Finding Emma

What Do We Do?

The ride home was fairly silent except for the radio playing quietly in the background. It was about a 20 minute drive to Jimi and Karen's house. When they arrived, Emma was half asleep in the back seat. "Alright Emma we're here" Jimi stated. Emma jolted up. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you" Jimi said sympathetically. "It's ok" replied Emma. They all got out of the car and walked inside. "This is the living room, the kitchen, you can help yourself to anything you want." Said Karen. "Here is the bathroom." They walked upstairs. "You can choose either this room or this room to stay in." Karen told Emma. "And here is mine and Jimi's room" Karen stated. "Here is the other bathroom. So which bedroom do you want?" asked Karen. "Um... I guess I'll take this one" said Emma as she pointed to the one closest to Jimi and Karen's room. "Alright" said Karen. "Why don't you go get ready for bed" Karen told Emma. "Ok" Emma said then walked into the room she was staying in. Emma set her backpack on the bed and got out some athletic shorts and a big t-shirt and put them on. After she got dressed she walked downstairs to find Jimi on the couch watching TV and Karen in the kitchen with three bowls and a container of ice cream. Karen saw Emma walk downstairs and smiled "Hey sweetie, do you want any ice cream?" she asked. "I'd love some, thanks" replied Emma. She sat down on the reclining chair next to the couch. Karen brought the bowls of ice cream into the living room and passed them out. "Thank you" said Emma. "Thanks babe" said Jimi. Karen smiled at them as she sat down next to Jimi on the couch. Jimi had on an episode of Friends and they all watched it while they ate their ice cream. Once Emma was done she got up and took her bowl to the sink to wash it out. Karen saw her "You don't have to worry about the dishes Emma, I'll get them later" she said. "Sorry, I'm used to doing the dishes when I am done eating" Emma said quietly and walked back into the living room and sat down where she was sitting previously. When she was walking back to the chair, Karen noticed a big bruise on the side of Emma's thigh. "Emma if you don't mind me asking, where did you get that bruise from on your leg?" she asked. Emma looked down at her leg "Oh..... Um...... I... I got it in gym class." Emma said avoiding eye contact. "That must have hurt." Karen said. "Yeah" Emma said quietly still avoiding eye contact with Karen. Karen scanned the rest of Emma's body and noticed quite a few bruises. There was a line of bruises on her arm that looked a hand print. Karen could only imagine how Emma got those bruises, and the things that were coming to mind weren't pretty.

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It was around 11:30. Karen looked over at Emma, who had fallen asleep on the chair. "Hey, Jimi, why don't we go up to bed" Karen said. "Yeah" Said Jimi yawning. "I'll carry her up to bed" Jimi said as he was walking over to Emma. He picked her up and carried her to her bed. Karen pulled the covers down and Jimi laid Emma in the bed and Karen covered her up and closed the door on her way out. When they got to their room and got in bed "Jimi, did you notice all the bruises Emma has?" Karen asked worriedly. "Yeah, what do you think they are from?" He asked her. "Well I don't think they are from Gym class." Karen stated. "I don't either." Jimi added. "I really don't want to take her back there if she is getting abused" said Karen. "Well, we don't know what is actually going on Kare" Jimi said. "Well it's pretty damn obvious." Karen said annoyed. "What exactly are we supposed to do then?" Asked Jimi yelling slightly. "I don't know." Karen said defeated. "Hey, let's not fight about this now, we'll figure it out in the morning ok." Jimi said sweetly. "ok" said Karen. "You know I love you right" said Jimi. "Yes, of course I do" Karen smiled and leaned over and kissed him. "I love you" said Karen. "I love you too" Jimi said back. Then Jimi turned off the light and Karen laid her head on Jimi's chest. Jimi wrapped his arm around her and kissed the top of her head and they fell asleep.