The whole next day was centered completely around Emery. Erin got up around eight thirty and shortly after Emery came fumbling down the stairs.
"Here you want this?" Erin says handing her coffee.
"Is there creamer in it?" she asks.
"Of course Hazelnut. It's just the way you like it." She responds.
"Thanks mom." Emery says sipping her coffee.
The house was quiet, so the girls sat and drink there coffee waiting for Dylan and Hank to get up. Erin flips threw a magazine and every so often looks across the table at her daughter. She can't believe that her baby is graduating already. What happened to that little innocent baby she held in her arms and looking down at her sweet little face thinking there was no way in hell she'd ever get through the first year.
"Mom why are you staring at me smiling." Emery says looking up from her phone.
"No reason." Erin says looking back at her magazine.
The girls here the front door open, and both look at each other confused. Hank walks into the kitchen carrying a bag of food.
"Who's hungry?" He asks.
"Is that what I think it is?" Erin asks.
"If you're thinking pancakes and bacon from the diner. Then yes you're right." He says handing them both a box of food.
"Thanks Grandpa." She says.
"You're welcome kid." He says going to grab the syrup.
They eat breakfast and talk about many of the memories they have from when Emery was little. The emotions of that day were happy and Hank was excited to just be spending time with both the girls especially since Erin had been MIA lately. Hank was mad but he was just happy she showed up.
"You remember when she was two, I walked into the living room and found you two snuggled up on the couch asleep. She hadn't slept all night because she was sick. I was exhausted and just wanted her to sleep. You took her while I went to the drug store for more medicine. I was gone ten minutes and when I got back you both were asleep. It was so cute." Erin said to Hank.
"Yeah she screamed all night and none of us got sleep that night." Hank said.
"Hey Dad." Emery says looking towards the living room.
"Hey go grab you're speech we have to go. We are going to be late." He says.
Emery runs into her father's office and grabs her speech off of the printer. They all load into the car and get there around ten. They hurry inside, and find seats just before it starts. The principal talks for a while, then the superintendent, and then it was Emery's turn.
"The first thing they tell you when you get to high school is that it goes by in the blink of an eye so make the best of it. As freshmen we all looked at them like they were crazy but now here we are about to start a new chapter in our lives. We have learned our limits and know what we are capable of which will help us in our futures. I have enjoyed being with most of my class since kindergarten and today is very bittersweet for all of us. It is also what is best for us we will all remember our time together and experiences with one another. Let's show them what the class of 2015 can do. Thank you." Emery says then walks back to her seat.
"That was really good sweetie." Dylan says giving her a hug.
"Thanks dad." She says.
"Why didn't you guys get something to eat?" he asks.
"We ate already. Hank got us pancakes from the diner." Erin whispers
Dylan nodded his head and they all sat in silence until everyone was done giving speeches. They were there until eleven and then headed home. Emery's friend Tessa came over to get ready for the ceremony soon after they got back. They went upstairs and blared some music while they did their hair.
"Mom can you come help me please?" Emery yells down the stairs.
"I'm coming." She yells heading up the stairs.
Erin walks into the room and the girls turn down the music.
"I need help my hair doesn't want to curl. You're the only one who can get it perfect." Emery says without taking a breath.
"Okay sweetie calm down and hand me the wand." Erin says calming her daughter.
Emery hands it to her mom and sits in the chair in front of her. Erin watches the way that Tessa and Emery are with each other and it's the why they have always been, silly and entertaining, they have been best friends since kindergarten and are still closer than ever. Emery has brought Tessa to Chicago to stay for the weekend a lot, she's like a second daughter to her.
"So Mama Erin how have you been?" Tessa asks.
"I've been good. What about you?" Erin says without trying to sound guilty.
"Good. I'm ready to get graduation over with. I'm so nervous." She says.
"Tess you will do great, it's just a speech and you're great at talking." Emery says with a giggle.
They sit and talk until Emery's hair is done. All Erin can think about is at least she gives her daughter one last day of a normal life before everything comes crashing down. Erin sits and does Tessa's hair while Emery gets dressed. Her dress was a mint green with a cute belt to go around it. Tessa's dress was all white and had lacy material around the arms. The girls left around one because they had to be there for pictures. Erin got her stuff and got ready in the bathroom. The ceremony didn't start till two, so she hurried and got dressed. She was trying to hide the fact she was withdrawing and she was surprisingly doing very well at it, but who knows how long that was going to last. She was addicted to prescription drugs so most the time, unless it was mixed with drinking, she was a completely functional drug addict.
"You ready to go?" Dylan asks knocking on the door.
"Yeah I'll be right there." Erin says stuffing a pill bottle back in her bag.
They get in the car and drive to the school. Everyone hurries inside and they wait for it to start. It takes about an hour before they start handing out diplomas. Tessa did a great job with her valedictorian speech and Erin was eagerly waiting for Emery's name to be called for her diploma.
"Emery Kay Lindsay." The principal says.
"I really wish you would have let me change her name." Dylan whispers.
"I'm not going to do this with you right now." Erin says with a sharp voice.
Hank glared at the two and they knew he was upset with them. They instantly stopped and were again engaged in their daughter. When the ceremony came to a close, everyone started clapping, and Erin stood up and loudly whistled. She had tears streaming down her face and she didn't even notice them. Her emotions were all over the place happy, sad, mad, and a lot of other things. Once they made it through the crowd, they met Emery in the courtyard outside of the school.
"Em, I'm so proud of you baby." Erin says kissing her on the cheek and hugging her tightly.
"Thanks mom." Emery says hugging her back.
"Ok out of the way it's my turn. Good job kid." Hank says throwing his arms around her.
"Thanks Gramps." She says.
"Good job Sweetie." Dylan says coughing as he hugs her.
"Dad are you ok?" She asks.
"Yeah of course. Why don't you three get together for a picture?" he says clearing his throat.
Dylan takes a picture of the three of them, then everyone got the chance to take a picture by themselves with her.
The rest of the afternoon was perfect Emery had her whole family surrounding her and that was all she wanted. She also knew a lot more than what her parents were giving her credit for but she didn't let it show she just enjoyed every minute of that day.