Hey Everyone!
So I know it's been a while... I'm super sorry for that. Between starting college, schoolwork, my other fics and just life in general, I have kinda been neglecting this story. But I just heard that Heather Vogel Frederick has decided that it is not yet time for us to say goodbye to our dear friends in Concord. With the news of the new seventh and ABSOLUTELY FINAL addition to the series in mind, I began rereading the different books, starting with Pies and Prejudice for some strange reason... and my passion for the series was refueled once again so I jumped right back into Follow Your Heart. I've actually been writing this chapter for quite a while, I just kept getting stuck... I do hope it turned out alright!
Love, Love, Love,
MiggieMoo2014
Chapter 8
I can't believe her! For the last month every time I've tried to hang out with Emma, she's blown me off for Stewart. Even when I suggested we go visit the Crandall's and Maggie! It's so ridiculous. She doesn't answer the phone whenever I call her and Darcy says it's because she has been on the phone the Stewart. I think I have a way to get her to hang out with me. I'm going over to her house now. I pull my bike in the driveway and run and knock on the door… Darcy answers.
"Hey Jessie, considering you whenever come over to see me you call first, I'm guessing you're here to see Emma?" He asks laughing.
"Yeah, but I'll call you tonight." I tell him as I head up the stairs, he calls me back.
"Do you want to have a movie night tomorrow? Emma is going out to dinner with the Chadwick's, and Mom and Dad said they were thinking of going out to dinner. We can watch as many Disney movies as I can find."
"I wouldn't miss it for the world, it's a date." I promise him then kiss his cheek and running up to Emma's room. I knock on the open door.
"Hey Jess, I thought I heard you. What's up?" She asks from her roll- top desk. I go and sit on her bed.
"Not much, I was heading over to Colonial and thought I'd stop by." I tell her, slightly lying… I wasn't going to Colonial initially but I think I'll go now.
"Are you going to see the Crandall's?" She asks, her eyes lighting up.
"Yeah, and Savannah and the other girls, I thought I'd surprise them." I tell her, hoping I'm getting her interested.
"That sounds fun… how is everyone?"
"They're good, The Madrigals have a concert coming up, and I think my mom and I are going to go. You should come."
"You can tell them I'll be there, I can't wait." She says grinning.
"Are we still on for Sunday?" I ask her while petting Pip, who keeps trying to play with the Hawthorne's cat, Lady Jane, who is afraid of Pip.
"What?" She asks, looking confused.
"We told Mr. Mueller we would come down after I finish at the animal shelter with Savannah." I remind her.
"Oh Jess, I totally forgot! Stewart and Becca's grandparents are coming into town, remember? I have to go over for dinner, plus Theo is coming too, and Becca told me if I wasn't early she'd kill me."
"Emma, you promised!" I almost whine. She did promise, and now she's breaking it.
"Jess, I promised Stewart! It's not that big of a deal anyway, I'll go next week." She tells me like it's no big deal.
"What happened to 'best friends before boyfriends' Emma? I feel like I haven't seen you in weeks! Do you remember the last time we hung out, just us? Because I really don't."
"Why are you making such a big deal, Jess? It's one Sunday, it's not like I'm never going to go back again."
"I'm making a big deal, Emma, because it is a big thing! A huge thing actually. Every time I try to hang out with you, its Stewart this, Stewart that and Stewart needs this, I promised Stewart this- What happened to I promised Jess, Emma? When did that change?" I spit out at her. I don't want to be angry and I hate when we fight but She is driving me insane.
"You know, you're one to talk, Jess! Ever since you and Darcy started dating, I feel like I'm second best. You're always over here to see him, and not me. How do you think that makes me feel?"
"At least I tried to come over here today to hang out with you-"
"Don't even try that! Even if you came here to see me, you still had plans with him five seconds after you walked in the door! You've basically replaced me!" She yells.
