It was now October and Emery was doing exceedingly well at the academy. Jay spent a lot of time with her on the gun range and at the gym. Erin and Jay were officially a couple now and everyone knew including Voight. Everything was back to normal with her family so Erin was just enjoying it.
"Hey mom." Emery says walking in the front door.
"Hey baby. How was school?" Erin says putting down her phone and looking at her daughter.
"It was good, but it's not like I'm in kindergarten anymore mom. Plus it's not really school you know." Emery says with a slight giggle.
"Well you're still my baby and I know but I'm going to call it school anyways." Erin says to her daughter.
Emery walks over and plops down on the couch next to her. She grabs part of the blanket her mom is using and covers up with it.
"Whatcha watching?" She asks.
"Nothing just flipping through the channels." Erin says nonchalantly pushing a button on the remote.
"Oh no, no, no go back!" Emery demands wrestling the remote from her mom.
Emery flips back to the AV setting on the TV. She clicked play and waited for the picture to appear.
"It was the day your grandpa taught you to ride your bike without training wheels. You had just turned five." Erin says looking at her daughter.
"Well what do you say we watch it together?" Emery asks.
Erin nods her head and they sit there in silence and watch the tape. Emery was surprised how many times she fell off but she got right back on. When she finally got it the joy that crossed her face as a smile child was touching to see. "Mommy! Mommy, I'm doing it!" you hear a little voice on the tape say. "I see baby. You're doing a great job." Her mother responds with a giggle. Emery looked at her mother with a big smile on her face, Erin didn't notice at first. The young woman realized now why she caught her mom staring at her all the time. That moment sitting on the couch she discovered that it was what true love felt like. Tears filled her eyes and as they rolled down her cheeks she leaned in to give her mom a hug.
"I love you mom. Thank you for everything." She says crying.
"Hey, it's ok. I love you too and your welcome but it's kind of my job." She says wiping the tears from her daughter's eyes.
"I really truly appreciate everything you had to give up for me. You were so young, I know there is no way in hell I could have done it." Emery says.
"I would have given up the world for you, I would still do that. You are the best thing that ever happened to me, but if it wasn't for your grandparents I don't think we would have made it." Erin says.
"I miss Grandma Camille every day. She was such a great woman." Emery says.
They spent the next couple hours just sitting there snuggled up on the couch, watching multiple home movies. There were many tears but they also laughed a lot. It was about six when there was a knock at the door. Erin went to get the door while Emery texted her grandfather and told him how much she loved him. He of course replied with "What do you want." Just then Emery saw Jay walking closely behind her mother into the living room.
"Hey, you guys hungry?" Jay says as he sits in the chair facing the couch.
"I'm starving but I was just going to get something here. Why don't you guys go on a date? You don't need me to tag along." Emery says.
"Em if Jay didn't want you to go then he wouldn't have asked." Erin says with a stern look.
"She's right. Come on ladies grab your jackets and let's go." He says.
They got to a little diner that Emery had never been to before. They ordered and then talked about everything from school to boxing and everything in between. Emery loved that Jay was a sort of father figure to her, because she was missing her dad a lot lately and Jay helped her forget. Emery loved her dad but he worked so much that they never did much together his job was always more important. He would give her money to make her go away. She never told her mother this and probably never would. Emery's number one question was why did he fight for custody so hard if he basically just blew her off most of her life.
"Mom can we have a movie night tonight?" Emery asks.
"Sure, what shall it be horror or comedy?"
"Comedy, can Jay come over for the movie?"
"It's fine by me, what do you say Jay?"
"I'm in, I'll bring snacks."
Later that night Emery made dinner and got everything set up for the movie. Erin hopped in her sweats unknowing to what Emery had planned for the night. Jay showed up a little after seven and Erin let him in.
"I come bearing snacks." He said with a smile.
"You are a dork." She said back to him.
"Where is Em?" Jay asked.
"Emery, Jay is here." She yelled.
A little while later Emery comes in the living room, carrying a bag full of clothes.
"Alright dinner is on the stove and I hope you two have a goodnight." She says heading for the door.
"Wow, not so fast where do you think you are going?" Erin asked puzzled.
"Ever since I've come back you guys haven't had very much alone time. You both have been taking care of me and I appreciate it but I'm not five. I'm fine, if something is wrong I will tell you guys. I am going to grandpas for the weekend. You two have fun, just not too much, and maybe not on the couch or anywhere we have food." She says with a giggle as her mother smacks her butt as she turns to run out the door.
"She's something else you know that." Jay says with a giggle.
Erin grins but if she actually knew where Emery was going I highly doubt she would approve. Emery was just praying her grandpa and mother didn't speak that weekend which usually they don't on her weekend off. Emery got in the car with a guy she met when school started, his name was Cody, and they headed for the airport.