Without Her

Chapter 25 - None Of Your Concern

It has been a month since the incident with Harriet, and Emma was finally coming home.

She is sitting on the sofa, with Harriet next to her in her Moses basket.

Harriet starts to gurgle and babble at her, "Oh, you want to play on the floor do you?" Jac asks, as she picks Harriet up and places her on the floor.

Jac grabs a block, and puts it into Harriet's hand.

Just then there is a knock at the door, "Oh, it must be your big sister." Jac says, getting up and answering the door.

"Jac..." the voice says.

"You." Jac replies, crossing her arms.

"Can I come in?" The voice, asks.

"No, you can't." She says "I don't want to get angry, in front of my daughter."

"Well can I see Harriet?"

"No." Jac replies "You can't, now go." She says, shutting the door.

The person catches it with their foot, "Jac, let me in."

"Go away!" Jac shouts "You abandoned all three of us, when we needed you."

"It was a mistake, please..."

"Go home, Kian." Jac says, starting to walk away.

"This is home." He replies, walking in.

"If you don't get out, I'll call the police." She says, as Harriet starts to cry.

"It's okay baby, mummy's coming." Jac says, as she walks over to Harriet and picks her up.

"Shhh." Jac says, slowly rocking her.

"Oh, you cut your finger a little bit?" She says, as she grabs a small towel and wraps it around Harriet's finger.

"Hopefully that'll stop, the blood flow." Jac says, still rocking her.

"What's wrong with her?" Kian asks, standing in the doorway.

"Really it's none of your concern." Jac says, turning away from him.

"It is, she's my daughter."

"Personally that went away, when you ran away." She replies, sitting down at the dining table.

"I had to, to clear my head." He responds, "I really needed to."

"Yeah well we all need to clear our heads at some point, but I don't run do I?" Jac says, defensively.

Harriet starts to cry again, and look around.

"Hey, shh." Jac says, getting a dummy and putting in her mouth.

"Fine, you can hold her just this once." Jac says, passing Harriet to him.

"Hey, little one." He says, looking at the baby in his arms.

Harriet spits her dummy out, and smiles up at him.

"Awww look at you, you've grown so much!" He says, smiling back down at the baby.

"Yeah, well that's what babies do." Jac replies, standing up.

Emma comes bursting through the door, "Mummy!"

"Emma, I've missed you!" Jac says, bending down and hugging her.

"Mummy, I made you this." Emma says, passing Jac a picture.

"Oh Emma, it's beautiful." Jac smiles.

"It's of you, me and Harriet."

"Well that's going straight, on the fridge." Jac smiles, rubbing Emma's head.

Emma walks into the kitchen, and sees Kian.

"Why are you here?" Emma asks, looking up at him.

"I'm here to see Harriet." He replies, smiling.

"But not me?" Emma asks, looking down.

"Emma it's okay, you've got me." Jac smiles, as Emma sits down at the dining table.

"Mummy is Kian going to stay with us now, forever?" Emma asks, sweetly.

"Mummy, why did Kian go away for a little while?" She asks, quietly.

"Well you see Em-." Kian starts, before Jac interrupts him.

"Because he's a selfish, bastard." Jac says, not hesitating.

"Jac.." Kian says, looking down.

Jac walks over to him, and takes Harriet back off him.

"You should go." She says, angrily.

"Mummy, what does bastard mean?" Emma, asks.

"Emma it's not a good word to use, only adults can use it." Jac says, putting Harriet into her Moses basket.

"Mummy as we can't send Harriet back, can we send Kian back?" Emma asks, sweetly.

"I don't see why not." Jac replies.

The next morning...

Emma and Harriet are with the nanny, and Jac is heading into work.

Jac is driving along the road, when a cat walks out into the road.

She swerves to miss the cat, and crashes into tree. Taking out another, car with her.

Her head lashes backwards, and hits the seat. Knocking her head on the way too.

Jac's body leans backwards, as she goes unconscious - will she survive?