Speak Easy to Me

Chapter 18

The warmth of the sunlight penetrating the bedroom had me rousing out of my sleep. I rolled over, fully expecting to find Emmett laying next to me, but was met with an empty bed. The side of his sheets were cold to the touch.

Where he had been laying just a few hours ago laid an envelope with my name scrolled across the front. I sat up in the bed as I took the folded paper out of the envelope. It read;

Dear Carrots,

I do not know what I did in this life or previous to have had the pleasure of knowing you in this life. You have opened my eyes and heart to the possibilities that the world can hold. As much as this pains me, I have to let us go our separate ways. You may think me a coward for doing this through a letter. I cannot do this face to face for I fear I would not be able to keep my resolve. You have taught me how to be selfless in a world where selfishness is the only way to survive. It is because of this newfound selflessness that I have to let you go. I cannot risk your life for my own selfish wants and desires. You mean too much to me. I would never be able to forgive myself if there were repeat events of the ones that had just transpired. To see you in that state and have no control over what happened to you, I just cannot do that. I want you to go back to Wisconsin and settle down with someone who is worthy of having you. I want you to have lots of babies because this world needs more people with your fiery spirit and extraordinary mind. Don’t take this letter as me not loving you; I love you beyond words. Take care of yourself Carrots.

Love forever and always,

Emmett

The tears were droppingonto the letter faster than I could wipe them away. Their wetness smudging the dark ink on the page. He was gone. I was truly never going to see him again. He knew last night that it was our last time together and all he wanted to do was cuddle in bed. I don’t think I will be able to recover from this heartbreak.

I was all packed and on the road in less than an hour. I had not seen nor heard anything else from my uncle before I left. He did have a set of car keys sitting on the small wooden table by the front entry way.

I had made good time getting to the family farm in Wisconsin. To say my family was surprised to see me would be an understatement. My family had been about to sit down for dinner as my car pulled into the driveway. By the time I pulled up to the house everyone had filed outside to see who the mysterious car belonged to. I was rushed by a mob of family when my car door opened, and I emerged.

I warned my family as soon as I set foot out of the car that I was injured and I would tell them all about it over dinner. I was helped inside the warm house. My sisters and parents were on pins and needles as I recounted my kidnapping and harrowing escape. I left out certain details that weren’t pertinent to the story.

I had also explained that I was no longer engaged to Cameron as we had parted on good terms. I also reassured my parents that Uncle Lon would not be coming to collect the money he had already given us or contacting us ever again for that matter.

Falling back into farm life had been much easier than I had expected it to be. The only thing I missed from Uncle Lon’s house was the claw footed bathtub. With four younger sisters the hot water in the house didn’t last terribly long.

I had finally started reassembling the pieces of my heart slowly, but surely. Each day I awoke the pain was less and less. It had been two months since I had left Chicago, and everyone in it, behind me. The crisp May morning air was refreshing as it came through my bedroom window. I was ready to start my daily chores.

I was bounding down the front steps when I saw a car I didn’t recognize driving up in the distance. The approaching car drew the attention of anyone who was awake on the farm. I was quickly joined outside by my parents.

The car stopped right in front of us as the engine was killed. The dapper man who stepped out from behind the wheel was donned head to toe in expensive looking clothing. He looked to be about the same age as my father. There was a brief case clutched in his left hand.

“Miss. Charlotte Bradley?” His voice was mature. I raised my hand and took a step forward.

“That’s me.” I said sheepishly. I could not image what this man wanted with me.

“Wonderful. I was afraid I had the wrong house.” He closed his car door and started walking toward me. “Miss. Bradley. I am Shephard Samson attorney at law. Is it alright if we step inside?” He was no longer addressing me, but looking to my parents. My father stepped aside and gestured the man to enter the house. We all filed in behind him.

My father sat at the head of the kitchen table holding his hand out in invitation for the attorney to take the seat next to him on his right. Mama sat to my father’s left. I pulled up the chair next to Mama.

“What is this all about?” My father demanded. Shephard opened his briefcase and shuffled through a small stack of papers before pulling out a one singular piece of paper.

“Well, Mr. Bradley, I am here on behalf of one of my clients. He passed away and left his entire estate to Miss. Charlotte Bradley.” All eyes fell on me. I had no clue who would leave anything to me, let alone a whole estate.

My mother read my mind, “Who?” It was such a simple question with a devastating answer.

The attorney was referencing the piece of paper in his hand. “One Mr. Holden Carl Emmett.” My whole world stopped. The guttural sob that left my body was something I had no control over. Emmett was dead. It was one thing to never see him again, but for him to be dead, was unimaginable. The room was spinning. My ears started to ring drowning out the words my parents were speaking. I pushed away from my chair and ran outside.

