Emily: The other Bukater girl
Emily had been staying at the Bukater's while Victoria was away in Europe on business. For Rose, this was a chance to be with the sister she never had. Right away however, she noticed that Emily was not like her in any way. Unlike Rose, Emily was afraid to to anything that ventured out of the ordinary, for example When it snowed, Emily was afraid of playing in the snow. She had to be hit with a few snowballs to finally get the hint that you are supposed to throw them at each other. Perhaps what alarmed Rose the most, was the fact that Emily had to take a behavioral medication to keep her calm. This worried Rose, why? Because she could see what the world was trying to do to her sister. Perhaps what Emily couldn't understand about Rose, was that she was always so happy, and that happiness must be the only thing that she knew. To Emily, Rose's world was always happy, and that she had a loving, kind mother. Emily's adoptive mother, Victoria could sometimes be mean to her; saying things like "Emily, if you do not pour your tea correctly, I will punish you harshly by striking you with the rod twenty times. Do you understand me?" Usually, Emily complied. The first time Victoria struck her, she cried out, saying "Oh mother! Stop please! I didn't mean to do it." You see, Emily was often times chided over her dress as well, one time; her pinafore was put on crooked, Victoria unbuttoned the article of clothing and made Emily do it again herself. She cried over having to do this.
The thought that her sister might see her medication, gave Emily such a terrible fright that she burst into tears when Rose saw it. Rose lent a comforting hand and Emily hugged her, saying "I hate taking this, my father makes me." Emily then opened her trunk, showing Rose her corset. "Mother makes me wear this, it hurts me when I wear it. Your mother at least tries to make me comfortable when she helps me with it." Emily said as she began to smile. Ruth, entered the room, and asked Emily to put on her corset. "Emily, I think it's best if I continue your waist training. Your mother will be gone for several months, and she has asked me to help you." "All right, Mrs. Bukater" Emily said as she closed the front of her corset. She grabbed the post on the bed and Ruth pulled. "Does that hurt dear?" she said. "No, it doesn't hurt me. You do it more gently than mother does it." "Emily, you know I'm friends with your mother. She always speaks so kindly of you in her letters. She loves you." Rose watched as her mother pulled the laces at Emily's back. Soon, it was going to be her turn. "Rose, I will help you next. Sadie would have done it, but I asked her to do something else." Ruth said, turning back towards Emily. "Mrs. Bukater, can I call you mother since you are technically my mother?" "Yes, but only here in the house." she said as she gave Emily a kiss on the cheek. Emily felt good around Ruth, almost as though she knew that her mother was like herself at that age.
During tea in the Bukater household, Ruth and Rose normally sit in the dining room and talk to each other in a low tone. Often times, the discussion of the day would be what Rose had learned in school. When Emily was staying at the house however, the subject was Emily herself. On this particular day, Rose asked Emily what her normal routine is when she is at her own home in Piermont. "Oh, well I get up around 8:30 in the morning. Mother assists me in my dressing and then we eat breakfast. I usually stay home while she goes to the city to shop. She usually never brings me with her, and I wish she would." She said as they continued with tea. "Emily, how does your mother lace your corset? Is she a tight lacer? Does she want to achieve a small waist with you, or is she training you because you are of the age?" Emily blushed. "I do not wish to talk of this subject. Can we talk of something else?" "Em, what mother is trying to ask you is that are you comfortable with how YOUR mother does it. I know you like how my mother does it, for she is gentle in HOW she does it." Rose said. "Emily, I noticed that you have medication to take, I would just like to know what times you need to take it. Do you take it at bed time?" Ruth asked. Emily grew tense and choked up. "I..i.i..i don't like to talk about it." Emily said, embarrassed. Ruth sensed embarrassment in Emily, and backed off the subject, possibly saving it for bed time discussion. "I just want you to feel your best" Ruth said.
At bedtime that night, Ruth sat on Emily's bed. "Emily, as your mother, I'd like to ask you about the medication. I know you don't like to talk about it, but please, for your own sake; I'd like to know your dosing schedule so that you may feel your best." she said as she brushed a few stray hairs from Emily's face. "Mother, I dislike taking the medicine. If I don't take it, I get really excitable, and, well, well my other mother dislikes that. She told me that I needed to start acting like an adult, and that things like dolls and teddy bears are for little kids. I LIKE playing with paper dolls. I have a whole drawer full of them. At least she doesn't know about them. "Well Emily, I must say her parenting technique is different. I still do not understand why you talk down about her. She loves you very much, and I do too. I think that she spoils you because she cannot comprehend that you have needs like everyone else. I saw your room a few weeks ago, and it shocked me. Your bed is very large, and your closet is almost a separate room. What I think is, is that you've been put on this because THEY don't understand you darling. I do, and I want you to be free. You should be like a little girl." Emily finally relented; "I take my medication at breakfast. Mother lets me wind down at bedtime." With that, Ruth kissed Emily on the forehead and turned out the light. Emily drifted off to sleep.