Emma's Home (The Fairfield Series) Read online

  Emma’s Home

  Book One

  Of the Fairfield Series

  By

  Maryann Jordan

  Emma’s Home

  Copyright © 2014 Maryann Jordan

  Kindle Edition

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without the written permission of the author, except where permitted by law.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Cover Design by: Kari Ayasha, Cover to Cover Designs

  covertocoverdesigns.com

  Ebook ISBN: 978-0-9916522-0-4

  Dedication

  I dedicate this book to my family. My husband, Michael, who always believed in my dreams. My daughters, MaryBeth and Nicole, who are my inspiration. My daughter, Michelle, who I carry with me in my heart. Without you, I am nothing.

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Dedication

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Epilogue

  Excerpt from Laurie’s Time

  Acknowledgements

  Author Information

  Information on Rheumatoid Arthritis

  Prologue

  Life can change in the blink of an eye. What we know, what we love – it can all change.

  Our comfort, our security, our home – it can all be taken away.

  One phone call can change everything. One phone call can take a well-ordered plan

  and leave us without a compass.

  That’s all it takes – one phone call. And then we are left to begin again, start over,

  find a new home.

  In the blink of an eye.

  Emma loved fall. It always felt as though life had taken on new colors as the summer green faded. The orange, yellow, and red leaves created a backdrop that brought the whole world alive. She walked across campus, basking in the fall sunlight, enjoying the walk to her early morning classes. The cool crispness made the air seem fresh after the heat of the summer. She lifted her face to the colors above, satisfied with her life.

  Turning eighteen a few months ago, she had just started college. Her mother, a widowed mom, worked hard as a school secretary to make sure Emma could fulfill her dream of going to college.

  Money had always been tight, and Emma was raised to understand the value of a dollar. When she was six years old, her sister Sarah, who was only sixteen at the time, gave birth to a beautiful baby girl named Laurie out of wedlock, and they continued to live at home with Emma’s parents. Their parents supported Sarah during this time and actually loved having both of their daughters and their granddaughter living with them. Emma’s father passed away when she was only fourteen years old, and her mother had to continue her job to make the small amount of insurance money they received last to pay all of the bills.

  Her savings, plus the scholarships that Emma worked hard to earn, had paid off, and now she was halfway through her first semester. She smiled as she looked at her surroundings. Unlike many of her fellow students, she never took the experience for granted, knowing all too well how much work and sacrifice had gone into the dream of her becoming a teacher. Walking toward the tall, stone building that housed the School of Education, Emma’s cell phone in her backpack began to vibrate. Digging it out, she looked down and saw her mother’s work number come up on the screen.

  “Hey mom,” she greeted.

  “Emma? This is Mrs. Smithfield, your mom’s principal.” How odd that she would be calling on mom’s cell phone.

  “Is everything all right with my mom?” Emma asked. There was a pause. Fear trickled down Emma’s spine. Her steps slowed to a crawl outside the classroom building as other students rushed by on their way inside.

  “Emma, I am so sorry to have to tell you this, but your mom was in a car accident this morning. Sweetie, you need to come home.”

  “Is she okay?” Emma choked out.

  “I really don’t have any details, but you need to come home.”

  Emma hung up, then called her sister’s cell phone with shaking hands. Come on, Sarah. Pick up. The call went straight to voicemail. Turning, Emma ran back to her dorm. Running into her room, she began throwing clothes into her suitcase. Her roommate looked up as Emma was rushing around the small room.

  “My mom’s been hurt. I’ve got to go home,” Emma managed to get out.

  “Do you need anything?” her roommate asked with true concern on her face.

  “No, but thanks. Hopefully I’ll be back soon.”

  Throwing her suitcase, laptop, book bag, and a few other items into her old car, she took off down the road. She ignored the colors of fall which just a few hours ago had brought her such enjoyment. Leaving the radio off, Emma was alone with her thoughts – thoughts that circled her mind like a tornado, leaving destruction in their path.

  God, keep mom safe. Please keep her safe. She’s all I’ve got. I can’t lose her now.

  During the two hour drive, she kept trying to call her sister, but all of the calls went to voicemail. Refusing to believe that anything bad had really happened, Emma flew down the road. By the time she was about fifteen minutes away, her phone finally rang again. Looking down to see Sarah’s number, she punched the phone to answer.

  “Sarah, thank God it is you. Is mom all right?” she asked, hands shaking on the steering wheel.

  “Emma?” a small voice asked.

  “Laurie?” Emma asked incredulously. “Is that you? Why are you on your mom’s phone?”

  “Emma,” the voice cried. “Momma and grandma were hurt in the car today. The man says they aren’t coming back.”

  “Laurie, where are you?” Emma shrieked into the phone. She heard shuffling in the background.

  “Miss Dodd?” a man asked.

  “Yes, this is Emma Dodd. Who is this? Where is my niece, Laurie?”