As soon as my feet left the last step of the porch stairs I fell to my knees. I couldn’t breathe as I was desperately gasping for air. He couldn’t be dead. I had it in the back of my mind that we would eventually be together again because we were meant to be.

The sobs racking my body made me shake so much I threw up. Mama was by my side in a matter of moments. She was also on her knees as she engulfed me in an embrace, pulling me close to her.

My parents knew who Emmett was. I told Mama all that had transpired between the two of us. She knew every sorted detail from our first meeting to our last night together. My father didn’t know about my relationship to the extent that Mama did, but I revealed enough to let him know how special Emmett had been to me. I told them as a way to be reminded Emmett was real and what we had together actually took place.

Once my body was void of all tears Mama helped to scoop me up from the ground and walked me back into the house. The two men still sat stoically at the table. Quiet sobs still left my body, but my senses had returned enough for Mr. Samson to continue the proceedings.

The man who had just told me my whole world was shattered wasn’t done shocking me. “You are now the owner of Le Mier and his house on Monterey Street. They are yours to do with as you wish. I have a broker on standby if you wish to sell the properties. The choice is yours to make.” I could not care less about the properties. They could rot as far as I was concerned.

“There is also the account at First National Bank in the amount of $105,142.53.” My jaw was on the floor. My mouth went dry.

“What?” I never would have guessed that Emmett had that much money. His house was extremely moderate. There was nothing elaborate about how he dressed or the car he drove. His suits were tailored to perfection, but other than that there was no indication he had more money than most people of the time.

Mr. Samson opened his briefcase again. This time he had a check in his hand. “The money was already withdrawn saving you a trip and the paperwork to take it out.” He slid the check across the table to me. I took the small rectangle of paper in my hands and examined it. I would destroy this check without hesitation if it meant I could have one more minute with Emmett.

“Your father can take you to any bank you like to open an account. The check is good anywhere.” I passed the check to my father. He was in disbelief.

I still had so many questions. The most important one on my mind was his funeral. “What is being done about Emmett, I mean, Holden’s funeral? He didn’t have any family left.” I mentally started taking inventory of what I would need to pack for his funeral. I had never been to a funeral before, so I wasn’t quite sure what the protocol was.

“There won’t be a funeral,” was all the attorney said. He was closing up his briefcase to leave.

“No funeral? I’ll plan it and pay for it with the money I just got.” There was no reason he shouldn’t have a proper burial.

“It’s hard to have a funeral with no body.” So many more questions were just opened with nothing really being answered. I hadn’t even thought to ask about how he died.

“What? No body?” Nothing this man was saying made any sense. I was hoping I would wake up any moment from this nightmare.

My father took over the conversation. “How did the young man die?” My father’s eyes were on me to gauge how his line of questioning affected me.

“He was on a boat with six other men. The boat was found capsized with no living survivors. Only one body has been recovered so far with no hopes of recovering more.” The news was like getting gut punched all over again and this man was telling me like he was reading it from the printed pages of the newspaper.

I abruptly stood up. I didn’t want to hear anything else this man had to say. Every piece of information he revealed was worse than the last. Nothing he said would bring Emmett back. “That’s enough! Please leave right now.” I was standing up and walking to the door to open it. “You can find your way back to your car on your own.” The three remaining people at the table were all standing up now as well.

“Miss. Bradley,” the bearer of bad news pleaded.

“Charlotte!” My dad chastised me. I knew I was being rude, but it didn’t matter to me.

“No. I can’t hear anymore. I don’t care what else you have to say Mr. Samson. You’ve said plenty already.” He gave me a curt nod as he gathered his briefcase and left the house.

As soon as the click of the door indicated our uninvited guest left the house my father started in on me. “That is not how we treat guests in this house, Charlotte Elizabeth.” My mother was standing by him with a look of sympathy on her face.

“A guest is wanted. That man will never be considered a guest in my book.” I was storming away into my room. “And tear that check up. I don’t want it.” The minute I did anything with that check it was real. It would mean Emmett really was never coming back.

My heart couldn’t handle the reality of the situation. If my heart had been hanging on by a thread when I left Chicago, this would break the thin tether holding it together. You can’t live without a heart.

Breathing felt like I was betraying Emmett. Every breath I took without him was one too many. I laid in bed for days. I didn’t eat. I barely slept. The only reason I drank anything was so I could replenish my tear reserves. When I thought, I was done crying my heart would break again causing the flood of tears to continue.

