

Jeremy looked up at the mantle on his fireplace and glared at an urn placed in the center of it, "I don't think she minds."

Emma felt a little stupid, she didn't even know it, but Jeremy didn't have a mother anymore.  His dad was out of town for a couple weeks and left Jeremy the keys.  When Emma was standing there, his dad said, "Alright, your mother's in charge still."

Jeremy smiled and said, "I really miss her."

Emma felt like an idiot.  She was still going to see both of her parents if it all worked out well, and Jeremy was never going to see his mother again.

"How long has she been gone?"

He replied, "I think she died just a few weeks before I met you.  I liked meeting you though.  It made things a lot easier."  Jeremy seemed pretty comfortable where he was right now.  He caught himself looking into Emma's eyes, and he was so terrified that something could take her away too.  

"I bet she's proud of you."  Emma replied with a grin.

"I hope so," Jeremy continued, "I don't think you've ever been over here before today."

"I think I was in the back yard a lot."

"Yea, we were."  Jeremy laughed, as Emma hugged him a little tighter.  When they looked up, they realized how close they were to each other.

Emma's eyes hitched in Jeremy's gaze, and they were fine for the moment.  There was just them in the room, and nothing else existed at all.  Emma and Jeremy kept this up as if asking each other a question, one they both answered quickly.  Emma and Jeremy shared a strong, passionate, spur of the moment kiss on the couch.  After a little bit, Emma went back to sleep, and so did Jeremy.  They were at peace for the moment, even though they just knew the next morning would be Hell for the both of them.

Jeremy huffed, while half awake, looking blissfully at the angel laying on his chest.  "See you tomorrow, Emma."