nine

(Emily, I'm Sorry)

ACT ONE—CHAPTER NINE

2021

What happened to you?" Daisy's tone was judgmental at first. Emily understood that of course, she knew that she had drank a few too many shots of tequila.

The blonde always tried to shield her daughter from the pains and tragedies of the real world, however sometimes her own pain poured over into her child's world.

"Daisy I'm really not in the mood." Emily set down her bag, and sunk down on the couch beside her daughter.

"What happened, Mama?" Daisy asked softly, now noticing that the older woman was clearly upset.

Emily certainly didn't want to talk about the day she had, not about her sister, or Natalie. She just wanted to simply sleep off the memories—Emily knew all too well that it wasn't possible to do such a thing.

"I don't really wanna talk about it," Emily sighed, and Daisy leaned her head against her mother's shoulder.

"You sure?"

Emily pressed her lips together, "What's going on with you and Callie?"

Daisy frowned, "Why are you deflecting?"

"Why are you?" Emily countered, offering her daughter a small falsely  innocent smile.

Daisy of course knew this was a way to get her to talk about her problems and then Emily would continue to avoid her own.

"Fine." Daisy huffed, "but if I tell you, you have to tell me why you're upset."

"Deal," Emily agreed, gently braiding Daisy's hair, absentmindedly comforting both of them.

"I have no idea what is going on with Callie." Daisy sighed, "It's so frustrating. I don't even know what the fuck I did."

Daisy reminded Emily a lot of herself, just the way she spoke about things—the way she processes information.

Daisy holds on to every word, from just about anyone. Much like Emily used too...before everything.

"What do you mean?" Emily's eyebrows pulled together in thought.

"I mean all of the sudden she's being a total asshole to me! First she doesn't like my boyfriend, and then she kisses him!" Daisy exclaimed.

Emily thought about her daughter's words, "She could be jealous...I mean you have been neglecting your friendship to hang out with your boyfriend."

Daisy scoffed, "I certainly have not been neglectful of my friendship."

"Look," Emily sighed, tying off the braid, "You and Callie have been friends your entire lives. Just talk to her."

Daisy opened her mouth to argue but Emily cut her off, "I mean really talk. Not just some superficial shit."

Daisy seemed to think about her mother's words for a minute before nodding in agreement. Emily smiled softly, assuming she was off the hook—

"Okay, your turn."

Emily grimaced, "Seriously? You can't just take my advice and leave me to my own problems?"

Daisy shook her head confidently, "Nope, that's not how a deal works. Tell me what's going on."

Where could Emily even start?

"I uh—ran into someone I went to high school with." Emily quietly admitted.

Emily never talked about her time in high school—not about the times before the infamous plane crash and certainly not about the times that followed.

She didn't talk about how she nearly died in that forest, Emily didn't bring up that forest at all.

And Emily never ever talked about Natalie.

"Okay?" Daisy waited for her mother—who already seemed lost in thought, to continue.

"Natalie Scatorrcio," she spoke, "She and I were on a soccer team together— we probably never would have been friends if not for that."

"Why not?"

"We ran in very different circles— " Emily explained, "I fell for her."

"Oh—" Daisy realized, "Grandma and Grandpa didn't approve...did they?"

Emily scoffed, "They never even found out—not about her anyway."

"What's the story with you and Natalie?"

Emily didn't even know how to speak their story...it was so complicated.

It was beautiful for a while, Emily trusted Natalie more than anyone.

Natalie however, broke that trust.

The girl with the bleached blonde hair threw away the best thing in her life.

"I loved her— I really loved her." Emily stated, "But things happened— people were hurt, I was hurt. Nothing lasts forever."

Daisy didn't push her to talk anymore after that, they just sat in silence.

"Morning, Emily." Alison greeted, the twenty-year-old was Emily's best employee.

"Shh—too loud." Emily pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Hungover?" Alison asked with a teasing smile.

"Yes. I am." Emily replied moving behind the coffee bar, pouring herself a mug of black coffee.

The bell above the door jingled, Emily didn't look up yet.

"I heard this place has really good coffee."

Emily sighed recognizing the voice, "Hello, welcome in, can I get anything started for you?" Alison asked.

Misty Quiggly smiled, a hungover Natalie following behind, "I'll have a mocha— and she'll have—"

"A black coffee?" Emily piped up, and Natalie's eyes fell on her, staying there for an extended moment.

"Yeah."

"Oh my gosh, Emily! What are you doing here?" Misty exclaimed, and Emily resisted the urge to roll her eyes, "I own this place, Misty."

"That is so fun! Nat and I are going on a little road trip, but we needed a coffee refill." Misty explained.

"Let me guess, you're going to find Travis?"

"Yes, actually." Natalie replied, and Emily pressed her lips together, handing over a black coffee.

Alison seemed to catch Emily's change in demeanor, speeding up the process of making Misty's mocha.

"You should come with us, Em." Misty spoke up.

"Funny. I'll pass." Emily deadpanned, "I have no desire to see or talk to Travis."

"One mocha," Alison handed over the cup, and Emily forced a smile while Misty paid, "See you two around."

"Emily—can I talk to you please?" Natalie asked pretty much out of no where.

"I—I can't right now." Emily whispered, "I'm sorry."

"Oh—okay." Natalie nodded, brushing of Emily's words.

—

"You guys know I have a fucking kid right?" Emily crossed her arms over her chest watching as the guard released Misty and Natalie.

Natalie look surprised by her words—Emily realized she seemed to have forgotten that they actually don't know about her kid.

"You have a kid?" Natalie breathed.

"Uh—" Emily awkwardly scratched the back of her neck, "Yeah—Daisy. She's sixteen."

"Oh—wow." Natalie whispered, "You're probably a good Mom."

"Thank you? I think."

"So, are you here to join the fun?" Misty asked, and Natalie shot her a look.

"No, I'm here to make sure both of you make it back home without getting arrested a second time." Emily paused, "I'm here to be the voice of reason."

Natalie scoffed, "Since when are you the voice of reason."

"We're not fucking teenagers anymore Natalie." Emily snapped, "I have a kid, and a business, I've spent the last sixteen years being a voice of reason."

"Sorry," Natalie mumbled, "Jesus."

"So Nat, where to?"  Misty pipped up, trying to break up the tension.

"I'm driving." Natalie stated, taking the keys back from Misty.

Emily held her ground not exactly following them to the car.

"Are you coming or not Jensen?" Natalie turned over her shoulder, and Emily begrudgingly opened the door to the backseat.

"I hope you're a better driver than you were in high school." Emily muttered.

Darkness cloaked the sky by the time they reached their location. The sign read, 'Willow Brook Ranch'

"You guys didn't drag me out here to murder me right?" Emily joked, and Natalie glared at her, "It was a joke!"

Rain came pouring down, as they trudged through the mud.

Things looked really strange, despite the fact that the place looked very much abandoned, there was a light set up, illuminating the barn.

A soft gasp left Emily's mouth as she flinched away from the sight in front of them, "Nat, you should just—just stay back there."

Misty was already moving to stop Natalie herself, it was too late though. The brunette had already seen Travis' body hanging.

Emily gently wrapped an arm around Natalie, "We should really go, Nat." She whispered, "I know that this sucks...but we really need to go."