Estelle had to move out of our bedroom because she couldn’t take my sobs anymore. I didn’t blame her. I was not pleasant to be around. I didn’t even want to be around me.

I was finally sleeping soundly for the first time in a week when I was awaken in the middle of the night by a noise. ‘Ping. Ping’ There was something hitting my window. ‘Ping. Ping. Ping.’ Something was hitting my window. I threw my robe on and walked across the room to investigate.

There was a shadow below my window. I saw the arm of the shadow cock backwards before a pebble hit my window. ‘Ping’ The first night I was able to sleep, and some idiot thought it would be a good idea to wake me up. I stepped into my house shoes before running down the upstairs steps, two by two. I threw the door opened so hard it banged against the side of the house as I was sure there would be chipped paint.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” I assumed it was one of the new farmhands that were hired recently. They were in their early 20’s and liked to play pranks.

“I’m glad to see you haven’t lost your fire, Carrots.” My legs locked up as the familiar voice stepped out of the shadows. I took a minute to look over the man now standing in front of me. I had finally lost it because I could swear that Emmett was standing in front of me. I took a small step forward so I could get a better look at this handsome man’s face.

“Emmett?” My throat closed up as I said his name. He took a small step forward, matching mine.

“It’s me, Carrots.” He had now advanced into my personal bubble. He was so close I could reach out and touch him, which I did. I placed my hand on his face. He was real. Emmett was truly standing in front of me, in the flesh.

I swung my hand back and smacked him right across his left cheek. The loud slap rang throughout the darkness. “What the fuck, Lottie?” Emmett’s hand flew up to his slowly reddening cheek.

“You are supposed to be dead!” Every angry word was accentuated with a push into his chest. “You’re supposed to be dead.” Emmett wrapped his arms around mine so I couldn’t hit him anymore. He brought me in close to his body as he was comforting me. He was really here with me.

He was supposed to be lost forever, but he wasn’t. He was right here in front of me wrapping me in a tight embrace. Every single wish I had made the last week was to see him one last time and now I was. The anger and fury were overshadowed by the overwhelming feeling of relief.

The sobs of relief had now replaced the endless tears of sadness and loss. He was here in front of me breathing the same air I was, but not for long. I was going to kill him myself. I broke free of his encasing arms.

“No! You don’t get to come here and comfort me. What the hell is going on Emmett?” I was screaming so loudly I was surprised it took this long for all the lights in the house to turn on.

“I know you’re mad. I know that.” He was trying to calm me down, but right now, nothing felt like it was going to work. “Let me explain myself and if you never want to see me again, I will understand. But I did this for you. For us.” I wasn’t in the right mind space to hear anything he was saying.

The screen door squeaked as it was opened behind me. I looked back to see my father and mother running down the porch stairs toward where the source of commotion was coming from, me. My father stepped in between the two of us in a protective mode.

“Who are you and what are you doing on my property, son?” I didn’t want Emmett to say anything to my parents, so I answered for him.

“Apparently Emmett isn’t as dead as we were led to believe.” I crossed my arms as I stared daggers at the number one source of misery. My parents looked from me to Emmett and then back to me. “But he’s about to be because I am going to bury him alive myself!”

“Emma, take Lottie inside. Now!” Mama put her caring arm around my shoulders and led me inside, leaving Papa and Emmett outside alone.

Mama sat me down at the table and put the kettle on. She knew there was no going back to sleep for any of us tonight. We had sat in silence as we sipped our tea. I was on my second cup when the front door opened as Papa and Emmett stepped through the threshold.

My cup clinked on the saucer as I placed it down. My chair scraped along the hardwood floor as it was thrown back when I abruptly stood up to protest Emmett’s presence in the house.

“Lottie. Sit back down.” Papa was not suggesting I do as he said. “Please let Emmett explain himself.” I opened my mouth to protest, but he cut me off. “I think you really need to set your anger aside and just hear him out. If, after he tells you what he told me, you still want to kill him, I will help you dig his grave.” If my father was on his side, maybe I should hear what he had to say. There had to be some logical explanation to this madness.

I looked between Papa and Emmett. “Fine,” my anger seeping into my agreeance. Papa motioned for Mama to follow him out of the room to give Emmett and me privacy.

I crossed my arms in front of me and stared Emmett down. He stood by the door like a child about to get scolded for swearing in church. “Is it okay if I join you at the table?” I kept my gaze focused on my teacup and made no effort to hide my scowl. He took my non-answer as an invitation to sit down in the chair opposite me.

He cleared his throat before proceeding. “Lottie, I know I have caused you an immense amount of pain and I am truly sorry for that. Honestly, if this could have been done differently, I would have done it.” He got my attention enough for me to glance up at him.

