A New Beginning

Chapter 88: How I Define Myself

Chapter 88: How I Define Myself

Emma crumples the note in her hands; her mind has gone completely blank and tears begin rolling up into the corners of her eyes. She practically collapses onto the ground, unable to hold herself up any longer. It feels as though she's been punched in the gut... all the hope and build up of seeing Jack and Rose again, praying that they were finally safe, only to have all that hope be ripped out from under her. The thought that Jack had redeemed himself in the eyes of the law for saving his fiancée and their unborn child seemed to sink into the darkness of her mind and vanish from sight.

Peter tries to support Emma, trying to be her rock, as he often was, but he too is on the verge of crumbling to the ground in frustration and sorrow. He helps her to the closest comfortable place to sit, which is the bumper of a police wagon. He gently sits next to her, keeping his arm around her the whole time. He carefully removes the crumpled note from her hands, which are now shaking; whether she is trembling from sorrow or anger, he cannot tell. He stares at the note, written with a fountain pen because some of the ink had been smudged in the corner, the obvious sign that it was done at the very last minute.

The couple both knew that Cal wanted to have the last laugh. He knew how much the couple loved Rose and Jack, how they were best friends and cared about one another like family. He knew that they would come to the mansion in search of their loved ones, only to have their friends ripped from their grasp once again. This note is meant to taunt them, trying to tell them to give up all hope because he was always one step ahead of them and the police. It was the worst game of cat and mouse ever and Mr. Hockley had used their weaknesses against them. He recognized that they were lawyers and would do things by the book; they would follow the law in order to get things done properly, they had their own reputation to uphold, plus with Sybil at home, they couldn't risk going to jail. They had to abide by the rules, but the tycoon didn't play by any. He understood the long process of police doing investigations and having proof of arrest took time; time that worked in his favour. He knew that his reputation in society was held in much higher regard than theirs were, and therefore gave the law-men a reason to doubt their stories about his cruelty towards themselves, Sybil, and Jack and Rose. It was also possible Cal knew that since Emma was a woman, she would not be taken seriously, another thing working against their desire for justice. It was all just a sick twisted game to him... one that he was still winning.

Emma swallows a large lump in her throat and looks at Peter, who is reading the note over and over as if he needs time to memorize it. She feels so defeated, so beat down and helpless. Nothing she ever did seemed to help them. Even Molly stopped her from bringing a gun for her plot of forcing Cal to release Rose... It just wasn't fair! Nothing she ever did seemed to be enough! She couldn't do anything right and no one believed her. What had she done to deserve such treatment? Losing her parents, being forced to grow up and become a parent and a business owner, nearly losing her life in a tragedy, being separated from the people she loved as her family... why was God working against her? Did He want her to be miserable, push her to almost the brink of insanity? It was all so confusing and painful.

After what feels like hours, the crowd of people surrounding the Hockley mansion only seems to grow as reporters and curiosity seekers seek any information that they can. Flashbulbs are going off and reporters are shouting questions at the police officers. The sun begins to set behind the nearby apple orchard; the beautiful orange and pink colours reflecting upwards into the sky, the last remaining rays of light pointing up towards the heavens as the golden orb sinks lower and lower into the horizon. Several straggly clouds drift onwards in the crisp evening breeze. Even though it was November now, the autumn season was still unusually warm to the point where most neighbours, reporters, and bystanders had only light coats on. The coldness of the wind seemed to chill the two friends of Jack and Rose... it felt like the iciness and unkindness of Caledon Hockley's soul. They knew more than anyone how much more danger the two lovers were in. They had experienced the man's evilness first hand, they had the scars to prove it. They had known from the very beginning that when Rose had been abducted, she was in grave peril, but now that Jack was also in the tycoon's clutches, it just made everything ten times worse. Cal is a dangerous man, but he still wants Rose, he wanted her to be his fiancée again, and while she was by no means safe, they knew he wouldn't kill her... or the baby they prayed. However, with Jack, it was a different situation entirely. The man who in Hockley's mind had stolen Rose away impregnated her, and was moments away from marrying her; he is seen as a rival, the enemy, something to eliminate or find a permanent solution for. Jack would die by Cal's hand if the police didn't do their jobs as soon as possible. The evening was coming, casting a dark gloom around the crime scene and making the lights seem even brighter. It is almost to the point of blinding any bystanders. The police are doing their best to keep people back and ignore the publicity. Despite the excitement going on around them, neither Emma nor Peter notice. They were in a perpetual limbo of shock, anger, fear, and dismay... nothing could break them from their state of hysteria for their loved ones. In fact, it takes a little while for Emma to realize that someone is standing in front of her again. She looks up to see one of the police officers who had talked to them before, he is holding out a handkerchief to her. This quiet gesture was kind and almost like a peace offering for their discussion before. She forces a very tiny smile on her face and accepts it.