Come Rain Or Shine Part 2

Emmie shook her head. She took a deep breath before she spoke. Willing up the courage to do what Silas had told her, she answered, "No, I just fell down pretty hard back home. I've always been clumsy you know." And just like that, the half-truth rolled off her tongue. It tasted bitter and unwelcome, but what else could she do?

Molly squinted her eyes and quirked her mouth to the side. Oh my goodness. She didn't believe her. Emmie had to think fast. She was not going into the war between the revenuers and the bootleggers. She was not explaining about the cabin or about the apple pie. Emmie looked around for something to bring up . . . something to say. Then it hit her. Something she should have noticed from the get-go.

"Where's Ava?" Emmie did her best to look carefree.

Now it was her turn to watch Molly squirm. She rubbed her hands together and fiddled with her wedding band before she said, "She's not feeling well right now. She's resting."

Emmie nodded and tried to process the information. "The last time I talked to her she mentioned a stomach flu, but Molly that was days ago."

Molly reached out and grabbed Emmie's hands and pulled her through the living room and out into another hall before she spoke. When they reached the entry to the kitchen she finally said, "Just don't bring up Ava right now. It's an unpleasant conversation, okay?"

Unpleasant conversation? Emmie's hand covered her mouth as her stomach dropped through her feet. She could hardly find the words to form the question. "Oh no. Is she dying?"

Molly actually jeered as she replied, "Oh no. I thought her father would kill her but he decided not to. It seems he's decided to take out Gabe instead." She stared blankly at the wall, lost in some other moment in time. Then she gave a deep exhale and shook her head. "No, child. Don't worry yourself. It's nothing that a few weeks-or months won't take care of. She will be fine. Come on. Help me with breakfast."

While this home was much more expansive than the tiny cabin in the holler on the Johnson's farm, it was starting to feel just as cold.

"Sure, Molly. What can I do?" she asked, but her mind was still transfixed on Ava.

"Scramble the eggs, please. You can use that skillet over there." Molly nodded to the stove.

Molly kept talking but Emmie had no idea what she was saying. Emmie laid eyes on the skillet. Black iron. She wrapped her hands around the thick handle and lifted it. It was heavy, too heavy. Her mind flashed back. She was no longer in the state-of-the-art white kitchen. She was standing at the tiny black cook stove. Mr. Thomas was pulling her out the door. No. She couldn't go with him. She couldn't. She watched it all happening like a picture show in her mind. She saw her hands wrapped around the skillet. The cracking sound it made as it connected with his head was more than she could bear. She couldn't see. She couldn't feel. The skillet in her hands dropped to the floor, landing at her feet. His eyes. Oh G.o.d. Forgive me, she thought. His eyes.

"Emmie, Emmie girl?" She heard a voice near her. Someone grabbed her shoulders. Heavy footsteps entered the room. Emmie saw everything around her and nothing at the same time. She struggled to breathe. All of the oxygen had been sucked out of the room. She panted.

Silas had heard the crash and found his way to the kitchen. He took in the sight of Emmie standing there. Her eyes were dull as they stared off into s.p.a.ce. She panted with each breath. He put his hands on each side of her face. "Emmie," he said calmly, "look at me. Are you okay?"

It was only at that moment he noticed the iron skillet at her feet and knew where she was in her mind's eye. Back at the cabin, staring at Mr. Thomas's lifeless body.

Chapter Five.

"Emmie. Mo Chuisle." His words were soft in her ear.

She could feel his hands on each side of her face. Large and strong. Grounding her back to reality. Mr. Thomas's face was replaced with Silas's as the world came back into focus. She shook her head to clear her thoughts and shake the remnants of the shattered images left in her mind. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry, Silas. I just . . . I saw that skillet," she started and then opened her eyes and looked around the room. Remembering they weren't alone and swallowed the rest of her sentence.

Molly and Al watched her from a distance. Silas turned her face, so she was looking at only him again. "It's okay."

She heard his words. She knew he was right. It was okay. She wasn't in that cabin. Mr. Thomas was dead. She closed her eyes slowly and found her breath. Emmie opened her eyes and looked into Silas's. They were so full love, concern, and compa.s.sion. How could this be the same man she'd seen in the cabin? The second part of the scene flashed through her mind-the second part in the cabin she hadn't let herself remember.

Silas had walked in, guns drawn. He'd shot them. His eyes had been cold. So cold. Even as his arms had wrapped around her, he'd shot Mr. Thomas. Did Mr. Thomas deserve to die for his sins? The tall revenuer had called her a moll. A gangster's girl. Was he right?

"Emmie." His deep voice brought her back to the present.

She shook her head again and forced a smile. "I'm fine, Silas."

He frowned. He didn't believe her. How could he? There was no effort in her lie. He leaned forward and dropped a kiss on her forehead, leaving his lips there a little longer than was appropriate, given the company they were in.

Al cleared his throat. "Silas, I think you and I need to talk about a thing or two."

Silas ignored him for a moment and kept his eyes on Emmie. "You okay?"

