Chapter Two

"Mother, Father I am home, I brought a friend with me and I would really like you to meet her."

I set Emma down on a chair.

"Maverick, where have you been?" "We missed you so much."

"Mother, you're smothering me and I can't breathe."

"Gasp." "Who is this young lady and why did you bring her home?"

"Mother, this is my friend, her name is Emma."

"Hello dear and welcome to our home."

"Hello I am sorry I would stand but if I do I will fall so I am sorry that I can't introduce myself more properly."

"No worries dear so how do you know my son?"

"Well our first time meeting I crashed into him by accident." "I wasn't watching where I was going." "It's funny he was so uppity about me watching where I was going."

Mavericks mother took a closer look at me. I am not going to lie, it was very uncomfortable.

"Sweetie do you know who we are?"

"Yes I do, you are mavericks parents and it's so nice to meet you." "But if you don't mind, can I have someone look at my ankle?" "My foot really hurts."

"Yes I will take a look at your foot." "I am a doctor after all."

I watched as she cleaned my food up and took a closer look at it. She braced my ankle up as well.

"There now I want you to use these crutches for at least a week." "Now let's go get you cleaned up and ready for bed."

I can't believe this girl is here. They both have no idea this is not a good thing.

"Thank you Mamma for everything but I really think I should be going if I owe you anything for the brace and crutches I will get you paid back as soon as I get a job."

I really need to get as far away as I can from my family. I can't live like this living close to the people that hate me most.

"Emma sweetie it's too dark outside and it's also dangerous for a lady to be outside at this time of night so please stay here tonight."

Something is up she tensed up when I asked her to stay the night. I wonder what is going on?

"Emma, is something going on?"

"No, I just think that my family is worrying about me right now since I haven't come home yet and I really don't want to be a burden on you."

"Stay the night please." "I don't want anything bad to happen to you because it's dark out and anything can happen in the dark so please stay the night it would make my mind at ease." "Plus our house is already locked down for the night."

"Fine, just one night I really don't like being a burden for someone."

I hate myself for staying. Why do they lock down the house anyway? Is it really that bad out here for them to have to lock down the house at the same time every night? I wish this war would end, it's scaring and hurting everyone. Well at least my family isn't next to this house. Now that I think of it I wonder where the border meets the other side. I also wonder what the other side looks like. Does it look better on my side?

"Please don't worry about it."

We got her cleaned up and ready for bed.

"You can sleep in the spare bedroom, it's right over there to your left."

"Thank you."

"No worries, I will let you get comfortable."

I still can't believe it, her great grandfather was my grandfather's best friend. I walked over to Mavericks bedroom.

"Knock." "Maverick, may I please come in?"

"Come on in, mother."

Mother had a look on her face. I could tell that she is very worried about something.

"What's going on mother?" "Is Emma alright?"

"Emma is just fine." "What would you say if someone from the other side of the border came over here and stayed here with us?" "Also was the great granddaughter to your great grandfather's best ex friend?"

"I would tell her to get the hell out of her before I hurt her." "Why do you ask?" "By the way, how is Emma doing?"

"She is doing just fine right now. She is getting settled into the room she will be staying in tonight." "By the way, why were you out so late anyway?" "Also when and where did you two meet?"

"I was out late because I wanted to explore the other side for a little bite." "Emma, well we ran into each other in the woods this morning." "Then tonight she was running in the woods crying." "I wanted to help her because she was so sad she told me she just fell and hurt herself but I knew that she wasn't telling me the truth then she collapsed and told me what really happened her family said that she was a big disgrace to them and that they wanted nothing to do with her and then I asked her if that was the reason why she was crying she never answered me she just burs-ted into tears again."

"Wait?" "What?" "I will be right back."

"Mother, wait."

I followed my mother into the room Emma was staying in.

"Emma, can we please talk?"

I looked to the door to see Maverick and his mother.

"Umm." "Sure." "What's going on?"

