Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four
Emma woke in a bed. She looked at the ceiling, and found it lit with light from a lamp from her right. She heard paper rustling, and the tinkering of a cup. As she turned towards the sound on her right, she was suppressed to feel something next to her on the bed.
She sat up looking down, and saw Kenna sleeping peacefully next to her. She instantly wanted to get away from her. But as she looked up, she saw Henry looking at her from behind a folded newspaper.
He wasn’t smiling, at least the smile he gave her was not like the normal ones that he did. It was more sad than happy.
“I tried to wake you last night.” He said tossing the paper onto the other chair in the room. He got up and went over to the bed and sat down on the pillows next to Kenna’s head. He pulled the cuffs of his robe, then looked at Emma and smiled a small smile at her, “You were out cold.”
“When did the bra-, I mean, when did she get into bed with me….” She said inching away from the little girl.
Henry’s smile faded as he looked down at the sleeping girl. He placed a hand on her head and said, “Probably this morning… I just recently woke up, and when I went to check on her, she wasn’t in her room, so I checked here.” He looked at Emma and a sly smile came onto his face, “You were hugging her like a small doll, and I couldn’t help but go and get some tea and my paper, then sit here with you two.”
Emma just looked at the girl. She must have been tired if she didn’t notice her getting into bed with her.
“She must have thought I was in here… She doesn’t particularly care who is in here, as long as someone is there with her.” Henry said cheerfully.
Emma made to get up, but Henry placed a hand on her arm, stopping her. She looked up at his face, and saw pleading there for her to stay. She just looked back to Kenna, who turned onto her side and curled up. She moaned a little, but just sighed in her sleep, looking content.
“Does she do this often?” Emma said quietly.
“Enough for it to be bothersome on a small level.” Henry said taking a deep breath himself and letting it go, “But I just wait till she falls asleep and take her back to her bed with the cat…” Henry looked down at her sadly, “It’s gotten more frequent since her mother died.”
Emma said nothing and moved closer to the little girl. Henry let go of her arm as she moved it to lightly touch the little girl’s head. Her hair was soft, and her head warm. Kenna moved in her sleep, and her head moved deeper into Emma’s hand. Still, Emma said nothing. She totally understood.
“When do you go to work?” Henry asked.
Emma looked up at him for a moment, then looked back at Kenna.
“I need to go so I get home an hour before… Around eleven.” She said slowly.
“Mmmmm.” Henry said. Emma looked up at him. He looked as if in thought, and then said, “Let Kenna sleep for a while longer, she’s had a long week… I’ll use the shower in the hall so you can get freshened up here… May I ask that you get her dressed? I’ll get some clothes out, and then all you have to do is make sure she doesn’t put them on backwards.”
Emma let a small giggle out, then looked down at Kenna, “Sure.”
“Good. Then you two can cook something for breakfast while I shave and dress in here.” Emma narrowed her eyes a bit, Henry must have gotten it, for he said, “Saturday mornings around here are pretty laid back, and Kenna entertains herself… It’s not hard or I would have sold Kenna off already.”
“Henry!” Emma hissed to him, and hit his arm rather harder than she normally would. She didn’t think he meant it…
“Ahhh!” he said rubbing his arm, “I wouldn’t sell her to anyone but her grandparents… let them fight over feeding the brat!”
Emma glared at him rather sharply, and hit him again.
She knew he was joking around now that his stupid grin spread across his face. This made her look protectively at the small child, and feel for her love of a different kind. Emma sighed. It seemed the little brat had finally taken over part of her heart too.
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“Good morning my beautiful women!”
Emma looked up from the pan where she was cooking scrambled eggs and smiled at Henry as he came in. He was wearing a light jacket over a shirt, his glasses were gone, and his hair looking brushed, just not combed into any particular manner.
Emma didn’t remember a Henry that looked so relaxed… Maybe the first time they went to Flower Hill, but not as relaxed as this… She studied him as Kenna reached over from her chair for a hug. Could he see without his glasses? Why didn’t he look as normal as usual.
Never the less, this was a side of Henry she had never seen… More lazy than usual. Perhaps he was planning on spending the whole day with Kenna? Or was planning to go somewhere later?
Emma gave a mental shrug and turned back to the cooking. She felt Henry next to her, and before she could do anything, his face was next to hers, and looking down at the scrambled eggs.
“It smells better than my cooking.” He said softly, planting a kiss on her cheek before she could look at him.
He turned away from her as she turned to look up at him. She felt shocked, for lack of a better word. She looked at him for a moment, wondering what it just was that made her love him…
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“I don’t like being touched in the morning…” Emma had said turning back to the pan.
Henry turned back to the coffee maker smiling and chuckling to himself. She was a rotten liar…. At least he thought so.
Henry got out the special coffee, and placed it into the appliance. He breathed the strong smell as it began to drip into the coffee pot.
“What?” Emma said as he turned around. He saw her scowling face, and smiled, “What is that smell?”
“Special coffee for a special guest.” Henry said turning to the cupboard and getting out three mugs. He placed them on the counter, and winked at Emma, “Kenna gets juice or milk-“
“Orange juice!” Kenna said puckering up her face. “Nothing else!”
Henry laughed at her and said, “Ok, ok… Calm down…” He placed a hand on her head and smiled at her. He went to get the juice and as he poured it into the mug, he asked, “Did you wash your hands and face?”
Kenna looked away, as if thinking about it, then looked up brightly, “No! I’ll go do that now?”
