Emily was just as beautiful as he remembered, standing in front of the bedroom mirror, her hair pulled up despite being extremely improper for a girl her age. Two other young women were on the bed besides her giggling. She looked so happy. She was wearing her favorite blue dress with the white lace. Nicholas had to work overtime for a month to afford that dress for her, putting in twenty hour days and coming home to grab a quick bite and some sleep before running right back out to work again, but he thought it worth it, when she pulled the cover off the box and her eyes lit up, "Oh Nick, it is beautiful! Absolutely wonderful!" That hug, the tears rolling down her face. If only, he could go back to that day. If only he could freeze time right there, then maybe, just maybe what happened next wouldn't have happened.
Nicholas awoke in another cold sweat. He could still remember that horrible day; still see Emily's lifeless body lying on the cold metal slab. "It can’t be. It can't be!" he could remember calling out as he cried over her, helpless as the coroner closed the bag. Nicholas pushed himself from the bed placing bare feet on cold wooden floor. His memory still fixed on his loss, time moved again, and he was with the detective investigating her death. "Tell me; please tell me again what happen to her?" Then, as always in this dream, he was sitting behind the hard oak desk sipping coffee from shaking hands, his eyes still stinging from the tears. "And then she was gone. She never survived giving birth." He replayed the officer's voice over and over in his mind, "and then she was gone. She never survived giving birth." "THEN WHERE IS THE BABY! You're supposed to be detectives right? PROFESSIONALS at tracking down bad guys? So how can you not find the person who took EMILY'S CHILD!?" He slammed his fist into the desk over and over until he had fractured two fingers and dropped to the floor. "Emily. I failed. I promised to look out for you and I failed. But I will find your child. I owe you that much." Nicholas dragged his stiff, sleepless body to the kitchen and poured himself coffee black as his feeling and just as bitter.
***
Nearly two years earlier, Emily awoke in her brightly light room. It was early March and cold, and the fire was burning across the room. Meaning Nicholas must have already been up. Giggly and ready to surprise her big brother, Emily crept to the door and listened for him. She just needed the right moment to pop out give him a good scare. She could hear foot steps outside her door. Since she and her brother lived alone with only two house maids, she grabbed the handle, and trying to contain her laughter threw the door open yelling “BOO!" To her surprise, a young woman in a dress much nicer than half of the things owned by Emily was laying down in fright, hand blocking face as if she was truly in danger. The young woman turned and saw Nicholas as he dropped the platter in his hand and ran to the girl on the floor. "Emily! What are you doing trying to do? Give Ms. Robertson a heart attack?" "I... I'm sorry, I thought it was you." He just looked up at his sister, who quickly slid back into her room and slammed the door behind her. She could hear her brother helping the woman up. "I'm so sorry. That's She's not usually like that. She's a very nice girl when you get to meet her..." the rest trailed off as they walked from the room. Emily slide down the door red faced and embarrassed. She sat like that for a while, not sure if she could return out there and face the embarrassment. It only made it worse when she looked down and remembered she was still in her nightgown.
Ms. Robertson stuck around until lunch meaning Emily couldn't avoid meeting her. She dressed in her best and thought about putting her hair up, had her brother told Ms. Robertson that she was only fifteen, she could pass for a year older could she not?" She wrapped her hair in a bun and tried to look grown up in front of her mirror. Emily had been living so long with just her and her brother that looking older had never bothered her before. Her brother didn't care how she looked and wouldn't mind if she spent all day running around in her nighty. Before she could decide however there was a knock at the door and Nicholas walked in eyes covered as he shut the door behind him, " you are decent aren't you not?" he asked waiting for her answer before uncovering his eyes, " You are aware you have us all waiting out there for you do you not?" “I know” she sighed,” I just can’t decide on whether I want to put my hair up or keep it down?" She moaned. Nicholas chuckled, “since when have you been so worried about what your appearance?" He picked up her brush from the bureau “sit." he gestured and began brushed her hair out for her. “Since," she began, “I woke to a strange woman in my house dressed better than I am." “Annette Robertson is no strange woman. You know very well I've been calling on her close to a year now" “Yes, well you have never taken her home before. I'd like my hair pinned up if you don't mind." He sighed shaking his head, “You’ll wear it down as costumed for a young woman your age." “A young woman mind you, I'm almost sixteen," “You turned fifteen two days ago." “Fifteen is the new twenty" " Well then Ms. All grown up, you can put your hair up next spring when you’re her maid of honor," “No way! Shut Up!" “Emily!" His eyes grew big at her disrespect and shock, “You. You pro...proposed!" “Emily she could hear us." He scorned in a harsh whisper. “And no... at least not yet. I...I wanted your blessing first," Mumbling the last part. He pulled out a small box from his pocket containing the ring, “so what do you think?"
