Hijacked

Chapter Eighteen

She woke up the next morning and just lay against Kevin. He was still sleeping beside her, just as he promised he would. She didn't know what she was feeling and she didn't want to think. She glanced at her clock and saw that it was close to ten.

"Kev." She shook him awake. "You're late for work," she said when he opened his eyes and stretched.

"I'm not going to work today," he said as he sat up and rubbed his eyes.

"What?"

"Ben and I both called in sick yesterday." He brushed his hair back from his face and rubbed his eyes again. "You're more important than any job."

She smiled and fought the tears that were swimming in her eyes. Just then the door opened and Ben stepped into her room.

"Good, I was beginning to think you two would sleep the day away," he said with a grin. "I have breakfast all ready. Hurry before it gets cold." he added and swept out of the room with a wink.

They pulled themselves together quickly and went down to have breakfast. Ben was an incredible cook and she was really looking forward to one of his home cooked meals after three days of fast food.

He'd made himself and Kevin bacon and eggs and coffee, but he'd made her a special breakfast. He'd made her pancakes with chocolate chip smiley faces, strawberries and tea sweetened with honey and just a touch of cream. It was the breakfast Kevin used to make for her when she was little, and he still made every once and a while when she was sick or sad about something.

They were being so incredible and kind to her, even after everything that she'd put them through and it made her want to cry. She just steeled herself against her tears and they all dug into their food.

"I'm so sorry," she said as they ate.

"What do you mean?" Kevin asked as he sipped his coffee.

"I'm so sorry I just took off like that, that I made you worry and I gave you a reason to not trust me."

They looked at her for a long time.

"I was never angry at you, Emily, just worried. You're all the family I have other than Ben and I worry about you. You may be an adult but you're my little sister and I love you."

"I love you too, Kev," she said earnestly. "And you too, Ben," she added when she caught his eye.

Ben grinned. "And I love you too, you're like a sister to me." He glanced over at Kevin. "We were just worried. It was so unlike you and we didn't know if you were safe or not. That was the hardest part."

"I'm so sorry. I'll never do anything like that again," she promised and she meant it.

"Can you tell us about it?" Kevin asked gently.

She took a sip of her tea and then nodded. They deserved to know the truth. The whole truth.

Sitting at the table with the remains of their breakfast in front of them she told them the whole story.

She started with Tom jumping in the car, told them about the drive, the mistakes that he made, the chances that she had to turn him in but didn't. She told them about sleeping in the car, the storm, how he'd comforted her. She told them about the man at the rest stop and how Tom had saved her and then she'd saved him. She told them all about the drive to the cabin, about the scene in the cabin and what happened with Murph and Mike. She didn't skim a single detail as she told them about taking him to the motel and then what he told her, about treating him and his injury, the night at the motel and then dropping him off at the bus station. She briefly explained the drive home and then just stopped talking.