Through the Storm (The Montclair Brothers)

by Terri Marie

  "You men are being ridiculous. Of course it's cold enough." She took two more long drinks before sitting the glass down. "I'd like to have that aspirin now."

  "Coming right up!" Jacob walked to the kitchen cabinet and pulled out the container of vitamins. He removed one and brought it back to her.

  "This isn't an aspirin." Emma stared at it.

  Jacob kept his palm open in front of her. "I thought I had some, but I guess I don't. This is headache medicine. It'll definitely do the job." He smiled and lifted the glass of water to offer both at the same time.

  Emma swallowed the vitamin and then took another long drink. "I think I have to get cleaned up now." She pushed her chair out and stood up.

  Once she was turned around, Tyler mouthed the words "I'll be back in three hours," and then quietly slipped out of the house, closing the door behind him.

  Jacob went up behind Emma and grabbed a couple of towels and washcloths from the linen closet on the way. He listened as she turned on the shower. When Emma started to pull her t-shirt over her head, she became unsteady. He quickly wrapped his arms around her so she wouldn't fall.

  "Jacob! I'm getting undressed!" She raised her voice.

  Had she forgotten he'd already seen her naked? Did she forget they'd made love? Jacob pushed his feelings aside, and whispered in her ear.

  "I don't have much hot water, Emma. May I shower with you, if I promise to keep my eyes closed?" It took everything he had not to spin her around and try to make her remember.

  "Well, as long as you promise not to look. I'm not going to be in there very long. Keep your back to me."

  Jacob quickly took his clothes off, but kept his boxers on. He hoped she wouldn't see his scar and relive the devastation she'd gone through after the shooting. He tested the water, and then helped her get in. She faced towards the spray, tilted her head slightly back, closed her eyes, and let out a sigh.

  Jacob didn't know what to do. If she fell, she'd really get hurt, and if he touched her, she'd spin around and try to get out of the shower. Suddenly, she went back into a trance. When he saw her arms go limp, he soaped up the washcloth and began moving it softly against her back. He slid the cloth over to her arms, carefully washing each one, then he bent down, and did the same to each leg. As he stood back up, he peeked around front at her face. Emma's eyes were still closed.

  He knew he had to chance facing her. Hopefully she'd notice he was wearing his boxers, and she wouldn't become alarmed. Jacob had never been in a situation like this. Holding her by the shoulders, he slowly turned Emma around. He poured shampoo in his hand, and very gently, began to massage it into her hair. As Jacob rinsed out the suds, his hands had an alarming amount of red strands stuck to them. After coating her thinning hair with conditioner, Jacob washed the front of her body. With his arm around her shoulders he tilted her head back and began to rinse her hair again. Emma opened her eyes and stared at him. Jacob knew then, that he'd blown it.

  She didn't utter a word. As her eyes watered, he slowly brought her face to his chest and held her while her body wracked with sobs.

  "It's okay," he whispered, and let her cry.

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  Tyler used the spare key to unlock Jacob's door. He tried his best not to make any noise, but the door clicked loudly when he closed it, causing him to freeze in position. If Emma didn't show some improvement, they'd have to take her to a hospital. In hindsight, she'd been slipping a little more each day. He should have been paying better attention to her physical and mental status, but Robert had consumed every waking moment. Tyler hadn't put two and two together. Emma had been the one who was left to pick up the wreckage, not only hers, but everyone else's as well. He was kicking himself for not being there for her as much as he should have been.

  When Tyler reached Jacob's room, he cracked open the door and peered inside. His brother had his arms around Emma, who had a sheet wrapped around her body. Jacob lifted his head and looked at Tyler.

  "Is everything okay?" Tyler mouthed.

  Jacob nodded and mimicked putting a phone to his ear.

  Tyler gave an 'okay' sign and walked back out of the house. It took everything he had not to stay, but he knew Emma was in great hands. The less stimulation the better, or she could get even more confused. Knowing that the best thing he could do was to assist his brother in taking care of Barnsher, Tyler pulled into the grocery store. He headed straight for the organic department, filling the cart with everything nutritional he could think of.

