Disclaimer: I don't own the ABC family show "Switched at Birth", which will here on be referred to as SAB

Story Title: Me and Emily

Chapter 12: My Mommy Told Me

Authors Note: Here's the newest chapter. I hope you all like it.

There was going to be more to this chapter but my mind is too preoccupied. You see, I have to go have a hearing test. Lately I've noticed that when people talk I'm missing whole words and phrases. I'm also confusing similar sounding words. I've had more than one person throw something at me to get my attention recently because apparently they had been sitting behind me talking for a length of time and since I never responded they got my attention using projectile objects. I took a preliminary hearing test at my Dr.'s with the head phones and everything. Now I have to go in and get more formally evaluated at the Hearing Center. I'm nervous about it, about what they're going to tell me, about how this may or may not impact my life. Okay I'll admit it, I'm more than nervous I'm scared. No one else in my family has ever had hearing problems and my grandfather worked for the railroad for crying out loud! Do you have any idea how loud things get in a train yard? So now being 25 and having a "Formal Hearing Test" is freaking me out! A part of me wants to sleep in and skip out on my appointment tomorrow just so I never have to know. So I keep telling myself that everything will be fine tomorrow and I'll be laughed out of the office and they'll call my doctor a quack for sending me in the first place.

Okay I'm sorry, my rant is over, now onto the story.

"People signing without vocalizing, but will be mouthing all words"

'Thoughts'

"People signing and vocalizing"


It had been a very long day for Emmett, but at the same time it hadn't been long enough…well to suit him anyway. He watched as Emily went running past him with more packages of paper plates as he unfolded another chair and placed it at one of the many tables that sat in Ms. Baker's backyard. There was still so much to set-up but that was okay, they had help.

Bay and the other two had come back early to help set up for the meal. They'd managed to clear the roads enough that they could drive over, so they had a load of tables and chairs with them. Emily had gone back inside to help Ms. Baker while Emmett, Bay and Holly had unloaded the truck. Bay had been curiously quiet, only interacting enough to direct the set-up of the tables. He'd tried to reach out to her a couple of times, only to be brushed off carelessly. Emmett kept a close eye on her, trying to figure out what was brewing behind those solemn brown eyes.

As he watched her from the corner of his eye, his thoughts started to drift back to a conversation he'd had with Emily earlier that day. Emmett had spent the whole day with his little girl while she dragged him all over the B&B. He'd gone along with it willingly, still coping with the shock that she even existed let alone that she was taking him on a tour. Emmett was also bubbling with frustration, not at Emily but with Bay. He couldn't believe that she wouldn't tell him what she had told Emily about him. Bay had annoyingly enough insisted that he ask his 5 year old daughter what she knew of her father…he had no idea how to do that. Even after he explained that he wasn't all together comfortable with, that Bay was even more adamant.

Her reasoning for making him do this was, "You are going to have to learn how to talk to her sometime. You know what they say, there's no time like the present…that is if you actually intend on sticking around."

After that, Bay had turned on her heel and left the room. She had left him staring slack jawed after her. He knew that Bay had only added in the last part to provoke him into doing it her way. That was Bay though, over the top and melodramatic. He hated that she still seemed to know just what to say to get him to react. Even after all these years, he was overwhelmed that in spite of everything she could still push all his buttons.

'No, you couldn't just tell me yourself could you?' Emmett tried not to huff with exasperation as Emily was now watching him with keen eyes, 'You just had to make me ask her myself.'

However, what he had failed to notice was that Emily was not the only one that had been watching him. Ms. Baker stood in the doorway watching Emmett fidget over his little one. She knew what was going on, as she had compelled Bay before she left to fill her in on at least some of what was happening. She had mentioned the unanswered question and the task she had left to the untested Father before her. After making a decision, she made her presence known by stomping on the floor as Bay had taught her to do long ago. Once the two looked at her, she gave them a grandmotherly smile.

"Come come, it's time for lunch so come with me," proceeding to usher them from the front porch to the kitchen table.

