TURBULENT TIES

"Take a deep breath, my dear and hear us out," her mother said in a voice that was both calming and pleading.

"You would not be standing here, breathing air, if you were not the ones who bore me," Emily said, her tone filled with both command and contempt. "So I bid you depart, lest my patience wane, and you find yourself unceremoniously ejected."

"You cannot speak to us in such a manner," her father said, his voice stern.

"You deserve worse than this, so heed my words and depart," Emily shouted.

"It was for your own good," her mother started to explain, but Emily would have non of it.

"Oh, spare me your excuses!" She exclaimed, her voice dripping with scorn. "Good for who, exactly? The only person who stands to benefit from your meddling is you. I won't have you in my home a moment longer or should I say for the house you're paying for," she let out a bitter laugh, her eyes flashing with rage.

"Emily, my child," her father started to say but Emily would not hear it.

"I am not your child, nor do I want to be," she snapped. "You betrayed me, and I will never forgive you for it. You have no right to call me your daughter after what you've done. We are strangers, and nothing more." She spat the words at him, her eyes brimming with contempt.

"Emily please try to relax," Camilla implored, but her words fell on deaf ears.

"You're still our daughter no matter what," her mother said almost teary.

"Oh please, not even in your dreams," she said. "I begged and cried, but it was as if you couldn't hear me. You were deaf to my plea, especially you, Dad. I thought you were my rock, but you were my undoing. Now karma has come for you, and you deserve it."

Her mother looked as if she had been slapped, the words cutting her to the core. "Do not say that," she said through gritted teeth. "You're hurting us both with your cruel words.

"Just leave! I won't repeat myself again," she said in an angry tone.

"We're not going anywhere until you speak to us with some respect," her father said, his voice unwavering. "We traveled all this way to see you, and this is how you treat us?" "You have some nerve to tell us to leave,"

She shot back, her words dripping with scorn. "What could possibly have made you think I wanted to see you, let alone speak to you? Your presence is an insult, and I will not tolerate it any longer, just leave."

"Please, just go," Camilla begged Mr. and Mrs. Kevan, but they were unmoved.

"We're not leaving," her father said firmly, his eyes hard and his voice unyielding.

"Fine," Emily spat, snatching up her purse from the couch and storming towards the door. "If you're not going to leave, then I will. I won't stay here for a second longer. With that, she slammed the door behind her, the sound reverberating through the house.

"Emily!" Her mother cried out, collapsing into a chair and sobbing. "She hates us," her mother wept, as Mr. Kevan held her close, trying to soothe her.

"Please, Just go," Camilla said, her voice tired and defeated. "I'll do my best to talk to her and make things right. I'm sorry this happened. I never thought it would come to this."

"Thank you," Mr. Kevan said, his voice filled with resignation. "I think it's time for us to leave."

"But what about Emily?" His wife asked, her eyes wide with worry.

"The reason why we came is no longer here, then there's no point in us staying here."

"But..." She started, but he cut her off. "Please let's go. It's for the best."

"Don't worry, Mrs. Kevan," Camilla said, placing a gentle hand on her arm. "I promise I'll do everything I can, she just needs some time to sort through her feelings. I know this is hard, but trust me, it will be okay."

Mrs. Kevan nodded, her eyes still wet with tears, and her husband took her hand. With a final wave, they turned and left, the door closing softly behind them.

Camilla sank into the couch, the weight of the day suddenly hitting her like a ton of bricks. The lecture, the altercation, the stress of it all, had taken its toll. With a trembling hand, she reached for her phone and dialed Emily's number. On the first ring, the phone was picked up, and a familiar voice said, "Hello?"

"Emily, where are you?" Camilla asked, her voice urgent.

"I'm at your apartment," Emily replied. A wave of relief washed over Camilla, and she let out a long breath.

"Oh, right," she said, realising that they had exchanged spare keys a few months ago. "I'm on my way."

"Just lock the door behind you, please," Emily said, and then the line went dead. With a sigh of resignation, Camilla stood and gathered her belongings. She walked out the door, locking it behind her, and headed towards her own apartment.

As Camilla opened the door to her apartment, she found Emily sitting on the couch, her gaze unfocused and her body still. There was a sense of absence about her, as if her mind was somewhere else entirely.

Camilla set her things down on the coffee table and walked over to the couch, sitting down beside her.

"I cannot believe that the people I called 'parents' would do this to me," Emily said, her voice hoarse and heavy with emotion. "They were supposed to be the ones I could trust the most, and they betrayed me."

Camilla reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I know this is hard, but dwelling on the past won't help you heal," she said softly. "The damage is done, and there is no undoing it.

"I know you're right," Emily said, her voice resigned.

"That's why you should forgive them and move on, it's the best" Camilla advised.

"But it's easier said than done. How can I possibly forgive them after what they've done?"

Camilla paused, choosing her words carefully. "It's not about absolving them of their sins. It's about freeing yourself from the hurt and anger so that you can move forward. Forgiveness isn't for them, it's for you."

"I just need more time to put the pieces of my life back together," Emily said, her voice raw and fragile.

"I know it's not easy, but just try," Camilla said, her voice gentle and reassuring.

"Thank you," Emily said, her voice thick with emotion. "You have no idea how much that means to me."

She leaned in and hugged Camilla tightly. "You're the best friend I could have asked for," she whispered, her eyes shining with tears.

Camilla hugged her back, a smile on her face. "Anything for you," she said.

"Let's not dwell on the past," Emily said, her voice steadier now. "We should focus on the present."

"So what do we do?" Camilla asked.

"We are here to help you rehearse your lines," Emily answered.

"Oh, you're right! I nearly forgot about that" Camilla said. "We should get some sustenance before we begin," Camilla continued saying, breaking the silence. "I'll whip us up something to eat, and then we'll start the rehearsal.

Emily nodded, a smile creeping onto her lips. "Sounds like a plan," Camilla said and left.

In the stillness, Emily lifted her gaze to the ceiling and spoke, her voice low and fervent. "Robert Rawlings, we will meet in the courtroom."