Disclaimer: I own nothing...
Jay felt like a zombie, going through the motions, but never stopping to take account of what was actually going on around him. He avoided Emily, his newborn baby girl, finding it too painful a reminder even being around her. He rarely slept, and when he did get a few restless winks, it was on the lumpy couch, borrowed from the Simpson's, since he found it too difficult to even lay his head in the bed he had all too briefly shared with Manny. Jay wondered if life would ever be normal again.
The funeral, of which Manny's parents, who made an effort to constantly remind Jay was due to their financial assistance, totally took over, was completely foreign to Jay. He felt like he had no part in the burying of his own wife, which, he suspected, was exactly what the Santos family wanted.
And, as if losing the love of your life isn't enough, Jay was hit with another bombshell. Manny's parents wanted Emily; to raise her and take over sole custody, fearing that Jay was ill-equipped to care for a child on his own. Jay began to think that maybe they were right...until Emma Nelson set him straight.
She flew into his apartment, without so much as a knock. But that was Emma.
"Nelson. Glad to see we're on such good terms, that not even a closed door will keep you out," Jay slurred.
Emma's eyes squinted in anger as she walked over to the loud stereo and pounded the power button until the system abruptly shut down. She faced Jay. "Are you drunk?"
Jay sat up straighter and grabbed the half-empty bottle of whiskey off the mahogany coffee table. "Not yet, but I'm working on it."
Emma shook her head. "This is so not the way. Where's Emily?"
"At her new home," he muttered.
Emma knew Jay was in pain, but couldn't forget that her final words with Manny had been a promise to protect her small family unit. Emma was not about to let that conversation fall on deaf ears. She shook her head and sat down beside Jay. There were blankets and a pillow sitting on the end of the couch, and Emma realized that Jay was sleeping out here...still.
"I know this is hard, Jay. I'm just trying to make it through each day."
"Good for you, Nelson!"
Emma sighed. Well, nothing worthwhile ever comes without hard work. This was one of those times. "What I mean is that I know what you're going through."
Jay's face lost all hints of humour. "Really? 'Cause I think you still get to go home to the guy you love every night."
Emma nodded her agreement; she couldn't argue that she did, in fact, go home to Sean every night. They had moved in together last year, just after Manny and Jay's wedding. She realized she'd have to approach this from a different angle.
"I'm pissed off too!" she shouted suddenly. "I'm fucking angry!"
Jay's eyes widened at her language. He'd never heard Emma curse before. He smirked and took another swig from his bottle, this time offering some to Emma. He was even more surprised when she accepted his gift, slugging back a good mouthful of the burning substance.
"You love Emily, right?" Emma asked, tears filling her eyes. Jay couldn't tell if it was her emotions or the stinging effect of the alcohol that caused the tears.
"You know I do," he whispered.
"Then prove it! Be a father, Jay. Be a father for Manny, because that's what she'd want."
Just hearing her name made Jay slump over and burst into tears. He had tried to compose himself through this whole ordeal, to never shed more than the appropriate amount of tears. But now, here with only Emma to see, he wept for the loss he felt to the core of his being. All Emma could do was wrap a supportive arm around Jay, resting her head on his back and sharing in his grief.
"I can't do this...a...alone," he admitted through his subsiding tears.
Emma lifted her head and dried her eyes with the sleeve of her grey sweatshirt. "You don't have to."
"You'd do th...that?"
Jay was looking at her now, his eyes still glistening with tears, his nose red. He looked dishevelled and broken, which only made Emma's mission more obvious.
"I made a promise to my sister to keep you and Emily safe and happy. I won't let her down," she swore. "But you have to work with me. Tomorrow afternoon, when you've sobered up, you'll take a shower, put on something clean, and march your ass over to the Santos'. Go and get your daughter, Jay. It's time to get things back on track."
Jay looked at her, swiping his eyes with the back of his hand. Of all the people, she was the last one he'd expected to be coming to his aid. But here she was, fighting for him, and fighting for Emily. And she was right. Manny would want her daughter to be with her daddy. Manny would want them to move on.
Manny would want them to move on, but to what?