The Secrets That Tore Us Apart

12

"It's been a while" Olivia said and Emma agreed. The whole summer had gone by and a few weeks of the fall semester, since Emma had met Olivia. 

Olivia asked what Emma had done during the summer.

"I worked basically all summer apart from a few days when we went to see my grandma. What did you do?"

She began telling Emma that she had been working as well and that she had taken a trip to do some long distance walking with her girlfriend. "And then there was the funeral" she said.

"Who died?" Emma asked.

Olivia sighted. "I really thought you knew by now. My stop is the next one. Do you have time?" Emma nodded. They stepped off the bus and walked over to a bench where they could sit down. 

"When Jack talked about our mother, what did he tell you?" Olivia asked Emma.

"That she was away a lot. Worked abroad. In Canada I think" Emma said.

"Jack wasn't honest with you about that" Olivia sighted. "A little over three years ago our mum was diagnosed with cancer"

"I met Jack a little over three years ago" Emma stated.

"I know. He met you just after we had received the news. Our mum was not supposed to live for as long as she did, but she fought against the cancer until her very last breath, just before summer started" a tear rolled down Olivia's cheek and Emma tried to stop hers from leaving her eyes. "And you not knowing about it is not Jack's fault. Our mum didn't want anyone outside of our closest family to know. That's why he didn't tell you. He was honoring mum's last wish"

Almost everything made sense now.

"When mum died, Jack was crushed" Olivia continued. "He was laying in bed for four days straight and ignoring everything and everyone, you included. Dad had to drag him out of bed and got him that job at a summer camp to get him out of the house. By now, you stopped trying to reach him and he felt numb and took some wrong turns. I know you tried to contact him again when he got home, but by then he was too ashamed, both about lying to you about mum, and for what he had done at summer camp"

Emma and Olivia were quiet. Emma needed to take it all in. Olivia needed to wipe her tears.

Now everything made sense. 

Emma regretted taking the bus that she had taken. She knew she had to see Jack.

Emma looked at Olivia. "Can you drive me somewhere?" she asked. 

"Sure" Olivia smiled.

They got to Olivia's car and Emma gave her the directions for Jack and Emma's spot in the forest. Olivia parked behind Jack's car and told Emma that she would wait a few extra minutes, just in case. 

Emma walked the familiar path to the glade and the rock. She saw Jack sitting there. His head was in his hands and he looked like he was deep in thought. Emma accidentally stepped on a stick that broke and the sound made Jack look up. 

For the first time since before summer had begun Emma noticed how tired Jack looked and how sad he seemed. And regretful. 

Jack slowly stood up and cautiously looked at Emma, like he was expecting her to turn around and leave him. 

But Emma walked towards him. When she was close enough she grabbed his shirt with her fist and pulled him close to her and threw her arms around his neck as she hugged him. He froze for a few seconds before he put one hand on her back and the other on the back of her head, hugging her back.

"I've got some things to tell you" he murmured with his lips against her hair. 

"I already know, and I forgive you" Emma murmured back.

"How?"

"Olivia"

Jack kissed the top of Emma's head before he said the words she had waited so long for now.

"Emma, I love you"