Chapter 11
Emily’s POV
His smile faltered, and for a moment, it seemed like he wanted to come over. But I couldn’t face him, not like this. I hailed a taxi and got in, not giving him a chance to say anything.
As the taxi pulled away, I reminded myself that Keith had moved on, and so should I. It was clear he had found his happiness with Lily, and I needed to do the same. Keith was my past. It was time for me to find my own future, even if I wasn’t sure what that looked like yet.
I had just finished tidying up when my phone buzzed, signaling a video call from Zane. A smile instantly spread across my face as I answered. His cheerful voice filled the room, and I could see the excitement in his eyes as he told me about all the fun he was having with his grandparents.
“Mommy, guess what? Grandpa took me to the beach today! We built the biggest sandcastle ever! You should’ve seen it!”
I chuckled, feeling a warm sense of relief knowing he was safe and happy. “That sounds amazing, sweetheart! I’m so glad you’re having fun. Did you find any seashells?”
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“Yeah!” Zane’s eyes widened with excitement. “I found a whole
bunch! There were these really cool ones with stripes, and I even found a starfish, but Grandpa said we had to leave it there because it belongs in the ocean.”
“That’s right, it does,” I agreed, my heart swelling with pride at how thoughtful he was. “But I’m sure it was fun to find.”
Zane nodded eagerly. “It was! And Grandma let me bury her feet in the sand! She pretended she couldn’t get out, and I had to save her. We laughed so much, Mom!”
I couldn’t help but laugh along with him, the image of Zane and his grandmother playing on the beach warming me from the inside out. “It sounds like you’re having the best time, Zane.”
“But, Mom,” Zane’s tone turned serious for a moment, “you shouldn’t just stay at home. You need to go out and have fun too! You always tell me to have adventures, right?”
His innocent suggestion tugged at my heart. I couldn’t help but marvel at how much he cared, even at such a young age. “I’ll try, Zane,” I promised, though I wasn’t sure what that would look like.
Before I could say anything else, I heard his grandparents‘ voices in the background, calling him to come back to the family. Zane gave me one last big smile. “I have to go, Mommy. But remember, have fun!”
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“I will, baby. Take care and have lots of fun for me too. I love you.”
“Love you too, Mommy!” And just like that, the call ended.
The house suddenly felt quiet again, the silence almost oppressive. I put down the phone, staring at it for a moment. longer, wishing I could hold onto the warmth Zane’s voice had brought me. But it faded quickly, leaving behind the same emptiness that had been my constant companion since he left.
Was
I moved around the house, cleaning up aimlessly, trying to fill the void. As I settled down to read through some of my students‘ biology papers, a wave of loneliness hit me. My eight–year–old son out there enjoying life, and here I was, alone in this house, with nothing but chores and schoolwork to keep me company. My colleagues had stopped inviting me to their gatherings after l declined their invitations one too many times. Now, I had no one to turn to, no friends to call. The weight of it pressed down on me,
and I felt a familiar pang of sadness.
Just as I was sinking into that pit, my phone buzzed again, pulling me back to the present. I glanced at the screen, my heart skipping a beat when I saw Frank’s name. I quickly answered, worried he might have called me by mistake.
“Hi, Emily,” Frank’s voice came through, warm and steady. “Are you busy?” he asked.
I
I guess it hadn’t been a mistake like I had thought.
“Not particularly, why?”
“I was wondering if you’d like to join me at the shooting range today. I think it’s a good idea for you to get some training, maybe even a gun license, just to protect yourself. Your family is already there.”
His words caught me off guard, and a surge of anger flared up. Wait, my family is already there?
“Why would I be at a shooting range?” I tried to clam down.
“Because they were all advised to train in shooting and to get a firearm license just in case they ever got in trouble.”
Why didn’t anyone tell me? I felt the sting of being left out once again.
I took a deep breath, trying to calm the frustration building inside me. “Fine,” I finally said, my voice tight. “I’ll come.”
After changing into something more suitable for the shooting range, I heard a knock at the door. Frank was there, just as he had promised. As we walked to his car, I couldn’t help but ask, “Why did you decide to become a police officer?”
Frank glanced at me before starting the engine. “My father wasn’t a good man, Emily. He was involved in some bad things–illegal firearms, to be specific. The police shot him when I was young. I
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became an officer to make sure the place I live in is safer, so no one else has to grow up the way I did.”
There was a bitterness in his voice, a deep–rooted anger that he seemed to keep under control. “That sounds like a difficult childhood,” I said softly, feeling a pang of empathy.
He shrugged, keeping his eyes on the road. “It was, but it made me who I am today. What about you? Why did you become a teacher?”
I hesitated, not sure how much to share. “My parents… well, they always favored my sister, Lily, and my brother, Tyler. I was just… there. But I had some amazing teachers who believed in me, who made me feel like I mattered. I guess I wanted to be that for someone else.”
Frank nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. “Sounds like you’re doing exactly what you’re meant to do.” Then, as if it was an afterthought, he asked, “So, are you single?”
I swallowed hard, caught off guard by the directness of the question. “I’m divorced,” I replied, trying to keep my tone neutral.
“Well, I guess that gives me permission to earn a beautiful girl’s heart” he l*ps forms a smirk.
I laugh at that because I was sure he was only joking. There was no way he was serious about pursuing me.
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Before I could dwell on the awkwardness of the moment, we arrived at the shooting range. Frank introduced me to his colleagues, and we walked over to the practice area. My heart sank when I saw Keith, Lily, Tyler, and Keith’s twin brother Seth already there. Keith’s eyes narrowed when he saw me.
“Who invited you?” he asked, his voice laced with irritation. “I’ve been trying to call you, but you haven’t answered.”
I forced a smile, not letting him see how much his words stung. “You didn’t try hard enough, did you?” I shot back.
Before things could escalate, Frank stepped in, gently guiding me away to get fitted with protective gear. I could feel Lily’s eyes burning into my back, but I refused to turn around. A heavy sigh escaped me as I thought, Maybe I shouldn’t have come here after all.
