Story: Hear Me Weep
Author: gddg3696
Disclaimer: I own nothing Switched at Birth
A/N: Hope you guys like this chapter. It's not my proudest one, but it helps lead up to some greater things. Please review!
Ty
"So this is it?" Bay asked, excitedly as she sat down on the kitchen counter. I nodded.
"Yep. It's mid-ranged price, in a good area, and I can take the bus from here to work."
"Awesome. Just out of curiosity, though, what do you plan on doing about furniture?" Bay asked, motioning around us where there was only a lawn chair, a coffee table, and in the bedroom, a comforter. I shrugged.
"Honestly, having my own place at all is as good as it's gonna get for a bit. I need money for food and bills, so furniture is out of the question for now."
"Well I'm sure my parents, or Regina have some old things they don't use anymore." I held up my hands in protest, guilty for Bay even suggesting that.
"You guys have helped me so much, trust me, I can handle this one on my own." Bay smiled anxiously.
"Then would you mind helping me with something?" I narrowed my eyes in suspicion. Bay generally went ahead and helped herself to whatever she needed; she didn't normally stop and ask.
"Depends. What's the favour?" Bay hoped off from the counter and made her way so she was standing a foot away from me next to the fridge.
"I just need you to help me make sure of something." Her face was grave, curious, as she closed her eyes and leaned in. I sighed defeated and leaned in as well.
The kiss was… well it was simple, short lived. She pulled away almost instantly. I squinted at her.
"That's not supposed to feel like that." I said, both for my benefit and hers.
"Yeah… alright. Well. Everything's been made sure of then, let's just continue as good friends, yeah?" I nodded, agreeing but grabbed her arm as she backed away.
"Is this about why you were crying in your room all of yesterday?" I guessed. Bay looked shocked.
"You're really not quiet." I smiled at her. She made an annoyed sound in the back of her throat and pulled away.
"That's because I'm not used to people listening to me." Bay said. I raised my eyebrows. This was about a boy, a deaf boy. This was about…
"Emmett? This is about Emmett?" I laughed disbelievingly as she turned red. I didn't need any more confirmation than that. "You and Emmett? Who would have thought? How did Daphne take this, I always thought…"
"She didn't take anything." Bay cut me off, menacingly. "There's nothing to take." I rolled my eyes sarcastically.
"Oh, come on! You're all beaten up about something, you avoid him at all costs, he stops by to talk to you yesterday, and then you spend the evening crying yourself to sleep. Who are you kidding?" I say this all with a smile, because despite Bay and I almost becoming intimate, I've surprisingly come to view her a good friend and nothing more. Bay sobers up from her harsh exterior and sports the look on her face when I know what she says next she means.
"I'm actually serious. We did date, for a little, in secret. Then Daphne suddenly started to like him." I frown.
"So he dumped you for Daphne?" I'd honestly thought Emmett a little classier.
"No, I dumped him because I knew that'd be coming next. I wanted to save us all the hurt and beat him to the punch. I was right, too." I shook my head
"Now you're hurting and so is he, Toby told me he saw Emmett leaving your studio in tears, chucked his helmet in the driveway." Bay looks surprised.
"What is it with that boy, even with a job, school, friends and a band he still has ample time to eavesdrop and observe from his perch by the driveway" Bay mutters this to herself just loud enough for me to hear as she makes her way to sit in the lawn chair.
"Anyway, things with us are still complicated." I shrugged.
"They obviously broke up, Daphne and him. From what Toby says, Daphne's already looking for new Mr. Right. I still have to meet with the kid, Wilke I think, I gotta make sure he's not out of line." Bay throws her hands up.
"Since when did Toby and you start talking? This is ridiculous. Look, it's not about whether Daphne and Emmett broke up; it's about the fact that we're totally wrong for each other. Him and I didn't work out the first time. What makes you think we'd work out a second time?" I think about this for a moment before replying.
"The first time he still needed to make sure Daphne wasn't the one for him. From the sounds of it, he realized this and told you." Bay sighed.
"I don't want to be with him just because Daphne said no to him." I put my hand on her shoulder, the shoulder of a poor, pretty girl.
"What if he said no to Daphne?"
Regina
"Tell me about my father."
"Well… What would you like to know? His name is…"
"Angelo Sorrento, I know. No, all I want to know is three things." I frown at her and declare,
"Fine. Then I have a few questions, too." Bay can probably hear in my tone of voice my shock at her knowing his name, but she continues with her questions.
"First off, does he look like me?" Bay asked like a child asking about her Christmas gifts. I was surprised at how excited she was to hear about him.
"You have his face shape, and his eyes. When my mother first saw you she said you looked exactly like I did when I was younger. I knew you were your father's child though, because you looked back at me the same way he would." Bay's face lights up and I feel increasingly guilty that I can't tell her he's in town. I have to talk with him first.
