Broken

Chapter 68: Picture

Emma gets in Grace's car and drives to Neal's apartment. Grace will need the minivan to pick up the kids. Emma takes the agonizing drive to Neal's address. She has no idea what she's even going to say to Neal, it's been 18 years. She parks her car and goes inside the apartment building. She goes up to the second floor and finds Neal's apartment. Emma doesn't even knock, she kicks down the door and sees Neal sitting on the couch with Henry. They both stand up once they see Emma

"Emma?" Neal says

"Mom what are you doing here" Henry asks

"What am I doing here. Why the hell didn't you tell me that you were going to meet him" Emma says angrily

"Mom I just"

"Henry you were supposed to call Grace" Emma yells

"I know, my phone died and I"

"Emma he's fine" Neal says

"Henry wait outside for a moment please"

"Mom"

"Kid go outside now!"

Henry reluctantly leaves Emma and Neal alone in the apartment

"Emma, I can't believe you are here......How are you" Neal asks

"How am I? What the hell Neal. You set me up for you crimes and abandon me, then ask me how I am"

"Emma its more complicated than it seems"

"Oh really, then tell me."

"Here sit down and have a beer"

"I'm not drinking with you, are you crazy"

"Calm down let's talk"

"Calm down! I will not calm down"

"Look just sit down on the couch. We need alcohol for this conversation" Emma sits on the couch and Neal hands her a beer

"Emma please just take a drink and listen to me"

"I'm listening, but I'm not drinking"

"Okay......I didn't want to leave you. I never stopped thinking about you"

Emma has tears in her eyes "So what the hell happened! Were you just using me to take the fall for all the watches you stole. Did you even care for me at all, I want the truth all of it"

"Alright! On the night I went to sell the watches. I approached the guy who was going to give me the money. But it turned out we already knew each other. Remember how I told you that I ran away from home and lived on the streets when I was 14"

"Yes"

"Well I got into selling drugs because I was stupid and broke. Anyway the guy who I sold the drugs for, he was the one I was selling the watches to. And I kinda stole $20,000 from him when I was 16."

"Neal......So what happened, you just called the cops and ran out on me!"

"No Emma I didn't. The guys name was Victor. He hit me over the head with a bat and took the watches. Next thing I knew, I woke up in a dark room. I had blood all over my face and Victor was standing above me with a gun. He told me that he called the cops and you got arrested. He wanted to destroy me. I begged him to let me see you, or talk to you or find you. I only convinced him to let me give you the yellow bug. I had put something in our special place before we left to sell the watches. I hoped you would find it and somehow know I didn't abandon you"

"So you figured this thing would make me forgive everything and I would come find you"

"No, I didn't know what was going to happen. Once Victor let me go, after he took all my money, I spent five years looking through prisons to find you, but I never did"