The two quickly seated themselves at the table. Emily sat on a phone book as she wasn't yet quite tall enough to reach the table without assistance. Ms. Baker went to the counter, collecting a couple of plates. She set a turkey sandwich down in front of Emmett. In front of Emily however, she placed an odd looking sandwich. Emily grinned at it widely while a glass of milk was set in front of her.

Tapping the table, Emmett got Emily's attention, "What is that?"

Emily smiled at him gleefully, "It's a peanut butter, strawberry jelly and banana sandwich on toast…my favorite." Her eyes danced now, as she turned back to her lunch. Emmett could only stare at her as Emily proceeded to take a large bite out of the strange concoction, strawberry jelly oozing down her face.

Ms. Baker now rapped smartly on the table, "Sorry you asked?," she commented, once he looked at her.

Emmett shrugged his shoulders, rolling his eyes in response. Ms. Baker sniggered quietly at his expression. Deciding there was not much else to be done, he started eating lunch. Ms. Baker set a few other things on the table before settling in herself. All through lunch, Emmett mulled over a few more ways to approach Emily. All too soon however, lunch was over and done with. Emily was standing on her tippy toes on a stool in front of the kitchen sink washing her hands.

All at once, Emily grabbed Ms. Baker's hand and both walked from the room, leaving Emmett to trail behind them. He watched as his daughter strode forward with purpose. Emily's older companion seemed to know exactly what was going on as she took a seat in an overstuffed wing-back chair. The small child scrambled up onto her lap, curling into her familiar caretaker. Ms. Baker gestured for Emmett to take a seat as well.

Once everyone was seated, Ms. Baker spoke up, "Whenever Emily comes over after lunch she tells me all about how she's getting on in school. Isn't that right, little red?" Emily nodded her head with a great deal of enthusiasm.

"So why don't you tell me how things went yesterday?" Ms. Baker encouraged as even Emmett watched with rapt attention, eager to hear about the life of a five year old kindergartner.

Emily didn't have to be told twice, as she positioned herself for better use of her hands. Then she launched into her story with vivacity lighting her face. She told them about getting up in the morning. How Holly helped her get ready for school. She went on to talk about how she rode to school on Travis's bike, her tiny feet placed on the back pegs. The air in her tires had been too low to use. When Emmett heard about that, his face conveyed the misgiving's he felt. Emily overlooked him as she pressed on detailing her day. She started slowing down when she got to explaining that yesterday had been show and tell. Emily, not surprisingly, had brought in her latest round of pictures. She went on discussing what the other children had brought in to share.

"…and last, it was Joshua's turn and he brought in his Dad. It was really, really neat because he's the sheriff…." Her hands were really flying now, more than likely Ms. Baker couldn't keep up with her story but Emmett could.

She went on talking about all the neat things Sheriff Flynn had shown them. She told them how he had passed around his badge for everyone to see. Then the good sheriff had taken them outside to show off his patrol car. Everyone had gotten a chance to climb in and look around. As her story started to wind down, a look of yearning had filled her eyes. Emmett watched the feeling permeate her body language.

When she was done, Emmett reached out and touched her shoulder, unsure of his next words to her, "What about your Father?" When Emily only gave him a puzzled look he pressed with, "What does your Father do for work?"

She shrugged at him as surprise began to color her features, "I don't know. He's not around; I've never met him," she turned her head to the side, looking up at him.

Emmett took a deep breath, wondering if he should back off, but he had to know, "I'm so sorry to hear that. Do you know anything about him?"

Emily nodded her head while biting her lip, "My Mommy told me…." Emmett looked at her encouragingly and she started again with a bit more confidence, "Mommy told me that he's like me and that he would be around if he could." Unconsciously, Emily looked up at him with a question in her eyes, "Do you have any kids? Are they like me?" Emily had asked both questions in quick succession, like she was fighting the urge to change her mind.

'Uh oh,' instantly he froze, looking down at her, not even sure if he was ready to tell her. With his hands fidgeting as he tried to decide what to tell her exactly, 'I told Bay I wouldn't say anything…..' He searched his mind for something, anything to say to redirect her, "Uhhh….is that all you know about him?" When Emily only shook her head, he tried smiling at her and using his hands to encourage her to continue.

