EMILY WAS
Lauren Kutterfly
Publishing
This book is a complete work of art. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission of the author.
All Rights Reserved.
Copyright © 2015 Lauren Kutterfly
Edition Two. First appeared on Wattpad under the name Emily Was.
Published and Distributed by SmashWords Publishing
Summary: After the tragic death of her only daughter Emily, Amber Helsing finds the last letter written by Emily. The letter tells a shocking story about one particular little boy who changed Emily’s life.
ISBN-10: 1522940154
ISBN-13: 978-1522940159
Fate breathed her last breath as Destiny rose to the throne. – Macee Elyse, “Soul Effect”
THERE WAS A THICK COAT of silvery dust lining the drawers like a gigantic moldy-gray blanket. Amber swiped a finger across the damp wood and came back up with a layer of fuzzy coating. She rubbed the fur between her fingers slowly, thoughtfully, and then let it slip out of her fingers and onto the floor.
"Perhaps it's time I clean out this room," she muttered to herself. "The room is starting to reek of the rot and dirt of the yard."
Something caught the corner of her eye and she reached over and picked up a picture frame that was faced down, buried deep beneath the dust. She blew on it.
The glass cleared to show a teenage girl with dark blonde hair weaved into a bun on top of
her head and with gleaming eyes. She was carrying an overflowing backpack on her shoulders and around her neck hung a badge from the university she would soon be going to. She was laughing into the camera, her mouth opened wide in a grin.
Amber stared at the picture, frozen, unable to tear her eyes away from her daughter's last smile. The picture was taken in front of their house the day Emily went to college.
It was bright and early in the morning. Emily was excited to finally go to college and had barged into Amber's room to drag her out of bed.
"Come on, Mom!" she squealed and shook Amber violently. Her hands were trembling with excitement. "Today's it! It's really happening. I'm going to college!"
Amber groaned and rubbed her drowsy eyes. "What time is it? It looks dark outside. And- Oh, Emily! For God’s sake, would you calm down for a second? I'm barely awake. At least let me wake up properly first!"
Emily giggled. "Okay, okay, but make sure you get up quickly. I'm going to go pack the car. I’ll meet you outside!"
Amber chuckled as her daughter skipped out of the room. She got out of bed and threw on her clothes.
For the past few days Emily had talked of nothing but college. She looked forward to it so much that she packed and got ready five months
before the day they were supposed to leave on.
Amber walked outside and saw Emily trying to load the back of the car. The suitcase was too heavy for her, though, so she couldn't lift it all by herself. She grunted and heaved but she was no match for the weight.
Amber chuckled lightly and walked over to help her. Together they pushed the suitcase into the car.
"Whew! Thanks," Emily said and pretended to wipe an imaginary drop of sweat from her forehead. She smiled at the overflowing back of the car and set her hands on her hips. "Well, I'm all packed and ready to go."
Amber stared at the car. "Seems like it."
"I'll be a college student soon," Emily added.
"Yes, honey. And I'll be an old lady all alone in the huge house." Emily laughed and hugged her mother. "Oh, Mom, don't be like that. I promise to call you every day and send you pictures. I mean, if you can stand my nagging." Emily flashed a cheeky grin. Amber let a small smile slip onto her wrinkled cheeks. Her eyes shone with pride. "I know you will," she said and returned the affection. "Just promise me you will stay safe and won't do anything stupid."
Emily pulled back and pretended to salute her mother. "Aye, aye captain."
"Now, stand in front of the house for one last picture," Amber instructed with fake sternness. "I'm not sending you to college without a memory
of you for four years."
Emily, giggling and smiling, ran back into the house and brought out the camera. She handed it to Amber and posed in front of the house.
"Say cheese!" Amber said. She snapped the picture.
And that was the last time she ever took a picture of Emily. Amber’s eyes glazed over and became distant, lost within the memory.
The door to the bedroom slowly opened, a drawn out creak arising from the hinges. Amber blinked, snapping out of her daze. In her surprise, she dropped the picture back onto the drawer and landed with a dull thud, and she whipped around so fast that she almost tripped over her own two feet. A man, dressed in a professional dark suit, was leaning against the doorframe.
"Oh, Matthew!" she exclaimed and placed a hand to her heart. "Heavens, you gave me a fright. What brings you here?"
Matthew didn’t answer immediately and glanced around the room, his eyes traveling along the walls and the ceiling and finally landing on the drawer where Amber stood by. His eyes narrowed on the little frame that laid lopsided on the surface.
"Mrs. Helsing, how long are you going to spend your time in this room?" he asked with an edge hard to miss in his voice.
Amber sighed. "I don't know, really. I just don't want the movers to clear this place out. It holds so
many memories of her! I was just remembering
something about her, Matthew. It was the day of her departure, a year ago. Can you believe it? Just a year ago she was going to college. Just a year ago."
"I understand, Mrs. Helsing, but you can't dwell too long in this room. Don't you remember what the therapist said?" Matthew questioned with a deep frown.
Amber sighed again, this time letting it draw out, and walked out the room, pushing past Matthew. "Please, Matthew. I know what he said. 'Sadness and tears cannot bring back a life.' But she was my only daughter. I cannot bring myself to completely shut out her existence."
Matthew followed after her. "But you're practically living in that room! This can't continue. I won’t permit it. Remembering is okay, but not moving on is not. It's already been a month. You haven't eaten anything all day except for a few crackers here and there."
"I am an old woman, Matthew," Amber said, slightly annoyed by the man's persistence. "If I want to survive on a box of crackers and a bottle of water, then I will."
"But, Mrs. Helsing, your health-"
"My daughter has just died," she reminded him.
"I wish to spend more time with her spirit than with no one at all."
"Then I will come by every day and take care of you!" Matthew insisted.
Amber paused and placed a hand on his chest. “Matthew, you have a wife and child at home," she told him quietly. "You have to make them your first priority, not me, not an old woman."
Matthew doubled back and spluttered random apologies, for he had realized his foolish mistake. "I-I'm so sorry! I didn't know what I was saying. I didn't mean to sound like that! And right after you lost Emily..."
"It's alright," Amber assured him gently. She went into the kitchen and grabbed the open bag of tea leaves. "A cup of tea?"
"No, I'm alright," Matthew said. He looked suddenly uncomfortable standing there. Amber ignored him an
d poured both of them a cup of streaming tea. She handed one to Matthew and took a long gulp from her own cup. The scent of mint leaves gave her a calming effect and, for a beautiful moment, her heart eased of its hollow pains.
"How is little Wayne?" she asked, suddenly out of the blue. Matthew jolted.
"He's alright," he answered quickly. "Lucy took him an hour ago to his grandmother's house. They'll be staying there for three days, two nights."
"So you'll be alone in the house?" Amber said and took another sip.
"Yes."
Amber nodded. "I see. Is that why you came to
see me?"
Matthew shook his head a bit too vigorously. His tea almost splashed out of the cup. "No, no that's not why I'm here. I'm here on my own free will. I just wanted to know if you were doing alright."
"Well, you see me now
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