Emma's Home (The Fairfield Series) (26 page)

Jake, numb, just stood staring at the doctor’s back. Carol, who had walked over to support Laurie, reached out and gently lay her hand on his arm.

“Jake, as soon as they get her settled in ICU, you and Laurie can go back. I’ll take you when you are ready.”

*

Jake and Laurie walked with Carol down the long sterile hospital hall. Each room they passed, Jake glanced in seeing other ICU patients and their rooms filled with anxious faces. Each one with their own story, their own pain, their own hopes, their own grief. As others turned their faces to him, he saw understanding. When his father had been ill, Jake realized he had been too young to truly understand the human emotion of shared grief. Seeing his emotions mirrored on the faces of others in the hospital, he knew he wasn’t alone.

Holding tightly to Laurie’s hand, not knowing if it was for his support or hers, they entered Emma’s room.

The lights were so bright, but they did not hurt her eyes.

There was a golden glow all around, like the reflection of the sun setting over the ocean.

That perfect moment when the last of the sun’s rays cast brilliant colors over the moving water, and everything has a pastel crystalline beauty.

Emma’s mother was on the shore, the pearlescent light glowing around her face,

and Emma could feel herself floating toward her.

Her mother opened her arms, wrapping them around Emma as she stood before her.

Emma, surrounded by her love.

Home. That was where love was. She remembered their home.

The laughter, the sharing, the love. That was home.

Emma looked up into her mother’s wise eyes and saw love shining from them.

I want to go with you, mom. I’ve miss you so much. I’m ready.

I want to go home.

Oh Emma dearest. This isn’t your home. Not yet. It’s not your time.

You still have so much love to give. You still have a home to fill with love.

Emma pulled back and looked around, not understanding.

You, my precious child, you will be home with me someday, but not right now.

Emma’s mother began to slowly move away. Emma reached out for her,

but she could no longer touch her mother’s arms.

Mom, mom, don’t leave me again…

Emma dearest, it is time for you to go to your home.

It’s time for Emma’s home.

*

Harsh. Bright. Glaring. Emma was aware of the light, but this time causing pain instead of comfort. She felt herself floating, but could not hear peaceful shore sounds. Only sharp beeping and the sounds of murmuring. She forced her eyes to open, not understanding where she was. She still felt as though she was floating, but her body was not moving. Trying to turn her head, she couldn’t seem to move it on her own. Emma cut her eyes over to the side and saw Jake slumped in a chair, his face unshaven, hair uncombed, shirt wrinkled, eyes closed.

As her fog-filled mind began to clear, she remembered the events leading to her going over the mountainside. She remembered looking at Jake right before Mike pulled her over and realizing that all she wanted in life was to be with this man every day, in every way. She loved him with a love that was boundless, endless, forever. She wanted to build a home with him.

Home… Home.

She remembered. A tear slid down her face as she remembered her mother. Was it a dream? It doesn’t matter. Her mother came when she needed her and guided her, just as she always had. That was what her mother meant. She was meant to build a home here, with Jake.

Emma smiled. A home with their children.

Thank you mom. Thank you.

Emma closed her eyes again in the peaceful sleep of one who knows they are loved.

*

The next time she opened her eyes, Jake’s beautiful baby blues were staring back at her.

“Hey,” she said softly.

“Hey back,” he said smiling. He reached his hand around and cupped her bruised face gently. This time the tear that slid down was on his face.

“Oh Jake, honey don’t cry. I love you,” Emma said with reverence.

Tears continued to fall from Jake’s eyes. “Emma girl. I thought I lost you. I thought I was never going to have the chance to tell you that I want to spend every night watching you sleep and every morning watching your beautiful eyes open. I want you in my life every day. Every way.”

Emma smiled up at him. “Jake, I saw momma.” He looked at her in confusion. “When I was sleeping,” she continued. “Do you want to know what she told me? She told me that it was my time to build my home here. Jake, I choose you. You’re my home.”

Jake leaned over and touched his lips to hers in a tender, love filled kiss. “As soon as you’re out of here babe, we’ll make that home. I promise. Wherever we are together, that will be home.”

Four months later

J
ake waited at the end of the aisle in the small white church on the edge of town. His dark suit fit perfectly, having been made just for him. The color set off his sandy blond hair, which had been trimmed recently. The jacket of the suit was cut to fit his wide shoulders and arms. The white shirt underneath and bright blue tie stood out starkly against his tan skin. Jake’s eyes scanned toward the back of the church, hoping the ceremony would start soon. His gaze found his mother’s face, as she smiled up at him.

Proudly standing next to Jake was Rob and Tom, equally as handsome in their dark suits. Tom leaned over. “Nervous?”

Jake shook his head and smiled. “Hell no. Been waitin’ for this for a long time. Ready to make it official.”

Rob just grinned as Tom nodded in agreement.

