The party had ended, but Emily, Cara, Jason, and Ayla remained at the Earnshaws' residence. Dillon, Cherise, and Treon had asked them to stay for a private gathering in the spacious dining room. The atmosphere was quieter now, the sounds of the earlier celebration replaced by the clinking of silverware and soft conversation.
Kelly was notably absent, having excused himself earlier, saying he had something urgent to attend to. Emily noticed the empty seat and felt its significance weigh on her.
"We missed you girls," Dillon said, his tone warm and nostalgic as he looked at Emily and Cara.
"We missed you too," Emily replied softly.
"We're sorry for leaving without saying anything," Cara added, her voice tinged with regret.
A sudden scoff broke the moment. Everyone turned to see Olivia, her expression hard and unforgiving.
"I don't think you're sorry at all," she said, her voice laced with bitterness.
"Liv," Cherise cautioned, but Olivia was already rising from her seat, her anger palpable.
"Fine, we all get y'all were overwhelmed after you lost your parents," Olivia began, her voice sharp. "But when you left, a mail or a phone call would've been nice. Instead, y'all just disappeared like ghosts. And now, you're back, expecting to be welcomed with open arms. I'm sorry, but I'm not doing that."
Her words hung heavy in the air, stinging Emily more than she thought possible.
"Liv," Cherise said again, her tone pleading.
"No, Ma," Olivia snapped, her voice firm. "It's their fault everything happened. And I'm not going to sit here and pretend I'm okay with them being back."
Without another word, Olivia stormed out, leaving an uncomfortable silence in her wake.
"I'm sorry about Liv—" Dillon began, his tone apologetic.
"She's right," Emily interjected, her voice trembling. "It's all our fault. If we hadn't left, Kelly wouldn't have lost his memory."
"Emily—"
"We're sorry for causing so much pain to all of you," Emily continued, rising from her seat. Her hands trembled as she grabbed her purse.
"Where are you going?" Treon asked, frowning.
"Home. Cara, Jason, let's go. Where's J. J and Ayla?" Emily asked, her tone clipped.
"They're with Raymond in the living room," Robbie answered.
"Thank you for inviting us, but we're leaving now," Emily said, her voice strained. She turned to Cara and Jason, who were still seated. "Aren't you coming?"
Cara looked conflicted, glancing at Jason, who hesitated before placing a hand on her shoulder.
"Emily, you're not seriously leaving because of Liv, are you?" Treon asked, his tone a mix of disbelief and frustration.
"What does it look like I'm doing, Treon?" Emily shot back, her voice cracking. "I'm leaving."
"Emily, calm down," he urged, his hands raised in a placating gesture.
"I'm sorry, but I feel terrible. Liv is right about everything, and—"
"Sit down, Emily," Dillon's voice cut through, firm and commanding.
The authority in his tone made Emily pause. Slowly, she sat back down, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.
"None of this is your fault," Dillon said, his voice softening. "No one could have known Kelly would be in that accident. It was an unforeseen occurrence, not something you caused."
Emily sniffled, shaking her head. "It's hard not to blame myself. He came to look for me that day, and I wasn't there."
"Emily, listen to me," Dillon said, leaning forward. His tone was gentle, yet resolute. "None of this is your fault. You hear me?"
Emily nodded weakly, her throat tightening with emotion.
"And as for Liv," Cherise chimed in, her voice soothing, "she'll come around. Just give her time. She's hurting, but that doesn't mean she doesn't care."
Emily looked at Cherise, her words offering a sliver of comfort.
"You should know," Dillon added, his gaze steady and sincere, "we're happy to have y'all back. We mean it."
Emily's lip quivered, and she blinked rapidly to keep the tears from falling. The weight of Dillon's words settled over her, both reassuring and overwhelming.
"Thank you," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Treon leaned back in his chair, watching Emily carefully. "See? No one's pushing you away, Em. You belong here."
Emily took a deep breath, nodding slightly. The tension in the room began to ease, though the shadow of Olivia's outburst lingered.
Cara reached out, placing a comforting hand on Emily's arm. "We'll make it right, Em. One step at a time."
Emily nodded again, her resolve slowly returning. She wasn't sure how, but she was determined to rebuild the bridges that had been burned, no matter how long it took.
***
Emily lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling, her mind consumed by thoughts of Kelly and the Earnshaws. She couldn't shake the memory of Kelly's blank stare, the lack of recognition in his eyes when he looked at her. The weight of it pressed down on her chest, and no matter how much she tossed and turned, sleep refused to come.
A sudden ringing of the doorbell jolted her out of her thoughts. She groaned, throwing an arm over her face.
"It's late. Who comes to someone's house at this time?" she muttered, reluctantly getting up.
Grabbing the bat that stood by her door—a habit formed out of caution—she made her way to the front door. Peering through the peephole, her breath caught in her throat. Her heart skipped a beat as she saw who it was.
Taking a deep breath, she unlocked the door and opened it.
"Hey," Dani said, a hesitant smile on her lips. "Sorry for stopping by this late and unannounced. Treon gave me your address."
Emily blinked in surprise but quickly stepped aside. "Come in."
Dani entered, her eyes sweeping over the cozy living room. The walls were adorned with framed pictures—some of Emily and Ayla, others of Emily, Ayla, and Cara together.
"Nice place," Dani commented, her tone warm.
Emily managed a small smile. "Thanks."
"Ayla's asleep?" Dani asked as she settled onto one of the couches, her posture both casual and slightly tense.
"Yeah," Emily nodded. "Do you want anything to drink?"
"Water's fine," Dani replied.
Emily disappeared into the kitchen and returned moments later, carrying a tray with a cold bottle of water and a glass. She placed it on the coffee table.
"Here's your water," she said softly.
