My Brother's Best Friend

Chapter 44

Warning: This is a long, confusing and  sad chapter.

"Emma," My dad knocks on the door for the hundredth time. "Emma, please open the door. Let me explain, honey just open up."

Wiping my tears, I hesitantly stand up from the floor and come face to face with my door. Taking a deep breath in, I unlock it and twist the knob, slowly cracking the door open.

My dad's face dropped when he saw my cheeks stained wet and he immediately embraces me into a tight hug.

"I am so sorry, honey." He runs his fingers through my hair and hugs me tightly into his chest. "I didn't mean to upset you."

I sobbed into his chest, with my arms by my side. I didn't know how to feel right now. I had so many questions and so many feelings I didn't want to feel.

"Please hug me back." He cried out.

Slowly, I brought my arms up and hugged him back. I felt his body relax as my arms wrapped around him and after a couple of minutes we pulled away. His eyes were filled with tears as he stared down at me.

"Did...Did you forget about mom?" I find myself saying without thinking.

He moves back from me and shakes his head rapidly. "How could you say such thing?"

I shrug, moving away from the door and walking over to my bed. Sitting down, my eyes follow my dad as he pulls up my chair from the corner and sits across from me.

"Listen, kiddo," he begins. "I will never forget your mother. She was the best thing that ever happened and she was taken from us too soon. Your mother made me promise her before she died to never forget her, but if a time ever came where I found someone else...to not miss that chance."

I stayed quiet letting tears run down my face as he continued to talk.

"I loved your mother and I'm going to continue to." He tells me. "It's been years, Emma."

"That doesn't change anything." I interrupt. "She was your wife, my mother, dad. You can't replace her."

He places his hand on my knee and wipes my tears with his other hand. "I'm not replacing your mom. I would never do that, but don't you think I deserve another chance at happiness?"

"Of course, you do," I nod. "It's just, it's too soon."

He shakes his head. "It's been six years, Emma." He stays quiet, analyzing my face before speaking again. "You're right, it's too soon. I don't know what I was thinking."

Suddenly, he gets up from the chair and kisses my forehead. "I'll call Joyce and tell her something came up. We'll have a family dinner instead, just us."

Nodding, I wipe my tears and stand up from my bed. "Dad?"

He turns back to me before walking out of the room and gives me a questioning look. "What is it?"

"I'm sorry."

He gives me a tight smile. "I get it. It was too much all too fast."

He walks out of my room and closes the door behind him. After walking around my room thinking of what to do, I reach for my phone and text Jax.

Are you home? I text.

After waiting for a couple of minutes he texts back saying he was home with Amanda.

Can I come over?

Where's Hunter? Jax texts.

I don't know. Probably at Joey's. I answer.