“After losing my family, I vowed to never let anyone get that close to me again. I never wanted to be put in that position of experiencing that kind of loss ever again.” He shifted uncomfortably in his chair. “You have made me lose my goddamned mind, Carrots. Every rule I have set for myself you had me break. After finding you in the barn, thinking that the blood I saw running like a river was yours. Lottie, it broke me. It broke me in a way that was different from when I lost my parents or my brother because they were family.” He reached across the table and placed his large, warm hand over mine. “Losing you meant that all my hopes and dreams of my future family were gone. The family we were supposed to build together.” I looked into his red-rimmed eyes. “Do you know how much I wanted to stay curled up in that bed with you? But I realized in that moment that any amount of time you spent with me put you in danger. Fuck, Lottie. You weren’t even safe from your own cousin because of me.” The tears were welling up in his eyes. “Seeing you in pain is worse than any amount of torture I could and have, gone through.”

My eyes were now welling with tears as well. “Emmett,” I was trying to comfort him.

“Please, Lottie, let me finish before you say anything.” I nodded my head for him to continue. “I knew the only way you would ever be safe was if I was dead. There was no one else on the boat with me except the captain, who had pissed off my boss. I took the opportunity to forge the passenger manifest to include people who never existed. I knew that if the authorities found an empty boat and me missing, it wouldn’t have been enough to convince them I was dead. I killed the captain and then took the dingy to shore. The boat capsizing was just a lucky miracle that made it more believable.” He had gotten his composure back. The tears that had been running down his face had dried up.

I took a moment to let what Emmett had just told me sink in. It was all a rouse. He planned this and knew what it would do to me. My voice caught in my throat as I asked, “How long had you been planning this?” I could see the look of shame written all over his face.

“I didn’t know how I would do it, but I knew when I left your bed that morning. I went straight to my attorney’s office and drafted up my will, which left everything to you.” He moved his hands off mine and placed them under the table on his lap.

“And you didn’t have the decency tell me?” The anger was slowly seeping back in.

“It had to look real, Lottie. I knew people would be sent to watch you. The feds have phones tapped now. The city is full of eyes and ears hiding in plain sight.” Even if what he said was true, it didn’t change my hurt feelings.

I slowly stood up from the table prompting Emmett to follow suit. “I hate you.” I said with distain before I took the stairs up to my bedroom. I didn’t hate him. I could never hate him. I was just so angry and hurt, I wanted him to experience even half the hurt feelings I had. I peaked out my window a few hours later and I found Emmett sleeping in his car. I couldn’t blame him for not wanting to drive back to Chicago at his late hour.

I woke up to find Emmett’s car still parked in front of the house the next morning. I got dressed and went outside to investigate. I looked through the car windows met with only empty seats. Emmett was nowhere in sight.

I made my way to the barn where I knew Papa would be. Papa was in the barn like I had expected, but I did not expect to see Emmett standing next to him. He had traded his nicely tailored three-piece suit he normally wore for a pair of overalls and a dirty button up shirt. He was mucking the stalls. Good, I hoped he fell in shit.

I turned and immediately walked out. Emmett came running after me. “Carrots. Wait.” He caught up to me rather quickly to my dismay.

“You can go ruin someone else’s life, now.” I kept my quick pace as I refused to look at him. He did make a pair of overalls sexy as hell though.

“I’m not going anywhere.” He stopped walking. Yelling after me as I continued my path. “I work here now.” I stopped walking so fast I almost stumbled forward.

I turned around and marched right up to the handsome bastard’s face. “You what?” I demanded.

“You father needed another farmhand. Since my schedule is fairly open right now, I took the job.” I let a condescending laugh leave my lips.

“You’re going to farm? You won’t last a month here.” I chided him.

“You care to make a wager?” I stared at him as I crossed my arms. “If I make it a month, you have to give me another chance.” Like hell that would be happening. If the work didn’t drive him away, I’d find other ways to make his life miserable while he was here.

I smiled sweetly while all the thoughts running through my head were evil. “Fine.” I turned on my heels as soon as I saw the triumphant smile starting to spread across his face.

To my surprise, Emmett was doing way better than I had thought he would. He was a fast learner when it came to farm work. He didn’t blink an eye when I made sure all his meals were the absolute worst; I’d give him the crusted on crud at the bottom of the pans after cooking, I’d save all the burnt pieces of food for him, my personal favorite was purposely leaving his sandwich out causing the bread to get stale and hard. He ate every bite with a smile on his face. He was lucky I didn’t poison him.

