We went in the bathroom and I started the bath water.  I got out all of the needed toiletries and set them on the side of the bathtub.  I dumped some bubble bath in because it makes her so happy.  I couldn't stand it that the proud happy girl was gone.  I helped her into the bathtub and changed into a bikini so that I could join her.

She didn't even seem to notice the bubbles.  I washed and conditioned her hair then I lathered my hands up with soap.  “No,” she said quietly, “me.  My space.”  “Okay,” I handed her the soap.  She lathered her hands and scrubbed her skin so much that it was turning red.  I grabbed her wrists to stop her.  She sat down in the water and rinsed off.  We got out, I wrapped her in a towel and put a robe on.  I brushed her hair and tried the Aris trick of putting clothes on her.  It didn't work for me.  I changed into a sweat suit and slippers.  We went into the bedroom where Aris was waiting for us.  A gray miniature sweat suit was waiting for us.  Emma put it on without help.

She had an accident in her chair.  I know.  I took care of it.  Has she said anything to you?  No.  She wouldn't let me wash her in the bath.  She is terrified of him.  What is going on?

Emma climbed up onto the bed and put her head on the pillows, facing away from us.  “Emma, did that man, Theo, do something bad to you?” Aris asked her gently, “I will punish him if he did.”  She nodded her head yes, but still wouldn't look at us.  “Can you tell me what he did to you?” he asked her.  She nodded her head no.  “Can I hold your hand?  I will look into your mind to see.  You will not have to talk at all if you do not want to.”  She rolled over and held out her hand.  He took a hold of her hand.  Instantly her eyes rolled up into her head in the most disturbing way.  He let go of her hand but didn't speak.  Her eyes closed as if she were sleeping.

“Close your eyes Jade,” he startled me when he spoke.  Images filled my mind of Theo peeing on her.  “I should charge you for the whole night,” Emma's father, Tobias Drake, spoke,” now no one will want her.”  “How much do you want just to sell her to me?” Theo asked.  “Ten thousand dollars,” Tobias answered.  “That's a little steep for one girl,” Theo commented.  “I can make that off of her in a month.  I should charge more,” Tobias countered.  “Fine,” Theo agreed, “I will be back at midnight with the money.”  “We will be here,” Mrs. Drake agreed.  Then there are images of them taking her to a pick up truck and loading up.  “She needs a bath now.  I can not stand that smell,” Tobias complained.  They made her sit in the bed of the truck in the cold rain on the way home.

I'm glad her grandmother is dead too.  She died too easily.  Is Tobias still alive?  My last update was that he is.  I hope that he is in a world of hurt.  Oh, he is.

Emma was awake, now, watching us.  Her bottom lip started to tremble, “He did not come back for me.”  “He did, Emma.  You were gone when he got there,” Aris told her, “He never stopped looking for you.  He is so glad that we found you.”  She crawled to Aris and hugged him tight, bursting out into tears.  Aris pulled her around to sit on his lap, “Theo really is a good guy.  He tried really hard.  He did not want to leave you, but he had to get more money.”

Aris hugged her close as she continued to cry.  “Are you going to be my mommy and daddy now?” she asked.  “We will see how things go and if you still want us like that then we will,” Aris answered.  “I will,” she told him.

“Lia made you a chocolate cake, if you want some,” Aris told her.  She stopped crying and looked up at him, “for me?”  “Yes.  And Theo is out there waiting to say that he is sorry and to give you a big hug.”  “He is?”  “Yes.”  “Okay.”  Aris picked up her towel and dried her face with it and had her blow her nose into it.  “There.  Are you better now?”  She nodded her head yes.  “Are you ready now?”  She nodded her head yes.  “Do you want me to carry you like you are my baby?”  “Yes,” she smiled.  He stood up holding her.  I stood up too.  We made our way back to the dining room.  They were all waiting.

Theo approached us as soon as we entered, “Emma, I am so very sorry.  I came back for you, but when I arrived, you were already gone.  I never stopped looking for you.  Can you forgive me?”  She nodded her head yes.  “Oh, thank you,” he declared, “can I have a hug?”  She went from Aris to him.  They hugged each other tight.  “I am so glad that you are with us now,” he told her, “Aris and Jade will make excellent parents for you?”  “Are you my uncle?” she asked.  “If you want me to be, I will,” he answered.  “I do,” she smiled.  “Okay.  I will be uncle Theo.”  “Will you sit by me for cake?” she asked.  “I sure will.”

We all sat down at the table while Lia and Ripley served cake.  Emma sat next to me and Theo sat on the other side of her.  “So, Emma, what do you want for Christmas?”  That's right.  It's Christmas.  It had somehow slipped my mind with everything going on.  That is okay.  I remember.  “I do not know.  I never got anything before,” Emma answered.  “Expect to get a lot of stuff,” Theo told her.  “Really?” she smiled.  “I already got you something.”  “What?” she asked, getting excited.  “You have to wait.”

“We are going out to get Christmas trees tomorrow, maybe you and Jade can come and supervise,” Ripley suggested.  She looked at me expectantly.  “Sounds like fun,” I agreed, “Do you want to go Emma?”  She nodded her head yes.  “Then we will go,” I told them.