"Thank you." Dani poured herself a glass and took a sip before setting it down.
The silence that followed was thick, both women unsure how to start. Finally, Emily broke it.
"How have you been?" she asked, her voice tentative.
"I've been good," Dani replied, though her tone betrayed a hint of hesitation. She took a deep breath, her fingers tracing the rim of the glass.
"You know," Dani began, her voice trembling slightly, "when I ran into you at Wood-Shaw Daycare, a million thoughts ran through my mind. I felt so many emotions all at once—hate, anger, resentment, sadness…" She paused, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "And I missed you."
Emily's throat tightened, but she stayed quiet, letting Dani continue.
"Then, when I got in the car, Kelly asked me who you were." Her voice cracked, and she quickly wiped at her eyes. "My heart broke, Emily. It broke because you were the love of that boy's life, and yet he couldn't recognize you."
A tear slipped down Dani's cheek, and she didn't bother wiping it away. "I just… I just want to know why, Emily. I get that you were overwhelmed, but I was your fucking best friend. We've been besties since our diaper days. And you hurt me, Emily."
Her voice rose slightly before breaking again. "I know what happened to Kelly wasn't your fault—nobody could've seen it coming—but why did you leave?"
Tears blurred Emily's vision, spilling over as she struggled to form words. Her voice was thick with emotion when she finally spoke.
"No apology can erase the pain I caused you," she said, her voice trembling. "But I'm still so, so sorry, Dani."
She sniffled and wiped her face before continuing. "I was angry. I was heartbroken. Your family was there for me, but I couldn't get past the fact that I was an orphan. Me and Cara—we were orphans. And… I became jealous of your family."
Emily paused, her breath hitching. "I hated that everywhere I went, people pitied me. It was too much. Staying in that house in Florida… it was worse. Every corner of it was filled with memories of my parents. And your house—it was filled with memories too. I felt like I couldn't escape."
She wiped at her eyes again, but the tears kept coming. "When Uncle said we could come to Canada, it felt like the perfect chance to get away from it all. To escape everything. And I'm sorry, Dani. I should've written. I should've called. But—"
Her voice broke completely, and she buried her face in her hands, sobbing.
Dani, who was also crying now, moved to Emily's side and pulled her into a tight hug.
"Shh," Dani whispered, stroking Emily's hair as she cried. "It's okay. It's okay. I forgive you. You're here now, and that's all that matters."
Emily clung to Dani, her tears soaking her friend's shoulder. For the first time in years, she felt a flicker of hope—a chance to mend what had been broken.
***
After their heartfelt conversation, the mood between the two women lightened. They sat comfortably in the living room, each holding a glass of red wine, their laughter mingling with the late-night stillness.
"So," Emily began with a teasing smile, "what happened with Ryan? You know, your high school boyfriend?"
Dani let out a soft laugh, swirling her wine in the glass. "Ryan? Oh, we broke up because of the distance. You know I can't do long-distance relationships. It just wasn't my thing."
Emily raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Really? I never pegged you as someone who'd call it quits so easily. But hey, I didn't realize you were into Asian men either. I mean, Robbie's a catch, so I get it."
Dani chuckled, her eyes sparkling with fondness. "With Robbie, it was love at first sight. I saw him and thought, damn. He's so handsome. But it wasn't just his looks—it's his heart. The man has the kindest soul."
Emily grinned, taking a sip of her wine. "Aw, listen to you. You sound so smitten."
"I am," Dani admitted with a soft smile. "Completely." She leaned back, savoring her drink. "And you know what they say: 'Once you go Black, you can't go back.' You, of all people, are living proof. After Kelly, you ended up marrying a Black man."
Emily laughed, shaking her head. "I mean—"
Dani cut in playfully, "So, where's your husband? I didn't see him at Trey's party, and I don't see any of his pictures here."
The smile on Emily's face faltered, replaced by a shadow of sadness. She lowered her glass slightly. "He passed… when I was pregnant with Ayla."
Dani's face fell, her playful tone vanishing instantly. "Shit, Em, I'm so sorry."
"Thanks," Emily murmured, glancing down at her glass. "He was in the army."
"Damn," Dani said, her voice heavy with sympathy. "That must've been so hard for you."
"It was," Emily admitted, her lips curving into a small, bittersweet smile. "But William's mom and brother were there for me. They really helped me get through it."
"William," Dani repeated softly. "That was his name?"
Emily nodded. "Yeah."
Dani reached over, placing a comforting hand on Emily's. "Well, you have us now. You don't have to go through anything alone anymore. I'm really glad you're back."
Emily's smile brightened, warmth spreading through her chest. "Me too."
Dani leaned back, her expression softening as she changed the subject. "You know, Ayla's beautiful. She's like a mini version of you. Her skin, those piercing blue eyes—damn, you and William made one gorgeous kid."
Emily chuckled, a blush creeping up her cheeks. "Thanks. But Raymond is no slouch himself. That curly hair, those honey-colored eyes—you and Robbie made a little heartbreaker."
Dani laughed, her voice ringing through the room. "My little Blasian boy. Yeah, he's a charmer already."
Emily joined in the laughter, the warmth between them growing. "Yeah."
The two women continued talking late into the night, their conversation flowing effortlessly from one topic to another. They laughed, shared memories, and rebuilt the bond they had lost over the years.
Eventually, Dani called Robbie to pick her up. When he arrived, she hugged Emily tightly at the door. "Don't be a stranger, okay?"
"I won't," Emily promised, smiling as she watched Dani leave with her husband.
Closing the door behind her, Emily headed to her room, her heart lighter than it had been in years. She slipped into bed, a contented smile on her face, grateful for the reconciliation with her best friend. For the first time in a long while, she felt truly at peace.