Emma's visit to the hospital left her feeling a little disappointed. She wanted to help Gia and stand by her side through everything, but felt as though she was being pushed away. It was a hard pill to swallow knowing her best friend didn't want her help, but if what Emma had seen when she said goodbye to Gia was anything to go on, she could see Serena had made a little bit of progress with her. The two had been sitting on the bed and watching TV. Gia didn't look like she was saying anything, but Emma knew she felt comfortable with Serena. As Jordan had told her on the walk home, it was a good thing she was willing to talk to anyone. Sometimes, the best friend was too personal.
"She'll come out of this," Jordan gave Emma a kiss as he walked her to her door. "She may not be asking for it, but I'm sure she's counting on your support."
Emma smiled up at him and then opened the door to her house. She was surprised to find the lights were on. Then she saw the suitcases by the door. Her parents were home.
Jordan looked somewhat nervous, but couldn't take off running now. He stayed with Emma as he parents came from the living room.
"Where have you been?" her mother asked her. Emma shot her a curious look. Surely they would have heard the news.
"Visiting Gia," Emma answered. Her mother showed no care and gestured up the stairs.
"You need to pack."
"Pack?" they were words her parents had never said to her before. They travelled constantly, but always left Emma at home. For once, she thought they had found somewhere to take her.
"There's a beautiful place in New York," her father said to her with a little smile, "I was offered a job in the city."
"New York?" Emma gulped and looked to Jordan. If her parents were saying what she dreaded they were saying, she wouldn't know what to do. One thing was certain: she couldn't move. She had her whole life in Harwood County. She had a year and a half of school left before she graduated. All her childhood memories were in the city, and all her friends lived nearby. Moreover, her best friend needed her desperately, and abandoning her at this time would probably be the final push Gia needed to completely self-destruct.
Though that in itself was enough reason for Emma to want to stay, she had responsibilities as a Ranger. There was absolutely no way she could fulfill her duties as the pink Ranger from New York City.
Her mother smiled happily, "We took the job! There's a raise for your father, his company takes the mortgage for a house if find a place by the end of the month, and your father will be a very important man! Go get your things, sweetheart; this time next week, we're going to…"
Emma turned and ran. She would not move. She could not move. This was not going to happen.
Jordan stood in the doorway and scratched the back of his neck nervously, "Uh… I'm going to make sure she's okay."
Jordan took off after Emma. He did his best to keep up with her but she had taken her bike from the side of the house and so was a lot faster than he could hope to be. He sighed, shook his head, and sent her a message on your phone.
"Text me when you get wherever so I know you're okay."
He put his phone in his pocket and watched her leave. He didn't want her to move for personal reasons, but Emma had so much on her plate with what had happened to Gia, Jordan could understand why this was hard for her to hear.
He knew her parents weren't around for her much. They loved to travel and often left her behind. When they talked, Emma mentioned Gia's parents more than her own, so Jordan got the impression that she spent more time with Gia's family. But her parents were still her parents, and if they wanted to move and take their daughter with them, Emma had no choice in the matter.
He felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. It was a message from Emma. He breathed a sigh of relief when she told him where she was headed and he promised to meet up with her there.
He had to walk all the way back to the hospital and he wasn't sure how he would get in. Visiting hours were over and he wasn't Gia's family. When he got there, he heard a whisper and turned to the bushes. He walked over slowly just to be safe.
"Jordan!" another whisper from above. He looked up at the trees and saw Emma sitting on the branch above him. He decided he would climb up with her. Emma chuckled slightly at his clumsy tree climbing skills. He was big, he was strong, and he was athletic, but that was no help to him in this particular challenge. She wrapped an arm around him to steady him as he sat on the branch and tried to find his balance. When he was sure he wouldn't fall, he turned to Emma.
"What a bomb."
"Sorry for running off," Emma said, "My parents just… they don't get it. I knew if I tried to talk them out of moving it would just cause a scene."