She nodded. "Yes. I'm sorry."

He gave her an easy smile and squeezed her hand. "I'll be right back."

Al frowned at her before leaving the room. It wasn't the same look of disapproval as he'd given Gabe. Curiosity or pity, maybe? Emmie wondered if he knew what had happened in Bowling Green since he'd left town.

Emmie leaned down and picked up the skillet as Silas made his way out of the room. She put it back on the stove and started cracking eggs. She felt the hair on the back of her neck stand and she knew she was being watched. She turned to face Molly who was leaning against the kitchen table staring at her. Her expression was as much amused, as it was curious. She looked just like Ava.

She wasn't quite sure what to say, so she turned around and started cooking the eggs. Molly wasn't so quiet though.

"So, Ava was right," Molly said.

"About what?" Emmie asked, never moving her eyes from the eggs.

"You really did catch my nephew's eye," she said.

Emmie was flabbergasted. With everything that had just transpired, that's what she'd pulled from the last few minutes. She couldn't help but smile to herself. She really was like Ava.

"I suppose." Emmie laughed.

"You two . . . you're just so different," Molly mused. "But I guess that's good. I guess he's not so sorry he got sent to 'that little hillbilly town' now. That's what he used to call Bowling Green, you know."

Emmie laughed. "Did he really say that?"

Molly nodded and grinned. Emmie snorted.

"Is it serious?" Molly asked, traces of humor leaving her voice.

"I don't know." Emmie avoided the topic.

"Do you have any questions? I mean your ma died before you had a chance to talk to her about things. And sometimes when you find a beau things can get confusing," Molly asked.

Oh G.o.d. She was not having this conversation. She knew Molly had good intentions but she was not talking about this with her or anyone. Well, maybe Ava.

"No. I'm figuring it out," Emmie answered.

"Well, I'll have a talk with him then, as your ma would have had," Molly said with a shrug.

"I'm not sure you need to. I'm pretty sure Walter's already given him an ear full," Emmie thought aloud.

"Really, Si has met the old man? Hmm. I'm surprised they have crossed paths," Molly said.

Emmie's heart sank as realization dawned on her. It wasn't until that moment she realized just how out of the loop Molly was with the reality that surrounded her. At times she seemed to know everything but at other times she was completely clueless. "Umm . . . yeah. He came by the house one day when Silas was there."

"Silas was at your house?" Molly frowned. She left the words how improper unsaid but Emmie could read them from her face.

"Yeah . . . I mean it's been cold at home." Emmie made up the lie as the words came out her mouth. "He came to pick me up for church once and Walter was dropping off a pie Mae baked."

"Oh." Molly smiled and looked relieved. Maybe she wanted the lie, Emmie mused. It was always easier to believe something you wanted to hear.

She finished breakfast. Al, Trick, and Silas reappeared. Silas looked a bit more sober but gave Emmie a squeeze on her arm and a crooked smile before he sat down. Ava never came down. Emmie wanted to ask about her but knew she shouldn't. An easy conversation filled the breakfast table but she couldn't bring herself to partic.i.p.ate. Something felt off. All she could think about was getting to Ava to figure out what was going on.

After breakfast Emmie got up to help clear the table but Molly stopped her.

"Miss Potts will take care of the dishes for us." She smiled and jerked her neck toward a woman Emmie hadn't noticed before. She was standing in the corner of the dining room.

"I don't mind helping," Emmie said, grabbing for Silas's plate.

"Emmie. You don't need to help." Silas laughed. When Emmie didn't let go he grabbed her hand gently. "Walk me to the door."

Her heart sank. Walk him to the door? He was leaving. Of course he was leaving. She dropped the dish and muttered a thank you to the woman wearing the fancy uniform. Emmie noticed another woman enter as Silas wiped his mouth and put his napkin on the plate. How much help did they have, she wondered. At home they only had a couple of folks. But this house had to be at least three times the size of that one.

Silas grabbed her fingertips and pulled her into the living room, leaving Trick and Ava's parents just sitting there. Emmie was sure he was breaking all kinds of rules of etiquette.

"Are you okay, really?" he asked as soon as they were alone. With his fingertips on her temple, she leaned into him without realizing what she was doing.

She closed her eyes and nodded. Although she knew he had to leave, a part of her could not believe he would soon walk out the door. "It's just I've not been by myself since . . ." she started but couldn't find the words to finish.

Silas frowned and rubbed his jaw. "You won't be alone."

"But I won't be with you." She forced a smile and a laugh.

She had never been needy. "Do you want to stay at my parents' home?" he whispered. "I could stay there with you."

"No." Emmie shook her head. "I have a feeling Ava needs me. I just . . . I'm going to miss you."

"Thanksgiving is in just a few days. My whole family will be here then." He gave her a crooked grin. "I'll also plan a day for us in the city soon."

Emmie smiled. "Shall I see if Ava and Gabe can join us?"

"You can try," Silas said cryptically.

"Silas, Al said we can have his driver take us home," Trick said, walking into the room. "I'll go find him and meet you outside. See you soon, Em."

