Cole- Emma, come here! I have to go!
The ten year old quickly came running down the stairs wrapping her arms around her father, holding him as tight as possible.
Emma- Dad, please don't go. (softly)
Cole- Honey, I have to. You know I don't want to leave...and I know this was very last minute, I just, I have no choice.
Emma- Why can't I stay with mom? (whispers)
Cole- I already told you, since this was supposed to be my week with you, mom planned a trip with her friends. But I promise you'll be fine here, with Ari.
Emma- I don't want to stay with her. (whispers)
Cole- (sighs) Emma...
Emma- She scares me. (whispers)
Cole- Baby, I'll be home in two days, okay?
Emma pulled away and nodded, but then she ran back up to her room making Cole sigh.
Cole- I'm sorry, she's just-
Ari- Cole, it's fine, she's a kid. And I know the divorce was hard on her.
Cole- You're so understanding, I love you.
Ari- I love you too. Now go, you don't want to miss your flight.
Cole blew her a kiss before beginning to walk out the door, but before he left he yelled:
Cole- I love you Emma.
He didn't get a response so he left. But as soon as he was gone Ari stormed upstairs and threw Emma's door open, making her flinch and clutch her duvet cover.
Ari- Alright bastard child, now that your dad is gone, I'm in charge. I don't want to see you for the next two days. Also, my friends will be here in like 10 minutes so if I hear any noise coming from you, I will happily throw your ass in the backyard, got it?
Emma nodded with tears in her eyes but then Ari walked over to her and grabbed her by the chin.
Ari- Answer me, I need to hear you say that you understand!
Emma- I understand. (tears)
Ari- Good, now I'll be downstairs, don't tell me if you need anything.
Ari walked out, slamming the door, leaving Emma to cry in her bed.
--
The young girl stayed in her room for a long time while there were clearly a lot of people in her house.
All she could hear was loud music and laughing from Ari and her friends on the floor below her...but she was getting hungry and needed to go downstairs for dinner.
She quietly opened her bedroom door and began walking downstairs, but as she reached the bottom of the stairs, Ari and her friends spotted her.
Ari- Emma...what did we talk about earlier? (slurs)
Ari jumped off the couch and began to stumble over to Emma, clearly drunk.
But before she could get to her, Emma ran back up the stairs, but instead of going back to her room, she went to her dad's room, knowing her IPad was in there.
As she reached the room, she locked the door and grabbed her IPad off the nightstand before running into the bathroom.
Then she found her mom's contact instantly FaceTiming her.
On Facetime:
Lili- Hey baby, how's dads?
Emma- I need help! Ari is really mad at me! I think she's gonna hurt me! (tears)
Lili- Woah, woah, Emma, slow down. Where's dad?
Emma- He left a few hours ago, he won't be back for two days! Help me! (tears)
Lili- You're alone with Ari-
Ari- Open the goddamn door bitch! (yells/slurs)
Emma- Mom, come get me! (tears)
Lili- Emmy, sweetheart, you're going to be okay, alright? I'm going to call the police, and I'm gonna get Madelaine to pick you up, okay? (nervously)
Emma- No, I need you! (tears)
Lili- Baby, I'm an hour and a half away, I'm leaving now but I won't be able to get to you fast enough. Just stay where you are, someone will be there soon. (tears)
Ari- Emma! Open the fucking door! (yells/slurs)
Emma- M-Mom! (cries)
Lili- Just stay there baby girl! I'm going to hang up so I can call Auntie Mads and the police but I promise we'll all be there soon. Just don't move until they get there! (tears)
Off Facetime:
As soon as Lili hung up Emma jumped into the bathtub and curled into the corner hoping Ari wouldn't get to her.
But thankfully the police showed up within minutes and instantly arrested Ari and kicked everyone else out.
Police- Emma, honey, we're the police, can you open the door?
Emma- My mom told me not to move.
Police- You can, sweetheart, you're safe now.
Emma slowly got out of the bathtub before opening the door to see two police officers standing there, then one of them knelt down.
Police- Are you okay, sweetie?
Emma nodded but moved back slowly, being slightly intimidated by the two huge police officers in front of her.
Police- Don't be nervous, hun, you did an amazing job getting to a safe spot.
Emma smiled softly until they suddenly heard another person run into the house.
???- Emma?!! Are you okay?!
Then she ran into the bedroom.
Emma- Auntie Mads!
The young girl ran past the officers and jumped into Madeleine's arms, allowing the young woman to hug her tightly.
And after a moment the police officers walked over to the two of them to ask them some questions.
--
Soon the police officers left, but finally after over an hour Lili made it to Cole's house and ran through the door to see Madelaine with Emma on the couch.
Lili- Emmy, thank god!
Emma- Mom!
Emma jumped up and ran to her mother, gripping her tightly as the young woman picked up her daughter.
Lili- (sighs) I'm so glad you're okay, baby. And Mads, thank you so much for coming.
Madelaine- Of course, I'm so glad I could help.
Lili continued to hold her daughter tightly for a moment while kissing her cheek, but then she looked back up at Madelaine.
Lili- What happened with Ari?
Madelaine- She was arrested, you're probably going to be hearing from Cole soon because he knows nothing about this at the moment but he was still on his way to Italy when the police were here.
Lili- Italy?!
Madelaine- He didn't tell you?
Lili- No! I didn't know until Emma called me crying over an hour ago!
Madelaine- Jesus, call me when you kick his ass please.
Lili- (sighs) Mads, language please.
Emma laughed while Madelaine apologized, but then they all got ready to go home.
Lili- Alright honey, is there anything you need from upstairs before we go home?
Emma- No, I just want to go.
Lili nodded and hugged her tightly while they walked out of the house. Then they drove home.