"You can't even talk about replacements, Emma! Stewart runs your social life!"
"No he doesn't!"
"You know he does! You drop everything for him! It's been like this since you two got together!"
"Well, now you know how I feel! How do you think I feel about my best friend dating my brother!?" Low blow Emma, low blow.
"You told me you were fine with it!"
"Yeah, well I guess I lied! I wish you had never started dating him!" She now screams and my stomach drops.
"What is going on in here? What are you two fighting about?" Mrs. Hawthorne scolds as she comes upstairs.
"It's nothing, Mrs. Hawthorne. Everything is fi-ne" I tell her stuttering at the end. I grab my bag and start to run out. I can feel hot tears forming in my eyes as I run into Darcy as I get to the bottom of the stairs.
"Jess, what's going on?" He asks concerned, both of his heads going up to rest on my cheeks. I open my mouth to answer him but Emma's furious voice beats me to it.
"Of course you'd go right to her! To make sure she's okay when your sister is in the same state!" She screams at him.
"Emma Jane Hawthorne! You stop this right now! You are being completely ridiculous!" Her mother yells at her. I almost feel bad for her but then I remember what she said.
"Do you want me to take you home?" Darcy asks me softly. I shake my head no. I just want to get home so I can cry.
"You should stay here, at least until she calms down." I tell him.
"Okay, I'll try and get out but if I can't, I'll call you, Okay?" I nod.
This is going to be one long afternoon.
"I can't believe her! She is such a hypocrite!" I yell as I walk- excuse me, storm through the back door.
"Jess, what happened? Phoebe called and told me you and Emma got in a fight." My mom tries to ask me, but I keep walking, and stomp up the stairs, and don't stop in my room but go out through my window on to the flat roof, and just sit knowing mom is going to follow.
"Jess, honey, what happened?" she asks as she comes through the window.
"I don't ever want to talk to Emma ever again." I mumble.
"Now I think that might be a bit harsh, don't you think? She is your best friend after all."
"Well, right now I never want to see her again. She went too far." I tell her. Emma's not the only hypocrite. A little voice in my head tells me.
"Jess, sweetheart, I can't help if you don't tell me what happened." My mom says.
I tell her the whole story, she winces as I tell her about how Emma wishes Darcy and I never got together and then praises my decision of telling Darcy to stay at home.
"I know you probably really wanted him to come with you, but I'm proud you told him to stay. If he had gone with you, it would have just added fuel to Emma's fire."
"That's what I thought. I just can't believe her…" I tell her.
"I know sweetie, but I can see where she's coming from, but I can also see where you're coming from. You know what I think?"
"What?" I'm curious to see what theory she has now.
"I think that the both of you are afraid of the change that's going on around you. Phoebe was telling me the other day that she thinks Emma hasn't quite gotten over the hill of acceptance that Darcy is leaving in the fall. I know you haven't either, but he still is her brother. I know he's your boyfriend-"She starts to explain to me what I already know, so I interrupt her with what nobody seems to remember.
"I feel like everyone forgets that even before Darcy was my boyfriend, he was a huge part of my life, mom. No one remembers that! It's what frustrates me the most."
"I know sweetie, but you have to think about what Emma is going through. It's the same thing you are, except her boyfriend and her brother are both leaving… just think about it, okay?" She tells me before leaving again. I feel bad about yelling at her but what she said is unforgivable.
As I sit on the roof, I start thinking about book club and The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and how they are always there for each other when something bad happens… even if it's a fight within the sisterhood. That gives me an idea. I'll call one of the other girls, just so I'm not alone. I pull out my phone and text Darcy first.
ME: Hey, how's it going over there?
After a few long minutes, my phone beeps.
DARCY: Hey… not great, she's still pretty angry. Cassidy is here and I think she's called Stewart a few times. Sloane might take her to the rink to cool down. Are you okay?
ME: I'm fine. Is she still going to the Chadwick's for dinner?
