Broken Lives (6 page)

“
What are you smiling
about?” Emma asks, as she wraps her arms around my
waist. 

I turn around and return her hug. “You, I
like being here with you and our kids.” 

“
Me, too. This feels so
normal. I forgot to tell you that Cheryl and Danny think it is a
wonderful idea that we invite your family to James’ birthday
party.” 

I look at her and she is smiling. “Ok, I’ll
call mom later and let them know what time and give them the
directions.” 

“
I already did. She is also
going to let your sister and two brothers know.” 

After dinner, baths, and bedtime, I help Emma
clean up the kitchen. She tells me about Angel coming into work and
shows me the pictures from Angel and Mason’s wedding. I smile at
how happy James and Emma look. I also smile at how happy I
look.

“
I’m going to frame them and
put them around the house,” she says, putting the pictures back
into the envelope. 

“
That’s a good
idea.” 

“
I think we need to get our
pictures taken with Raelynn. I wish she was in these
ones.” 

“
You mean like a family
portrait?” I ask. 

“
I did. Do you think it’s
too soon? I’m sorry, maybe that isn’t such a good idea.” She looks
up at me with a sad smile. “I don’t want her to feel left out
because she isn’t in these wedding pictures.” 

I touch her cheek softly. “I think that is a
wonderful idea. We need a picture with all of us in it.” 

“
Really? You don’t think
it’s too soon?” 

“
No, I think now is a
perfect time.” 

Emma

I get a pillow and blanket and help Alec make
his bed on the couch for the night. I kiss him goodnight and go to
bed, alone. 

When I walk into the bedroom, there is a note
on my bed with Alec’s handwriting on it.

Baby, although I am in the
next room, I feel like I am miles away from you. Sleep well and
dream of me. I love you, Alec
 

The next morning, I kiss Alec goodbye and
drop Raelynn and then James off at school. I left a little early
because I didn’t want to take the chance of being late for
work.

I pull into the parking lot at work and I am
surprised to see that I am the only one here. Before I can unlock
the office door, someone calls my name. 

“
Emma?” 

I turn around and I am surprised to see Molly
standing near the corner of the office building. She is wearing a
pair of old jeans and a tee shirt. I look around and I don’t see
anyone else with her. “Yes?” I say, as I slowly walk over to
her.

“
How does it feel to be a
home wrecker?” she asks, and I think her words are
slurred. 

“
Excuse me?” I ask, because
I can’t believe what she just said. 

“
You heard me. I have been
watching you playing the wife to my husband and the mommy to my
little girl. How does it feel to know that you destroyed my home,
my family?” 

“
You think I’m the reason
you and Alec aren’t together?” 

“
Yes, and don’t believe
everything he says — he’s isn’t the man that you think he
is.”

A voice calls from behind me, “Emma, is
everything all right?”

I turn around and see Sara getting out of her
car. I try to smile at her as I say, “It’s fine.” 

I turn back around to ask Molly what she
means by that, but she is walking away. I get a cold chill and walk
back to where Sara is standing. 

“
Who was
that?” 

Oh, she doesn’t know that is Alec’s wife.
“Just someone asking for directions,” I lie. 

We work well into lunch and
I get a text from Alec, saying he’ll pick the kids up from school.
My mind drifts back to Molly and her chilling words.
“Don’t believe everything he says — he isn’t the
man that you think he is.”
I get another
chill and run my hands up and down my arms. What did she mean by
that?

I sit at my computer and use Google to search
for information about Molly Collins. Several articles and some
pictures come up on my screen. I click on the first one and it
says, “Nurse arrested for drug abuse.” I look over my shoulder to
make sure Sara and Brea are still at their desk. I read it quickly
and it says she was arrested while stealing drugs at work. Just
like Alec said. I read some more and I see a mug shot of Molly from
when she was arrested. 

“
Emma?” 

I startle and look up. Sara is standing over
me, looking at the computer screen. “Is that Molly? Was Molly the
woman who was outside this morning?” 

Brea stands up and walks over to where we
are. “Molly, as in Alec’s wife or his ex-wife?” 

“
Yes, she was outside when I
pulled up this morning,” Sara says, with only concern in her
eyes. 

Brea looks at the computer screen, and I
suddenly feel ashamed for looking her up. 

“
Emma, did she threaten
you?” Brea asks. 

I click off the screen and turn my chair
around so I can face them. “Do you guys know her, or him for that
matter?” 

Brea sits in the chair across from me and
Sara sits on the edge of my desk. “I don’t know her at all, but I
know him through Vincent. They all play golf and racquetball
together. What did she say to you this morning?” Brea asks.

I look at both of them and I don’t want to
tell them what she said. What if he isn’t the person I think he
is?

“
Emma,” Sara says, softly.
“I don’t know her either, but from what Donovan says, she isn’t a
very nice person. If she continues to show up here or if she is
harassing you, you need to call the police.” 

“
She isn’t harassing me;
this is the first time she has confronted me,” I say,
honestly. 

Brea looks outside and stares across the
street. “Is that her?” 

I stand up and we all walk to the window to
look where Brea is looking. Sara doesn’t say anything, I think Sara
is waiting for me to speak. “It looks like her, but what is she
doing?”

A car drives off, and Molly puts something in
her pocket. 

“
Buying drugs is my guess,”
Brea says, seriously. “I knew she was in some trouble for drug
abuse awhile ago, but I didn’t know she was still
around.” 

“
She showed up a few days
ago at Alec’s house,” I admit. “She called me a home wrecker, told
me that Alec isn’t the man I think he is, and said that I shouldn’t
trust him.” I continue to watch outside as she disappears behind
the building.

“
Listen to me,” Brea says,
turning me to face her. “If you are questioning what she said to
you, you need to talk to Alec. He’s the only person who can answer
your questions. I personally wouldn’t believe anything she
said.” 

