Chapter 9 - Return
Ezra took Emma to Melora's house and dropped her off after giving his card to Tilly. Once he was gone, Tilly took Emma to the living room to sit on the couch and hugged her as she cried.
"Tilly, I know he killed her. She wouldn't have gotten up on her own she was too weak. There was no reason for him to be home this morning, but he was the one who found her. I know he's lying, and I hope the police can prove it." Emma was sad, but she felt angry more than anything else.
"I'm so sorry, Emma. I hope they get him this time too." Tilly stroked her hair as she cried. She felt so bad that Emma's mother had suffered most of her life because of that man, and it resulted in her death. She silently promised Paula that she would look after her daughter in her absence.
Emma was scared that if they didn't arrest Martin, she would have to go back to that house. If they did force her to go, he wouldn't be laying one finger on her. Every time he hit her, she would call the police. Emma knew the more complaints she made, the better chance she had to leave his house for good.
"Ezra said he will do everything they can to prove that Martin is responsible. If they don't arrest him, I may have to return to his house because he's my legal guardian." Tilly couldn't believe the police would make Emma go back there. That would be heartbreaking for her to live in the house where her mother was abused and possibly killed.
"Even if that happens, you can stay here as often as you want, Emma."
"Thank you, Tilly."
A little over a week after Paula's death, the coroner released her body so they could have a funeral. Emma didn't want Martin involved, but he was her husband, so he made all the arrangements.
Martin told the funeral home that Paula wanted to be cremated. Emma screamed and yelled that it wasn't true, but no one would listen to her.
Martin smirked at her the entire time through the memorial service. Martin, Emma, Leo, Melora, and Melora's parents were the only ones there. After the service, Emma left with Melora and felt the tension in her body leave. She didn't like being anywhere near Martin and Leo.
Martin watched Emma leave and smiled to himself. He knew the investigation into Paula's death was still ongoing, but he didn't care. There was nothing to prove that he had killed her, so Emma would be forced to come back soon enough.
He wouldn't be able to treat her like he did her mother because Emma wouldn't hesitate to call the police. Martin planned on keeping his hands off her until she was eighteen; then, she would be his. He walked away from the funeral home, whistling as Leo followed him.
Leo didn't know why his dad was in such a good mood. Now that Paula and Emma were gone, they had no one to cook or clean for them. He was hoping Emma would be forced to return so she would have to take care of the house. Leo wasn't going to do it; he didn't care what his dad did or said.
As Leo had looked at Paula's casket, he felt nothing. She wasn't anything to him besides a cleaning woman and punching bag for his dad. Leo was glad she was finally gone, so he didn't have to hear her begging and crying anymore. He hoped his dad found someone new soon; the house was getting messy with just the two of them.
Paula was cremated soon after the memorial service, and the ashes were given to Emma. Martin said they belonged with her daughter.
Two months after Paula's death, the corner and police ruled her death as undetermined. They had no proof that Martin killed her, but because of the damage to her body, they couldn't prove he didn't either.
Ezra was waiting for Emma when she got home from school, and as soon as she saw his face, she knew it wasn't good. She and Melora slowly walked up to him.
"What is it, Ezra?" Emma asked, holding her breath.
"I'm sorry, Emma, but we couldn't determine the cause of your mother's death. She died as a result of her fall, but we can't tell if someone caused her to fall." Emma nodded; she had expected that.
"So does this mean you can't arrest Martin?" Emma asked, already knowing the answer.
"Yes, and he has requested that you return to his house. I know you don't want to, and we can try to fight it in court. You would need to describe the abuse he did to you." Emma thought about what he said but knew it wouldn't do any good. She had no faith in the legal system; they had let her down too many times.
"No, I'll go back. I've been preparing for this. I guarantee Martin won't hurt me like he did before or like he did with my mom. If he touches me, I'm calling you Ezra."
Ezra was shocked; he had thought she would cry and beg him to let her stay where she was. That somehow made him feel worse because he could tell she had already expected them to fail her.
Emma went into the house and told Melora's family she had to leave. After packing her belongings, including her mother's ashes, she hugged them all and went out to Ezra. She didn't want to go back, but she knew she was stronger than her mother.
When they arrived at Martin's house, he was waiting on the porch for her with a big phony smile. Emma glared at him as she got her suitcases with Ezra's help.
"Welcome home, Emma. We've missed you." Martin was trying to lay it on thick for Emma's and the officer's benefit. He planned on being on his best behavior, so they would think he had changed.
"I didn't miss you, and I wouldn't be here if I didn't have to be. If you lay one finger on me, I promise you it will be the last. I'm not my mother, and I'm not going to lie down and take it." Martin felt like yanking her into the house and showing her that she would take it, but he calmed himself down. He had to bide his time.
"I don't know what you're talking about, Emma. I would never hurt you." Emma looked at him like he had two heads. She knew he was acting, and she didn't trust him. He was up to something, but she didn't know what.
"Mr. Edwards, Emma is being returned to your care. We will do random wellness checks on her, and she has my number to call anytime, day or night." Ezra was letting Martin hear the warning in his tone. Emma may be living with him now, but she wasn't going to be forgotten.
"No problem, officer, you can come by anytime you want. Emma, let's go inside; I ordered pizza for dinner." Emma hugged Ezra and then walked past Martin. She saw the pizza on the dining room table, but she ignored it as she made her way upstairs. Emma had no desire to eat with Martin or Leo.
Emma looked into her mother's room and saw that it had been completely cleaned out. She was sad and glad at the same time. She didn't want to be reminded of her mother's suffering, but she also wanted to remember her mom.
When she got to her room, she saw everything was how she had left it. Emma took a deep breath and walked in. After slamming the door behind her, she locked it. Almost immediately, she heard Martin knocking.
"Emma, come down and eat dinner with us. We ordered it just for you." Emma rolled her eyes but didn't open the door.
"I'm not hungry." She started unpacking her suitcases, but Martin wasn't giving up.
"Come on, Emma, please spend some time with us. We haven't seen you in months." Martin was getting mad, and it was taking everything he had not to bust down her door to drag her downstairs. If she continued to act this way, he didn't know how patient he could be.
"Leave me alone. I don't want to eat with you or your son." Emma was doing her best to goad him. If he even threatened her, she was calling the police so she could go back to Melora's. To her surprise, he didn't react as she expected.
"Fine, I'll leave the leftovers in the refrigerator for you." Martin walked away before he did something he regretted. She would change her tune soon enough; he just had to wait her out.