After I answer Darcy, I then text Megan.
ME: Are you home?
I go back inside and walk downstairs. My mom is washing dishes in the kitchen.
"Is everything okay, sweetie?"
"No. Emma super angry, I'm frustrated and she's still being a hypocrite." I tell her, my tone cool and angry, an unintentional action on my part.
"Jess, honey. I know you're angry, but it's not necessary for you to talk to me that way." My mom tells me, before turning back to the dishes. As she does, my phone beeps again.
MEGAN: Yeah. I heard about what happened with Emma. Do you need someone to talk to? I can be there in ten minutes.
ME: Actually… Yeah. I'll be in the barn.
MEGAN: Okay. Be there soon!
I leave the house and head out to the barn. When I get there I by pass the animals and head right upstairs to our hangout. I haven't been out here in a while. It's usually where we go when we're having a dilemma as a group… not within.
"Jess?" a voice calls from below.
"Where is she?" asks another, this one with a southern flair.
"She's probably upstairs." Explains the first voice, Megan's, I've realized.
"I am!" I call down to them and then wait for them to ascend the ladder. As Megan reaches the top, her eyes grow in size as they land on me. I probably look like a mess.
"What happened?" She asks as she and Savannah sit next to me.
I take a deep breath before recounting the tale of my morning.
"So this all happened because you're both jealous of each other's boyfriends, basically?" Savannah tries to clarify.
"No… I mean- yes, but not really. We're both angry because we haven't hung out because of our boyfriends." I explain.
"Well, if you're conscious of it, why does it keep happening?" Megan questions. I sigh again. Before I can answer, my phone beeps again.
DARCY: She's at the rink with Sloane now. Pretty sure Cassidy is trying to get her to go. I hope she does, get her out of the house and her mind off everything. Plus Mrs. Chadwick would be wicked angry if she didn't go. I'll let you know when I find out. Everything okay with you? We still good for movie night if everything goes according to plan?
ME: I guess it's all okay. Megan and Savannah are here now. I'll be fine. If everyone goes out, we can do something. I just really don't want to see Emma for a little.
"Darcy?" Megan asks, drifting from her last question.
"Yeah. Emma was still super angry and Stewart couldn't calm her down so Cassidy took Emma to the rink. She's supposed to go to the Chadwick's for dinner and Mr. and Mrs. Hawthorne were going to go out to dinner so Darcy thought we could have a movie night. If no one goes out though, I'm not going over there. I can't see Emma right now." I explain. Savannah looks at me with confusion.
"Wait, didn't she yell at Darcy for automatically trying to calm you down?"
"Yeah… which I guess she is right. It's just that he was walking up the stairs to find out what was happening and I was running down. It just kinda happened."
"Call him. Emma's not even at home right now. Darcy could leave and come see you. Cassidy can let him know that they're heading back and he could be home and Emma would never know." Megan suggests, laying out what seems to be a fool- proof plan.
"I don't know…"
"You need him right now, Jess… there's only so much Megan and I can do for you right now, and you know that. Call Darcy." Savannah says. She is right. I do need Darcy.
"Okay." I say, pulling my phone out again. I hit tap Darcy's name in my favorites list, where it sits under Emma's name.
"Jessie? What's going on? Is everything okay?" Darcy answers and automatically begins to question me. I nod to Savannah and Megan to head downstairs, mouthing to them that there are cookies in the kitchen.
"Jess, hon… Talk to me." Darcy says, bringing me back to the phone glued to my ear. Hearing him sound to concerned, I break.
"Darce… can you-" I stop, hesitating to risk Emma's anger.
"Can I what Jess? What do you need me to do?"
"I- I just need you, Darcy- I know it'll probably just fuel Emma's anger-" Darcy stops me.
"I'll be there in five." He tells me before hanging up.
