Through the Storm (The Montclair Brothers) (16 page)

Jacob called Tyler at home around eleven that morning.

"Jacob! How was your first night of sleeping in your own bed?" Jacob could hear him folding up a newspaper.

"I haven't been to bed yet, Ty. I need some help." He kept his voice low.

"What's going on? I can come over if you want. I've called the office and let them know we made it back safely, but laying low today."

"It's Emma. I got her out of her apartment early this morning. She's losing it, literally." Jacob sighed heavily into the phone.

"…What's she doing?" Tyler asked cautiously.

"She's been cleaning my house, talking and walking in circles…I need help. I'm really worried about her." Jacob looked around the corner. Emma was standing at the window staring, with a rag in her hand.

"Jacob, she hasn't been eating or sleeping for a long time. Pile all the stress and fear on top of
that, and this is the outcome. You're going to have to help her to eat and sleep. If I'd have known she was this bad, I'd have never let her leave the van alone."

Jacob knew his brother would fly over to his house if he'd ask, but his big brother needed a reprieve from taking care of all of them. "Let
me keep trying. I'll let you know how it goes." Jacob hung up the phone, walked around the corner and noticed that Emma hadn't budged from the window.

He approached her very slowly. When Jacob placed his hands on her shoulders, she looked up at him. He could tell she knew who he was, but she didn't
know
him.

"Hi, Emma."
Jacob kissed the top of her head.

""Do you want something to drink?" Emma asked brightly.

Without another word, he lifted her in his arms and walked up the stairs. Jacob slowly laid her down on the bed, and before she could speak, he curled up against her and held on tight. His arms were strong, so he encircled Emma to make her feel safe. He'd fight sleep for as long as he needed to, just so he could watch over her. Reversing the effects from Robert wouldn't be easy, but Jacob silently promised to guide her through it.

By three o'clock that afternoon, Jacob's shoulders were killing him. Emma's chest was rising and falling in a steady rhythm, but still he worried. He didn't want to wake her, so he slowly slid his arm out from underneath her, and rolled out of bed. Emma moved ever so slightly, but still she slept. He stepped softly out of the bedroom, pulling the door closed quietly behind him. Jacob
made his way down to the kitchen, picked up the phone, and then walked to the laundry room. His brother answered on the second ring.

"Is she okay?" were the first words out of Tyler's mouth.

"Emma's asleep, but I'm worried," whispered Jacob.

"Just keep checking on her. When she wakes up, make sure you get food and water into her system. Emma needs to be nursed back to health." Tyler also talked in a low voice, as if Emma was right beside of him.

Jacob walked into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. The shelves were bare. "I don't have anything here for her to eat, Ty." He closed the door and began quietly opening cupboards. "Nope, nothing."

"I'll be there in forty-five minutes. I know exactly what she likes. I'm not going to knock, so just watch for me." He quickly hung up the phone.

Jacob left his land line off the hook in case someone decided to call; he didn't want it to wake Emma. Just as he reached the bottom of the stairs, to go up and check on her, he heard a commotion. The sounds of fast footsteps and whimpering were coming from the bedroom.

Running up the steps, taking two at a time, he saw her standing by the banister. Her whole body was shaking.

"It's okay, Emma." He slowly approached her. "It's Jacob. You're at my house."

"I know who you are, but why am I here?" Emma wrapped her arms around herself.

"Your apartment wasn't in any condition for you to stay there. I came over, picked you up in my Jeep, and brought you here. Do you remember?" Jacob knew that he had to choose each word carefully.

Without answering his question, Emma looked over her shoulder towards the bedroom, before turning back to face him.

"Do you have any coffee? I feel pretty fuzzy." Emma tucked her hair behind her ears.

Jacob had seen a can in the cupboard. "I'll make some. Would you like to come downstairs with me?" He held his hand out.

"My head hurts. Do you have aspirin, too?" She still hadn't moved from her position.