“Lia and I will be going for supplies, along with a few others, tomorrow.  We need to know if there is anything the two of you need before we go,” Aris told me, “we will have you fill out a list after cake.”  “You do not want to get a tree?” Emma asked clearly disappointed.  “I want to Emma, but this has to be done.  A storm is coming and we are running short on some things, “he explained, “I will love to help you decorate though.”  Her face lit up, “decorate!”  “Yes,” Ripley answered, “What good is a tree without decorations?”  She got so excited that she clapped her hands.  “Emma have you never decorated a tree or had presents before?” I asked.  She nodded her head no, deflating.  “That's okay,” I told her, “We are honored to be your first time.”  She hopped in my lap and hugged me tight.  I hugged her back.

“Have you had chocolate cake before?”  “No,” she whispered.  “You’re going to love it.  Try a bite.”  She climbed off of me and back into her chair.  “I do not know how,” she whispered.  I cut off a bite of mine and put it in my mouth.  I closed my eyes to savor it, chewed, then swallowed.  I followed it with a drink of milk.  She copied me right down to closing her eyes.  “What do you think?” Lia asked her.  “I love it!” Emma exclaimed.  She finished her cake then asked for more.  “One more,” Lia told her, “We will save the rest for tomorrow.”  She followed Lia into the kitchen to get more.

They came back out of the kitchen. “Lia says I can help her and Max clean up,” she beamed proudly, “after I finish my cake.”  “That sounds like fun,” I told her, “I bet you are a hard worker.”  “How old are you, Emma?” Ripley asked.  “Four,” she answered, holding up four fingers.  “Do you know what your birthday is?” She just shrugged her shoulders.  “You get cake and presents on your birthday too,” Antony told her.  “You do?” her eyes got huge, “I do not know when that is.”  “That's okay,” I told her, “if we can't figure it out, we just pick a day.”  She relaxed.

“So, what do you want for Christmas?” Aris asked her.  She was quiet for a minute, then, “I need clothes.”  “We know what you need,” he told her, “What do you want?”  “I do not know,” she answered, getting anxious.  I took her hand and rubbed circles on her palm, “It's okay.  We will surprise you.”  She relaxed.
She finished her cake then went with Lia and Max to clean up.  The rest of us went to the back porch to smoke.  Aris lit one for me, then himself.  “We have to make this really special.  It's her first Christmas,” I commented.  They all agreed.  “Is it possible to get her birthday out of her dad?” I asked.  “I figured that I would go try tonight,” Antony suggested, “I am sure I can motivate him to give it up at this point.”  “Offer to end it quickly and without pain,” Aris told him.  “Okay,” he and Kale finished their cigarettes and left to go carry out orders.

“I don't know my birthday either,” I told them.  “I know your birthday,” Aris told me, “We got Emma.”  I opened my mouth, but didn't know what to say.  I hugged him, “Thank you.”  “You are welcome,” he replied.  We finished our cigarettes and went inside.  Aris, Ripley and I went to the kitchen.  The others went their separate ways.  Max, Lia and Emma were finishing up.  “That Emma is such a good worker,” Max declared.  Emma beamed with pride.  The whole front of her clothes was wet.  “I can tell,” I told them, “it looks like our worker is going to need another bath.”  She nodded her head yes, “I do.  With bubbles.”  “With bubbles?” Aris asked, “You must have been a really good worker.”  Emma turned to look at Max and Lia.  “She was a really good worker,” Lia told us.  “Bubbles it is,” I told her.

We went to our room and Ripley went to his to turn in for the night.  We went straight for the bathroom.  Aris started the water and I got shampoo, conditioner, bubble bath and soap.  I poured some bubble bath in as Emma worked her way out of her clothes.  Finally, out of them Aris helped her in and sat down wearing swim shorts.  I changed into a bikini and got in too.  Aris washed Emma's hair this time.  She insisted on washing her own body, which is fine, she seems to do a good job.  Aris washed my hair, then I washed his.

Done, Aris let the water out, then helped us both out.  I wrapped a towel around Emma and put a robe on.  I towel dried her hair. Then brushed it out.  I took my hair down out of the towel and brushed it out too.  “Pajamas are on the bed,” Aris told us.  We went ahead to the bedroom.  I helped Emma get dressed.  Then changed into pajamas of my own.  “Are you ready to sleep on your own bed, like a big girl?” I asked her.  She nodded her head yes.  I walked with her over to the cot.  She climbed in and I tucked her in.  “Emma if you wake up and we are not here in bed, we are smoking on the deck,” Aris opened some curtains to reveal sliding glass doors, “we will leave the curtains open if we are out there.”  “Okay.”  Aris came over to her, kissed her on the forehead, both cheeks, then her mouth, “goodnight sweet girl.”  Goodnight,” she smiled.  He got another blanket from the closet and draped it over her.

“Do you want to smoke?” I asked.  “Yes,” he answered.  We both changed into snowsuits and went out onto the deck.  He lit one for me, then himself.  “I will not be back until late tomorrow night,” he started, “I do not want you going into her dreams.  That little girl has seen things that no adult should ever see.  The best thing you can do is just wake her up.”  “Okay,” I agreed.  “She will invite you in, looking for help,” he continued, “Do not enter.  I did and I saw things that I can not forget now.  I have instructed Ripley the same.  Just wake her up.”  He paused and looked at me, “You can still do everything else that you do for her.  Just not that.”

We finished our cigarettes, went in and went to bed.  I fell asleep almost instantly.