“You better.” Henry said smiling as his daughter jumped down and ran upstairs. “Don’t take too long or I’ll come after you!” he said loudly to her back.
He smiled, then looked at Emma who was still cooking scrambled eggs on the oven. Henry looked over at the coffee pot and saw it was almost done.
“Was she difficult this morning?” he asked as he went to stand by the coffee.
“No.” Emma said in a vague way. “She was fine…”
Again there was a silence there. Henry took the finished coffee and filled the two empty cups, and sipped his sitting in a chair at the counter, looking at Emma. She was pretty, to say the least… She could do more with her hair, he thought… He had loved it long and flowing… What he remembered most about the day they met… Her face looked as if it was snow soft… The second thing he remembered about that day.
“Seriously!” Emma said looking at him shaking the spatula, “Why the Hell do you look at me so much?”
“Just remembering when we first met…” he said taking a sip of coffee. He then put his mug down on the counter, “It’s what I remember when I see you…. I don’t know about you, but I rather liked that day.”
Emma narrowed her eyes, and he saw that torn look on her face. She then stuck up her nose as she turned back to the pan.
“The first day of a heap of trouble….” She murmured.
Henry’s heart gave a rather hard thump of love. It felt more like a backflip, but either way, it felt wonderful. He smiled taking another sip of coffee. He thought about the fact that she too was a "big heap of trouble", but he wasn’t about to tell her… He then turned and looked to the staircase. He loved Emma as much as he did his daughter. They both were precious to him. He let his thoughts amuse him for a while.
“What are you thinking about?” Emma asked.
She was at the counter behind him serving up some scrambled eggs onto Kenna’s toast.
He turned around and smiled up at her, “Just… some things….”
He watched as she spooned the rest of the eggs into a container. He had to ask her his burning question.
“What do you think of my daughter, Emma?” he asked seriously enough.
Emma stopped what she was doing and stood for a moment. She slowly placed the pan down and turned towards him.
“What do you mean?” she asked.
Henry looked down into his cup slowly. The way she looked at him was one where she was searching his face for the right answer. He wanted her true feelings. He wanted her opinion on his daughter, and didn’t even know the right answer himself.
“We are at a point in our lives together,” he said quietly, “where I can say I love you, and you would take it without thinking I was lying…” she didn’t say anything, so he continued, “But I need to know, before I move forward with you, what you think of my daughter…”
There was silence again. He didn’t know how to put his feelings anymore bluntly. He wanted to look at Emma, but he wanted her to answer truthfully.
“She wouldn’t be my daughter.” She said slowly, “I’ve told you that before.”
He looked at her and she was looking at the floor.
“So.” Henry said looking at the same spot as her, “You don’t like her.”
“It’s not that.” Emma said moving her head. Henry looked, and saw she was looking at him. She looked frustrated, “It’s… Well… I just wouldn’t be her mother.” She turned her head and looked away again. She sighed and closed her eyes saying, “I like her a lot… I mean, she’s just like you, but she makes me happy in different ways… But I couldn’t love her as much cause…”
“She has a different mother.” Henry said finishing for her.
Emma looked at him. He closed his eyes and turned away. There was silence again. But more burning questions had arisen.
“Does the fact that she has a different mother,” he asked slowly and cautiously, “make you love me less?”
It was something that was bothering him for the longest time. Something he really wanted to know before he went any further. He opened his eyes and found Emma looking at the floor again, but her hands were gripping the counter behind her. He waited patently, something he could do the rest of his life.
“I-” she began hesitantly, “Sometimes-” she took a breath and then looked at him, “I used to think of your former wife as competition with you.” She said looking sadly, “But you showed me, and told me, differently… Would Kenna do the same?”
Henry smiled softly and looked away.
“She will no doubt forget her mother when she is older…. I don’t remember much from my childhood.” Henry said looking at the floor, “I hope if she does remember anything, it would be the times they spent together.” He breathed in deeply, “Kenna looks on the brighter things her life has. She misses Rachel very much… But I doubt she will ever compare you to her.”
He looked over at her and found Emma staring at him, he smiled the smile he had only for her, “I know for sure, she will love you as a mother… She dotes on you already.”
He watched Emma think about it. He knew in his heart there would be trouble when Kenna got older and she was sorting the big answer out. Emma, if she would, would be the only mother she could actually remember… It would be hard for Emma too…
“I could never be her real mother…” Emma said turning back to the pan and dishing out the eggs again.
Henry went over to Emma, and touched her hands with his. She stopped and turned around looking up at him with watery eyes. Henry pulled her close and placed a hand on her head, and an arm around her back, lowering his head onto hers.
“No, you could never be Rachel…” Henry said quietly, “You can only be Emma.” He pulled her away from him and smiled at her. He took his hand off her head and wiped away the tears forming at her closed eyes, “And we both love you for who you are.”
He felt Emma hold back a little sob, and pulled her close again. He placed his head back onto hers and gently stroked her hair a little.
“My Emma…” he whispered slowly. He pulled her away and looked her in the eyes smiling his special smile. He wiped away the wetness around her eyes with the sleeve of his jacket, and said, “I am sorry… I didn’t mean to make you cry…”
She let out a laugh that sounded like she had been holding it in. She then hit him in the chest.
“Stupid man. I hate you.”
Henry laughed and gave her a hug. He sighed and looked back down at her again.
“You really do love using four letter words don’t you?”
She pushed him away and took the pan over to the oven and cracked two eggs into it. She held her head high and had a small frown on it. But after Henry had sat down with his coffee again, and was joined by Kenna next to him, he saw that she had a very small smile.
