Her Brother's Best Friend - Aching Hearts Series #2

Chapter 38 - Faults (part 2)

CHAPTER 38 - FAULTS (part 2)

Emily stood at the door, more astounded than touched, and to some extents feeling guilty. She'd been real quick in freshening up, other than relax, she'd taken a shower at the speed of light, eager to go back to her Vane, but now, standing there at the door, witnessing that heartfelt exchange between the two lovebirds, seeing her brother so weak for the first time ever ... she had to admit she'd been selfish. Too selfish.

Sure, she still held it against him for what he'd put Vanessa through, but in the end, seeing them so huddled together, wrapped up in their bubble made of feelings and boundless emotions, Emily didn't feel like disrupting that moment. Maybe to forgive her brother, it'd take a while, but for now, she had to leave them to themselves, hence, she dejectedly turned on her heels, consoling herself with the thought that at least now Vanessa was fine, and she left.

She didn't feel like going home, though, therefore she headed to a cozy café-bookshop she knew was around the hospital, she'd gone there a few times when, back to when she was forced to physiotherapy because of her knee, her doctor let her go out to get some fresh air. She'd walked to the hospital, because her mother was too slow, according to her, therefore she didn't have to worry about warning anyone, which was great, because right now all she needed was some peace, all to herself, she'd have sought it in that secret cave, but, one, it was too far from the hospital, to which she planned on going back in a couple of hours, after the two lovebirds had had their refill of cheesy moments, then, if she had to be honest, she feared she might meet someone she wasn't sure she wanted to see right now.

Emily felt guilty about how she'd treated him, yes, but part of her still blamed him for averting her attention from Vanessa, therefore being partly a cause for all of that mess, as much as Jason, though never as much as herself. A good friend would have tucked away her own sorrow to help the one she called sister, a good friend wouldn't have wallowed in her own pity party without a single care in the world, had she stuck to Vanessa as Jason had asked her to, maybe that horrible night nothing would have happened, had she been more careful, more attentive, had she kept a higher guard, Vanessa wouldn't have suffered all of that, therefore yes, she was to blame, Emily believed.

Right now she didn't really feel like seeing Riley, maybe, with time, things would get better, but right now the sole person she was in the mood to see was Vanessa, and she was busy, therefore she'd make do with herself, after all, some peace could be a manna especially with all that had happened.

Once reached the café-bookshop, Emily walked straight to the table in the corner close to the window, the one she always took, because there was a large bookshelf right behind her and a great sight to the outside. Emily grabbed the menu without really thinking, and scanned it lazily, not really in a hurry, considering she had time to kill, and once she was tired of it, she placed it back on the table, leaning back against her seat, heaving a big sigh as her shoulders slumped.

She took a look around her, finding only few people sitting at the various tables, a couple at the counter purchasing books, some were reading on the sofa in the far corner. The place wasn't too big, but neither small, it was a perfect paradise for bookworms, and she'd found a lot of comfort in it when she was down because of the knee injury, too bad she'd quit going there years before, this being a side of the town that was too far for a young girl to visit on her own, or at least so her parents thought, which was odd, considering she'd just walked to the hospital from home, and this particular bookstore was just a couple of blocks down from it. Emily suspected her mother simply feared her knee wouldn't be able to sustain such a long walk.

Unconsciously, she patted the same spot where she'd been operated, the scar was still there, not much visible, but it was there, to remind her that she could never be at the top of her chances again, not agonistically speaking anyways. Emily sighed, thinking of how much she missed playing volleyball, but there was nothing to do about it, was there? Useless to cry over spilt milk, Vanessa would say. And she was right.