  While Tyler had been constantly trying to figure out ways to keep them alive, Emma's mind and soul were being consumed by the life that'd already passed them by. Everyone had gotten home in one piece, except for her. Tyler had to figure out a way to rescue his sister from that driveway in Castle Lake. He had to bring her back to them.

  Everyone seemed sad and sometimes lost in thought. Sean and Vincent had decided to head into the office, but he hadn't heard of any ramifications from leaving their business for so long. Vincent had been their lifesaver; he'd chosen the best staff to keep them afloat when it was obvious they'd be gone for longer than a couple of days. His brothers were definitely on overdrive, and Tyler feared it'd catch up to them.

  Their new phones would be delivered tomorrow. Tyler had arranged for Renee and Brian to each have one as well. Maybe he was paranoid, but there was no way in hell he'd tolerate not being able to instantly have access to those he loved, especially with the legal proceedings that were coming at them. Tyler wondered, even with Robert locked up, would they ever find peace?

  Chapter 17

  A few weeks had passed, and Emma was grateful for the care and company that everyone was providing for her. She didn't remember much from those first few days after they'd returned home, but unfortunately, the nightmares still clung to her like glue. She dreamt of putting her hands into a tiny stream of water, even using rocks to help scrub the blood off, but then she'd begin bleeding more and more until the stream became larger, flowing wildly with the warm red liquid. When she'd try to stand up, she'd slip on the rocks and fall face first into the sea of blood. Emma could taste it.

  She'd startle awake every time, and Jacob would wrap her tightly in his arms, whispering that it'd be okay. But would it ever be? She hadn't been back to her apartment, nor did she want to go there. Emma had no desire to go back to the hunting grounds. The police had arrested a few officers, including the most corrupt one, Ronald Caper, but had they gotten them all? After all, the detectives never found out who leaked information to the press.

  Emma cringed every time Robert's name was mentioned in the papers or on the news, and especially when pictures of herself or her friends were displayed beside his. Reporters had used old photos of them that were dug up from God knows where; they didn't even look like their former selves. Emma had put on a few pounds since returning to Southfield, and her hair had stopped falling out, but the brightness had yet to return to her eyes.

  Dr. Samantha Mills had really helped her. At first Emma went twice a week for long sessions, but now she only had to go once per week. Tyler, Sean, Vincent, Jacob, and Brian would come and visit with her during the day, then Renee spent the afternoons with her until Jacob came home for the evening. He'd bring her flowers, cook her dinner, and do his best to make her laugh, so she'd join in the fun. But nothing could make her laugh on the inside. Her friends knew this though. There was no chance of that happening until after Robert's trial. Just the thought of having to face him, would nearly send her into a panic attack. The psychiatrist explained; it wasn't that Emma was afraid that she'd die. From the moment she'd fled her apartment with Renee, Brian, and Tyler, her fear that one of them would be harmed or killed, had consumed her. After the shooting on the freeway, she went from being overly protective, to a dark place full of anger. Then when her friends had nearly died on the front lawn of the old house in Castle Lake, a feeling of powerlessness had slowly filled her. In a sense, she'd begun grieving the impending loss of her friends while she'
d tried to stop their bleeding; Emma didn't have enough hands, and the two she had, weren't big enough.

  She was still trying to accept that they were all safe, but she really felt horrible for the other innocent victims. They'd found a twenty year old kid dead in the woods, and it seemed like the discovery of all the injustices the monster had committed, would never end. The officers had pleaded guilty to avoid going to trial, but Robert continuously denied any wrong doing. They'd had to go to the office of the prosecutor, William Furrow, and Emma was relieved when he'd said he would fight Robert with everything he had. Because his crimes crossed many city lines, his trial would be held in Southfield, where it had all begun.

  When Renee came to see her, Emma could easily recognize the rage that was beginning to boil. Her friend couldn't wait to face Robert in a court of law. She said she wanted to go see him after the judge threw the book at him, just so her husband could see that she was free…and he wasn't. Emma already knew that her visit wouldn't do anything except fuel his need to kill her.

