Chapter 91 The Message
After the encounter, Emily didn’t want to leave the house for a few days. Mostly, she didn’t even want to leave the bedroom. She could see now why her brother had enjoyed hiding under a blanket so much. It was very warm and cozy, and she could pretend the outside world didn’t exist.
She didn’t know whether Josh would ever stop trying to see her, despite the protection order. Would he haunt her for the rest of her life? It seemed like breaking the law was no longer a problem for him.
Another day passed, and Emily was still snuggling with her dog under the blankets. She hadn’t even walked the dogs in the last few days, and a walker came by sometimes twice a day to help with them.
After his initial outburst, Byron seemed to take a more laid-back approach. Emily almost wondered if he had forgotten about the whole incident because he kept up with his usual schedule, only stopping by her room once in a while to check on her.
While Byron was at work, Emily tried to do some of her work from home, but she had trouble focusing. The confrontation with Josh kept running through her head. She wondered if she had said the right thing, if there was anything she could have done differently, on that day, and in the last five years.
She almost wished the police hadn’t arrived to arrest Josh because in that moment when he lowered the gun, he seemed to have understood what she was trying to tell him. She hated to think that after making a breakthrough, Josh would grow bitter and resentful again after being dragged through the courts.
“Are you feeling better at all?” Byron asked when he got home.
“I don’t know,” she said, “about the same.”
“Would you like me to arrange an appointment for you with Dr. Williams?” he asked, sitting down on the bed. “The more I talk to him the more I admire his wisdom.”
"Well, look at you, promoting the benefits of counseling," she joked. "I remember when it was the other way around."
"I'm serious," Byron said, "I've been trying not to overwhelm you with attention these last few days, but I've been so worried. Don't you think talking it through with someone would help?"
“Yes,” Emily said. She realized now why Byron seemed so restrained lately. She had expected him to hover around more, but keeping up his regular routine and pretending not to make a big deal out of it must have been part of his plan to get her feeling like things were back to normal. “That would be good. I’d like to understand how this happened and how to move on.”
“There might not be anything to understand.” Byron stroked her hand soothingly. “Josh is clearly not a rational person. I hope you’re not wasting your time trying to think of something you could have done.”
“Maybe I am,” she confessed. “But I’m trying to get it out of my head.”
The next morning, Emily woke up late, still uncertain whether she wanted to face the real world. It was a Saturday, so Byron should have been home, but he was already up.
Just as Emily started opening her eyes, he came in, carrying a tray filled with mini cupcakes. Emily looked around the room and suddenly laughed out loud. The whole bedroom had been transformed: cupcakes lined the windowsill, the top of the dresser, and both nightstands. There were chocolate, strawberry, vanilla, and red velvet cakes arranged in alternating patterns all around the room, creating the appearance of a striped candy land.
“Something to entice you to get out of bed,” Byron said, placing the tray on top of the bookshelf.
“I can reach these just fine,” she said, smiling mischievously as she grabbed a cupcake off the nightstand.
“I’m kidding, you can stay in bed as long as you like,” Byron said gently. “I just wanted to see you smile.”
“You, sir, have succeeded,” Emily said. She got up and took a few steps towards him. He clasped her in his arms, and she felt much safer already. The world couldn’t be such a bad place with people like Byron Pomeroy in it.
When she checked her work email, a message that was unrelated to work caught her eye. She was almost afraid to open it, but the first line of the missive gave her hope.
Dear Emily,
This is the last time you’ll be hearing from me. I know now I was wrong. What you said to me that day in the parkade made me understand that I wasted my time, and I intruded on your life, for which I’m very sorry.
I am getting counseling, as you suggested. I’m starting to see how my life could be better when I stop obsessing about you. I hope you have a good life too.
Josh
“Do you think he could by lying?” Byron asked when she showed him the message.
“I doubt it,” Emily said. “He has always been upfront about his feelings for me. I don’t think he would change his ways now.”
“But he could be using devious means to try to get to you,” Byron objected. “This way he thinks you’ll lower your guard.”
“Maybe... But I was so certain I got through to him.”
“I’m not saying I don’t have faith in you,” Byron replied, “but we have to be careful. Your safety is not something I’m willing to compromise. Let’s increase security for the next little while.”
“But Josh is in jail,” she objected.
“He could be out on bail, and who knows when the trial will be?”
“Okay. It’s sweet that you’re so concerned about me.”
“I’m going to hire a few more security guards to help Fred,” Byron added.
“That’s not really necessary.”
“Yes it is. And I’ve got something else that might cheer you up: the premiere of Chipfairies 2. How would you like to go on a trip to Los Angeles?”
