EMILY

It was fifteen years later when I came back home after I got pregnant and my father drove me away. He was so angry for I could never tell who the father is.

I walked through the dark forest to have a shortcut towards my house. There were creepy movements on the bushes and chirping sounds of the crickets. And the wind was howling and I realized that a storm was coming. I walked faster and faster carrying my two luggage. Suddenly, the lightning strikes, the growling thunder claps, and then the rain started to pour down on me. I began to ran as fast as I could and then I saw a smoke coming from the chimney and I thought my house couldn't be far enough. I could already hear distinct voices from the distance and soon I saw them driving the horses to the stables and my old lady shouted at them to hurry and come inside the house. At first I was hesitant to knock on the door as I saw my old pal through the window puffing his pipe and drinking his whiskey with two other men. I could still remember how he beat me up like a wild boar and stoned me away from them while my mother was crying, watching at me helplessly, trying to stop him, but there was nothing she could do.

I was soaking wet when I knocked on the door twice and mother hurriedly opened the door. She stood there about half a minute, not knowing what to say. She was stunned and surprised and she almost burst into tears. I had my arms wide open and embraced her tightly. She took me into the kitchen and told my father that his daughter was home, her Emily was home. He turned around to look at me and his arrogant face and proud heart were there no longer. There were only tears and then, I was home again.

I was back on riding horses with my father, Joe and Ray. And during dinner I told them my stories, my life in the city and how my little girl had grown. I told them I will bring her here soon after school.

One morning, my father had an early visitors and the lady asked him who I was and my papa called me from the kitchen. He introduced me to John, to his wife Maria, and to his friend Gayle. We shook hands but except John who hardly looked at me. Papa said they were his often visitors because they owe him a lot of money. My eyes were still kept on John, his features were so familiar to me and I thought I saw him from somewhere a long time ago. After that, I couldn't stop thinking and wondering who he was. I was so curios about him.

Weeks later, only John this time often came to our house and brought more whiskey and flowers for me. There was something about this man. His voice was fairly familiar and then I remembered. I was trembling and could hardly breathe. I ran away from the house, went to the woods, crying, "I remember him. I knew that man, though it was only once that I saw him. Of course how could I forget that man...".

It was already dark when I started to walk back to the house when I saw a man lying on the ground. It was John, and he was very drunk. I put his arm around my neck and helped him walked towards the house and I realized how drunk my child's father was.