Free Heart of the Matter (Coming Home Book 3) by Amy Stephens Page A

“TODD!” My head throbs even more.
    In a matter of seconds, he rushes back in, a bottle of water clenched in his hand. He kneels down and grabs ahold of my arm. “Baby, what’s wrong?”
    I hear him but I can’t seem to make the words form. Slowly, I bring my knees up to my chest and secure my arms around them. I begin to rock back and forth.
    “I...” I begin. “I…I had a phone…call.”
    “Do what? Someone called you? Who?” Todd asks as he brushes my hair away from my face.
    “I…I don’t know. I don’t remember. She, she…she told me to check my email.”
    “Your email? Are you sure she said email? That’s crazy isn’t it?”
    “I’m pretty sure that’s what she said. Yeah, my email.”
    “And that made you upset?”
    Todd’s just as confused as me.
    “Look. See for yourself.” I point to the computer. “It’s got Brian’s name on it.”
    Just the mention of his name and Todd jumps up. He runs his hand over the keyboard, bringing the computer out of its sleep state. I want to see it, too, but then again I don’t. I just know that trouble always followed Brian and there’s no room for trouble in my life. Not now.
    “Want me to check it out first?” he asks.
    I nod my head even though I’m not a hundred percent sure. How the hell did he, or that woman, get my email and number?
    Giving it another attempt, I manage to stand all the way up this time. I’ve got to see that email, too. I’m a little wobbly, but so far, so good.
    Todd helps me slide the chair over to the desk again and I take a seat in it. He leans over my shoulder and together we scan the list of emails. I watch the curser hover over Brian’s name, the clicking sound of the mouse echoes throughout the room. As soon as Todd clicks on it, an ungodly long message pops up.
    The one name I’d tried to forget is back.
    Why?

Chapter 8
    Todd
     
    July 2nd
     
    Other than the episode the other day, I don’t think I’ve seen my wife this upset since the night she called me all those years ago. She was a basket case then and is close to being that way again. It pains me to know that someone may be playing some sick joke by sending her an email with her ex-husbands name on it. Who would do something like that?
    I look down at the computer screen and see his name— Brian Collins . I admit, it sends shivers throughout my body, too, but I know I have to keep my composure for Jennifer’s sake. I have to be the one who remains calm and thinks clearly and rationally before getting worked up if this is, indeed, a legitimate message from her ex. After all these years, why?
    I help Jennifer get situated in the chair and slide it closer to me. I even wonder if viewing the email is the right thing to do. Maybe I should I read it first and see if it’s something she needs to know about? After all, if there’s really nothing to it, why put her through the emotional turmoil.
    I look over at my wife’s pitiful state. “Do you really want me to read it, honey?”
    All of these years we’ve never heard one thing from Brian. We’ve lived our lives as a family and never once felt threatened by him. It was almost too good to be true considering everything Jennifer had to go through to get away from him.
    I drop down on one knee and wrap my arm around Jennifer’s shoulders. She leans her head over to rest against my chest and I feel her trembling.
    “Let’s just get this over with.” She tells me with a quivering voice.
    Using the mouse, I click on the screen to make it full-size and easier to read. I guess I was expecting to see some kind of link show up inviting me to click on it, which would send me to a spam site. Looking back at me from the computer screen, though, is a very long, lengthy message that looks like it took quite some time to type.
    I read the words carefully even rereading some of them just to make sure I’m reading them correctly. When I’m done with the first page, I look over to Jennifer to see if she’s ready for