Waiting For Love (Love In Montana Book 2)

The reception party was a huge hit. Julia and Jeff danced so gracefully and in such perfect synchronization that Ember too longed to be able dance so romantically with Rex. If only he knew how much she loved him! Jamie pulled her into his arms for a close dance. Ember felt uncomfortable and she extricated herself from his hold but he pulled her back. With everyone busy with their own enjoyment, no one noticed her plight.

"Jamie, leave me alone please," said Ember. "I'm not feeling comfortable dancing with you, " Jamie left her and went to sulk somewhere. Ember understood his need to have someone to love him. She knew that he might be lonely but she was not that someone. She couldn't be when she loved someone else. He needed someone who would really love him as he was. 

The whole evening, she didn't see him. She felt guilty for refusing him a dance but it was better that way. She didn't want to encourage him and give him hope for a relationship that could never work. 

The reception party ended and Jeff whisked his wife away while the rest of them returned home. The next day, the guests left and everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Life became normal again. Jazz and Josh eagerly planned for their booze party and also for their parents anniversary party. Although Ember wasn't interested in the drinks party, yet she was forced to plan along with them. 

The day of the party, her uncle and aunt left early to go to spend the weekend with aunt Frieda's parents. By late afternoon, all Jazz and Josh's friends came over. Ember escaped to her room. She wasn't much of a a party person and had led a sheltered life at Fordsville. She could hear the shouting and the boisterous guys laughing, joking and drinking. She didn't have any wish to go and join them but she couldn't stay locked in her room forever. It was dinnertime and she felt hungry. Her stomach started grumbling and she couldn't stay inside any longer. Unlocking her door, she peeped outside. No one was there. She could rush into the kitchen and quickly grab something to eat. However as luck would have it, Jazz caught her midway.

"Ember, hey, why are you hiding? C'mon, it's a party to enjoy. After you go back you'll never see such a party in that village of yours," yelled Jazz, obviously too intoxicated to talk in a normal pitch. He pulled Ember along with him, not listening to her protests. Josh too looked like he would drop off unconscious any minute just like all his friends. One of the girls caught her and offered her a drink. 

"No, I don't drink, " she protested. They made fun of her. Jamie stood watching her, not saying a word. It was strange how he could watch if he really loved her. The girls forced her to taste and before she knew it, she was excessively drunk just like them. Her head felt light and she giggled and danced just like them. Jamie just stood where he was and watched her the whole night. Finally, Ember's head reeled and she just couldn't stand upright any longer. She staggered towards her room but her legs gave out and she started to fall. 

Miraculously she was caught by two strong arms and picked up bridal style before she could hit the ground. Looking up, she found herself looking into the darkened eyes of Jamie before she lost complete consciousness. 

With her head throbbing, Ember slowly opened her eyes and squinted. Where was she? It didn't look like her room at aunt Frieda's house? It looked like a man's room. Her eyes widened at the implication. It was then that realization struck that she was completely naked beneath the bedsheet that covered her. Who took off her clothes? Panicked, she looked beside her and to her horror, saw Jamie lying sprawled in a similar state as her, with no clothes on. So didbye force himself upon her? Had he touched her in her drunken state? Horrified, she swung her legs down the bed but winced at the pain that she could feel between her legs. So he did force himself upon her in her inebriated state. He brought her to his room taking advantage of her state. 

Tears stung at her eyes at the realization. She couldn't stay here any longer. She got up and limped to the heap of clothes lying on the floor. She wore her clothes as tears fell from her eyes. Her first wish was to end her wretched life but the distraught faces of her grandparents soon drove that thought away. No she would return home to them. She repented not having listened to their warnings. How could she bring this upon herself? How could she drink and allow this to happen? She should never have come to Chicago. Granny was right. This was a bad idea. Slowly and determinedly, Ember limped out of his room towards hers. It was 5 o'clock in the morning and everyone were still asleep. She dumped all her stuff into her suitcase as tears fell from her eyes. She booked the first available flight to Great Falls, Montana. Feeling abused and dirty, she scrubbed herself and showered and showered but couldn't erase his dirty touch from her body. How could he to this to her?

Unknown to everyone, she slipped out of the house with her suitcase and the bag of her childhood memories that she had brought from her old house. She hailed a cab and left for the airport. Hot tears pricked at her eyes but she just choked them away, she couldn't cry in front of everyone. A sense of worthlessness, of having failed her grandparents came over Ember. If only she had listened to her grandparents. It was around lunchtime when the cab stopped in front of her home in Fordsville. She paid the cab driver and unloaded her luggage. Pulling them along, she pressed the doorbell of her home when the tears started pouring out of her eyes and down her cheeks. 

Granny Stacey opened the door and stood shocked seeing her in such a state at her doorstep. "Ember?" She gasped when she came to her senses. Her grand dad too came out and saw her state. He took the luggage from her hands and granny helper her inside the house. She closed the door and hugged Ember to her bosom as she broke down completely. 

"Hush, child, tell granny what happened?" She said gently. 

"I've failed you, granny. I'm become dirty and worthless. You won't love me anymore if I told you," she sobbed brokenly. 

"No dear, nothing will lessen my love for you. Tell me," said granny, worried and at her wits end, not knowing what to think anymore. She told granny everything  about Jamie. Granny listened intently not asking a single question. After listening to everything, she gently calmed her. 

"You're not worthless dear. This wasn't your fault at all. So don't think low of yourself. You have nothing to feel guilty about. You need to rest. Come with me," said granny. Ember wouldn't eat anything, so granny put her to bed with a sedative. Soon Ember fell asleep and granny came downstairs to talk to her husband.

"That boy should be arrested on charges of r*pe. I knew it the moment I saw him," said Zoe Fischer. 

"I want to talk to Freida first. Ember was too drunk to know what happened, " said granny Stacey. 

"Whatever but we should file an FIR," said her husband. They decided to call Frieda and inform her. 

After five rings, Frieda accepted the call. "Hello?" She asked in a broken voice as if she'd been crying. 

"Stacey Fischer speaking. I called to tell you that Ember reached home a few minutes back," she informed her in a solemn tone. Aunt Frieda broke down into uncontrollable sobs. Her husband took the phone from her hands. 

"Thank goodness she's safe. We were worried sick about her. Please Mrs Fischer, it was a drunken mishap. Both Jamie and Ember were too intoxicated to know what happened between them. Please don't press charges, I beg of you," pleaded Ember's uncle. 

"Of course I will. That boy has r*ped by grand daughter and you'll are shielding him? It's really a shame. I was against this trip but at your insistence I sent Ember. How could you be do callous to allow hooligans to have a drunken party at home? Not only that how could they force Ember to drink? I can't let this go so lightly. That Jamie should be taught  lesson," said granny with conviction. 

"I beg of you Mrs. Fischer, we're already going through a lot. Please don't involve the police now, " said Ember's uncle.

"What are you going through? It's Ember who's going through a lot. She's in a state of shock. She's traumatized for life, " said granny angrily.