Thanks linzer-b, chealsea, JemmaLoVe, and thengrl13! Here's the next chapter!
Manny pulled into Craig's large circular driveway behind Ellie's Mini-Cooper.
"Ellie's here, so are Toby, JT, and Liberty," Manny said getting out of her SUV.
"How can you tell?" Emma asked.
"I know what cars they drive…sad but true."
"You are weird."
"Hey, I'm just very social. I've had dinner with Toby and Liberty, and Ellie's always driving around looking for her next story."
"Okay. Wow, Craig's house is huge."
"It's absolutely gorgeous inside. Anyway, you ready?"
"I haven't seen most of these people in years and years."
"Totally your fault. Let's get in there and have a good time remembering your dad, okay?"
"Okay."
The started to walk up to Craig's door, but stopped when someone called their names.
"Emma! Manny!" Paige's voice called out.
"Hey Paige," Manny responded.
"Wait for me, will ya?"
"Sure," Emma replied.
Paige got out of her car and walked up to Manny and Emma. She hugged Emma.
"Emma, I'm sorry about Simpson. He was a good guy, a little boring at times, but a good guy."
"Thanks Paige."
"Manny, you look nice. How's Tom?"
"Thanks. Tom's good."
"Is he coming?"
"Wouldn't you like to know?"
"Well, I'm off of work this week and next. So I'm not really going to be reporting the comings and goings of Tom Shaye for the public to consume. I'm just trying to quench my own curiosity."
"Interesting Paige."
"I'm really confused," Emma suddenly stated. "Ummm, so are you and Manny friends?"
"It's like a business partnership." Paige said matter-of-factly. "I give her press sometimes."
"I give her the goods on my boyfriend sometimes," Manny said.
"Depends how we feel towards each other on the given day though," Paige replied.
"Let's go in," Manny suggested.
"Let's," Paige opened Craig's door. The three of them walked into Craig's house. "They are probably in the living room," Paige said as she led the way. Everybody looked up as Paige, Emma, and Manny entered the room. There was an awkward silence. Finally JT got up and hugged Emma. "Em, I'm sorry. We all loved Mr. Simpson, and we'll miss him."
"Thank you, JT," Emma replied hugging him back.
Everybody followed suit. Emma awkwardly hugged and thanked people.
"Em, you okay?" Manny asked.
Emma started walking towards the side French doors. "I need some air."
"Em, wait…" JT called out to her as she closed the door, "Jay's out there."
"They need to talk anyway," Ellie muttered.
"Should I get her?" JT asked.
"She'll be fine, JT," Manny replied.
Emma walked around to the backyard and took a seat on the bench that was near the fire pit. She lay down on it and closed her eyes. Jay had his back towards half the yard looking at a small pond of fish. He didn't notice Emma until she started to cry.
"Hello?" he said turning around.
Emma stopped crying and looked up. "God, it's you again."
"Em, you're crying."
"Wow, you're observant," she said while wiping tears away from her face. He walked up to her and sat down next to her and took her hands.
"It's okay to cry, you know?"
"I look terrible doing it. My mascara runs, my eyes get all…"
"You look beautiful, mascara runs and all."
"Please don't say that."
"Why not?"
"Just don't…don't flatter me."
"You never could take a compliment."
"Shut up."
"Em, you okay?"
"Not really."
"Well obviously tears are warranted because of Simpson, but what else is wrong?"
"Nothing."
"If nothing was wrong, you could cry in front of all those people in there. But you're out here."
"I just can't deal with my dad's death and seeing all these people that I haven't seen in forever. I just left them. I can't come back and pretend that nothing's changed. I just left them. I just left you."
"Em, don't worry about that now. Who cares if you left, that's not what's important now. I mean, you're back at least."
"Why do you always get me to admit everything I try to deny?"
"I'm just that good."
"Sometimes."
Jay hugged Emma and let her cry in his arms.