Finding Emma

Carnival Ride

It was the end of September and Little Big Town was just about to start on the last leg of Carrie Underwood's "Carnival Ride Tour" and everyone was very excited. Emma has been doing homeschooling with Maggie Monday through Wednesday and is really enjoying it.

It was a Wednesday night around 10:30. Karen had been pretty quiet for the last week or so and Jimi had noticed. Karen was laying down in bed and Jimi crawled in next to her and put his arm around her. Her back was to his chest and he started talking. "Is everything ok babe?" he asked and she just shrugged her shoulders. "Is it about starting the tour tomorrow?" Jimi asked. "I don't really want to talk about it" Karen said quietly. "Karen, what is going on? Whatever it is, I want to be able to help you" Jimi said in a soft, calm voice while he was gently rubbing her arm. There was a period of silence. "He's going to be there" Karen finally said. "Who's going to be there?" Jimi asked and there was another long silence until he pieced it together. "Mark?" Jimi asked and Karen nodded her head.

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Flashback

Jimi opened the door and walked in and heard Mark screaming at Karen. He stayed by the door until Mark was finished. Karen was in tears and was going to go outside to compose herself when she saw Jimi standing by the door. She avoided eye contact and pushed passed him and walked out the door. He followed her. "Karen what happened? What was that all about?" Jimi asked. Karen turned to face him. "I'm worthless because I didn't buy the right tortilla chips" Karen said in a tearful voice wiping the fresh tears that had just fallen. Jimi walked over to her and wrapped her in his arms and rubbed her back while Karen cried into his chest. Karen pulled herself together. "How often does he yell like that?" Jimi asked her as they sat down on the front step. "All the time. Apparently the only thing I can do right is sing and sometimes I can't even do that right" Karen replied. "You know that's not true" Jimi said. "I'm sorry you had to hear all that" Karen said. "He should not treat you like that" Jimi said. "It's the only way he knows how" Karen said wiping away another tear. "That doesn't matter, it shouldn't happen" Jimi replied. "You should get inside before he starts wondering where you are" Karen said. "You're probably right" Jimi said.

Jimi walked in the house. "Why were you yelling at Karen like that?" Jimi asked Mark. "She can never do anything right. Sometimes I don't even know why I married her" Mark said. "Mark you can't keep breaking her like that" Jimi said sounding upset. "It's none of your business how I treat my wife! Now drop it!" Mark shouted. "I can't be friends with someone who is going to treat his wife like that. Until you get your shit together, Karen is going to stay at my place" Jimi said. "Karen is not staying with you! She's MY wife" Mark said. "Not for long if you keep treating her like this" Jimi said. "You just want her to stay at your place so you can sleep with her!" Mark shouted. "I want her to feel safe and happy and clearly she is none of those things when she is with you!" Jimi shouted back.

Karen walked back into the house to hear more yelling. She walked towards the kitchen and Jimi saw her. "Karen, pack a bag, you are staying at my place for a little while" Jimi said. "No you are not!" Mark said. "Mark, she is an adult, and she is perfectly capable of making her own decisions!" Jimi said. "If you go with him I will file for divorce!" Mark said. "Maybe I will beat you to it" Karen said and went upstairs and packed as many of her things she could fit in her suitcase. She walked back downstairs with her bags packed. "You have got to be kidding me" Mark said. "You are not going with him and that's final!" Mark said and grabbed her arm and yanked it. Then Jimi went up to Mark and punched him in the face and he fell down. "Keep your hands off of her!" Jimi shouted and him and Karen got in his truck and drove back to his place. "Thank you" Karen said. "My pleasure" Jimi said and smiled at her.