Chapter 131

Emma longed to see her daughter. There was an anxious energy that came with not having Lizzie in her sight. Her inside felt hollow with a cold breeze blowing through. She thought about asking Will to bring their baby to the hospital. It was a strange thing how easily it came now, thinking of Lizzie as “theirs” and not “hers” anymore. She couldn’t stop thinking about what Will had said to her before. Her face still tingled where he had touched her.
The truth is that was she afraid. Letting herself get caught up, or under, William Stewart hadn’t brought her anything good before. That’s not true, she thought. There were quite a few good times. Emma couldn’t lie to herself and think that she didn’t want him. She did. More than ever. Loving him is like an illness. It infects you and can destroy you. But you’re different. Maybe you can be strong enough to love him…Grace’s words floated her in mind.
Was she strong enough to love him? It was true that being a part of his life required a certain kind of resilience that she wasn’t sure she had.
“Hey doll,” Sabrina called from the doorway. “I’ve got something for you.”
“What is it?” Emma struggled to sit up. Her body was still sore and most movements pulled at her stitches. Sabrina pulled out her phone. She had facetimed Alex and he was holding the phone over Lizzie’s crib.
“My baby!” Emma’s eyes were immediately filled with tears at the sight of her daughter. Lizzie giggled and babbled through the screen at the sound of Emma’s voice. “I want to hold her so much!”
“Soon!” Alex’s disembodied voice came through the speaker.
“That’s right,” Sabrina said. “As soon as your infection clears up, they’re going to discharge you.”
“Tell Mommy she needs to behave herself,” Alex said to Lizzie. The baby laughed in response, making spit bubbles at the phone. After a few more minutes, they hung up. Emma wiped away at her tears.
“Thanks, I needed that. God, I miss her.”
“You’ll be with her soon. In the meantime, we need to get you cleaned up!”
A team of people filed into the room.
“What’s all this?” Emma asked.
“I will not have my best friend looking anything short than her best. Come on everyone. Get to work!”
Will walked back towards the hospital rooms. Before stopping to see Emma, he wanted to pop in on Jess. There were some things he wanted to talk to her about. Walking into her room, he noticed she looked more refreshed. Hair that had once been matted with dust and grime, was now washed, and styled. From the times he’d seen her before, her full mane was always out and wild. Now it was styled into a pouf atop her head. It suited her. She looked like she felt more like herself.
“Hey,” she said, surprised to see him alone.
“Sorry to barge in. Looks like Sabrina made good on her promise.”
“Oh yeah. She had a whole group of people in here. I suspect they’re with Emma now.”
“Good. I’ll give them some time before I go in there. There are a few things I need to talk to you about.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I made you some promises, and I need you to know what’s going on with those.”
“Oh,” Jess’s eyes opened a little more, and she sat up a little straighter.
“Starting tomorrow, your father will have round the clock care at home. Two nurses will be with him at all times. My attorney has already started working on your case. I’ve given him everything I was able to find. He’ll contact you in the next few days or after you’re discharged, whichever comes first. He’s already anticipating a large settlement for the worker’s family. I’ve already compensated them since my uncle used the company’s name, but they’ll still get more. For you, your bills are all paid up and I have physical therapy set up as well.”
“Wow,” she breathed.
“What?”
“From what I heard about you before, you seemed like a total asshole. Just another rich, playboy jerk that thought he could do whatever he wanted. I heard all about those run-ins at the club when Vivian was still around.”
“I was,” Will said with a sad smile. That seemed like an entire lifetime ago. Who even was that guy? “I was all those things.”
“I used to daydream about running you over with my car.”
“Maybe you should have. I would have sued you though.”
Jess laughed.
“I’m glad I was wrong,” she smiled at him. “There is something I wanted to talk to you about too.”
“Sure.” Will pulled up and chair and sat beside her bed.
“There was a point while we were captive when your… when the woman involved was attacking Emma. I think she wanted Emma to say she didn’t love you.”
“I understand,” Will hung his head. “She said whatever she needed to say to keep herself safe.”
“No, you don’t understand. She wouldn’t say it. Even though she was terrified, she said it out loud. She said she loves you. Like currently. Like she loves you right now.”
Will looked up. His heart jumped into his throat, and for a moment he forgot how to breath.
“And,” she continued. “after everything you’ve done to save her, I know you love her. Eventually you two will get your act together and work things out. I just need you to know that if you ever put her through what you did before, I will personally and happily fuck you up.”
“I’ll hold you to that,” he chuckled.
“Does she know? That you love her?”
“I’ve never said it to her. In fact, I’d never said it out loud until last night.”
“What the hell are you waiting for?” Jess yelled at him.
“The right moment, I guess.”
Jess slapped him upside the head, catching him off guard.
“The fuck was that for?” he called out.
“There is no right moment! She could have died! You need to stop wasting time. Tell that woman you love her! Take her into your arms and kiss her. Erase any doubt that she could have. If this ordeal proved anything is that we never know what the next minute could bring. Emma loves you, and you love her. It’s as easy as one plus one. She wants to be with you. The only thing holding her back is that she doesn’t know exactly how you feel. If she knew, there wouldn’t be any question.” Jess’s passionate declaration sank in.
He stared at her. He could feel his heart thrash around in his chest at the idea of telling Emma how he felt.
“You’re scared,” Jess realized.
“Yeah,” Will said.
“Why?”
“The last time I loved someone, she left me. And then she shot herself in front of me when I didn’t love her anymore.” His eyes were far away.
“Hey!” Jess snapped her fingers in front of her face. “One, you should go to therapy because that’s traumatic as fuck. Two, and listen to me like you’ve never listened to anyone in your life, Emma is not Grace. You’re not even the same man that loved Grace. If you’re going to hold that over your own head, then maybe you aren’t ready to tell Emma how you feel.”
“You’re right,” Will agreed. “Maybe if I had gotten some therapy a long time ago, I could have avoided all of this.”
“And that,” Jess wagged a finger at him. “You need to stop that. This happened. And as much as we would like, we can’t change it. We’re lucky that things aren’t worse. I know what a badass you can be. Now sack up, go to therapy, and then declare your undying love for Emma.”
“Emma was right. You’re awesome as hell,” Will smiled at her.
“I am,” Jess brushed imaginary dirt off her shoulder. “Now, I have a question for you.”
“Anything.”
“What’s the deal with Spencer?”
Will threw his head back in laughter.
“Really? You’re serious about that?”
“Hell yeah. That’s a fine ass man. I’m trying to get smashed all the way into next week.”
“Wow,” Will was stunned at how bold she was. “I don’t know him well, but he’s a good guy. He’d be lucky to have you.”
“And he will have me,” Jess smiled. “In every which way possible.”