Today Emma and  Craig were having a picnic with Ava and Kelsie, at Beacon Hill Park. Chris had been unable to make it because he had to work. They had been spending a lot of time with the pair. Only at night did it seem that Craig and Emma found the time to spend alone. Craig said he was wanted to share this time with her letting her to get to know his daughter. However, all Emma could think of, “Does Chris feel the same way when he’s around them?”

Emma sat on the blanket, as she watched Kelsie and Craig sitting, playing with their daughter. She began to feel a little out of place, as if she didn’t belong in this world of theirs.  They looked like a real family the way they were acting, and Emma felt like she was imposing on it. She kind of felt that way only a few days into her visit here, she had allowed everything that Manny had said, and other things that had happened at home get to her, to make her believe that she didn’t belong here. Or maybe it was her way of trying to walk away from something she knew felt right; she didn’t know anymore, or at least wouldn’t admit to knowing.

Emma just put a fake smile on her face, and sat there pretending to be happy around them. She didn’t want to ruin their day by starting something that may end in an argument in front of his child, or even in the middle of the park where everyone would be watching.

“Em, are you alright?” Craig asked, knowing that she had a fake smile on her face. He wondered what was bugging her. The last few days she hadn’t been herself, but he hadn’t brought it up in hopes that it was all in his imagination.

“Yeah, I’m fine…I was just thinking,” she lied partly. She had been thinking, but she wasn’t about to admit to what. Why did life have to be so hard, why had it never been good to her? When she thought things were good, she would soon be brought back into reality where nothing ever went right for her.

Craig decided that he would ask her about it later, and went back to playing with Ava, but not before glancing over at her in the corner of his eye one more time. He really didn’t like seeing her like this, it broke his heart.

Kelsie noticed the look on Emma’s face, and knew that they needed to work out whatever the matter was. So she quickly found some sort of excuse to leave. She looked at her watch, “It’s getting late, and it’s almost Ava’s nap time. I think we should get going.”

“Alright,” taking Ava into his arms, “Bye sweetheart, I love you,” he said kissing her on the top of her head before handing her over to her mother.

“Well I’ll see you two later…bye,” Kelsie said right before walking down the path to her car.

Emma and Craig packed everything into their bag, and headed back to the car, both not saying a word to each other. Every time Craig went to talk, he stopped himself, thinking that wasn’t the right thing for him to say.

******

Kelsie walked through her front door only to be greeted by Chris, “How are my two girls?” he smiled, relieving Kelsie of Ava.

Smiling back, “Good.”

“How was the picnic?” wishing that he could have made it. He hated working as much as he did but working now meant he wouldn’t have to work as much when school started back up.

“It was fine, but I have this feeling the Emma doesn’t really like me too much,” she said sitting down on the couch in the living room, looking a little down.

“Why would you say that?” it wasn’t as if she was after her man or anything, he thought.

“Well she just didn’t look happy to be with us today. She basically just sat there, not saying a thing to me. I mean she was never like this before it just began today. I mean what did I do wrong?” Kelsie hadn’t shown any reason that she was still interested in Craig, so why was she being like this?

“Maybe she had a fight with Craig or something,” he suggested, in hopes that it would lighten up her spirit.

“Maybe,” changing the subject, “…so how was your day?”

“Good, I wish I was able to enjoy this lovely weather today with you two though,” embracing her in his arms, kissing her on the top of her head.

“Yeah, well I forgot to put on some lotion, so now I think I’m a little burnt.”

“Yeah, now that I think of it you do look a little red. Why don’t you stay here and I’ll go get you some Aloe Vera lotion,” getting up, heading towards the kitchen.

“Okay doctor,” she laughed. He was always taking care of her; he just had that type of nurturing side to him; that’s why he as going to make such a great doctor.

******

Emma walked into Craig’s apartment with him following not far behind. She just walked over to the sliding glass door and opened it, walking right onto the deck, looking out at the city. She felt like crying, but no, she had to be strong. She had to do this, it wouldn’t be easy, but it would be better for both of them.

What was up, Craig thought, she wasn’t herself. He needed to find out why, “Em what’s wrong, talk to me,” he begged her as he walked out onto the deck too.

Turning around to face him, “What are we doing?”

Confused, “What do you mean?” Where was this coming from? He thought that they had a wonderful relationship. He thought that she felt the same way, especially since she arrived here.

Taking a deep breath, “I mean us, our relationship. Why are we together?”

Taking her hands, “Because we love each other. Because we want to be together forever.” Had she forgotten what they talked about when she got here? Why was she all of sudden doubting it again, didn’t she believe him, or was there something more?

“Are you sure about that?”

“Where’s this coming from?” wondering why she was questioning this.

“Well this last week, but especially today I’ve come to notice how much you, Kelsie and Ava look like a family, and how I don’t seem to fit in that,” tears began to roll down her face now she couldn’t control them any further.

“That’s not true; you will always fit in my life, because you’re my future.”

“No Manny’s right, you and Kelsie share this great bond because of Ava. It’s something that I can’t fight with,” she began to walk to the bedroom, and grabbed her suitcase from under the bed.

He grabbed her wrist, and turned her to face him, “Why are you letting her get to you, why won’t you listen to me?” frustrated that she didn’t seem to believe anything he was saying, as if he was lying.

“Because I guess even though I don’t want to believe it, I know she’s right.” She tore away form his grip, and began grabbing her clothes from the drawers.

“What are you doing?”

“I can’t stay here any longer when I know the truth. I can’t face being here any longer, watching you two. It won’t be too long before you two realize it too,” she cried.

Grabbing a hold of her arms, forcing her to look at him, “Em…don’t do this, we have something so great, I don’t want to lose you,” he was now crying himself. “Don’t you realize how much I love you?”

She didn’t have an answer for his question. Maybe she was just scared of it, maybe she was just trying to push him out of her life, or maybe there was something else she wasn’t telling him. He tried getting her to look him straight in the eyes, but she refused, she just continued to stare at the ground.

“Em, come with me,” he lead her into back into the living room, sat her down, and grabbed his guitar. “This is a song I wrote recently.”

I close my eyes,

And even when I'm sleeping

I'm alright,

'Cause You are in my life.

Once upon a time,

I only imagined this

And now You're mine.

Wished for you so hard.

Prayed that You'd find me;

Baby you're here today,

Here to remind me:

If you believe that dreams come true,

There's One that's waiting there for you.

'Cause I believed when I saw You

That when you want something enough,

That it can't escape Your love.

There is nothing in the world that cannot be...

If you believe, oh oh...

Everybody said

That I was a fool to think

That we could be; (Everybody said that...)

That I couldn't get my heart out of my head

But they just didn't see;

No, they just could not have

The feeling that You give,

The places that You go...

If you believe that dreams come true,

There's One that's waiting there for you.

'Cause I believed when I saw You

That when you want something enough,

That it can't escape Your love.

There is nothing in the world that cannot be...

If you believe.

Never wished for material things;

Never needed wind in my wings.

I never wished for anything but You...oh!

I can't explain it,

Someone just told me,

"Go where your heart is,

You'll never be lonely."

If you believe that dreams come true,

There's One that's waiting there for you.

'Cause I believed when I saw You

That (when you believe) when You want Someone enough,

Then they can't escape Your love.

There is nothing in the world that cannot be,

If you believe.

Believe, believe, believe, ooh...

Emma was so touched by this song, now she was more confused than ever. She didn’t know what to do. She loved him with all her heart, but did this song mean that he loved her unconditionally too, or was this song really for Kelsie without him knowing it?