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Emily couldn't answer. The engagement came as a surprise to her. Yes, she should have seen it coming. Nicholas was an adult male; he was very attractive with his brown hair and green eyes. He was tall, well built, easy to get along with, a sharp dresser, and smart, so yes, she should have known he'd make someone a wife, but not know, not like this. “I think... I think you’re too young to marry and should break up with her." Nicholas's smile faded, “break up with her" he whispered to himself. His eyes grew big as he stared at his sister, " But I love her doesn't that mean anything to you?" Not knowing what else to do Emily threw a hissy fit, stomping her feet , and flailing her arms, she demanded he leave her room that instant and slam the door behind him hard enough to rattle the frame.
Ms. Robertson was waiting for him concerned at the table. He still held the box in his hand not yet having time to put it in his pocket. “I take it your sister's not joining us?" she asked. Nicholas sighed, " No, I don’t think so" She reached over and touched his hand upon seeing his dejected look plastered on his face, as the maid brought over fresh napkins and removed Emily's plate from the table, " Nick, honey, tell me what happened maybe I can help." rubbing his hand. “She...she doesn't thing we should marry." he sighed, " even went as far as saying I should break it up with you." He heard the maid drop a dish in the kitchen. “You’re not going let her make your decisions are you?" Ms. Robertson asked, " no of course not, but I do think we should slow down a bit, just until..." “Slow down a bit? Nicholas Miguel just yesterday we talked of marriage and starting a family, my father and mother can’t wait to meet you know you talk about slowing down? And why because some spoiled rotten CHILD wants you too?" “Annette you have to understand, Emily is all I have, she’s the only thing that matters to me, and..." “So I don't matter to you? What we have here does not matter to you? Why I have a good mind to go right on in there and..." “She pulled out her seat and he jumped up, “you will do no such thing." “What give that child a piece of my mind?" She slide her chair back against the table got up and headed to Emily's room and raised her hand to knock when Nicholas caught her, “I’ll talk to her later, we have a nice meal laid out let’s not ruin it over this." “Nicholas Miguel, you walk in there right now and tell your sister we will marry whether she likes it or not or I will walk out that door and you will never hear from me again." She walked out the door with no intention of him ever seeing her again.
Things returned to normal in the Miguel family, and Nicholas didn’t attempt to date again, at least for a couple of months. Then as a young woman from the college caught his fancy he began courting once more, this time however, keeping it secret from his sister. Although he attempted to hide his relationships from her, Emily found out about the secret romances from friends and neighbors. She soon realized like it or not her brother was going to get married. This frightened her, as she just knew this would mean the end of their happy life together. As many of the relationships didn’t work out, and Emily found herself getting hopeful, she soon found that Annette Robertson had returned, So much for him never having seen her again. They had made up and where going to try again. This was when the trouble all began; Emily was certain her life of happy bliss was going to come to an end. She would not sit here and let herself get slowly replaced by Nicholas's wife. She would runaway go off on her own and make her own life. After all Nicholas did it didn't he how hard could it be?
The next morning, when Nicholas was away at work, Emily runs away. With Nick having always protected her from the harsh city slums in the past, Emily soon wondered into the worst areas. Alone and afraid, she accepts the help of a scruffy looking stranger who promises her a bed for the night. Emily was raped and abounded in the street the following night. Lost, afraid and to ashamed to return home Emily decides to try to make this living work. A few months went by and she discovers she’s pregnant. A kind old woman takes pity on the young girl and offers her everything she has but Emily dies in child birth.