  “Miss Dodd, this is Dr. Rocinni at Mercy General Hospital. I have your niece with me. She is fine. You need to come to the hospital as soon as you can.”

  “I’m just about ten minutes away. What is going on? Why did she say our mommas weren’t coming back?” Emma asked as panic set in.

  “I’m sorry Miss Dodd, I can tell you more when you get here.”

  Emma knew what he wasn’t saying. She parked and ran in, seeing her twelve year old niece sitting with some nurses. Emma felt the horror before the doctor confirmed her worst nightmare. Her mom and sister were not coming back from the car crash. Emma was aware that life as she knew it was over. But before she could allow the emotions to take her under, she scooped up her niece, holding her close.

  The next day as she was struggling to make funeral arrangements, she also had to meet with a county social worker. It never entered Emma’s mind that she would not be with Laurie, but she was going to have to prove to be the most acceptable guardian, or La
urie could be made a ward of the state. The social worker was sympathetic, but explained that she had to have Laurie’s best interests at heart.

  “Where is Laurie’s father?” she asked, her forms neatly held in her clipboard.

  Emma stared at the clipboard. All of the papers were stacked so neatly. This woman wants our life to fit on her forms. Neat. Orderly. All the boxes checked. But what if they don’t? Nauseous, Emma clasped her hand over her mouth, certain that she would be sick. Fighting the bile threatening to come up, Emma kept staring at the clipboard.

  “Are you all right?” the social worker asked. Emma just nodded in response. “I do need to know about Laurie’s father. What can you tell me about him and how to contact him?” she continued.

  “We don’t know his name.”

  At this the social worker looked up from her forms, a questioning expression on her face.

  Taking a deep breath, Emma plunged forward. “My sister was only sixteen. She was a really good girl,” she said, the pleading for understanding straining her voice. “But she met a soldier on leave. She didn’t know his name. She had no way of telling him. There is no father listed on the birth certificate.”

  With tears falling down Emma’s face she suddenly realized that she could lose everyone. “You can’t take her from me,” she cried. “We’ve been like sisters since the day she was born. I have changed her, rocked her, held her, played with her….. I am all that she has now. You take her away from me and you take away the only family she has left…. you take away the only family I have left.”

  The social worker with the kind eyes looked at Emma and said, “Well, you are a legal adult, but I have to be able to prove that you can support her. As soon as you get the funeral over with, we will need to meet and go over your plan. I have to see your finances, where you will live, and what resources you will have.”

  All of her words seemed jumbled to Emma’s grief-stricken mind.

  But at least she didn’t say ‘no’. That must mean something.

  Simply nodding, Emma assured her that she would do whatever was necessary to become Laurie’s guardian.

  Two days later, standing at the gravesite of her mother and sister, Emma held Laurie’s little hand. The warm fall sun shown down on the ones left behind. The white grave stones all around stood out in stark relief to the fall colors. Emma stood in front of the coffins, surrounded by friends and neighbors there to pay respects to two beautiful ladies. Emma found herself staring at the knobs of the coffins. The flowers on top. The way the funeral staff covered the gaping holes in the ground with a green carpet to resemble real grass. The finality of the situation began to seep in, chilling her in spite of the warm sun.

  Her mind swirled as much as the multicolored leaves above.

  Oh mom, why did you have to go? I’m not ready to lose you now. I have no idea what I am doing. I don’t know how to live without you guiding me.

  Oh Sarah, I have lost my best friend as well as sister. What will I do without you? How will I ever be able to be as good of a mom to Laurie as you were?

  Oh God, hear my prayer. Help me.

  Laurie looked up at Emma with tears running down her face, hiccupping occasionally. Emma pulled her in closer. Laurie and Emma were now both orphans. All alone. Except for each other.

  Chapter 1

  13 years later

  Emma watched the scenery fly by as she drove down the road toward her destination. The hot summer sun beat down, and her hair blew away from her face with the air conditioner on full blast. Having lived in the south her whole life, she still found the heat of the Virginia summers to be oppressive. The green foliage shimmered in the heat waves coming from the road. There was more traffic than she would have liked with all of the vacation travelers. She watched them in their huge SUVs loaded down with luggage, bicycles, some even pulling campers. Emma thought back to the one vacation she had ever taken as an adult. She and Laurie had gone to the beach when Laurie graduated from high school. Emma had saved up just enough money for them to take a road trip and spend two nights in a hotel. Lying on the beach and swimming in the waves had been glorious. Laurie had been grateful, but Emma wished that she could have given her more.

