Thanks to all my reviewers, especially to Dari and Mary Kate who've reviewed almost constantly- thanks guys. Hope you like the chapter! Peace out, luv Kathryn
CHAPTER 9
"Hey girl!"
Emma turned round and saw Bobby Ray climbing up the rocks to sit beside her.
"Bobby Ray!" He grinned.
"You been crying again?"
"You're the one I would have thought would be crying."
"Huh?"
"I was watching T.V. when they got home last night. Momma was drunk; she was out cold. Jake had to carry her in. He told me what happened. I'm sorry 'bout what she said."
"S'allright. So, why you crying?"
"I'm not crying." Emma took a deep breath. "They had a massive fight this morning. Momma woke up with a headache and started yelling at Jake for letting her get drunk, then he had a go at her for slagging you off. They just stormed round the house for ages, screaming at each other, and……" She broke off shuddering and took a swig from a green bottle in her hand.
"Let me guess" Bobby Ray said, taking it off her and pouring it into the sea "you only drink when you're stressed." He handed back the empty bottle. "That's what your momma always said." He paused and for the first time ever, he looked uncomfortable. "So, Emma. Does it bother you that……well, that I'm……um……"
"That you're gay?" Bobby Ray nodded slowly. "No. I mean, I've known for ages."
"Who told you?"
"D'ya remember that day, before I left for New York, when I ran in on you and Gerry wotsisface?"
"You knew then? You were, like, five."
" Four. A few years later I told momma what I'd seen and she explained."
"But it doesn't bother you?"
"Naw. Bobby Ray, does Jake love my mom?"
"Course he does. Why d'ya think he won't sign those papers, huh?"
"He has now. He was real mad at her last night. But he knows about Andrew, that's momma's boyfriend, well, her fiancée now. And he's got a girl too."
"Who, Jena? He doesn't love her girl, he just misses your momma and feels kinda lonely I guess."
"Well that's tough; momma's marrying Andrew next week. She says I've gotta be bridesmaid."
"That'll be cool."
"No it won't. I have to wear a dress. Not just any dress either. A stupid big frilly thing."
Bobby Ray chuckled and Emma shoved him, attempting to push him off the rocks and into the sea below. It didn't work; he held on and just pushed Emma back again. Screaming and yelling and laughing like children, they fought until Emma lost her footing and slipped. It wasn't far to fall; she wasn't injured but the water was cold. Freezing. Furious, she screamed at him and stormed out, her clothes soaking and salty water dripping from her hair.
"Bobby Ray I am going to kill you for this!"
He laughed hysterically, scrambled down the rocks and stood a few feet away from her.
"Aw honey, did ya get a bit wet losing a fight to Bobby Ray?" he taunted, not unkindly but all the same, it aggravated her. She stepped towards him, then, realising her boots were soaking and as heavy as lead, tugged them off and chased after him barefoot. He led her along the beach, up the path and across the fields until they ran into the driveway outside Jake's house. Bobby Ray stopped, seeing three expensive, flashy cars parked outside but Emma hadn't seen them and jumped on his back, knocking him over. Playfully, he wrestled back until he felt a sharp kick in his side. He looked up and froze as he saw a furious Melanie towering over him, arms folded and her face set in its best 'unimpressed' look.
"Bobby Ray, let her go" she hissed. Emma sat up, having not noticed her mother until hearing her voice.
"Oh hey momma." She said, standing up and pulling her wet shirt straight. Melanie groaned and brushed her daughters' dripping hair off her face with her hand.
"What is it?" she asked innocently, turning round to look at the people standing there. "Oh hi Andrew" she greeted cheerfully, spying her stepdad to be in amongst the small crowd. He smiled at her, somewhat embarrassed and turned to the older woman beside him.
"Mother, this is Emma, Melanie's daughter."
The look on Mayor Kate Hennings face made Emma wish the ground would open beneath her and swallow her up. Or at the very least that someone would give her a dry shirt and a hairbrush.
CHAPTER 9
"Hey girl!"
Emma turned round and saw Bobby Ray climbing up the rocks to sit beside her.
"Bobby Ray!" He grinned.
"You been crying again?"
"You're the one I would have thought would be crying."
"Huh?"
"I was watching T.V. when they got home last night. Momma was drunk; she was out cold. Jake had to carry her in. He told me what happened. I'm sorry 'bout what she said."
"S'allright. So, why you crying?"
"I'm not crying." Emma took a deep breath. "They had a massive fight this morning. Momma woke up with a headache and started yelling at Jake for letting her get drunk, then he had a go at her for slagging you off. They just stormed round the house for ages, screaming at each other, and……" She broke off shuddering and took a swig from a green bottle in her hand.
"Let me guess" Bobby Ray said, taking it off her and pouring it into the sea "you only drink when you're stressed." He handed back the empty bottle. "That's what your momma always said." He paused and for the first time ever, he looked uncomfortable. "So, Emma. Does it bother you that……well, that I'm……um……"
"That you're gay?" Bobby Ray nodded slowly. "No. I mean, I've known for ages."
"Who told you?"
"D'ya remember that day, before I left for New York, when I ran in on you and Gerry wotsisface?"
"You knew then? You were, like, five."
" Four. A few years later I told momma what I'd seen and she explained."
"But it doesn't bother you?"
"Naw. Bobby Ray, does Jake love my mom?"
"Course he does. Why d'ya think he won't sign those papers, huh?"
"He has now. He was real mad at her last night. But he knows about Andrew, that's momma's boyfriend, well, her fiancée now. And he's got a girl too."
"Who, Jena? He doesn't love her girl, he just misses your momma and feels kinda lonely I guess."
"Well that's tough; momma's marrying Andrew next week. She says I've gotta be bridesmaid."
"That'll be cool."
"No it won't. I have to wear a dress. Not just any dress either. A stupid big frilly thing."
Bobby Ray chuckled and Emma shoved him, attempting to push him off the rocks and into the sea below. It didn't work; he held on and just pushed Emma back again. Screaming and yelling and laughing like children, they fought until Emma lost her footing and slipped. It wasn't far to fall; she wasn't injured but the water was cold. Freezing. Furious, she screamed at him and stormed out, her clothes soaking and salty water dripping from her hair.
"Bobby Ray I am going to kill you for this!"
He laughed hysterically, scrambled down the rocks and stood a few feet away from her.
"Aw honey, did ya get a bit wet losing a fight to Bobby Ray?" he taunted, not unkindly but all the same, it aggravated her. She stepped towards him, then, realising her boots were soaking and as heavy as lead, tugged them off and chased after him barefoot. He led her along the beach, up the path and across the fields until they ran into the driveway outside Jake's house. Bobby Ray stopped, seeing three expensive, flashy cars parked outside but Emma hadn't seen them and jumped on his back, knocking him over. Playfully, he wrestled back until he felt a sharp kick in his side. He looked up and froze as he saw a furious Melanie towering over him, arms folded and her face set in its best 'unimpressed' look.
"Bobby Ray, let her go" she hissed. Emma sat up, having not noticed her mother until hearing her voice.
"Oh hey momma." She said, standing up and pulling her wet shirt straight. Melanie groaned and brushed her daughters' dripping hair off her face with her hand.
"What is it?" she asked innocently, turning round to look at the people standing there. "Oh hi Andrew" she greeted cheerfully, spying her stepdad to be in amongst the small crowd. He smiled at her, somewhat embarrassed and turned to the older woman beside him.
"Mother, this is Emma, Melanie's daughter."
The look on Mayor Kate Hennings face made Emma wish the ground would open beneath her and swallow her up. Or at the very least that someone would give her a dry shirt and a hairbrush.