Page 22 of Big Island Sunset
“No smarter than me. I thought that she would do better. Make something of herself. She still could.” A sudden desperation flashed through his eyes. “Would she consider–”
“She wants to keep the baby,” Emma said gently.
He cursed under his breath, slumping back in his chair. “That’s it, then.”
“What’s it?”
“That’s it for her. That’s it for her childhood. The life that she could have had…”
“It’s a baby, not a death sentence. She can still make something of herself. You did.”
“And Laurel?” he hissed, his voice barely audible. “It ruined her.”
Emma felt herself pale. “She isn’t Laurel.”
Ethan laughed bitterly. “You sure about that?”
“She’s nothing like Laurel.”
He scoffed at that, but then he went quiet.
Their tea sweated on the table, untouched. Emma wrapped a hand around the cool glass in front of her and took a sip of the mellow blend.
“Where did I go wrong?” he asked, staring off into middle distance. “When did I fail her?”
“You didn’t fail anyone. Juniper is a brilliant, driven, kind, amazing person.”
“Who got knocked up at seventeen.”
“She made one mistake.”
“One mistake that’s going to ruin the rest of her life!”
A faint gasp made Emma twist around in her seat. Juniper was watching them from the living room, leaning against the wall by the stairs. Emma’s stomach sank.
Juniper turned to run.
“Get back here,” Ethan snapped.
Emma tried to calm him with a hand on his arm. “Ethan, hush.”
“Do nothushme, Emmaline!” he growled, shaking her off.
His chair clattered against the wall as he stood and strode towards Juniper.
“You cannot run from this, Juniper. Sit down.”
She looked to Emma, her eyes wide.
“No, don’t look at your aunt. Look at me.” Ethan reached for her, and she flinched. “Are you serious, Jun? Have I ever hit you? Ever, in your entire life?”
Tears streaked Juniper’s face as she shook her head.
“So why are you acting like you’re scared of me?”
Jun put a hand over her mouth, stifling a sob, and Ethan’s shoulders slumped.
“We all make mistakes, Jun.”
