Finding Me

Chapter 34

"I can't believe she would do this! Why would she write a blogpost about it and publish it for all of Clearwater Bay to see? Isn't it enough that I have to call him my father?" I angrily question.

After receiving the text from whom I assume was Cassandra, I left the table without saying anything to Nick. I hurried to find my uncle and show him. He ended his call when he saw why I had come to him. He took me up to his room and sat me down on the couch to get me to control myself. It took a few minutes, but I finally exploded, which is why I'm now angrily shouting questions.

"Maya, you need to take a deep breath. This isn't about you. This is about your father, and we will get justice for Cassandra's mother so that Cassandra can move on from this. It hasn't ever been about you," Uncle Sam calmly tells me.

I collapse on the couch and say, "What do you mean?"

He gives me a little smile and replies, "You don't think I didn't find out about her treatment of you? I'm not clueless, Maya. I know she was unkind to you, and I know that she hurt you in different ways."

I raise my eyebrows. "And you did nothing about it? I mean, I'm glad you didn't, but you really didn't do anything about it?

"I tried, but nothing could be taken care of unless you would say what was happening, and I knew you would never admit to her being a bully to you. But, besides that, I'm going to visit your father tomorrow and try to get to the bottom of this," Uncle Sam says reassuringly.

I sigh. "What makes you think he's going to talk?"

"He's behind bars already, so he has nothing else to lose. Plus, I'm persuasive, along with my lawyer. Now Maya, you need to get some sleep," he tells me.

I nod and stand up. "I have to go back to the hotel Emma and I are staying at. I'll see you sometime tomorrow."

I pick up my purse and begin to walk out of the room, but Uncle Sam stops me and says with a crease in his forehead, "I don't think it's safe for you to be wandering around New York City at night. I'll get Nick to help you there."

I quickly shake my head at his words. "I don't need help. I can get there just fine. Don't worry about me."

He shakes his head and pulls his phone out of his pocket. I almost jump towards him to take the phone away, but someone knocks on the door. I grimace and pray it's not Nick as Uncle Sam goes to answer the door. He comes back with a quiet and sad looking Emma in a couple of minutes. She looks at me timidly, and I give her a smile.

"Thank goodness! Now you have nothing to worry about, Uncle Sam. Goodnight!" I say with obvious relief as I push Emma back to where she came in.

When I close the door behind us, I turn to Emma and quietly ask, "Where did you go?"

She shrugs and quietly says, "I just walked around and then went back to the hotel room to think. I didn't think you and Sam, excuse me, Mr. Erickson would want to talk to me after you knew the truth. I'm not exactly proud of it."

I give her a comforting smile and pull her into a warm hug. When I release her, I tell her, "That would never turn me against you in a million years. My father hurt many people, including you. I'll admit I was slightly angry and confused when you told us, but Uncle Sam helped me understand that he thinks you truly didn't know until today. How could I be mad at you if you didn't even know until today?"

Emma smiles back. "Thank you, Maya. I'll miss you, but I know you'll do great things. Now, let's go back to the hotel and get some sleep."

We walk into the elevator and soon reach the lobby. We walk out of the hotel, and Emma expertly hails a cab. We talk quietly on the way to the hotel, but nothing else is said about the information revealed today, making it easy to talk to each other. When we get to the hotel, I immediately get into my soft pajamas while Emma takes a shower. When she's done, I brush my teeth and remove the small amount of makeup I have on.