Page 35 of Free to Believe
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Jake
“Daddy, Dr. Fischer just left. Should we go check on Em?” Jenna yells down from upstairs.
I don’t respond because I honestly don’t know. When Emily walked away from me on the beach this morning, I didn’t know what to think about what she said to me.Was she saying all of those things had happened to her?My mind instantly shies away from that. But I keep remembering the ice-cold woman who threatened to call 911 on me the day we met. Now, I’m told by the doctor I asked to look in on her, that Emily essentially held him hostage on the front porch while she verified his ID?
What if Em has reason to be this scared? What am I doing by exposing my daughter to her?
“Give me a few minutes, Jenna,” I call back. “I have to make a quick call.” Heading down to the one place where I know I can get some peace and quiet—the music studio—I call Dani.
“Jesus, Jake. Tell me this isn’t a complaint about Em. Brendan and I just got to sleep like four hours ago.” Shit, I forgot they were on the West Coast this week.
Wincing, I run my hand across the back of my neck. “Not a complaint, per se…”
“Jake,” she warns me.
“Dani, how much do you know about her background?” I blurt out the question.
There’s murmuring on the other end of the line for a full minute. The next thing I know, Brendan’s on the phone. “Why are you asking, Jake?”
I lay it all out on the line. “Jenna was complaining to her about me, and Em snapped, I think. She said something today that freaked Jenna. Something about life could be worse if you watched your parents being killed in front of you. Then when I tried to talk to her, she essentially told me to wake up because life is filled with all these nightmarish scenarios. Now, I have to wonder if I should let Jenna be around her.”
Brendan sighs. “Listen, I can’t break any trust—trust I only just gained, mind you. All I can say is talk with Em. If you’re not certain about Jenna being around her, that’s your decision. But personally, that woman—that whole family—is made up of the strongest people I’ve ever known.”
“Not helping me much, man.”
“That’s all I can say. Talk to Em.” Brendan hangs up in my ear.
“Talk to Em,” I mimic. “Gee, thanks, buddy. Remind me to use infinite wisdom in your best-man speech.”
“Daddy?” I close my eyes. I just can’t win for trying today. But God, does it feel good to hear “Daddy” on her lips.
“Yes, Jen?”
“Why were you asking Dani and Brendan about Em?”
Nope. Not one thing. “Because she scared you,” I answer honestly.
“Seriously?” Jenna’s outraged.
I’m confused. “Well, yes.”
“Dad, I was upset because Em was right. I was being immature, yet here I want you to take me seriously. I was blaming you for something you didn’t do. Hell, you’ve been drilling it into me since Mom left that actions have consequences.” Her voice is filled with bitter rage.
“Jenna.” Holding out my hand, I’m actually surprised when she takes it.
“Listen, I was upset, because if I heard her right, Em lived through something truly awful, and I just wanted to hold on to you for a few minutes. Is that so wrong?”
I tug her toward me. “No, baby, it’s not.” I take a deep breath. “You weren’t afraid?”
“Of Em?” She snorts. “Please. You’re worse when you’re upset. She gets all quiet and cold. You go all fire and brimstone.”
I sigh over her head. “Okay, so maybe I had it wrong.”
I feel Jenna shaking as she laughs. “So, now can we go see Em? I was going to take Mugsy out for her, but I ran out. I feel really bad.”
Pulling back, I brush my lips against her head. “Yeah. Let’s go see Em.”