"Come with me and I'll get you some." He figured her head hurt because she was dehydrated, and Tyler had mentioned she needed water. Emma held onto the banister and carefully moved her feet down each step. He slightly bent his knees, ready to grab her if she started to fall.

She didn't take the hand he'd offered, so Jacob slipped his arm under hers, and escorted her to the dining room where the shades were drawn; it was much too bright in the kitchen for someone with a headache.

After he got her seated, he returned to the kitchen and filled a glass with water. "Can you drink this for me?"

"I'd like some coffee and aspirin, please." Emma explained with slight irritation.

He scrambled for words. "The label says they work best if you drink a full glass of water." Hopefully she fell for it. Jacob wished Tyler would hurry.

"It does? I've never read that before." She looked at him suspiciously.

As he was trying to think of what to say next, he heard his
brother's Mercedes in the driveway, by the backdoor. He sat the glass of water in front of Emma and ran to let Tyler in.

"Whose here?" she asked. The mounting anxiety was obvious.

"Tyler!" Exclaimed Jacob, as he shifted his eyes towards the dining room. He hoped his brother would pick up on his unspoken communication.

Tyler nodded and walked into the dining room. "Hey, Emma, how are you?" He sat a takeout container from her favorite restaurant onto the table, then bent down and kissed her forehead. She felt warm. He turned to Jacob and mouth the word 'silverware.'

Jacob grabbed a set out of the drawer, along with a few napkins, and sat them on the table.

"Why aren't you at work, Tyler?" She stared up at him.

"I'm on my break." Jacob could tell that Tyler was thinking fast as well. "I didn't want to sit in a crowded restaurant, and they only had one takeout container left, so I figured you wouldn't mind splitting one with me. Jacob, could you bring me some silverware too? Emma and I are going to share." Tyler pulled a chair out, slid it close to her, and sat down.

"I'm not really hungry." She shook her head and leaned back in her chair.

"Emma, you know how much I hate eating alone." Tyler laughed, trying to lighten her mood.

"Just a couple of bites then."
She picked up her silverware as Tyler opened the packed container of roasted chicken, broccoli, mashed potatoes and gravy, and squash.

Emma stared down at the food and licked her lips. "Jacob, will you have some too?"

Tyler stared at him and ever so slightly, nodded.

"I sure will!" Jacob returned to the kitchen and brought out another set of silverware.

Tyler put his fork into the container and scooped up a very small amount of the mashed potatoes, and brought it to his lips. He didn't eat it because she wasn't looking at him.

Jacob did the same thing. He watched her spear a piece of broccoli and put it into her mouth. She began to chew.

"My mouth is dry. Can I have something to drink?" She sat her fork down.

At first, Jacob felt panicked when she mentioned the word 'drink,' fearing she'd go right back into that circle of conversation. "I have one for you. Look." Jacob moved the water towards her.

She just stared at it. Tyler reached out and lifted the glass to his own lips, pretending to sip it. "Em, this doesn't taste very cold to me. Can you try it?" He slowly handed it to her.

"Really?
That's odd." Emma sipped the water. "It tastes fine to me." She took a long drink, and then another.

Jacob took the glass to the sink and filled it with more water. This time, he handed it to his brother.

"Emma, does this one taste better?" Tyler pretended to take a sip, and then handed the glass to her.

"Let me see." She took another sip, followed by a long drink. "It tastes good." She smiled and sat the water in front of Tyler.

"Have you tried the chicken yet, Emma? The mashed potatoes are good too. I think I like the sweet potatoes the best." Tyler looked at her and smiled.

"Those aren't sweet potatoes. It's squash." Emma looked at him like he was out of his mind.

"I don't think so. Here, try a bit and tell me." Tyler lifted a forkful of the squash to her lips. She opened her mouth and began to chew.

"It's squash, silly. Jacob, try some. It's really good." Emma picked up a fork and handed it to him. He dipped it in the squash and put it in his mouth.

