Chapter 6 - The Empty Chair
Emma spent twelve days in the hospital.
Vincent visited every day.
He always had an excuse.
“The children wanted to see you.”
“The doctor called.”
“You left your book at the house.”
“Aaron bought too much coffee.”
Emma stopped believing him around day three.
On the morning she was discharged, Vincent entered carrying her cheap canvas bag.
Emma stared at it.
“You packed my things?”
“No.”
“Aaron?”
“No.”
“Who?”
Vincent looked uncomfortable.
“Lily.”
Emma opened the bag.
Three stuffed animals.
Two coloring books.
One shoe.
No underwear.
She laughed until her shoulder hurt.
Vincent caught her elbow.
“Careful.”
“I’m fine.”
“You’re not.”
“I’m recovering.”
“You’re coming home.”
Emma’s smile disappeared.
“Vincent.”
“The guest suite has been prepared.”
“I have an apartment.”
“Your apartment has three flights of stairs.”
“How do you know?”
“I had it checked.”
“That is incredibly creepy.”
“It has poor locks.”
“It has normal locks.”
“They’re poor.”
Emma folded her arms carefully.
“I’m not moving into your house.”
“Temporarily.”
“No.”
“Two weeks.”
“No.”
“One.”
“No.”
“Five days.”
She stared at him.
“You negotiate everything?”
“Yes.”
“Three days.”
“Seven.”
“That’s not how negotiating works.”
“Seven.”
Emma sighed.
“Fine.”
The twins nearly knocked her over when she entered Calder House.
“Careful!” Vincent barked.
Emma laughed as they wrapped themselves around her.
That evening, something changed.
Her chair at the dinner table was already prepared.
Not at the end with staff.
Beside Lily.
Across from Vincent.
Emma stopped.
“That isn’t my seat.”
Noah looked confused.
“Yes, it is.”
“I usually eat in the kitchen.”
Lily shook her head.
“Not anymore.”
Emma looked at Vincent.
He calmly cut his steak.
“Sit down.”
“Did you do this?”
“No.”
Lily raised her hand.
“I did.”
Noah raised his too.
“Me too.”
Emma sat.
Dinner became noisy.
Noah spilled water.
Lily refused vegetables.
Vincent threatened to cancel dessert.
Emma overruled him.
“You cannot overrule me in my house.”
“I just did.”
The twins laughed.
Later, after they were asleep, Emma found Vincent in the greenhouse.
The damaged glass had been replaced.
The koi pond had been repaired.
But Vincent stood exactly where she had fallen.
“You okay?” Emma asked.
He turned.
“I should ask you that.”
“I asked first.”
He looked toward the walkway.
“I keep seeing it.”
“The shooting?”
“You falling.”
Emma moved beside him.
“You got the kids out.”
“You got them out.”
“We both did.”
He looked at her.
“I accused you in my head.”
Emma understood.
“Before the attack.”
“I thought you might have been connected to the photographs.”
“That was stupid.”
“Yes.”
She smiled.
“Glad we agree.”
“I don’t know how to do this.”
“Do what?”
Vincent searched for the words.
“Trust someone.”
Emma leaned against the stone edge of the pond.
“Start small.”
“How?”
“Tell me something true.”
Vincent considered it.
Then said quietly:
“I was terrified you were going to die.”
Emma’s expression softened.
“That’s a pretty big start.”
His eyes stayed on hers.
“I was more afraid of losing you than I understood.”
Neither moved.
Then Noah’s voice came through the greenhouse doorway.
“Dad?”
Vincent stepped back.
Noah stood in dinosaur pajamas.
“I had a bad dream.”
Emma smiled.
Vincent held out his hand.
“Come here.”
Noah ran to him.
As Vincent carried his son upstairs, Noah looked over his shoulder.
“Emma?”
“Yeah?”
“You’re still here tomorrow?”
Emma looked at Vincent.
He stopped walking.
For the first time, the question was not only Noah’s.
Emma smiled.
May you like
“Yes.”
---