Emily continued telling him what she knew, even though she was bothered that Emmett hadn't answered her question, "Mommy told me that he can't be here and that it's her fault. Mommy made some mistakes and because of that he can't be here. Mommy told me I'm never to blame him for not being here that it was all her fault." A small sad smile curled her lips, her eyebrows drawing together, "She also said if he knew about me he would love me very much and never leave. Mommy isn't sure if that will ever happen. She told me when I was older she'd explain it more…." It was here that she trailed off.

There was no anger or resentment from the small girl, only a deep sadness that emanated from her, seeming to pulse unseen in the air. As tiny tears tracked down her cheeks in silence, Emmett pulled his child close from the Ms. Baker's grasp. Then he cradled her as she hid her face, her small fingers gripping his shirt. Emmett couldn't believe it, Bay had been telling the truth. Bay hadn't lied too little Emily. In fact, Bay had gone so far as to hold herself culpable. Emmett just didn't know what to make of that unexpected twist. It seemed, with every new bit of truth he had less and less reasons to stay angry with Bay. Emmett knew that he had much to think about.

Emmett was broken from his remembrance of only a few hours ago as he felt an insistent tugging at his waist. He looked down only to find Emily at his side. Currently she was tugging endlessly on the hem of his shirt. Emmett smiled at her, touching her shoulder so that Emily knew she had his attention.

"Mommy wants to see you. She's in the kitchen." Emily said brightly and then bounced away leaving behind a very perplexed Emmett.

'Hadn't she just been here,' looking around the grassy area he found no hint of Bay anywhere, 'How long have I been standing here?'

He prepared to walk off and go find Bay only to be stopped by the vibration of his phone. He rolled his eyes, sighing with annoyance clearly written all over him. Emmett pulled his phone out and flipped it open. It was no surprise to find that he had received yet another text from Daphne. The girl had been sending persistent and continual messages since yesterday. In fact he counted them up and found Daphne had reached a grand total of 44 texts in only a little over 24 hours. Of the 44, he'd only bothered reading the first 4. They all had the same demanding question "Where are you?" and Emmett had refused to answer. Ignoring her newest note, he opened a new blank message. His fingers hovered over the keys until hesitantly he typed in the contact information. Then he proceeded to enter in his message….a message he was sure that he would pay for later.

"Quit texting me. I don't have time for you right now." Emmett's thumb hovered over the send button.

Emmett was edgy about sending this message. He knew that once he hit that button that everything would change…forever. Looking up for a moment, he spied his daughter standing on the back porch waving to him. Just as suddenly, Bay was standing next to Emily looking out at him as well. He knew she was waiting for him, just as he had waited for her. That she had always been waiting for him and it had lead her down a dark path. A path that had separated Emmett from both his child and his love for much too long a time, but it wouldn't do so any longer. Looking at them as they looked back, he knew that he had no other recourse, that there was no other choice to be made.

So with both conviction and uncertainty he pressed the button that would change his life, 'I only hope that you'll understand one day Daphne.' Emmett turned his phone off, putting it out of sight for the moment.


Melody had gone home from work early that day. Currently she was pacing the length of her living room floor. She was trying to think through everything Daphne had told her earlier that day. The frazzled Mother could hardly believe her son had skipped town without telling her, or anyone for that matter, just where he was going. She desperately wanted to know where he was and why, especially considering that apparently he'd also been around asking about Bay!

'Why would he be asking about her NOW. It has been so long since they'd even been together,' she couldn't believe that her boy was still chasing a Hearing girl. She had assumed that Emmett had put all that nonsense behind him when he'd gotten with Daphne, 'Apparently I was wrong.' Her eyes drifted over to a picture of Emmett and Daphne on Prom night in their senior year of High School, 'Why couldn't Daphne have been enough for you? She's a perfectly respectable Deaf girl. In fact he'd be lucky to have her.' Another thought suddenly struck her, 'If he really is looking for Bay I bet he went to California.'

