Page 5 of The Billionaire & the Virgin Chef
Emily
Nine Years Ago
Grams isdead.
I’m fourteen years old, Joy is only nine, and no one is left. We’re alone. Orphans in every sense of theword.
I prayed so hard for Grams to survive her fight against breast cancer. I begged God every night, promised I’d do anything, everything if He’d let herlive.
She diedanyway.
And Joy won’t stop crying. She cried herself to sleep at the neighbor’s house last night when we got the news from one of Grams’ friends. I cried too, but only after she was asleep. While her little body shook and shuddered, promise after promise spilled from my lips. That I’d always be here for her. I’d never leave her. That we’d have each other. That our entire family is now looking down on us, watching over us from heaven with theangels.
Even if I didn’t believe the words, I said it for her. Nothing cheered her up. The light in her eyes died and shows no sign of everreturning.
But we have our matching locketsnow.
Something to connect us to ourpast.
Something to keep usgoing.
* * *
Three days after Grams died,everythingchanges.
My heart sinks when he showsup.
Joy’s father. Momma’s ex-husband.
I didn’t get to know him well before they separated. He traveled a lot for work, but when he was around, Momma was happy. He was kind too, and never mistreated me or looked at me any differently, considering I wasn’t his child. When he left, Momma said it was for the best. Joy was a year old at the time so she doesn’t know him atall.
He has a new wife and two younger children. A good career. A home. He tells Mrs. Billings and social services that Joy is better off living with him because she’s hisdaughter.
Theyagree.
To his credit, he makes the same case for me, stating that Momma wouldn’t want Joy and me to be split apart, which is the reason he allowed Grams to have custody of us both when Mommapassed.
The social services representative doesn’tagree.
Joy’s dad stays in town for three weeks fighting the system for me. But no one can put their life on hold forever for someone who isn’t blood while their entire family is in limbo almost three thousand miles away on the other side of thecountry.
He takes Joy and promises to keep fighting forme.
A month passes. Then six. I give up after a year. But I never give up on Joy. We exchange letters and emails and speak on the phone every chance weget.
* * *
Five Years Ago
Everything goessilent.
The day after Joy’s thirteenthbirthday.
Their phone numberchanges.
Joy’s letters stopcoming.
My emails are bouncedback.
