Fork in the Road

Chapter One

How great life was, Emily thought. She was lying on a lounge chair by the pool, her eyes were closed, and she sighed in contentment. The sun was beating down on her, warming her skin. She could feel it tickling her eyelashes.

Emily smiled as familiar lips pressed softly against hers. They were Jake's. For once in a long while, she felt at peace. She savored that moment for she was certain it would not last long. She would enjoy it for as long as she could. 

Suddenly, Emily yelped as cold water splashed on her bare stomach, bringing her back to reality in an instant. She jumped off the chair to see Jake and George holding water pistols at her. They were grinning at her most evilly.

"Oh, you'll pay for that!" Emily laughed, and ducked behind a chair, as Jake squirted water from his Super Soaker at her. She squealed as the cold water hit her bare back.

Emily grabbed a smaller gun, which she had hidden under the lounge chair. She squirted back at Jake, showing him no mercy.

Many months had past since all the ugliness. It was all a distant memory for them yet it preyed on her mind every day. It was too quiet. And she felt the presence of...something. Yet the days passed by one by one, week by week and nothing happened.

Isabella, Trey, and Tony had left for most of their summer break to spend some time together in Italy. They had needed the time away from the rest of the group to get to know each other as the family that they were. And they needed to put behind them the centuries of hurt and anger.

They had recently returned from their trip, and all was still well. It worried her; it worried her immensely. Emily tried not to think about it, but it was hard not to do, knowing what she knew. Knowing what was to come, but not knowing when or how or even why.

Their first college year had ended and they were now letting the stresses of the year out of their minds. During the first weeks of summer, they had built another bedroom downstairs for Trey. And an additional bedroom in the attic next to Emily's room for Sam, Jake's sister, who would be moving in with them. Sam would be starting her freshman year at the University.

Emily's grandmother had left her the huge house when she died and Emily desperately needed it to be filled up. Without her grandmother, and her parents, she felt so alone even though she had her biological father, Brian.

Emily was still getting used to the idea of Brian being her father, after all the years of him just being her "uncle", the best friend of her parents. It had been a couple of years since she had learned the truth that her "father" hadn't been able to have any children. Her parents had asked their best friend to donate his sperm to help them make a baby. Emily still found it disturbing she was made in a test tube and not in the natural way. But more importantly, it still hurt that they had covered up that Brian was her real father.

"I can't believe that we can cram anymore people in this house," Raven said, stepping out of the house to join them by the pool, which brought Emily back out of her thoughts.

"When there's a will there's a way," Emily told her, offering her an understanding smile.

"Thank you." Raven hugged her tightly.

"For what?" Emily asked with a slight laugh.

"For letting Trey stay," Raven told her, giving her a look that said she knew that Emily knew what she meant. And of course, she had.

"He needs to be here. He needs to know that he has friends and that he's loved," Emily stated firmly.

Her heart hurt from the feelings she got off of Trey. All the hurt, anger, and betrayal that haunted him for five centuries was overwhelming. They rolled off of him, hanging in the air, and Emily was surprised she was the only one that could feel it.