It wasn't that Melody had anything against Hearing people. How could she when her best friend was Hearing. She just had a problem with her child wanting to be more than friends with a Hearing girl. His whole family was Deaf. Just as both his Mother and Father had been. She just couldn't fathom what he could possibly see in Bay that would cause him to stray from that. What was so special about her that he was willing to even consider being with someone who would never, could never, completely understand not just his life, but the challenges he faced.

'I suppose I should have known that he hadn't let go of Bay,' Melody thought to herself as she remembered that he hadn't even seemed to be bothered by it when Daphne and he had broken it off.

If she were truthful with herself, she probably would have known a long time ago. When Emmett and Daphne had started dating, it hadn't felt to her as if anything had changed between them. He hadn't seemed any happier than before. In fact at times, he seemed very discontent, bordering on gloomy. Emmett hadn't even given Melody a reason to feel as if she needed to give him the "Safe Sex" talk all over again. There were other signs as well. It wasn't just the fact that his relationship with Daphne had been lack luster.

There was more of course, but these last few things weren't exactly clues. They were more like sledgehammers breaking through Melody's delusion that her son was even remotely happy. Her first major eye opener should have been the accident. Bay had been seriously hurt. She'd stayed in the hospital for several weeks, in which the first three days she'd spent unconscious. Emmet had refused to leave her side, forsaking not only school but Daphne as well. He'd slept in her room and never left; the only time he ate was when someone brought it to him. Emmett was the first person Bay had seen upon waking. In spite of this, Emmett didn't set foot into her room again after that. He'd left her to heal alone while he went back to try and soothe Daphne's hurt feelings.

Another piece of evidence came after the break-up itself. Emmett had tried to get Bay back. When it became evident that it wasn't going to happen, he backed off and watched. He'd gone as far as to enroll in the same college as her, using Daphne as his shield in the matter. It was after Bay left that things had gotten bad.

Emmett had started dating again. Melody had hoped this meant he had finally moved on. Unfortunately that just wasn't the case. All the girls he'd gone out with were Deaf which had been quite pleasing to his Mother. The problem was that none of these girls had ever made it past the 1st date. With each passing girl, Emmett had become more and more disconsolate and nothing seemed to ease that. Then just as suddenly as he'd started dating, Emmett had stopped dating, or even looking at other girls for that matter. Gradually over time, he had seemed less and less depressed, but he never was truly happy, merely content to let life pass by unshared.

Melody ceased her endless pacing and pushed all her disturbing revelations aside for the time being. She pulled out her phone, looking at it. She'd promised Daphne to try and contact Emmett, but she didn't really believe his response to her would be any different than the one he'd given Daphne. Which of course it had been no response at all, only silence and utter refusal. Melody prepared to send him a message anyway, even if she thought he would out-and-out disregard it as he had the other inquiring texts sent to him by his long time best friend.

"Where are you Emmett? When are you coming home and why did I have to hear about you leaving from Daphne? Why didn't you tell me yourself? You better respond to this, you have me and poor Daphne worried sick! Please just let me know that you're safe." Without any reservations whatsoever, Melody hit the send button hoping more than anything to hear back from him soon.

5….10….20 minutes went by and still no response, 'Does he even have his phone switched on?' Melody wondered.

She started pacing again, her nervousness getting the best of her, the phone held tightly in her hand as she waited for the well-known vibrations. She only hoped that when she did, it was Emmett she was hearing from and not anyone else. She was not interested in anything else that anyone had to say right now.

She waited for another hour, then two, then three hours had gone by with agonizing slowness. After checking her phone again, she realized it was late in the day now. Everyone should be at home by now. Melody made a split decision as she got up from her couch. Grabbing her purse, she headed swiftly out the front door and to her car.

There was one person she wanted to talk to as much as she wanted news from Emmett, 'I'm going to go find out what exactly Regina knows considering that she didn't even tell me he was poking around in his past.


I have no witty retort or question for you this time. I'm far to nervous for that. So I'm just going to stick with the generic please read and review. :-)