This is a shift day [see above]. There was another upload this morning: One More For the Student Body.


"The Ties That Bind"

9. Nine

Emmett found Joanie in her room, sitting on her bed, Beth sat in her lap while she read to her from a storybook. Her voice changed to fit each character, which Beth freely enjoyed. Joanie smiled, craning her neck to kiss her little cheek before going on.

"You girls having fun?" Emmett finally revealed himself, to Joanie's surprise and Beth's joy.

"Just reading her the new book I got."

"I see that," he came to sit with her on the bed, 'joining the audience.' Joanie looked to him for a moment, then went on reading. "You okay?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"Not what I asked," he reminded kindly. She grew quiet. "What's going on?"

"Nothing," she looked to Beth, brushed carefully at her hair.

"Is it Alex? I thought you two had patched things up."

"It's not Alex," she told him, then realized that she'd all but said 'but it's something else.' She sighed. "Are they going to take her away now?"

"Who? What are you…"

"Beth's… birth parents. Are they going to take her away?" she clarified.

"Joanie…"

"If they take her away… Shelby will be so upset. She could leave, move away and we'll never see her again…" her voice trembled.

"That's not…"

"Or she'll go back to her other daughter, because she's still have her. And me, I… won't have them anymore." He didn't have time to try to interject. "I know it sounds selfish, but they're my family now, our family, they are… I know it's not anything official like that, but Beth is my sister and Shelby, she's…" her face closed around the fresh tears gaining her.

"Okay, let's just…" he took Beth from her, moved her to the playpen before coming back to take his daughter in his arms, rubbing her back. "Listen, nothing like that is going to happen, alright? No one's going to take anyone away, in any way."

"How do you know?" she just kept on crying.

"Well, first off, legally Beth belongs to Shelby, and in no way would they have grounds to contest it. Second, I don't think that's what they're here for. And third… this is the most important one. Are you with me?"

"Yeah?"

"Third, Shelby loves you very much. She wouldn't dream of leaving you."

"How do you know?"

"She told me." There was sniffling, and she looked up. "You know, when Nicole was going to take you away with her, the thought that you'd ever be gone was scary and painful to her just as it was to me. And when we knew you'd get to stay, that's when she finally agreed to start going out." That got a small smile out of the girl.

"I helped," she declared.

"Always," he smiled to her, kissing the side of her head. "You okay?" he asked, careful to dry her tears.

"Yeah…" she promised.

"Hello?" Shelby's voice came from downstairs. Emmett got up to go find her and Joanie got up, getting Beth up again.

"Come on, sis, let's go."

"Sa…" Beth reached to her. Joanie looked at her, and now she knew… that was what she'd been trying to say, what she'd named Joanie… sister.

Emmett got downstairs, finding Shelby waiting. "How goes the talk?" he asked.

"Awkward at first, but better," she explained.

"Are you letting them see her?" They turned at Joanie's voice. Shelby saw her face.

"Joanie, sweetie, are you okay?" she asked, concerned.

"I'm fine," she promised, and Shelby went on.

"Well, yes," Shelby answered. "I talked to them, everything's fine."

"How are you doing?" Emmett asked.

"Not the easiest of situations, but we all have Beth's best interest at heart." Joanie looked to the blonde, moved toward Shelby.

"Well, here…" she moved to hand Beth over.

"Hey, pretty girl," Shelby beamed at the sunny smile on her daughter's face… then saw Joanie's, looked to Emmett. "You two should come." Joanie looked up.

"We wouldn't want to intrude," Emmett walked up.

"Listen, I already have my daughter's boyfriend and his baby daughter in there…" Shelby shook her head as though to say 'don't worry about it.'

"Wow…" Emmett blinked.

"Yeah…" Shelby nodded. "Looks like a good kid, I just keep thinking… she's not playing house here, this is real… But then it's not my place to tell her anything, is it?"

"Is that the blonde guy? I saw him in the window before, with a baby," Joanie asked.

"Yeah, that's him," Shelby confirmed. "So how about it? I think it might help to have you two there with me right now," she admitted.

"Then let's go," Joanie nodded, no hesitation. Shelby smiled, side-hugging her.

"Let's go," she repeated. They walked out the back door together, the three of them, took the walk across the yard.

"Do they know about us?" Joanie asked.

"Not a lot yet. I let them do the talking before," Shelby explained. "But now they'll get to meet you, as they should."

"They should?" Joanie asked.

"Of course, you're family, too," Shelby told her, smiling, and Joanie smiled back, so brightly. "Listen though, I don't know how things will go in there, but don't worry, it'll be fine," she promised.

"I know," Joanie nodded.

"Good," Shelby smiled. "What happened here though?" she indicated her face.

"Nothing anymore."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure," Joanie nodded. "I want to meet them, too."

TO BE CONTINUED (TOMORROW)