"There's Skype and stuff," Jordan suggested. "I know it's not ideal for us or for you and Gia, but it's better than the olden days, right?"
"Better than wasting paper writing letters back and forth," Emma nodded her head. Jordan gave her a little nudge.
"Wow, you're not even giving up the environment thing for romance."
Emma shook her head, "It's not something we need to worry about. I'm not moving."
"That's not really your decision to make," Jordan sighed. He shrugged his shoulders, "Your parents…"
"I've been living on my own for years anyways," Emma said, "You heard mom, dad's company going to buy him a house, so it's not like keeping this one will be extra costs. And dad's going to make a fortune anyways."
"You really have no problem with them leaving you behind? My dad's one of my best buds. I couldn't imagine not having him around."
"I've got too much waiting for me here. Too many responsibilities."
"Gia?"
"Among other important things," Emma said. "If I tell her, she'd be devastated. I couldn't… I couldn't do that to her."
"Your best friend over your parents?"
"You don't get it, Jordan, Gia's been a bigger part of my life than my parents. I'm pretty sure she's the one who talk me to walk."
"Seriously?"
"Our parents have been friends since before we were born. You know, if one of us was born a guy, we'd probably be madly in love with each other by now. Classic love story."
Jordan chuckled and took Emma in his arms, "Thankfully you're not."
Emma nodded, "Gia learned to walk before I did, apparently, and she used that skill to steal a cookie from me. I got frustrated when she taunted me with it, so I used my feet to go after her. Mom and dad weren't even around. They were in the Caribbean. Gia's parents were babysitting. It wouldn't change much."
Jordan sighed and gave Emma a kiss on the top of the head, "This is your decision. Whatever you choose, I support you."
Emma looked up at Jordan, "I choose home but… in case my parents decide to kidnap me, can you promise me something? Two some things?"
"Yeah, anything," Jordan nodded. Emma leaned away from him.
"I don't know what I'd do without you, Jordan. You make me feel really special and you're such an amazing guy…"
"We'll make the long distance thing work," Jordan promised her without hesitating. It'll just be for a year and a half, then you could move out, come back here, and it would be like you never left."
Emma smiled. Jordan really was amazing to her and she wanted the chance to spend more time with him and to get to know him better. She wanted the chance to make him feel the way he made her feel, because it was truly one of the most amazing feelings in the world. To know he wouldn't give up on her, just because they were miles apart made him all the more special. She leaned back in and gave him a kiss.
When they pulled apart, Jordan looked to her, "What else do you need?"
"Keep an eye on Gia for me. You know… if I leave."
"Promise," Jordan nodded and then gave her another kiss. They sat in the tree together, in each other's harm for a long time until Emma shifted and Jordan could tell she was ready to go somewhere. He let her go and was surprise when she climbed higher up the tree. "Em?"
"I've got to be with Gia. You can come in, if you want. I'm sure she won't mind."
"It's fine," Jordan knew he couldn't go much higher. Emma was smaller, lighter, and more agile than he was. Climbing trees came easily to her. And he knew how much she cared for her best friend. He knew she needed to be with her. "I'll see you tomorrow."
"I may not be at school. Mom and dad will know to find me there," Emma told him, "but meet us at Ernie's afterwards. I promised Gia we would go there and we would do what she wanted. I'm sure she wouldn't mind if…"
"Take care of her, Emma. We're not going anywhere. I'll hang with the guys."
"Are you sure?"
Jordan nodded and he gave her a smile, "I'm sure."
Emma looked down at him, "You're really amazing, Jordan."
"I know," he smirked teasingly. Emma blew him a kiss before she reached Gia's window. Gia liked to sleep with a window open. Some of her best memories were camping with Emma as a kid, and she had grown to love the sounds of the night to the point where she couldn't fall asleep without them. Fortunately, that meant Emma had easy access into her room.
Once she was inside, Jordan climbed down the tree and headed for home. He was sure, no matter what happened, he and Emma weren't going to be torn apart.