  Every night, Jacob would lie next to her and hold her until she fell asleep. Emma wouldn't stop him, knowing he needed the comfort as much as she. Even under the covers, he'd remained a perfect gentleman with her. The first, and last, time he'd mentioned anything about their closeness, about the two of them making love in the hospital, Emma had searched her mind, but she couldn't remember much from that encounter. The only thing she could recall was the desperation she'd felt after he'd been shot. She remembers going into Jacob's room to see him, and asking him for his forgiveness, but after that, Emma drew a blank.

  It was hard to process her feelings. She liked Jacob, and felt there was something more, but did what he said occurred between them, happen out of fear? Did that desperation make her act like she wouldn't have acted, under normal conditions?

  Other than Jacob, Tyler seemed obsessed with her well-being. His charges, based on Roger Murphy's lies, were no longer hanging over his head now that Brian had given the police his statement. Because Murphy was homeless, and had no income, he was sentenced to complete a lot of community service, to work off his fines. Tyler, and Vincent, had agreed not to sue him.

  After her boss was cleared of all charges, he initiated the paperwork to legally adopt Brian. To celebrate, Tyler had purchased his future son a brand new guitar, and everyone met at Jacob's house for a celebration. Sean passed around glasses of punch; Emma couldn't drink alcohol with the anti-depressant she was on, and Brian was a minor. Vincent sang along with the music, as his brothers covered their ears. After each song, Sean would tease him.

  "You sound like shit, Vinnie."

  He actually sang rather well, but it was nice to listen to the normal playfulness between the brothers. Usually, Emma would also be lovingly targeted, but not now. Everyone treated her like she was a fragile piece of glass. Is that what she'd become? Did Robert break her so badly, that she could never be put back together again?

  Tyler put his hand around hers and led her outside to the deck. He put his hands on her face and turned it towards him, like he normally did to get her focused.

  "Emma, how are you doing?" He held her steady.

  "I don't know, Tyler. I mean, Jacob told me he loves me, but I didn't say it back because I'm not sure if it's something that's meant to be. Was the fear of him dying the motivation between us getting together?"

  "Listen, you know I'd never try to convince you, or encourage you to be with any one particular guy. Because I've known my brothers all their lives, I have to share with you that they're a bunch of playboys. However, something changed in Jacob even before Robert came into the picture. I've never seen him so consumed by a woman, as he has been ever since you became my assistant. As the months passed, his mind wandered to you, probably more than he'd admit. Then when you stopped talking to him, he was a mess. You might not have been able to tell, but I'm his oldest brother. I know these things."

  "I think that maybe I was just afraid of him dying." Emma stepped away and looked into the darkness. "What about you and Renee? You were both desperate, too, but you're still together. Now that Robert's been locked up, have your feelings changed for each other?"

  Tyler stood beside her." When we met, yes, there was trouble brewing, and I felt such a strong need to help her, but our love for each other developed over time. If she walked away from me now, I'd probably fall apart, but I would never regret that I'd tried. Ask yourself something for me. As mad as you were at Jacob over the miscommunication, do you think that the reason you had so much difficulty getting over that night at the restaurant, had anything to do with the strong feelings you possibly already felt towards him?"

  Emma looked up at Tyler's face.

  "I love you, Em. You're no less of a sister to me than if you'd been raised with us. When I met you, you were ready to jump off that pier. Yes, I was desperate to save you, but a beautiful bond developed between us. You have to stop letting Robert, and everything he did, poison the rest of your life. Live each day to its fullest. That's the best revenge, and it's the only way to stop being his victim. I believe Jacob really loves you, and I think your feelings for him are strong as well. Don't be afraid to become vulnerable to love out of fear of that person dying. Robert won a few rounds, but we kicked his ass in the war." Tyler winked and escorted her back inside.

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  "Hooo deee hummmmm! Ho de hum! Hodehumhodehum." Robert sang at the top of his lungs. His voice echoed in the cell.

  "Hi, Robert. I'm Sergeant Rodman. Is there anything you need? Perhaps there's something that would make you more comfortable?" The Stupid Jerk might not be as Hair-Brained as he looked.

