Chapter 12

The Cellar

SMACK

The entire club heard it, the hand coming to Emma's check. Michael and Carly had tried to stop it but couldn't reach in time, and once the hand met her face they stood back. They really didn't feel like getting punched.

Emma looked into the eyes of this girl. What nerve! Who did she think she was? Emma was fuming. Slowly Emma brought her hand too her cheek never breaking eye contact. Her cheek felt hot no doubt it was bright red. Emma just stood there with a look of disgust in her eyes.

"What are you looking at," Lila stated sarcastically. Lila was not happy with this girl. She couldn't just walk in here and take her family. Riley was hers, Morgan was her brother, and Michael should love her and not this twit.

Truth was Lila didn't like the looks she was getting, and no one seemed to be coming to her rescue. She was hoping her dad would jump in so he could tell Emma off, and didn't understand why he wasn't.

Riley stood there looking on. He wasn't sure what to do. Sure Lila annoyed him, but she was his boss's daughter. Then there was Emma, this girl who caught his eye on the docks, got arrested with him, put up with Lansing, and was know dealing with Lila. He was confused, and why had Lila slapped her in the first place.

Morgan stood off to the side. He didn't really know Emma but she seemed nice. He had enjoyed his conversation earlier with her and was looking forward to getting to know her. Truth was that something kept telling him to not turn his back on her. So for know he wouldn't.

Michael stood still. He didn't want to move Hurricane Emma was coming in. The only way to stop it, kill her. Michael wasn't even sure death would stop Emma. Michael knew Emma never really hit a person, but what else did she have. It's not like she had any dirt on Lila.

Carly loved her niece. No questions, but right know she loved her life. Emma was never hit as a child there was no need to and her Mother wouldn't anyway. However that didn't change the fact that Lila had just slapped Emma. No one slapped her. No one really ever thought to lay a hand on her. Most who knew her knew that she had been hurt enough. The last thing Emma needed was to be slapped and have all the memories come back.

Sonny watched the girl. He could read her eyes. He wasn't sure why, and he wasn't sure how, he just knew he could read them, and what he saw wasn't pretty. He saw the debate, the confusion, and the conflict. His daughter had crossed a line. This wasn't a business related problem, it was teen related. So the girls would handle it.

Sam looked on. It was the girl from the store. This was Emma. Why was Emma so familiar to her? Who was she? Sam knew her daughter was in trouble as she started to approach the two girls on the floor. Some thing stopped her. She turned around to see Sonny holding her back with a look in his eyes that said, 'This is her mess, leave it'. So Sam stayed by Sonny.

Jason was confused. The look in Emma's eyes was so pure so raw, but what it was he wasn't sure. He could sense the anger, the hurt, the confusion, but most of all he could feel, and see the pain and fear. It wasn't from the slap. It went deeper. It was her past. Something happened, and he wanted to know what.

Shifting his eyes to Carly Jason saw nearly the same in Carly's eyes, but the pain and fear in Carly's eyes was for Emma. What was so significant about a slap? Why did these two women look so afraid?

Emma still couldn't move. She was so shocked. When she was first slapped she wanted to wring Lila's neck. Then it all came rushing back to her. The pain, fear, hurt and confusion of six, or seven years, she didn't want to remember that. She didn't want to have to think about it. Not many knew what happened then, just her, her Mom, Carly, Max, Patty, and of course Cassie. They never told Michael, he never needed to know.

Slowly with out a sound Emma turned. She grabbed her coat and walked out ass tears formed in her eyes. She couldn't stay. She needed to think. She ran up the stairs through Kelly's and out the door. Once outside she leans her back against the wall and slides down. She bents her knees and pulls her legs to her body as she wraps her arms around them and places her head on her knees.

Tears that had been formed in her eyes as she ran out finally came crashing out. It was only a few at first but as she relived it all more came. She sat there sobbing. It wasn't because Lila slapped her. She didn't care about that. She cried because it was easier. It was easier to cry than to remember all those feeling that the slap had brought back.

It was just easier.

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Short, yes, but like no one is reviewing, so I figured I would post less at a time, thank you to those who have reviewed, it means a lot to me!