"It's delicious." He took Tyler's lead. "I'd like a bite of that duck." Jacob cut off a piece.

"That's not duck, it's a chicken breast." She began to laugh at the brothers.

"No way," Tyler shook his head. "I don't believe you."

Emma continued to laugh, but she accepted the chicken that Jacob held in front of her mouth. "It's definitely chicken." She cut another piece off, then dipped it into the gravy and ate it.

Jacob watched in wonder as she began to eat normally. By the time she pushed the container away, the food was nearly gone. "Emma, are you sure this water is cold enough? I don't think it is."

"You men are being ridiculous. Of course it's cold enough." She took two more long drinks before sitting the glass down. "I'd like to have that aspirin now."

"Coming right up!" Jacob walked to the kitchen cabinet and pulled out the container of vitamins. He removed one and brought it back to her.

"This isn't an aspirin." Emma stared at it.

Jacob kept his palm open in front of her. "I thought I had some, but I guess I don't. This is headache medicine. It'll definitely do the job." He smiled and lifted the glass of water to offer both at the same time.

Emma swallowed the vitamin and then took another long drink. "I think I have to get cleaned up now." She pushed her chair out and stood up.

Once she was turned around, Tyler mouthed the words "I'll be back in three hours," and then quietly slipped out of the house, closing the door behind him.

Jacob went up behind Emma and grabbed a couple of towels and washcloths from the linen closet on the way. He listened as she turned on the shower. When Emma started to pull her t-shirt over her head, she became unsteady. He quickly wrapped his arms around her so she wouldn't fall.

"Jacob! I'm getting undressed!" She raised her voice.

Had she forgotten he'd already seen her naked? Did she forget they'd made love? Jacob pushed his feelings aside, and whispered in her ear.

"I don't have much hot water, Emma. May I shower with you, if I promise to keep my eyes closed?" It took everything he had not to spin her around and try to make her remember.

"Well, as long as you promise not to look. I'm not going to be in there very long. Keep your back to me."

Jacob quickly took his clothes off, but kept his boxers on. He hoped she wouldn't see his scar and relive the devastation she'd gone through after the shooting. He tested the water, and then helped her get in. She faced towards the spray, tilted her head slightly back, closed her eyes, and let out a sigh.

Jacob didn't know what to do. If she fell, she'd really get hurt, and if he touched her, she'd spin around and try to get out of the shower. Suddenly, she went back into a trance. When he saw her arms go limp, he soaped up the washcloth and began moving it softly against her back. He slid the cloth over to her arms, carefully washing each one,
then he bent down, and did the same to each leg. As he stood back up, he peeked around front at her face. Emma's eyes were still closed.

He knew he had to chance facing her. Hopefully she'd notice he was wearing his boxers, and she wouldn't become alarmed. Jacob had never been in a situation like this. Holding her by the shoulders, he
slowly turned Emma around. He poured shampoo in his hand, and very gently, began to massage it into her hair. As Jacob rinsed out the suds, his hands had an alarming amount of red strands stuck to them. After coating her thinning hair with conditioner, Jacob washed the front of her body. With his arm around her shoulders he tilted her head back and began to rinse her hair again. Emma opened her eyes and stared at him. Jacob knew then, that he'd blown it.

She didn't utter a word. As her eyes watered, he slowly brought her face to his chest and held her while her body wracked with sobs.

"It's okay," he whispered, and let her cry.

∞  ∞  ∞  ∞

Tyler used the spare key to unlock Jacob's door. He tried his best not to make any noise, but the door clicked loudly when he closed it, causing him to freeze in position. If Emma didn't show some improvement, they'd have to take her to a hospital. In hindsight, she'd been slipping a little more each day. He should have been paying better attention to her physical and mental status, but Robert had consumed every waking moment. Tyler hadn't put two and two together. Emma had been the one who was left to pick up the wreckage, not only hers, but everyone else's as well. He was kicking himself for not being there for her as much as he should have been.