--
Emma was asleep in Lili's arms while she was still watching TV, when suddenly, she got a call from Cole.
On the phone:
Cole- What the fuck, Lili?! You got my girlfriend arrested?!
Lili- Took you long enough to call.
Cole- Really?! That's all you have to fucking say right now?!
Lili- I'm sorry, what do you want me to say?!
Cole- Um, I don't know, maybe explain to me why you got my girlfriend arrested?!
Lili- First of all, you left our kid with a random person without even consulting me!
Cole- She's not a random person, she's my girlfriend!
Lili- Yeah, that I've met twice. I don't know this person!
Cole- So that's why you arrested her?
Lili- No-
Cole- Then why did you?!
Lili- How about you come home and ask our daughter?!
Cole- What does Emma have to do with any of this?!
Lili- Did you even talk to the police station about what happened?
Cole- No! But Ari just called me asking me to bail her out of jail!
Lili- Well, she's definitely not going to tell you the truth.
Cole- Oh really?! Enlighten me then?!
Lili- Emma called me crying from your bathroom begging me to pick her up. She said Ari was really mad and was going to hurt her. All Emma did was go downstairs to get dinner but Ari was pissed because she told her to stay in her room for the next two days until you got back.
Cole- T-That's not true!
Lili- You don't have to believe me, just ask Emma when you get back.
Off the phone:
Lili hung up and placed her phone down on her nightstand before turning off the TV and wrapping her arms tightly around her daughter.
Lili- Good night, baby. I love you so much. (softly)
Then she fell asleep.
--
It was just after eight when Lili woke up the next morning to banging at her front door.
Last night Cole had immediately taken a flight back to LA, and as soon as he arrived, he showed up at Lili's door.
Lili- Cole, what are you doing here?
Cole- I need to talk to Emma, I need the fucking truth.
Lili- She's asleep, Cole.
But then they heard her footsteps as she walked down the stairs.
Emma- Mom, who is it?
Cole- It's me, baby.
As the young girl saw him she gasped and stayed away from him, not knowing if Ari was there.
Cole- Emma, why aren't you coming over here?
Emma- Is Ari here?
Cole- No, she's not.
Emma nodded and walked over to her dad, but still kept her distance from him.
Then he knelt down in front of her, looking directly into her eyes.
Cole- What happened last night?
Emma- Are you going to be mad at me? (softly)
Cole- No, baby, I could never. Tell me everything.
Emma- She told me she didn't want to see me until you came back, and that if she did she'd throw me out to the backyard. But I got hungry and went down to get something to eat. She saw me and got very angry at me so I ran up to your room to get my IPad and I called mom to pick me up. (softly)
Lili- I called the police when she called me because I didn't know what else to do. I was an hour away and she was crying and Ari was screaming at her from the other side of the door. I had Madelaine come and stay with her until I could get here.
Cole- Jesus...
Emma- I'm sorry. (whispers)
Cole- Baby, it's not your fault.
Emma- B-But-
Cole- But nothing. You did nothing wrong.
That's when Cole got up and began to walk out of the house.
Lili- Cole, where are you going?
Cole- To talk to Ari.
Emma- Are you bringing her back here?
Cole- Not after what she did to you...I'll be back soon, okay?
The two nodded and watched as Cole walked out of the house.
--
When Cole arrived at the police station, he talked to an officer and posted bail on Ari before sitting down in a chair.
He waited for a few minutes until she came running down the hallway, hugging him tightly. But he didn't hug back.
Ari- What's wrong?
Cole- You tried to hurt my daughter.
Ari- (sighs) Cole-
Cole- No! You told her not to leave her room and threatened to throw her out back! Were you even going to give her food and water?!
Ari- I-I-
Cole- I bailed you out, but only to get you to move out of my house. I never want to see you anywhere near me, Lili or my daughter again, got it?
Ari- Cole I-
Cole- Don't even try to justify what you've done. There's nothing you can say. When I get back home, I expect that your stuff will be gone.
Then he walked away.
--
Lili and Emma were snuggling on the couch watching TV when they heard a knock at the door.
Lili got up and walked over, opening the door before Cole walked into the house.
Cole- I told her to leave.
Lili- What?
Cole- Ari. I told her to pack her stuff and leave my house.
Lili- I appreciate that, but I'm not the one you should be telling.
Cole nodded and walked into the living room to see Emma curled up on the couch. He smiled and sat down next to her, instantly making her look up at him.
Cole- I told Ari to leave. I told her I never want to see her near you or mom ever again. I love you so much and I'm so sorry I left you with her, I should've listened to you when you said she scared you. I was just too distracted to notice what she was saying to you. I'm sorry.
Emma- It's okay dad.
Cole- No, Emma, it's not okay. You and mom always have to be my first priority, no matter what. I'm sorry I was treating you guys that way.
Emma- I forgive you. Now, let's snuggle and watch Disney movies!
Cole- (smiles) I would love to.
Emma smiled and curled into his arms before looking towards her mother who was standing over on the side.
Emma- Mom, come snuggle.
Lili smiled and walked over to the other side of her daughter, instantly laying down with her and Cole and wrapping her arms around them. But soon, as they were watching movies, Emma fell asleep leaving both of her parents to talk.
Lili- So...what happens now?
Cole- (sighs) I'll probably have to change the locks to my house, but after that, whatever you and Emma want. As I said, you two always have to be my first priority. I'm sorry I wasn't treating you that way, but I will make sure I do now...because you two are the most important people in my life. And you always will be.
And he lived up to his promise, because he knew that if he didn't, he would lose them. And he loved them too much to let that happen.
So after time they eventually got back together and made everything work out, because they knew what they had was worth fighting for.