We were two days shy of the month deadline when I started to get desperate. I had one last ditch effort in my back pocket. I know it was a low blow, but I had run out of ideas. One of the newer farmhands, Milo, had asked me out on a date a few days prior. I had turned him down, but now I needed him for my plan. If Emmett saw me moving on maybe he’d finally get the message that things were truly over between us.

All the men had gone to the farmhand house across the property for the night. I made my way over to the house knowing I had to see this plan to the end. I knocked on the front door. I had made the mistake once of walking in without knocking. I had seen things that were burned into my cornea that could never be unseen.

The chatter inside the house stopped once the door was opened. Emmett standing on the other side of the door. He had a smile on his face that I was about to wipe away. “Carrots.” He said hopefully.

“I’m looking for Milo.” Milo was a good-looking guy. He wasn’t as tall as Emmett or as handsome. He had a crooked smile and a mop of red hair. Milo must have heard me because he ducked in front of Emmett, whose hand was still on the door, to greet me.

“Lottie. What brings you here?” Milo had this puppy energy about him. He was always happy and I swear, if he had a tail it would always be wagging.

“I was hoping your offer still stands for dinner tomorrow night?” Emmett’s knuckles turned white as he gripped the door harder.

Milo was oblivious to the giant of man standing behind him. His smile grew bigger as he answered, “Of course. I’ll pick you up at 6?”

I smiled back. “It’s a date then?”

Milo inclined his head, “It’s a date.” I turned and started walking back to my house. The regret instantly setting in. There were heavy footfalls behind me that were quickly catching up to me.

“Lottie!” Emmett was pissed. He made no effort to hide his anger. He ran in front of me causing me to stop abruptly so I didn’t run into him. “What are you doing?” I went to step around him but he matched my movements, blocking me from leaving.

“No. You don’t get to run away form me this time.” He crossed his arms as he stood his ground. I went to go around him again and he once again matched my movements.

“I am not going anywhere, Lottie. I don’t want to be anywhere else except here. If you think you need to go out with Milo to get back at me or to prove a point, go for it. It won’t change my feelings for you. You could sleep with every man in that house and I would still want you as much as I want you now. I would have to kill them all, but I would still love you just as much as I do now. As much as I always have.” He went down on one knee.

“What are you doing, Emmett?” There was a panic in my voice once I realized what he was doing.

“I love you Carrots. You are it for me. I never wanted anyone as much as I want you and I never will. You can run away from me all you want, but I will be right behind you. We have had a rough start, but I want my ending to be with you. Please, marry me, Lottie.” I was completely stunned. All thought left my mind. Emmett pulled a black velvet box out of his back pocket.

“I bought this the same day I bought the green dress for you. I knew any woman who would make me want to go through that much effort just for a dress was the woman for me. I knew you were mine right then and there. If you say no now, I will keep asking you every day of my life until my dying breath.”

He opened the ring box to reveal the most stunning ring I had seen. Cameron’s engagement ring was beautiful, but it was all for show. The ring in Emmett’s hand was white gold with a simple emerald cut diamond in the middle. Classic and timeless. He was describing this ring to me at Le Mier when I had tended to the three men after the knife incident. He was telling me truth.

Sometimes you don’t know the answer to a question until it’s presented to you. My sisters and I would play a game where you were given two things to choose from at a rapid fire speed. No time to think, you just say the first thing that comes to mind between the two choices. This was one of those times that I didn’t even think about the answer. “Yes.” I said it so quietly as I started at the man kneeling before me.

Emmett’s head shot up to look at me. “Yes?” He had to confirm he’d heard me correctly. “You said yes?” the joy beaming from his eyes made it clear I had made the right decision.

I nodded my head aggressively as my cheeks hurt from smiling so big, “Yes!” Emmett jumped up from the ground so quickly I wasn’t prepared for him to scoop me up in his arms and spin me around.

He placed me back down on the ground. Emmett’s hands engulfed my face as he cupped my cheeks and kissed me deeply and passionately. Our kiss was broken when there was a voice in the distance, “Does this mean our date is off, Lottie?” Milo teased from the front porch of the farmhand house.

I yelled back laughing, “No!” Which earned me a glare and a poke in the side from Emmett. He grabbed my waist and pulled me in for another kiss. He pulled away and took my hand, placing my engagement ring on my left ring finger, sealing it there with a gentle kiss.

I was ready to start my life with the man that had turned my world upside down more than once. Who knew this was just the beginning of our crazy life, not the end? I didn’t think life could get even crazier than it had been, but boy was I wrong. Being married to an ex-mafia enforcer had its own set of wild rides.

The end