Sara looks at me and says, “Emma, go home and
talk to him. If you have any questions, he is the only one who can
give you the answers you deserve.” 

I nod and my nose begins to tingle. “You’re
right, I’ll ask him tonight after dinner.” Just the thought of him
being anything but honest with me turns my stomach. I look out the
window again, and I see Molly stumble across the parking lot. “Do
you think people are really dealing drugs across the street from
us?” 

Brea and Sara both look out the window, “I
hate to say it, but it sure looks like it,” Sara says, walking back
to her desk. 

“
I’ll call the police
department to see if they can monitor the area. We need to put a
stop to it before it gets out of hand,” Brea says, picking up the
office phone. 

I text Alec and tell him I’ll pick the kids
up from school. When we get home, the house is clean and the
blankets Alec used to sleep on the couch are folded and put away.
Music is coming from the kitchen, and the house smells
delicious.

“
Yay, daddy’s making
spaghetti,” Raelynn says, skipping through the house, carrying her
book bag. 

James and I both inhale deeply. “Smells good,
huh, James?” 

“
I’m hungry,
momma.” 

“
Go put your book bag in
your room and wash your hands. I’ll see how long before dinner’s
ready.” 

“
Hi, Alec,” James says,
walking past the kitchen to get to his bedroom. 

“
Hi, James, how was school
today?” 

“
It was good, thank
you.” 

I walk into the kitchen and Alec is bending
down to kiss Rae. He is dressed in a pair of jeans and a plain
brown tee shirt. Behind him on the stove are two very large pots
with steam coming from them. He stands and looks at me and a smile
automatically forms on his lips.

“
Put your book bag up and
wash your hands, Rae. Dinner will be done very soon,” he says,
never taking his eyes off mine. He saunters over to me and kisses
me sweetly. “How was your day today?” 

I kiss him back because I can’t help it. He
is so sweet and sexy. “Interesting,” I say, honestly. “How was your
day?” 

“
I had a good day. I cleaned
the house and made dinner for my favorite family.” 

“
It smells delicious.
Pasta?” 

“
It’s homemade marinara
sauce; I hope you like it.” He stirs the pot of sauce and lets me
lick the sauce from the wooden spoon. 

“
Oh, Alec, this is
delicious.” 

“
Good, it’s almost ready. I
hope you’re hungry.” 

“
I’m starving; let me get
washed up and then I’ll set the table.” 

“
Just get washed up, and the
kids and I will set the table.” 

We have dinner together and share the events
of the day. Alec is quiet and listens to the kids tell their
story. 

“
What did you do today,
daddy?” Rae asks. 

“
I actually went to the
house today and got the rest of our clothes, some personal items,
and your toys.” 

I didn’t notice any other toys in James’
room. Rae must have put everything away. My stomach turns just
thinking about the conversation Alec and I will have this
evening.

“
Emma, are you all right?”
Alec asks. 

“
I’m fine, sorry. Just a
little preoccupied, I guess.” 

Once the bedtime ritual is completed, Alec
and I sit outside on the lanai. I have hot tea and he has a beer.
He moves his head side to side and massages his shoulders.

“
We were supposed to go look
at bedroom suites this evening. I forgot all about it, I’m
sorry.”

“
That’s ok, you seemed to
have something on your mind. Do you want to talk about
it?” 

I take a deep breath and say, “I had a
visitor at work today.” 

He leans up and rests his elbows on his
knees. “Do I know who it was?” 

“
Molly was outside the
insurance company this morning when I pulled up.” 

“
Emma, did she hurt you?”
Alec leans further up in his chair and cracks his
knuckles.

“
No, she didn’t hurt
me.” 

“
What did she want?” he
asks, searching my eyes for the truth. 

I just look at him. I don’t know what to say
to him. 

“
Emma, what did she
say?” 

My nose tingles and I close my eyes. “She
told me that I’m a home wrecker and that I’m the reason you two
aren’t together.” 

Alec scoots closer to me and holds my hand.
“Emma, you know that’s not the truth. You have nothing to do with
us not being together.” 

“
She also told me
not to believe everything you say and that you’re
not the man that I think you are.” 

He leans back in his chair and downs the rest
of his beer. “What did you say about that?” 

I can see the hurt in his eyes. “Sara showed
up, and when I turned back around Molly was walking
away.” 

Alec leans up in his chair and takes both of
my hands in his. “Emma, I need to know. What do you think about
what she said?” he says, stroking my hands. 

“
Alec, I don’t know. I
didn’t even know you were married until last week. Now I’m being
accused of breaking up your marriage and she tells me you’re not
who I think you are.” A stray tear slides down my cheek. “Why would
she say something like that to me?” 

“
I don’t know. I told you
that up until last week, I thought she was dead. I honestly
believed that. Because I am a doctor, Molly felt that I should have
been able to help her. I wish I could have helped her. Emma, I
wanted to help her and God knows I tried to help her. But it was
useless. You can’t help someone who won’t help
themselves.” 

“
I’m sorry. I think she was
buying drugs across the street from the office,” I say, and another
stray tear slides down my cheek. 

“
She probably was. I didn’t
tell you, but when I was at the house yesterday, some things were
missing.” 

“
Things? What kind of
things?” 

“
Both of the televisions
were gone. I took everything I could yesterday and I went back
today to get the rest of my and Rae’s things.” He cracks his
knuckles and adds, “Molly can have everything else that’s left in
the house. I just wanted to get everything that Rae owned out of
there. I don’t want her affected by her mother’s
actions.” 

I stand up and walk over to him. “I’m sorry,
I can’t even begin to imagine what it is like for you and Raelynn.”
He takes my hand and I sit on his lap.