The Weeping Widow

XIII

Jacky

I immediately called Candace and told her about the necklace and the location and in less than an hour we were on our way to where Emrys was.

We decided to drive instead of fly and it was honestly making my nerves worse. My whole body was jittery and I couldn't seem to keep my
breath steady. I just closed my eyes and began to ask God for some peace when my phone interrupted me by ringing.

I looked down at it and saw an unknown caller but something was telling me to pick it up so I did. I placed the phone up to my ear and before I could speak Em's voice rang in my ears.

"Hey Apple Jack!" She said in a tone that let me know she was smiling.

"Oh Honey Bunch are you alright?!" I quickly asked causing Karen to look over at me. She whispered for me to put it on speaker so I did just that.

"I'm fine AJ. I'm at my grandparents house right now and all the family is over here. It feels nice to see them but they don't know what's going on." She replied lowly with a sigh.

"What do you mean they don't know what's going on?" I asked in confusion.

"They don't know my mom came and took me. They think I came to visit." She muttered lowly before continuing.

"And its really nice to see all of them and to finally remember everything from before and it makes me want to build a relationship with them but... but I wanna come home." She whined and sniffled.

"I'm on my way to come get you now, I still have a few hours left on the road. Who's phone is this?" I asked as I checked to see how long it would be before we got there.

"It's my granny's house phone. I'm supposed to be staying until dinner so hopefully you'll be here by then."

"I will be Honey Bunch. Just hold on a little while longer okay? We'll be back home in no time." I said reassuringly which caused her to sigh.

"Alright. I'll see you when you get here. I-" She said but someone in the background interrupted her.

"Alright well I gotta go Apple Jack. Love you." She said before hanging up the phone.

I looked at my phone as the call ended and tears welled up in my eyes but I quickly wipes them away before putting my phone away.

"Can't we get a police escort or something so we can speed and make it there faster?" Karen asked as she sensed my distress.

"I can call Candace and see Mommy but it might be hard once we hit the state line." Kierra said from the front seat.

After that response I began to tune everyone out as I stared out the window and prayed. Lord keep her safe until I get there.

Emrys

My grandmother came and asked me to go to the store with her while I was on the phone with Jacky, which I agreed too cause I didn't want to just sit in the house, I felt a little uncomfortable.

We walked out to her car and she helped me in before getting in on her side and soon we were headed to the store.

"How long are you going to be here?" She asked as she started to drive.

"Probably just for the day. It was an impulse decision." I lied as I looked out the window.

"Where's my mom?" I asked looking back at my grandmother. She visibly stiffened as she approached a red light and it took a few seconds for her to answer me.

"Well she's supposed to be in a mental institution, I got her admitted after she had your younger sister. She's... ill to say the least." She revealed to me causing my blood to run cold.

"Oh no.." I whispered softly causing her to look at me. My face was covered in dread as I stared straight ahead.

"What? What's wrong?" She asked as she began to drive again once the light turned green.

"I- you might wanna pull over." I said as I took a deep breath. She simply nodded and switched lanes before pulling over into a gas station.

"She was the one who came and got me. Well she technically kidnapped me." I hurriedly revealed causing my grandmother's eyes to widened.

"She what?!" She exclaimed in worry.

"It was this morning. I was getting up and getting ready for school cause I do online classes and two dudes busted in and snatched me up. Then when I woke up I was on the plane and she came out for all of two minutes to talk to me but I haven't seen her since then." I rapidly spilled finally feeling a little lighter cause I got all that off of my chest.

"She didn't hurt your foster family did she?!" She asked worriedly but she sighed once I shook my head.

"No she didn't. My foster mother wasn't home when they came and got me. That's who I was on the phone with before we left." I vented.

"Is she on her way? Jesus I gotta call the facility." She said frantically as she went into her purse and got her.

"Yeah and she's most likely bringing the whole family so you're house might be a little full later." I said as I watched her dial the number. She nodded her head and once someone answered the phone she began to rapidly but thoroughly explain what was happening.

She was on the phone for about two or three minutes before finally hanging up and sighing. She looked over at me with apologetic eyes before sitting up and speaking.

"I'm so sorry that she went to extreme lengths to try and get you back. I honestly thought you had gotten our messages and decided to come back on your own. I don't even know how she knew where you were, no one is supposed to tell her information about you or the other kids at all." She explained as she put the car in gear and began heading back to the store.

"It was actually a helpful thing to do. I was really hesitant about getting back in contact with everyone because I thought she just didn't want me. I was dead-set on not coming or connecting with anyone but I'm kinda glad I did." I expressed as I looked out the window feeling conflicted yet again.

"I understand how you feel Emrys. We'll always be here for you and will welcome you with open arms whenever you want to come back. You've just gotten accustomed to your life back home and that's perfectly fine, you finally found your home and now you're practically being forced into another one." She replied literally explaining how I was feeling at the second.

"Yeah that's exactly it. Being with you guys made me remember so many good times but Jacky was there when I needed her the most. She sat with me the entire time I was in a coma, she voluntarily took me into her home, she's been helping me on my healing journey and she loves me in-spite of all my flaws and failures. She's the mother I had been praying for since I was younger. She's my home."

And forever will be.

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word count: 1,244

edited