Emma's Secret: A Novel

Peter’s knee bumped into hers. She peered at him beneath her lashes, expecting to see something other than the compassionate look he gave her.
    “No, Meg, you’re the best mother I know. We just have a very sensitive daughter who is feeling neglected. And we’re both at fault. I think we assumed that our family would be completely healed with Emma being home. And that hasn’t exactly happened yet.”
    No, they weren’t healing the way they should be. Megan knew that. Maybe it was because she thought it would happen in time and was too focused on helping Emma. That was her fault. The family wasn’t on the top of her priority list, and that was where she was failing as a parent.
    “You ever feel like no matter how much you try, no matter how much you change, it’s never going to be enough?” She cleared her throat and wiped away the tears that trickled down her face.
    Peter wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close.
    “All the time.” He leaned his head against hers. “Maybe it’s because we’re both trying to do it on our own instead of together.”
    That was the problem. They weren’t together in this. Instead of standing beside her and dealing with the attitude she was getting from Alexis, he stood there and watched, and then blamed her for not caring enough to actually deal with the issues. She wasn’t blind.She saw how angry her daughter was, how hurt she felt. She was just at a loss on how to handle it anymore. Nothing she did was good enough.
    But instead of telling Peter this, Megan kept quiet. Just one more battle she wasn’t ready to face. One more battle she wasn’t ready to lose.
    Maybe, if she left it alone and gave it more time, the issue between them would heal itself. Wishful thinking, but right now, that was all she had enough strength for.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
    M egan rushed around the house, cleaning an already spotless kitchen, entranceway, and family room. When Sherri arrived, they sat outside on the back deck and let the kids play.
    There was an awkward silence as the two women sat at the patio table. Hannah and Alexis were at friends’ houses, and the women’s eyes were on Emma and Marie, who played with Daisy on the grass. The peals of laughter coming from both girls filled the backyard. Megan wished she could bottle and keep that sound forever.
    She caught the sidelong glances Sherri gave her, but she wasn’t ready to start the conversation. Megan crossed her legs and rubbed her fingers. She was thankful that the woman was waiting for her to be ready, except Megan wasn’t sure she ever would be.
    “Your daughter is beautiful.” Megan finally broke the silence.
    Sherri nodded. “Thank you. She’s a real treasure.”
    Megan poured fresh iced tea into their glasses. Her hands shook. Here was the one person who could answer the multitude of questions she had, so why couldn’t she think of even one?
    “I’m sure you have so many questions to ask and you’re not sure where to start.” Sherri raised her glass and took a sip.
    The compassion in her eyes was almost Megan’s undoing. She gazed out at the girls and watched how they played.
    Megan cleared her throat a few times and then rubbed at the base of her neck. She asked the one question that meant more than the world to her: “You mentioned at the beach that Emma was quiet…”
    Sherri’s shoulders relaxed as a smile crossed her face. “Very, but every time I saw her, there was a smile on her face.”
    Megan cocked her head. “But how quiet? Did she talk much or was she just shy?”
    When Sherri pursed her lips, there was a tightening in Megan’s heart. This was it. This was the bad news she’d anticipated. This was the nightmare she didn’t want to know but needed to hear—that Emma hadn’t been fine during those two years when she had been kidnapped.
    “She was lonely. I try to stay tuned to children’s moods. Emma always had a smile on her face and a light in her eyes, but you could tell she was sad. I thought it was her lack of friends, so I would ask Dorothy all the time if Emma could come over and play. But now…now, when I look back, I know she was missing you. I wish—we didn’t move in until last summer—but I wish I had realized sooner what had happened.” Sherri reached out and covered Megan’s hands. “I’m so sorry.”
    Megan shook her head. “Don’t apologize. Please. You were the one who made it possible for Emma to come home to us. And you gave her a friend. Please don’t