Silas leaned down and brushed a quick kiss on her lips, so quick that it seemed it was over before it began. "I'll see you tomorrow, Mo Chuisle."

"Yeah. See you then," she said as she watched him walk away. She swallowed hard, unsure what bothered her worse: the fact he was leaving or that she was so bothered to be without him.

Chapter Six.

Emmie had half expected her things to be brought to Ava's room. She'd a.s.sumed they would be staying together like they always had at home. But when one of the housekeepers showed her upstairs, she was taken to a large and airy guest room. The s.p.a.ce was roughly the size of her kitchen and living room at home. She felt lost in its abundance. She slipped off her shoes and rubbed her feet on the plush rug that covered the hardwood floor. Emmie tried to relax as she sat down in the large red upholstered chair near the window that looked out over the front lawn. It was cold. Little specks of frost still clung to the corners of the gla.s.s. Silas's car was long gone. It occurred to her that she didn't know how to contact him. She scanned the distance for other houses. She spied a few homes farther down the road. Did his family live close? She'd never thought to ask. They had so much to talk about.

Closing her eyes, she laid her head back against the plush chair. She was exhausted and needed to rest but she couldn't. Her gut was churning anxiously. There was only one thing she wanted to do right now. She had to find Ava. Her bare feet padded against the floor quietly as she made her way into the hall. It was long and the floor creaked and popped under her. She felt like she should keep quiet but she wasn't sure why. Why would Molly and Al keep Ava from her?

She traveled past several doors, peeking in to find empty rooms just as beautifully decorated and cavernous as the one she'd been given. A few doors away she noticed something that caught her eye. One of the doors had a pink ribbon tied to it. Of course, sneaky Ava would do something to help Emmie find her. Emmie smiled to herself as she skipped up to the door.

Emmie had expected to find Ava inside listening to music, smearing powder on her nose, pinning in a new headband. She saw nothing of the sort. The room was dark and cold. Nothing around Ava was ever dark or cold. She padded quietly over to the bed and found Ava was still sleeping. Sleeping? It was going on ten in the morning. She sat on the bed with conflicted emotions. She wanted to shake her, wake her, hug her, and tell her everything that had pa.s.sed since Halloween. Ava looked at peace. She knew should leave her alone but she couldn't. Emmie reached a hand out and gently touched her best friend's auburn hair. Ava's eyes popped open almost instantly.

"You finally came." Ava's voice was barely above a whisper.

Emmie nodded.

Ava smiled with her eyes squinted at the corners.

"I've missed-" Emmie started but didn't get to finish. Ava's arm reached out and all but pushed her off the bed. She caught herself as her feet hit the floor, wincing and grabbing her ribs in the process.

"Sorry, Emmie, I've got to-" she said as she blurred past Emmie and through a small door in the far corner of the room.

Gut-wrenching, vile sounds came from the room Ava had disappeared into. Emmie ran in behind her friend. A bathroom? Ava's bedroom had its own bathroom and it was enormous. Pink tile of varying shades covered every surface. It was s.h.i.+ny, new, and clean. Ava started to empty the contents of her stomach again. Emmie ran over to her and pushed her hair away from her face. When she finally stopped Emmie turned and grabbed a washcloth from the counter and wet it with icy cold water. Ava sat by the toilet with her eyes closed. Emmie sat on the floor next to her friend and put the cloth on her forehead.

A silence pa.s.sed between them as Emmie tried to think of what to say.

"Are you okay now? Can I get you something?" Emmie asked.

Ava shook her head slowly, opened her eyes and tried to smile but came up short.

"I'm sorry you're not well. I should have let you sleep. May I help you back to bed?" Emmie asked quietly.

"No. I've wanted to see you," Ava said, reaching out to touch Emmie's hand. "Sorry about that. When I first get up it always happens. It's getting better though. Two weeks ago I couldn't get out of bed. Now once I get it out I feel better." Emmie still didn't understand.

"Ava two weeks is a long time for a stomach flu. Have you seen a doctor to be sure everything is okay?" Emmie asked, helping her stand.

Ava walked over to the sink and turned on the water laughing to herself. She rinsed her mouth, splashed her face with water and then stared at her reflection in the mirror a moment before she spoke. She turned around slowly and shook her head.

"It's not the flu. And yes, I've seen the doctor. I'm not sick." Ava smiled. "Now that ugliness is over I actually feel nearly myself. Like I said before, I'm a lot better than I was two weeks ago. I think I'm over the worst of it. I hope so anyway. It goes on for months for some people."

Ava pulled a dressing robe over her shoulders and tied the belt around her waist. She sat at her white vanity and started to dab her face with powder. This was the sight Emmie had expected to see earlier. However, now she was more confused than she was when she first walked through the door and found a dark cold room.

"Ava, I'm thinking you should get back in bed. You just upchucked everything you have eaten for the last couple of days. That's not normal. We need to find you a new doctor." Emmie walked over to her friend and pulled the brush from her fingertips.