Emma stayed in the hospital for ten days until she was stable enough to go home with Jake and Mary. It had taken a couple of months of intensive physical therapy for Emma to be able to walk with a cane and regain full use of her arms. The bruises on her body healed much quicker than the bruises in her mind. Nightmares still occasionally plagued Emma, but when they occurred, Jake held her tightly until they subsided. Emma and Mary had grown inseparable, assisting each other as best as they could.

Suddenly the back doors of the church opened and the three men straightened, making an impressive sight. Carol walked down the aisle first, wearing a blue strapless, knee length dress, showcasing her delicate features and blonde hair. Tom smiled at his beautiful wife as her eyes sought his. Laurie followed next, in a similar dress as Carol’s only with a strap over one shoulder. Her long brown hair hung down her back in soft curls. Rob’s eyes never left the beautiful woman that he was lucky enough to call his own. He winked at her as she crossed in front of him to take her place.

Jake anxiously waited to see Emma, suddenly now nervous. She appeared at the back of the small church and began to walk down the aisle. Roger, looking as proud as a real father, escorted her as they began their slow journey towards the waiting groom. The continued physical therapy allowed Emma to walk with just a slight limp, but she was wearing ballerina flats instead of the heels she had so wanted to wear.

Jake’s breath stopped momentarily as his eyes took in the vision that was moving towards him. Emma’s hair was swept up, partially hidden by her ivory veil, with tendrils framing her face. Her ivory dress was a flowing creation of silk and lace, with a sweetheart neckline that just showed a hint of the top of her breasts. Emma was wearing the pearl earrings and necklace Mary had given to her the week before.

Her deep chocolate eyes were sparkling, but it was her smile that rocked Jake’s world. As she kept her eyes on his baby blues, her radiant smile lit her entire face and he could have sworn he felt it right down to his very soul. As Roger placed her small hand into Jake’s much larger one, Jake drew her close to his side. Smiling down at her, he leaned over and whispered, “I love you, baby.”

As Emma and Jake exchanged vows, the emotion was so palpable that the congregation wiped tears from their eyes as they witnessed the union of two souls destined to be together. As the minister declared them to be husband and wife, Jake picked Emma up in his powerful embrace lifting her in the air, kissing her as though his life depended on her as his next breath.

“Forever, Emma girl?” Jake softly asked, looking into the eyes that held his soul.

“Forever, Jake,” Emma replied, tears of joy sliding down her cheeks.

Emma slowly opened her eyes, seeing her handsome husband sleeping next to her. She never tired of staring at his face. A face that could break out into a smile that made her breath catch, a face that could hold her in ecstasy as he pleasured her long into the night, a face that could gentle with the holding of his child.

Speaking of his child, Emma could hear cooing coming from across the hall. She quietly slipped out of bed, stopping to rub Mister, sleeping on the bed at Jake’s feet. Walking across the hall, she looked down at their beautiful daughter playing in her crib. She scooped her up, snuggling her close. After changing her, Emma carried her back into their bedroom, holding her tightly as she slid back into bed.

Feeling the bed move, Jake opened his eyes to the most beautiful sight any man can wake to. He looked into the deep brown eyes of his wife, nursing his baby girl. A girl that had her mother’s dark hair and chocolate eyes. Baby Sarah looked at her dad’s face and reached out to pat his cheeks. Jake pretended to bite her chubby fingers, and Sarah burst into baby giggles. The door bounced open with force as three year old Richie came running into the room, sending Mister scrambling off the bed. Emma looked at her son’s rumpled sandy blond hair and baby blue eyes, seeing a younger version of her husband.

Jake made room for his son as he climbed into the bed. The four of them sat, quietly snuggling for a few minutes, until Richie’s enthusiasm for starting a new day was too much to hold in. Laughing, Jake grabbed the little boy, saying, “Come on, son. Let’s go get dressed.”

Emma looked up, mouthing
‘Thank you’
to Jake as he took their rambunctious son off to get dressed so that she could finish nursing Sarah. In a little bit, they all headed downstairs for breakfast.

“Gamma, gamma,” Richie said.

Emma looked at her son and told him that he could run get his grandma. Jake watched as Richie ran from their house across the yard to where his mother, Mary, now lived. Stepping out on the porch with his coffee, he looked around in satisfaction. Once Emma was released from the hospital four years ago, they decided not to waste any time and immediately began to plan for the future. He still remembered seeing her walk down the aisle, taking his breath away. Hearing his son’s excited voice, his attention was pulled back towards the yard, where Richie and his mother were walking together.

He and Emma had her old unused garage torn down, and they built a bigger house next to her little one. A house big enough for kids, he told her. As it was being built, they equipped her original house with some features that would make moving around easier for his mother. As soon as both houses were finished, they moved in. Emma would never consider not having Mary move with them. Now, Mary had a one level house that fit her needs and Jake’s growing family had their own home.