Chapter 131 Part 131
Emerson
She hadn’t slept much, but she got out of bed at 8 a.m., and took a shower. She still had a lot of unpacking to do but her back ached, and when she looked at all the boxes, she just didn’t have the energy.
She made herself a cup of tea, and rubbed her temples when someone knocked on the front door. Her thoughts were still in turmoil. Everything Asher had said the previous night kept replaying in her mind.
“You’re pregnant! You don’t call or write!”
Emerson grinned as Eden hugged her. “I missed you too, Eden.”
“Imagine my surprise this morning when Asher insists we all eat breakfast at the main house, and he drops this on us! I nearly choked on my coffee, woman!”
“Would you like to come inside, or are you going to stand on my porch all day and yell at me?”
“You have a lot of explaining to do,” Eden said, and walked past her inside the house.
Emerson closed the front door with a smile, and followed her into the kitchen. She switched the kettle on as Eden looked around.
“Winchester said that Asher had done a fine job on this house, but I never saw the end result.”
“Asher did all this?” Emerson asked.
“Oh yeah, he worked for months after you left, fixing this place up. I think it was his way of keeping busy.”
“And now I live here.”
“So, tell me everything! And I mean, everything.”
They sat at the kitchen table as Emerson told her about finding out she was pregnant, her shock, and why she hadn’t said anything sooner. She looked at pictures of Genesis, and laughed at all the stories Eden told her.
“Don’t look at me like that, Eden, I know what you’re going to ask me.”
“So, then tell me,” Eden said.
Emerson sighed and emptied her cup of tea. “It took me a long time to get over Asher. I was a wreck for weeks, then I found out about the baby…I don’t know, Eden. I was scared to tell him. I thought he might not believe me, but then, as time passed, I realized that coming back, and giving him a choice was the right thing to do.”
“You’re not over him,” Eden said, and narrowed her eyes. “Do you still love him?”
Emerson closed her eyes and gritted her teeth. “Seeing him again, it’s messing with my emotions. I still love him, that hasn’t changed, but he doesn’t love me back.”
Eden snorted, and murmured something under her breath. She looked Emerson in the eye and took a deep breath. “You do realize my brother isn’t going anywhere. He’s all in, Emerson. He’s going to be here every day, hovering, helping. I give it six months before he pops the question,” Eden said.
Emerson laughed loudly, and shook her head. “Don’t hold your breath. He told me yesterday that he doesn’t feel the same way. I think coming back here was a mistake. I shouldn’t have told him about the baby.”
“You are exactly where you’re supposed to be. I can’t say why Asher said what he said yesterday, only that he’s the biggest idiot on earth. He was very hurt when you left,” Eden said.
“Fine, so we hurt each other,” Emerson said.
“I need to get back to the ranch,” Eden said, and got to her feet. “You should come for dinner. Everyone wants to see you.”
“Of course,” Emerson said.
“Six months!” Eden said loudly, as she showed herself out, and Emerson’s smile faded.
Eden was a force all on her own. She did love Asher. It had almost been too much when he put his hands on her stomach. It was too easy to remember how much she’d loved him. It was better for her to remember how she felt when she left, especially after what he said. She knew Eden was right though. Asher would be there for all of it. He would stand by her, hold her hand, and tell her that everything was going to be alright.
She stood on a chair in the living room, unpacking the small elephant statues. The mantel above the fireplace was just too high for her but the perfect spot for the elephants.
“Are you insane?” Asher asked from behind her.
She turned to look at him over her shoulder, but she was already in the air. He placed her on the couch, and glared at her.
“I’m unpacking,” she said.
“What if you fell off that chair? You’re all alone here, Emerson. If you need things done, then you call me.”
“I’m capable of unpacking my own boxes, Asher.”
Asher shook his head, muttering something under his breath. He took the box, and unpacked the rest of the elephants quickly. He ripped the tape off ,and flattened the box, placing it in one corner.
“What next?”
“Asher—”
“No, clearly you can’t be trusted not to do anything stupid. What next, Emerson?”
“I was going to start in the kitchen next,” she said. Asher started toward the kitchen, and Emerson followed him quickly. “I can do it, Asher. The cupboards aren’t that high.”
“Sit. You can tell me where you want everything,” he said, and opened the first box.
The next hour was spent with Emerson sitting at the kitchen table, and Asher unpacking plates and casserole dishes, utensils, and muffin pans. She felt bad for not helping, but every time she tried, Asher shut her down.
“Your sister was here this morning,” Emerson said, when Asher had flattened the last box.
He chuckled. “She slapped the back of my head when I told her you were here and pregnant.”
“I always knew I loved Eden the most,” she said.
“The most? You love Eden the most?”
Emerson grinned, and for a moment it felt like old times. “She’s a diamond in the rough, but she means well. She managed to yell at me, and hug me at the same time.”
“Ever since Genesis was born, she thinks she can tell us what to do and that we’ll listen,” Asher said.
Emerson smiled again. They were quiet for a few minutes, Asher staring intently at her while she looked everywhere but at him. He cleared his throat, and reached for her hand. For a few seconds, she let him. His warm hand engulfed hers and her heart started beating faster.
“Thank you, for the help, Asher. I can really manage on my own.”
He nodded his head. “I know you can, but I’m here for whatever you need.”