  With the radio blaring in her old car, she smiled to herself as she thought of where she was headed. Life had not always been easy, but she made the best of it. At the age of eighteen, Emma was granted guardianship of her niece, Laurie. The insurance money only covered funeral expenses, so they sold the house. Moving to an apartment over the restaurant where she worked allowed Laurie to be looked after when Emma was working the evening shift. Emma took college classes during the day when Laurie was in school and spent her afternoons with Laurie. The restaurant owner’s mother would watch over Laurie in the evenings when Emma was working. Now at only thirty one, her life had certainly not been what she dreamed it would be, but looking back she couldn’t help but smile as she thought of all she had accomplished. She and Laurie made it through college, although it took longer than most students. Both loving education, Laurie had graduated in Elementary Education and had landed a job last year in the small town of Fairfield, about three hours away from Emma. They tried for one year to live apart, but some relationships in life just need to stay physically close to feel as though life is balanced. Laurie had begged Emma to come live in Fairfield as well. Emma liked her job as a high school counselor, but found that she missed Laurie more and more. So she turned in her notice once she secured a new job in Fairfield at their high school. Emma put her furniture in storage and told an ecstatic Laurie that she was moving.

  Pulling her car off the highway at a rest stop, she needed a quick break. With only a little farther to go to her destination, she wanted to be as fresh as possible when seeing her niece again. She hoped Laurie would keep the greeting simple, but her niece was the type to throw a party. Well, best be prepared. Using the ladies room, she touched up her makeup and ran her fingers through her hair. Giving up on that, she realized there was no one to make an impression on. Sliding back into her car, she continued down the road.

  She was finally off the highway and on smaller, less congested roads. Emma enjoyed the view of the mountains as they rose up in the foreground. She had never lived near the mountains and loved the vista in front of her.

  Fairfield….. it sounds like a nice place for a home.

  *

  “You’re meeting us tonight at Smokey’s, right?” Laurie said on phone.

  “Yeah, yeah, I’ll be there,” Jake answered.

  “My aunt is coming in this evening, and I want her to meet all of us at the bar so she can know some people in town.” Silence greeted her. “You’ll like her, I promise.” More silence. “Jake, just be her date for the evening since the rest of us are paired off.” More silence. “Are you there?” she asked.

  “I’ll be there. Later,” was the only answer she received. Laurie glanced over at her boyfriend, Rob, who was grinning. Rob was lying back on the couch, watching baseball. He was tall, muscular from years of football and now as a firefighter. He kept his dark hair short, saying that it was too hot for long hair under a fire helmet. Laurie walked over and snuggled up against him on the couch.

  “You tryin’ to set Jake up with your aunt?” Rob asked. Laurie answered with a laugh. Rob continued, “Babe, he’s gonna walk in thinkin’ he’s been set up with some little old lady as his date. You think that’s fair?”

  “He should know she’s not old. I’m sure I’ve talked about her before,” Laurie answered.

  “Laurie, you talking and a guy listening are two different things. Most of the time, we just tune you girls out and nod occasionally.”

  Laurie looked up with an incredulous look on her face. “Well, if he hasn’t been listening, that’s not my fault!” She leaned up and pulled her hair into a messy bun.

  Rob looked at her profile as she was fingering her hair. Laurie was petite but curvy, and when she leaned back in to snuggle, she fit perfectly next to him.

&
nbsp; Laurie leaned back over to Rob, pressing into his chest to give him a quick kiss. “It’ll be fun, you’ll see.”

  Rob dipped down and deepened the kiss. Turning her quick peck into a soul searing, kiss, he kept her from plotting any more matchmaking plans with their friends.

  *

  Jake slipped his cell phone back into his pocket. “Damn,” he said under his breath.

  “What’s eatin’ at you?” said his partner. Jake and Tom had been paired up as detectives for the Fairfield Police for the past several years, and had been friends since childhood. He, Tom, and Rob had been friends, football teammates, and now lived in the same town as adults.

  “Laurie,” Jake answered while Tom laughed.

  “She still settin’ you up with her aunt at Smokey’s tonight? Come on, Jake. It will be fun.”

  “Fuck off,” Jake said. “You don’t have to show up at the town’s main bar with a date the age of your mom.” Tom would be there with his wife, Carol.

  “Look, it is just for dinner tonight, so she can meet some people. That’s all.”

  “Yeah, I know,” Jake answered. He stood up from his desk, stretching his six foot two inch muscular frame, rolling his neck to ease the tension. “It’s not really Laurie or her aunt comin’ into town. I’d just rather go home and chill tonight. Not much in the mood to be around everyone.”

  Tom nodded, looking back at the files on his desk. They had been working on a robbery case and were getting nowhere. The missing items were not all that important, but considering that the robbery had taken place at the high school, the department was on alert. The case was several days old, and they had very few leads. The principal was friends with the mayor and results were expected quickly. There were no signs of breaking and entering, so the police were running into dead ends.

  “Come on – let’s head out,” Tom said. “It’s Friday night, and we need to go hit the bars with our ladies,” he smirked. “I’m runnin’ home to change and get Carol. We’ll see you at Smokey’s.”