"Well my son tells me that your family is against you and that they no longer love you." "Tell me, is that true?"

Dammit I can't believe he told her well I should have known it would happen soon or later. I looked down at my feet.

"Yes it's all true." "Excuse me, I need to use the restroom."

I crushed my way to the restroom locking the door behind me.

I should have never told him anything. I should have just walked away and not even talked to him and none of this would have ever happened. I can feel warm tears rolling down my face. My father is right. I am a big disgrace.

***

I followed behind Emma without her knowing. I put my ear up to the door. I know I shouldn't be doing this but something is off. I can hear her crying. Why does she try to be so strong? I know people want to be strong but we all have a breaking point at some time.

"Knock." "Emma are you alright?" "You have been in the restroom for a while now."

I wiped the tears away. Mavericks mother is right outside the door.

"Yes I am fine."

I open the door.

"I am really tired." "I think I am going to call it a night and go to bed."

"Well I do want some answers but they can wait." "Which reminds me, would you like to go on a girls trip with me and my daughter Aurora?" "It will be so much fun."

I can tell that she is hesitating.

"Well I really should get home right away tomorrow."

"Honey please stop, you already told me that your family doesn't love you anymore remember?"

"Yes I remember I just don't want to be such a burden on all of you."

"Sweetie you are no burden to use so please come on the girls day with us?"

I felt a smile come across my face.

"Yes I would love to." "I am just letting you know I have never got to do anything like this before so I don't know what to really do." "You see, my family will keep to yourself and everything will be alright."

"No worries, we have tomorrow to get you into the fun times." "We will be leaving at seven in the morning."

I can't believe her family is like that. I am so sorry that she had to go through it all as well.

"Really?" "Sweet." "I am going to go to bed."

I crushed my way to the room.

"Crash."

"Oh no not again I am so sorry are you alright Maverick?"

"I am just fine." "Haha." "You haven't learned." "The more important question is how do you feel?"

"Why do you ask me?"

"Emma I might only know you a little bit but I know why you went to the restroom." "It's the same reason why you were in the woods." "It's because you don't want anyone to see you at your lowest." "Do you know that everyone can only be strong for so long? Everyone has a breaking point?" "So are you feeling better?"

"I am better thank you for worrying about me but the reason why I hide my tears is because when I was younger my family said I was weak." "Everyone except my great grandfather, he adored me." "He told me that I was brave for being so strong to not let others see me cry."

I can feel tears coming back.

"Excuse me, I really need rest." "I am really tired."

"Emma."

Why is she so sad again? I walked behind her but she shut the door on me. I opened it and walked in.

"Emma I am sorry I didn't mean to upset you."

"No please don't be." "I just really miss my great grandfather." "He was always there for me when everyone else wasn't." "He really just passed away."

I sat down and wrapped my arms around her.

"My family and I are here for you Emma so please if you ever feel sad or any kind of emotion that you need to talk to us with please do so we are here for you." "So please don't hesitate to come to any of us alright?"

I felt tears landing on my shirt. I rubbed her back as she cried.

***

I listened to my son and Emma. I still can't believe that they have no idea about being enemies to each other. I will let them be Emma just needs someone to care for her right now and I can tell that my son has a crush on her. I walked into my room to see my husband sleeping already. I laid in bed next to him and fell fast asleep.

***

Maverick held me as I cried. I wiped the tears away.

"Thank you for being there for me, you and your family have been so sweet to me and I don't know how I would ever repay you all."

"Please don't worry about anything, we are here for you and you shouldn't have to feel the need to pay us. We want to help you."

"Thank you."

I hugged him one last time.

"I am really tired. Can we talk in the morning?"

"Of course sleep well."

I shut off the light and closed the door behind me.

I grabbed my bag from the floor and took out a snow globe that Crystal gave me. I am going to miss her so much she told me to shake it when I thought of her. I shook it and then put it on the small dresser.