CHAPTER 5
The school play was a big event,
and Lily was dressed as a tree,
wearing a brown shirt and green leaves.
Emily sat in the second row,
holding a camera in her hands,
and waiting for the curtain to rise.
Natalie sat right beside her,
eating a small bag of popcorn,
and whispering funny jokes.
The lights dimmed in the auditorium,
and the children walked on stage,
singing a song about the forest.
Lily looked happy and very bright,
waving at Emily from the stage,
and remembering all of her lines.
Suddenly the door in the back opened,
and a tall figure walked inside,
standing in the shadows of the room.
Emily felt a cold chill hit her neck,
turning her head to look back,
and she saw Daniel standing there.
He was not supposed to be there,
violating the clear safety order,
and his presence was a dark cloud.
He stared directly at Emily,
smirking his familiar cruel smirk,
and crossing his arms over his chest.
Emily felt her hands start to shake,
but she forced herself to breathe,
remembering what Dr Patel had said.
She stood up from her wooden seat,
walking toward the main aisle,
and found the school security guard.
She explained the situation quickly,
showing him the court document,
which she always carried in her purse.
The guard nodded his head firmly,
walking toward the back of the room,
and asking Daniel to step outside.
Daniel tried to argue with the man,
raising his voice in the quiet hall,
but the guard did not back down.
He escorted Daniel out the front doors,
warning him not to return again,
and locking the heavy glass doors.
Emily sat back down in her seat,
her heart beating very fast,
but she had handled it perfectly.
She had not fainted or cried,
taking action to protect her peace,
and keeping Lily completely safe.
When the play was finally over,
Lily ran into her mother's arms,
asking if she had done a good job.
Emily told her she was wonderful,
kissing her softly on the cheek,
and handing her a single red rose.
They drove home in Natalie's car,
stopping for ice cream on the way,
and celebrating the successful night.
Emily called Officer Brooks later,
reporting the incident at the school,
and providing the exact time.
Officer Brooks took the report,
saying Daniel would be dealt with,
and praising Emily for her swift action.
The court system was moving slowly,
but it was building a strong net,
and Daniel was tangling himself in it.
Aaron called her the next morning,
asking if she wanted to get coffee,
and Emily happily agreed to go.
They met at a small corner cafe,
drinking warm lattes by the window,
and talking for hours on end.
Aaron made her laugh very hard,
telling stories about his clumsy dog,
and his disastrous cooking skills.
He did not ask about her ex husband,
focusing entirely on her present life,
and treating her like a normal person.
Emily realized she felt very light,
enjoying the simple conversation,
and the warmth of his kind eyes.
She walked back home with a smile,
feeling the winter sun on her face,
and looking forward to the future.
Daniel was a ghost from the past,
trying to haunt her present life,
but she had learned how to banish him.
She was the author of her own story now,
May you like
writing new chapters every single day,
and leaving the darkness far behind.
