41: THE MORNING AFTER
Emma woke up to the sound of her phone buzzing nonstop. She groggily reached over to silence it, rubbing her eyes as she tried to shake off the lingering sleep. As she sat up and looked around the room, she realized it was notifications coming through on her phone from her social media accounts and news channel apps.
She had been so caught up in the whirlwind of emotions last night that she had forgotten all about the press conference and the potential fallout. Now, as she looked around her room, she reached for the remote and turned on the huge flat-screen TV that Brayden had installed. The TV came on blaring with reports of her name and her relationship with the brothers.
Her heart sank as she saw the headlines flashing across the screen: "TRIPLE LOVE TRIANGLE ROCKS SMALL TOWN", "THREE'S A CROWD: Local Woman Embroiled in Controversial Romance", "LOVE IN THE TIME OF SCANDAL: Emma's Shocking New Relationship Revealed".
Emma felt a wave of nausea wash over her as she saw her name being dragged through the mud. She had known that this might happen, but nothing could have prepared her for the sheer volume of negative attention she was now receiving.
Just then, there was a knock on the bedroom door. She had been so caught up in the chaos on the news she hadn’t even thought about the fact of where the guys were. Emma was alone in their large bed.
“Come in.” Emma’s voice was almost a whisper when she called to whoever was on the other side. Jackson walked in with a plate of breakfast, his face was spread with a smile, until he saw the stress etched on Emma.
Then he heard the TV as the reporter came on slandering Brent and Brayden, "This is just a publicity stunt. I bet you guys are just trying to get attention."
Jackson grabbed the remote control turned the TV off and crawled into bed scooping Emma up into a hug. “Do not listen to anything on that television or on social media. No one knows how we feel about each other and honestly, it’s none of their damn business.” Jackson tried his best to console Emma.
Emma hugged Jackson, burying her face in his bare chest. She felt so safe and protected in his arms. It was one of her favorite places to be, and right now she felt like she needed the comfort of her husband. Her first true love and her soulmate.
Jackson kissed the side of her head, “We will figure all of this out and work through it. I think it is best that we stay out of the spotlight as much as possible and maybe something more interesting will come their way to report on. Why don’t you eat your breakfast, get a bubble bath, and relax today. Brent, Brayden, and I do have to go into the office this morning and do some damage control.”
Emma was perfectly fine with having a day to herself. She didn’t want to face anyone today, especially all the paparazzi that were probably swarming the guy’s office. Emma settled herself in bed and ate the wonderful breakfast they had made for her. Each guy came in, giving her a kiss goodbye before they left for work.
Emma was finally beginning to feel better after she soaked in a hot bath and went to relax downstairs. That was until she heard a knock at the front door. Emma's heart sank and she became very nervous, had the reporters and paparazzi found where they lived? What was she supposed to do? Just not answer the door and pretend she wasn’t home or answer the door and express her love for her guys? But when she opened the door, she was surprised to see her friend and neighbor, Ginger, standing on the porch with a concerned look on her face.
"Hey, girl, what's going on?" Rachel asked, her voice laced with worry. "I saw all the news reports and I just had to come over and check on you."
Emma felt a lump form in her throat as she looked at Ginger's concerned face. "It's just...it's been a really crazy day," she said, trying to downplay the situation.
Ginger's eyes scanned Emma's face before holding up her phone showing her an article on one of the local news stations. "Oh my god, Emma, what's going on?" she repeated, her voice rising in shock.
Emma sighed and flopped down onto the couch with Ginger. "Brent and Brayden confessed their feelings for me at a press conference yesterday," she explained. "And now it seems like every reporter in town is trying to get a piece of our story."
Ginger's eyes widened in shock as she took in this information. "Wait a minute. Brayden and his brother Brent? And Jackson?” She paused as she waited for Emma’s response. Emma shook her head yes. Ginger was clearly trying to wrap her head around the situation.
Emma shrugged. "Honestly, I'm kind of relieved that they finally said something. It feels like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders."
Ginger nodded sympathetically. "I can see that," she said. "But still...this is going to be tough for you to deal with. You're going to have to be prepared for some serious backlash."
Emma nodded glumly. She had known this would happen, but it was still hard to see her name being dragged through the mud like this.
Ginger stood up and put a hand on Emma's shoulder. "I'm here for you, girl," she said firmly. "We'll get through this together."
Emma smiled weakly and hugged Ginger back. She knew that having Ginger by her side would make this whole ordeal a little more bearable. And who knows? Maybe someday they could even make light of this whole situation and laugh about it together.
But for now, Emma just felt like crying. The stress of it all was starting to get to her, and she just wanted someone to talk to - someone who wouldn't judge her or try to take advantage of her situation.
As Ginger sat back down beside her, Emma felt a sense of comfort wash over her. She knew that Ginger was someone she could confide in.