Pieces Of Us - Until I Find You Again // Book Two

Chapter 24

Falling asleep after last night proved to be the hardest thing in the world. I tossed and turned. I must have grabbed my phone six hundred times and debated whether or not to text Emily or call her. I grabbed my car keys a couple times, determined to head over to her house and force her to listen to me.

But I didn't do anything. I laid there, staring into the darkness, wondering when I was going to stop hurting her. Em and I had been through hell and just when it seemed we were seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, we were thrown back into the doom and gloom. I just wanted everything to stop.

I finally pulled myself out of bed, slipped on a pair of athletic shorts and a white t-shirt and lumbered into my kitchen. I wasn't particularly hungry, but I thought maybe if I cooked something and ate, it might help alleviate the soul-crushing emptiness in my stomach.

I looked down at the newspaper on the counter while eggs and bacon sizzled behind me. There was some political crap happening according to the headline, not that I cared or read any further.

When I heard my front door slam, my eyes widened. Burglar? Did burglars usually use the front door? I couldn't think of anyone who had a key to my house, not that it mattered since apparently I never locked the door anyway.

I was just standing up from the counter and turning towards the door when Emily burst into the kitchen and crashed into me. She threw her arms around my neck,

"Whoa." I coughed. She squeezed me to her, her nose digging into my shoulder. It took me a few seconds to realize what was happening but I wound my arms around her, "Em? Baby are you ok?"

She took a few deep breaths against my shoulder,

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." She repeated over and over.

I tried to pull away from her but she was having none of that. I had to admit, while the change of events had alarmed me, it felt good to know she didn't want to let me go.

I slid my hands onto her arms, winding them around my neck and tugging as gently as I could,

"Hey...hey...can you look at me please?" She reluctantly released me but only enough so I could lean back a few inches to crane my neck down to see her face. I put my hands to her cheeks, "What's going on? Talk to me."

She wouldn't look me in the eye. I got the distinct impression she was ashamed of something. She sniffed,

"I shouldn't have- I didn't mean to- I'm sor-" She stopped talking, apparently unable to finish a thought.

"Em," I frowned, it still made me feel terrible to see her so conflicted, "C'mere." I said softly as I finally got her to release me from her grasp. I turned the burners on the stove off and tugged her towards the kitchen table, pulling out a chair for her to sit in, "Sit down." I sat down in the one next to her, turning it so our knees were smashed together, "Before you say another word, I need you to calm down and take some deep breaths."

She still wouldn't look me in the eye. I suppose I should've been more alarmed by that but at the moment I just wanted her to start breathing normally. I clasped her hands in mine, resting them against her thighs. I ran my thumbs along the back of her hands, hoping my touch would relax her a bit. I breathed a silent sigh of relief when she started to settle down.

I scooted the tiniest bit closer to her,

"Ok, now tell me what is going on? Are you ok?"

She sighed,

"I don't know what's wrong with me." She started, "I mean we've spent months working things out...and one thing happens and I throw us all the way back to the start."