Chapter 342: Mari!
Callan shook his head fast, as if he could push the truth away. "No... Em. Please, don’t tell
I did that to you. No."
She swallowed. "I wish I could say you didn’t. Seeing you that way with Josh earlier..." she trailed off and lifted her shoulders in a weak shrug.
"Why didn’t you say anything to ? What did you do?" Callan asked, his eyes glistening with tears.
"Are you really asking
why I didn’t say anything to you? Was I supposed to say sothing to you after the way you treated ? Did you say anything to
before you showed up with another girl the next day after having sex with ?" She asked, trying not to raise her voice but failing miserably at it.
Callan shut his eyes tight. He didn’t want to imagine how much pain he had caused her. He couldn’t bear to imagine what he’d done to her because of his cowardice and stupidity.
"I got rid of it. I couldn’t keep the baby of a man who made it clear he didn’t want . I couldn’t destroy my life or risk raising a child you wouldn’t want either." Her voice broke. "So I got rid of it."
"Alone?" He asked, hoping she’d had soone on her side.
"No. My mum knew about it. I had to talk to soone and since she was far away and not directly involved with you, I decided to talk to her. And Mari knew too. She was with . We went to the hospital together."
When she choked on her breath and broke into a sob, Callan reached for her without thinking. He pulled her into his arms, holding her close.
"I’m sorry," he whispered over and over again. "God, Emily, I’m so sorry. I always knew I never deserved you but it’s even more glaring now. I’m sorry that of all the people in the world, you had to love soone as stupid and cowardly and unworthy as ."
Emily hit his chest with her palm. "Don’t talk about yourself in that manner," she cried.
Callan shut his eyes, crushed inside that even now she was still defending him. He held her until her tears slowed and her breathing softened. Then he slowly let her go and sat back, his face wet, his eyes red.
He stayed silent for a long ti. Then he said quietly, "I understand."
Emily wiped her cheek. "Understand what?"
"All of it," he whispered. "Your anger and resentnt all these years. I deserve it all. I was selfish. I hid behind my past and let fear rule . I hurt the one person I love the most."
Then he dropped to his knees right in front of her.
"I’m sorry," he whispered. "I know I don’t deserve forgiveness. I don’t deserve anything from you, not even friendship. But if you give
one more chance...I’ll spend my whole life making it up to you every mont."
Emily stared at him as she wondered if he was asking for a chance to be her friend or boyfriend.
"What do you want, Cal?" She asked, heart pounding.
"I know I do not have the right to make any requests from you. I have no right to want anything from you. But I want to nd the heart that I’ve broken. I want to replace every painful tear you’ve shed for my sake, with tears of joy. I want to give you back tenfold the love you’ve shown . I want you in my life, Emily."
Tears dropped from her eyes and she smiled and nodded. "If you truly an that," she said softly, "then I’ll consider it on one condition."
"Anything," Callan whispered.
"Before anything, I want you to seek the consent of our parents. I want to know you’re serious."
Callan nodded without even thinking. "I will. I promise."
Silence settled between them again. But this ti it felt different. It was hopeful.
Callan took a breath. "We should call it a night," he said, needing ti alone with his thoughts.
Emily looked at him quietly. Even though she wanted to spend so more ti with him now that this was out of the way, she knew he needed ti to process what she’d told him. "Okay. You can go. I’ll stay up for a little."
Callan nodded. "Goodnight, Em." He stood slowly and walked to one of the guest rooms. When he entered, he closed the door behind him and leaned against it.
Then he sank to the floor and wept silently.
He cried for the boy he had been, for the girl he had broken, and for the child they would never et.
In the living room, Emily ate the popcorn and drank her soda as she watched the movie alone. Although her thoughts kept straying to Callan, and she wondered what he was doing and if he was going to join her again in the living room.
She texted Mari, letting her know about her conversation with Callan and asking Mari to respond before morning else she’d go report at the police station that her best friend was missing.
Emily did not know when her eyes grew heavy. Her mind and heart were tired. She curled up on the blanket, hugging a pillow to her chest.
And then she slept.
It was long past midnight when the front door opened very quietly as though a burglar was breaking in.
Mari slipped inside the house like a shadow. It had taken her Dad longer than she expected to get back, and despite how late it was, she’d insisted he drop her off at Jamal’s house. She tip-toed into the living room, expecting to see it empty.
But she paused when she saw Emily sleeping on the blanket. Mari’s heart squeezed at the sight of her best girl, and she walked closer and gently lay on the floor beside her.
Then she took off her glasses and curled herself close to Emily’s side and cuddled her like they always did whenever they shared a bed.
Within seconds, Mari fell asleep too.
Soon, morning ca, and Emily blinked slowly, still half in her dream, trying to rember where she was.
Emily stirred when she felt soone cuddling her and she turned to the side to see if it was Callan.
She froze when she saw a face covered in long dark hair right beside her face.
Emily shot up at once and scread. "AHHHHHH!"
Mari jerked awake with a start and joined in the scream without knowing why Emily was screaming. "AHHHHHHHH!"
They scread at the sa ti, both grabbing pillows and holding them like shields.
Their screams echoed through the house and soon footsteps jolted from different rooms.
Emily, who had stopped screaming the mont she saw Mari’s face, paused and looked at Mari in disbelief.
"Mari? Is this really you?" She asked, and Mari rolled her eyes as she threw down the pillow.
Then she picked up her glasses from the couch where she’d left it, "You almost gave
a heart attack in my sleep. Why did you scream like a banshee? Yes, it’s . Who else would look this beautiful?"
This ti Emily scread again happily as she threw her arms around Mari.
Jamal was the first to run out, breathless. Dawn ran after him with her hair flying everywhere. Callan rushed out of the guest room wearing one sneaker and holding the other in his hand like it was ant to be a weapon.
"Why did you scream? Are you..." he trailed off when he saw Mari. "MARI?" Jamal cried in disbelief when he saw both girls laughing and hugging each other.
The shock lted into pure joy as Mari pulled away from Emily and ran to embrace Jamal.
Jamal threw his arms around her, laughing as he lifted Mari from the floor and spun her around before she even finished laughing. "Welco back. I’ve missed you."
"I missed you so much more," Mari assured him before pulling away.
Mari threw herself at Dawn like they were old best friends, and Dawn laughed as she hugged her back tightly, happy to et her finally.
Finally, Callan hugged her, "thank you, Mari," he whispered, and Mari didn’t need to ask what he was grateful for but she wasn’t ready to talk to him about it yet.
Emily ca forward and hugged Mari so tight Mari almost lost her breath.
"I missed you," she whispered, smiling against her shoulder.
Mari let out a soft, shaky laugh. "I missed you more. I didn’t want you to report to the police so I ca in person."
Emily giggled.
"When did you get here?" Dawn asked curiously.
"So ti past midnight. I wanted to surprise you all," Mari said with a wink.
Jamal ruffled Mari’s hair. "You did surprise us! We almost fainted!"
Mari laughed loudly, and it filled the whole living room with warmth.
"Daddy? Mommy?" Josh called from the doorway, rubbing his eyes sleepily.
"Aw, there’s my little darling," Mari said, going to pick Josh up. "Hello, Joshie. I’m Mari. Your new favorite aunt," she said playfully, ruffling his hair. "Which of you guys is making breakfast? I’m hungry!"
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