  "I need a real bed and something better to eat!" Robert yelled even louder than he sang his song.

  "Oh okay. I'll get on that right away, Sir," complied the Stupid Sergeant.

  That's more like it! Robert stood up and was even contemplating letting the jerk shake his hand.

  "If I can't get to it right away, then maybe you can wish in one hand and shit in the other!!! Maybe the tooth fairy will give a damn, you low-life! You're nothing but a serial killer!!" The sergeant struck the steel cell door with his baton.

  "Cereal?" Robert scratched his head. "I wouldn't mind some if you have a couple of milks or three."

  Robert's back was killing him from the piece of shit mattress. It's not even a mattress! It's a damn tissue! He'd been in this hell hole for weeks! What a crock. The stupid cops had stopped him right in the middle of his important mission, and his Stupid Jerk wife, had divorce papers served on him. Screw Her!

  "Preston! Your lawyer's here! Get up!" Sergeant Fat Ass was yelling again. He'd like to shove that pistol down his ugly big mouth.

  Robert got off of his bunk, backed up into the hallway and waited for the jerks to cuff and shackle him. He'd like to wrap the chain around their scrawny stupid necks.

  "This way," said Scrawny Sergeant, and pushed him in the direction of a small room. The other inmates were staring at him. Robert flipped them off.

  He was forced to sit on this hard, plastic, ugly-ass, orange chair.

  "Mr. Preston, I'm Nathaniel Lowe, your public defender." Useless Bastard sat down and opened up his girly briefcase. "You're aware of all the charges against you? Do I need to read them to you?"

  "Shut it and get me out of here! I'm crazy! Let's do that one, like on the television, which I can't watch anymore!" Robert wanted to stab The Yoyo in the eye with his pen.

  "Mr. Preston, with all due respect, I really don't think we'll have a leg to stand on by going for an insanity plea, but we can try. I'll contact a psychiatrist to eval—"

  "I'm not seeing a freaking Skull Jockey! Got it?" Robert thought the Puny Bitch Boy would look nice with a third eye too. "If you blow this, I'll snap your legs off in the courtroom!"

  "I'm going to ask the judge to remove me from your case. Best of luck to you, Mr. Preston." Puny Bitch knocked on the door and soon, he was being shoved back into his cell. If it wasn't for his
Dumb Ass wife, he'd still be a strong man. But noooo! As Robert pulled the neck of his prison shirt back up over his shoulder, an idea popped into his head. These Stupid Lawyers were out to get him. He'd have to be his own attorney if he wanted to have a hope in hell. Oh won't that be fun! He'd have to start sucking up to the Assholes around here, and then he'd get a shot at his stupid wife and her Freakin' Useless boyfriend. Easy Peasy! Robert laughed at his new plan, and called himself a genius.

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  Tyler had gotten into a routine, renting movies and putting one in right before the evening news each night. He enjoyed having one on one time with Brian, but he didn't want the kid to flood his mind with the likes of Robert. He'd been through enough in his young life. It'd really bothered Brian when he'd seen the report of the young man that Robert had bludgeoned to death in the park, so from that moment forward, Tyler had tried his best to shelter him from the news reports. It was quite apparent, though, that Brian's attention wasn't on the movie tonight.

  "What's on your mind?" Tyler saw him startle from his question. He'd had Brian in counseling since they got home, and the therapist had explained that the amount of trauma the young teen had suffered in his life was astronomical. She'd had to work really hard to get any information out of him about his past, and she'd told Tyler that Brian's method of coping consisted of burying his emotions.

  "Are we going to see Emma tomorrow?" Brian briefly glanced at him.

  "Yep. I have to go into work for a few hours in the morning, and I was wondering if you'd like to come in with me? You don't have school tomorrow since it's Saturday." He was having Brian homeschooled. He needed to catch up to his grade level, and Tyler didn't want the media to become an issue. They hadn't put Brian's name in the paper or on the air, but Tyler knew it'd just be a matter of time before his picture was plastered everywhere, alongside the rest of theirs.