40. Adam
Adam
I drum my fingers on the steering wheel along to the beat of a Kendrick Lamar song. It’s a Wednesday and Emily has been back home for a couple of weeks. Seeing her distraught over the loss of a person who was like a grandmother to her, was something I never thought I would have witnessed. Tack on me meeting her parents, which went smoothly, and she was exhausted.
“Mom? Dad? I’d like for you to meet Adam. Adam, these are my parents,” Emily says as she introduces me to her parents.
“It’s nice to meet you both,” I offer as I hold my hand out for them to shake.
“Likewise. Honey, why don’t we all go and get lunch?” Emily’s Mom offers as we’re still mingling in front of the church.
Emily slides her hand into mine as more of a reassurance that I’m here than for comfort. Or maybe it’s for both. “Yeah. That sounds good.”
We all walk towards the parking lot as Gloria’s family has already left for the burial site. I pull my hand from Emily’s and wrap my arm around her shoulder instead.
“Thank you for coming,” she tells me as I steer us towards my rental car.
“I know you said not to. But baby, I don’t want you to have to face the hard things alone.”
When we get to my car, I open the door for her. But Emily turns before getting in. “I love you. I don’t mean it in a surface-level way.”
I duck my head so we’re at eye-level and peck her on the lips. “I know what you mean.”
She kisses me before ducking into the passenger seat.
“So where to?” I ask when I’m in the car.
“Our go-to has been this restaurant that has a garden terrace and looks over Central Park. They have really good food.”
Putting the car in drive, I have her tell me which way to go. I’ve never been to New York and this isn’t my ideal first time to want to come here. But I’m hoping these few days here with Emily will allow her and I to explore and be a real couple without the prying eyes or being terrified to show affection.
It takes us about thirty minutes to arrive at the restaurant. Emily was nervous being around Dylan, but I’m shaking in my suit at being around her parents. From what she told me, their relationship has been slowly building. But I can’t separate the parents they are now from the parents they were when she was a kid.
“How did you two meet?” Emily’s Dad, Mark, asks us.
“I went into his bar after the ‘Meet the Teacher’ event at school. Turns out we had a connection that wasn’t known until he showed up for a parent-teacher conference.”
“Oh? You’re a dad?” Her Mom asks.
“Yes, ma’am. I have a son,” I respond.
Emily’s Mom’s face lights up when she asks to see pictures of Dylan. I show her one of him on the first day of school and then one of the three of us at his baseball game a couple of weekends ago. Her Dad asks about my owning a restaurant and claims that they’ll have to make a trip. Not just for my business, but for Emily as well.
After lunch, Emily insists we go for a walk in Central Park. I’ve never been so I enthusiastically agree.
“That went well,” Emily states when we’re well into the park.
I look down and see her face alive. “I was nervous, at first. But your parents are great.”
“They’ve gotten better. I just don’t think they knew how to be parents back then. Like what do two sought-after lawyers do with a kid? Once James died, I think having me put it into perspective. That could have been me who they were grieving after.”
We find an empty bench to sit at and watch some guys play touch football.
“I’m glad you three are finding your way together,” I admit and pull her into my side.
“Me too,” she tells me and places a kiss on my jawline.
The rest of our time is spent playing tourist. Since Emily was so young when she lived here, she never got to explore the city the way others do. We went to the Morgan Library & Museum, walked around the West Village, and did a self-guided Sex & the City tour. We indulged in food from the food trucks, sweets until our stomachs cramped, and a wine tour to end off the weekend.
During one of the hardest periods of Emily’s life, I fell more in love with her. With her joy for life and the world around her. I fell in love with Emily Bailey.
I’m finally set to meet her friends this weekend. With us in New York for those few days, it set us back. But now that Emily is getting back to her happy self, our relationship has only gotten stronger.
My truck turns into the driveway and I pause when I see an unknown car. Thinking it’s a rental for Jenny, I turn my truck off and get out. Only when I do, the driver exits too and my heart stops.
“Chelsea.” Her name comes out like sand as I speak it for the first time in five years.
“Hi, Adam.”
We silently stare at each other in my driveway. The cicadas singing in the background as the only noise to break the silence.
“What are you doing here?” I ask when the silence feels like it’s close to suffocating me. All I wanted when I got home was to see Dylan and call Emily.
She takes a step forward but stops when I hold my hand up. “I miss you. And I miss Dylan.”
“So? We’ve done just fine without you for the last six years.”
“Adam, I made a mistake,” Chelsea tries to plead with me.
My eyebrows hit my hairline. “You call serving me with divorce papers and signing your parental rights away a mistake?”
She looks away and I know what I said hits. But when she looks back at me it’s as if ice is running through my veins. “I want a chance to be what Dylan deserves.”
“Well, I can give you the number for my lawyer and you can set up a meeting time. But you can’t stay here.”
“I want you back Adam. I never stopped loving you.”
I cross my arms over my chest in an attempt to cover my clenched fists. “You’re too late. Goodbye, Chelsea.”
Turning my back on her, I rush into my house and lock the door.
Jenny peeks around. “Who was that?”
“Chelsea.”
“I had no idea who she was. She just parked her car there and nothing.”
I blow a breath out of my nose. “You didn’t know. But she’s not allowed in here. Under any circumstance.”
“Of course.”
I leave Jenny to get settled in the guest room while I head up and check in on Dylan. He’s sprawled out in his bed with not a clue that a ghost from both of our past just tried to enter his world.
Softly closing his door, I walk down the carpeted hallway to my bedroom. When I shut the door, I lean back and let out an aggravated breath. I’ll have to call my lawyer and see what she says. I may have nothing to worry about, but better safe than sorry.
Pulling out my phone, I see a text Emily sent over an hour ago. I debate responding or calling, but I’m learning that in the summer she’s got a much different sleep schedule. So I call her instead.
“Hi,” her soft voice over the phone instantly soothes me.
“Hi, baby.”
I hear sheets rustling. “What’s wrong?”
“I didn’t want to tell you until I saw you. But Chelsea was waiting for me here when I got home.”
“What?” The disbelief in Emily’s question is evident.
“I know.” My mind is still trying to make sense of if she was serious.
“You’re planning to call your lawyer? I mean I don’t think any lawyer would reinstate her rights. It’s been six years. You’ve provided for and loved Dylan better than she ever could have.” Emily reassures me with everything I already know.
Running my hand through my hair I walk into my bathroom and turn the water on for a shower to wash off the night from work and the shock from an unexpected visitor.
“You’re an amazing dad, Adam. You put Dylan first. And that’s more than I can say for her. Don’t let her reappearance shake your foundation.”
I let out a deep breath. “I won’t. I promise I won’t. Thank you.”
“Always. Go shower. I’ll see you later. I love you.”
“I love you too, sunshine.”
“Bye,” she whispers before she ends the call.
I place my phone on my bathroom vanity, strip off my clothes, and get into the shower. The steaming hot water pounds down on my body instantly soothing my aching bones and pushing the last thirty minutes out of my mind.
I focus on Emily and her love and reassurance. I focus on Dylan and his goofy smile and never-ending energy. I think of the people in my life that would stand by me and attest to my ability with being an amazing father.
Letting her get to me could shake the very foundation that I’ve set in place. And that would break the promise that I gave to Emily.