A Second Chance at love

Chapter 11: A Fresh Start

I woke up from a sound sleep with a horrible start at around 7am. Not sure what had awakened me, I got up and went to check on Emma who was usually awake and babbling happily to herself by now. I went in her room as I stretched and tried to clear the sleepy cobwebs from my head.

To my surprise and shock, she wasn't in her crib- I panicked and spun on my heel heading as fast as I could to wake Allison who was sleeping in the living room, the blanket was neatly folded on the one end of the couch with the pillow sitting on top of it and Allison wasn't in the living room.

My heart raced a million miles an hour as I reached to grab the cordless phone and began running through the house looking for them "Allison?? Emma??" I called out anxiously as I went from room to room downstairs getting now response I headed upstairs. I poked my head into Jon's room as I looked for them and as I expected, it was undisturbed.

With no sign of them upstairs, I raced back to my room threw on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt and grabbed my shoes so I could go outside. I ran out front first "ALLISON??? EMMA???" I called out several times-- no response. I checked the driveway and the garage next -- Allison's car, my car and Jon's truck were all accounted for. I ran around the back and stopped dead in my tracks when I saw Allison stretched out playing with Emma on a blanket enjoying the beautiful morning they were both laughing and giggling and having a great time. I jogged over to them quickly with tears in my eyes and relief washing over me.

"There you two are!!" I exclaimed. "I have been looking all over for you and was worried sick!!"

Allison looked up and saw the tears in my eyes as i sat down on the blanket with them and said, "I am so sorry, I didn't mean to scare you like that.- Emma woke up around 6am so I got up with her so you could sleep in, I got her changed and we played in her room for awhile and I decided to bring her outside before it go too hot."

"I was so afraid something awful had happened to her that I went to get you and seeing you were gone too sent my mind into panic mode." I told her.

"Next time, I'll let you know if I take her outside." she told me. We stayed outside awhile longer and then headed in and had breakfast.

We dropped Emma off at Grandma's around 9am and then headed out for our 'girls day of fun'. We went and had manicures, pedicures, facials and massages and then headed to the mall. As we laughed and shopped it was almost as though we were old friends.

Around 12:30pm we were starving so we stopped and grabbed lunch in the food court.

"Those outfits you got for Emma are absolutely adorable!" Allison said as she drank some of her Dr Pepper. "her daddy is going to love them."

I smiled and nodded as I ate some of my roast beef sandwich.

As we continued to eat and talk, I finally worked up enough nerve to come right out and ask her why she was so upset about Jon and I being friends(and possibly more than friends).

"Allison?" I asked "Why are you having such a hard time with the fact that Jon and I remained friends after we split back in high school?- you act as though I am some sort of bug that needs to be squashed whenever you see me."

"Look, Christina" she said "When you and Jon were together in high school , I was so happy for the both of you- you guys we absolutely adorable together. I never had a problem with you till you stated to fall under the 'spell' of that loser captain from the football team and you decided to dump Jon for him."

"You really broke Jon's heart the day you dumped him- and it made me feel horrible to see my little brother hurting like that." she went on. "I made a promise to myself that day that I would watch out for him when it came to girls/women and especially if you came back around so he wasn't hurt like that again."