Megan and Savannah come back up with a handful of cookies for me, before we hear the sound of the gravel of the farm's drive flying up underneath the tires of Darcy's pick up. They head back downstairs, telling me they'll let Darcy know where I am. I can hear them talking to each other outside the barn.
"How is she?" Darcy asks. "How is she really?"
"A mess… Her and Emma haven't had a fight like this since we were in tenth grade." Megan tells him, a concerned tone lacing her voice. "I'm actually really worried this time…"
"Me too, Megs, me too." He agrees with her in a soft tone. That's the tone he uses when he's wicked worried. "I'll try and figure out what's going on.. For real. Just hold in there, okay? Be there for both of them and don't pick sides."
"Okay, she's upstairs in the barn. We'd stay but I have to take Savannah back to Colonial before I go to P&P, so we'll see you later Darcy." Megan tells him after a few moments to let his advice set in.
My eyes start to water once more as I hear Megan's car leave and Darcy's heavy and comforting footsteps travel through the barn and up the ladder. His eyes widen and then soften when he sees me.
"Jess…" He whispers. "Why did you keep telling me you were alright?"
"I didn't want you to get dragged into everything… Emma is just so angry…" I whisper. "Darce… does- does she… Does she hate me?"
Darcy shakes his head, walks over to the couch and sits down. As he pulls me to hold me against his chest, he speaks. "Emma could never hate you Jess, that would be crazy."
"Then what is going on? This is so confusing…"
"I know, I know… but I think it's going to be something you're just going to have to let play out. I know that sucks, but I don't know what else to tell you." Darcy explains.
"Can I ask you something?" I ask softly into his shoulder. "With out you patronizing me? Or coddling me?"
"Okay…" He seems hesitant, but I ask anyway.
"Is she right?"
"What do you mean?" Darcy sounds confused, and I don't really know how to explain.
"Do you, do you think she's right?" He still looks confused. "That I prioritize you over her?"
Darcy is quiet for a long time. He just rests his chin on the top of my head. He does this a lot. Next he'll close his eyes, stay silent a little longer but he'll open and close his mouth as thought he's going to say something but decides better of it. Next he'll hum a low note for a single beat and rub his hand up and down my upper arm, to comfort me. Then he'll finally speak.
"You know I'd never want you to put me before Emma, right?" This threw me for a loop, I really didn't expect that.
"Of course not… what made you say that?"
"You're both right." Darcy pauses, and I lift my head and throw him a glare before replacing my head on his shoulder. "You're also both wrong. The next few months are going to be hard, Jessie. On all of us. You, Me, Emma, Stewart, the whole book club, honestly. Everything is changing, I know you know that. I just think you, both you and Emma; keep forgetting that the other know exactly what you're going through. Stewart and I are both leaving." He emphasizes "both" to get his point across. "In the fall, the girls are the ones who are going to be there when I can't… You can't shut any of them out now… Especially not Emma."
"I know… I just- ugh! She's just been making so angry! It's all so ridiculous!" I start to vent once again, before Darcy once again rests his chin on my head, pulling me toward him so my head lies on his shoulder.
"I know… Just hang in there, alright? It's all going to work out."
"How do you know that?" I whisper, still really unsure. Darcy just chuckles softly, I revel in the soothing comfort of the rumble it brings to his chest.
"I just do Jessie… It always works out for you and the girls. It just does, and I just know."
Okay, so that's that... Really do hope you all liked it. I've actually been pretty nervous about this chapter. Not really about having Jess and Emma fight, but about making Jess seem so... needy, I guess is the word I'm looking for. I just feel like fighting with the one person who is supposed to always be there would really mess with her, you know? I also hope that the random friendship "alliances" of Cassidy and Emma and Megan and Jess weren't too awkward... I really want the different friendships to be interchangeable. For me, this chapter was just a way to begin to address the changes and difficulties that will be coming for the girls as Darcy and Stewart move towards college.
Again,
Love, Love, Love,
MiggieMoo2014