Waiting For Love (Wild Creek Ranch Book 2)

Chapter Twenty-Two

Ember opened her deliriously heavy eyes the next morning to find herself in an unfamiliar room. Her head felt heavy with a throbbing pain at the back and she couldn't focus well. However she could see that she was on a bed, that wasn't her own. Panic settled inside her mind as memories of another wedding and another drunken night when her life had been shattered forever came to her mind. She checked to see if she had her clothes on. Yes, thankfully yes, she was fully clothed unlike that time four years back. So she didn't have physical intimacy with anyone, thankfully. She felt no pain anywhere, so no one forced her this time. It relieved her a little. But where was she? Praying that she was alone, she turned to see a grim looking Rex sitting beside her on the bed as if he had been waiting for her to wake up. 

"What are you doing on my bed, Ember?" He gritted out in frustration. He was angry with her, angry with himself more for loving her so much despite knowing that she couldn't be his. It was his fault. He should have asked her about her past, he should have found out if she was willing to be his. 

"I .. ," Ember started but didn't know what to say anymore. She herself was at a loss as to how she landed up at his bed. Last she remembered she was sitting and drinking at Adelaide's reception party. Then her eyes widened and she remembered Rex's words. He had learnt the truth about her past and had broken up with her. How had she landed up here on Rex's bed after what he said to her yesterday?

"Go away Ember, go to the man who wants to take care of you and your unborn baby. Go to him and produce more of his children," he gritted out torn by jealousy and frustration. He wanted her to deny everything and tell him that she loved only him, that she wasn't going anywhere. Instead she just hurriedly climbed down from the bed and staggered towards the door, opening the door and disappearing. He sat there dazed. He had been drinking in his room last night and wasn't in his right senses. It was only today in the morning when he woke up and found her on his bed did he realize that they had slept together. But now he had driven her away. Before he realized that she wasn't in a state to go home alone, she had run out of Wildcreek Ranch,  swearing in her mind never to set foot here again. Rex placed his hands to his face and repented his outburst as he remembered her hurt face. He wouldn't disturb her after this. Let her be happy with whoever she wanted to be with. 

Ember ran past the gates of Wildcreek Ranch when Rihanna saw her. She saw her staggering and understood that she wasn't well enough. Her pale face, her tears all were proof enough that maybe her brother had been a d*ck to her.

"Ember? Wait. I'll drop you home. You're sick, " said Rihanna, catching up with her and grabbing hold of her hand to stop her from running all the way home. 

"I don't want anyone. Let me go," she said hysterically. Rihanna didn't say a word. She pulled her back inside the ranch towards her car and helped her to the passenger seat. She drove a sobbing Ember home. She wanted to ask her what had happened to her but decided against it thinking that she might not want to tell her. Maybe later she'd be in a position to tell her.

Ember went home and ran up to her room and locked herself inside. Granny looked concerned and Rihanna updated her about how she found Ember in tears near the main gates of Wildcreek Ranch. Granny felt guilty for misguiding Ember towards Rex's room. She didn't know what suddenly happened between Ember and Rex. After Rihanna left, granny called her friend Jenny, who too had no idea.

Ember went into a shell. She didn't talk to anyone after that day. She went to work and returned home and that was it. Adelaide had gone to Helena to spend a few days and when she returned, she changed her schedule at work preferring morning duty only, so they hardly met. Ember's granny was more upset than she was before. She visited her friend Jenny to discuss the matter regularly but they couldn't come up with a any solution. Rex was at work and so was Ember. Rex hadn't paid them a visit or met Ember after that day and granny Stacey was certain that he might have broken up with Ember. Ember didn't speak to anyone and spent time in her own room which saddened her granny more and she couldn't ask her about Rex. 

Ember tried many times but couldn't part with the ring Rex gave her and wore it on her finger everyday. Everyone eyed the ring and if they asked her, she just smiled in return. Her work was the only thing that she enjoyed doing. Spending time with the children at the pediatric ward, taking care of those little, innocent children made her feel close to her own unborn child. If it weren't for her work, she would have ended her wretched life. She was hurt by Rex's words more than what Jamie did to her. Jamie was helpless and he didn't do anything on purpose yet he came to ask for forgiveness, to rectify the wrong that he had unknowingly caused. He had tried hard to make himself fit for her and their baby. But Rex? What Rex did to her was unforgivable. He claimed to be in love with her and promised her that her past wouldn't matter to him and then when he came to know of her past, he cruelly threw her out of his life like a piece of trash. 

A month passed by but granny saw no improvement in Ember. She didn't talk to her like she did before. As granny sat quietly with her friends, Jenny and Emma at Wildcreek Ranch, Adelaide came bursting into the room with excitement and happily announced her pregnancy.  Everyone was ecstatic and congratulated her. Ruth, Rhett's mom couldn't contain her happiness and hugged Adelaide and Rhett who had just returned from the doctor's clinic with the reports to confirm the pregnancy. 

"How's Ember, granny Stacey? I can't wait to tell her the good news," said Adelaide. Rex who was sitting on a couch nearby was immediately alert. He didn't have any information about Ember. Maybe she had already left with that man, he had no idea. He sat down near granny Stacey to get some information of Ember but they whispered amongst themselves and he had no idea what they were discussing. 

"Come home and tell her. I'm sure she'll be happy, " said granny Stacey. 

"Sure granny. We hardly get time to catch up at the hospital with our schedules changed, " said Adelaide. 

Granny Stacey nodded. "I understand dear, " she said sadly.  Adelaide noticed the sadness in her eyes and wanted to ask her what the matter was but couldn't in front of everyone. 

"Is she better now?" Asked Rihanna with concern. 

"She's alive," said granny Stacey as a sob escaped her. Granny Jenny hugged her to calm her down. "I think I'll go home," said granny Stacey. Rihanna shot Rex an angry look and stomped away to her room. Rex was stunned by what just happened. What was wrong with Ember? Why did granny Stacey cry? He was restless not knowing how to get the answers to his questions. He didn't think Adelaide would ever tell him her best friend's secrets. He was surprised that she was still living at granny Stacey's house and working at the hospital. Didn't she go away with that man then? 

After a fortnight, Adelaide got time to visit Ember at granny Stacey's house. She was stunned to see a quiet Ember with dull eyes and no smile, sitting quietly in her room. She had lost considerable weight as she stared blindly outside her window. "Ember?" She called her softly. Ember turned to look at her. 

"When did you come in?" She asked quietly. 

"Just now, what happened to you? Are you unwell?" Asked Adelaide. 

Ember shook her head. "So how are you?" She asked her friend trying to divert the attention away from herself. Adelaide told her about her baby and how everyone was ecstatic with the news. Ember congratulated her but Adelaide noticed that she didn't smile even once. 

"I'm sorry that I was so busy, I couldn't take out time to see you, " said Adelaide, feeling guilty. 

"That's okay. Even I have a news to tell you. Good that we  met before I left," she told Adelaide. 

"Where are you going?" Asked Adelaide, shocked by what she said.

"Helena. I've got a chance at Royal Children's Hospital there and you know how prestigious it is to work there. It's a rare opportunity," said Ember.