"Alright, now here's my first. How do you know his name?" Bay looks quite guilty now as she fidgets with her hair.
"Yeah, about that. Emmett and I kind of found my birth certificate." I scoff at her. I knew I shouldn't have left too much in that garage.
"Young lady, you should know better than to look through things that don't belong to you." Bay rolls her eyes.
"Firstly, I wouldn't have had to go looking if you had just told me. And secondly, my birth certificate, does belong to me." I sigh and motion for her to ask her second question.
"Do I ever remind you of him? I mean, besides looks?" I chuckle.
"Definitely. The stubbornness is definitely there, but then again you got that from me, too. You're both very charming, where as I'm more direct. Your father really appreciates art, and music, the way you do. He gave me a mix tape of his favourite songs and made me play it once everyday while I was pregnant for you." I laugh at the memory, and Bay flashes me another regretful look. What now, I wonder? Then it hits me.
"My second question, where did you get that tape with the Ray Baretto you and Emmett were dancing to?" As I'm heckling her for the answer, I have a feeling I know.
"I sort of picked that up while I was at Emmett's as well… We were really looking for the guitar case." Instead of betrayal that I expect on Bay's face for a reminder of how I'd left her, she just gives me a small smile. God bless whatever influence Ty has been inflicting.
"So my last question. Is Angelo really as bad as you make him sound?"
I hadn't known what to say. Ty had knocked on the door at that point, effectively silencing what I should have told her, something about finding an apartment.
I was now driving to the Restaurant Riverside, hoping he was kidding, that it was a prank caller, of that maybe his car had broken down on the way here. I saw him standing outside, as handsome and charming as ever, waiting for me. Waiting for his answers and the stories of Bay, Daphne and the Kennishes.
No. The truth was that no, Angelo wasn't as bad as I made him out to be. I should have told her no.
Toby
We were sitting in the basement, equipment set up waiting to begin rehearsal. I had taught Emmett the basic beats for the five songs we would need and he had them down pat. We just needed Wilke so that we could put everything together. While waiting, I decided now would be the best opportunity to approach him about my sister.
"Emmett, you said you made your choice. But I saw you and Bay crying yesterday." Emmett rolls her eyes.
"You really can see everything from your room, huh? You need to quit that." I chuckle and nod. I was much better at understanding thanks to Regina, but I still had some trouble actually signing.
"So I've been told." Emmett gets up from the drum kit and up in front of me, his back to the staircase.
"Look, I needed to make sure Daphne and I were wrong. Bay and I are right. I know that now."
"So what's the issue? Why are you both miserable?" Emmett shrugs.
"Bay doesn't believe that I want to be with her. She says she can't be with me." I laughed.
"Alright, listen up Emmett, Bay obviously can. She just… is sort of sensitive. Especially involving competition with Daphne. The two things you need to give her are time, and a declaration. Bay loves that stuff. She's not selfish or anything, she likes little things too, but when people go all out for her, she feels very… appreciated. Special." Emmett nodded, processing this.
"You're getting better at signing." He complimented. We'd started out a little thorny, but I knew better now. I heard someone walking down the stairs when I replied.
"Thanks. And don't worry. Bay will come around."
"Bay? Come around to what?"
Wilke
Emmett didn't hear me, obviously, but Toby pointed to me. I tried to ask Emmett a simple question, mouthing deliberately and signing what I knew.
"You with Bay?" Emmett sighs and I can tell he really didn't want me to be a part of this conversation, but I just smile at how convenient Toby has made this for me.
"Why?" Emmett signs. He signs more, but that's what I get from it.
"Because I wanted to know if you were with Daphne." Emmett raises his eyebrows, and signs to Toby. Toby laughs and Toby signs back for a bit.
"Emmett says she's free to anyone but you." I roll my eyes.
"Come on man, I really do like her. She's… She's really something." I smile at the look on her face the other day. Emmett snaps his fingers in front of my and I pay close attention to his mouth.
"Hurt her, and I'll break your face." I nod. Toby speaks up from behind him.
"Same here dude. She's my sister, you know. I'm barely okay with it as it is, and that's only because I know you're serious about this."
"I know that was implied." I say to them both, letting a smile spread on my face.
"So, let's get practicing?" Toby says as he picks up his guitar. I knew practicing here would be a good idea.
Angelo
She thinks I don't see her, but she has the same license plate as she did when we were together. Regina looks beautiful, but extremely nervous. It makes me want to laugh, because I was so used to her facing challenges head on. I never figured I would be one of those challenges.
I'd held the proof of Regina's infidelity in my hands and begged her to admit to me her cheating. Daphne was not related to me, but I still loved Regina, loved the child. I promised to stay with her, raise Daphne if only she admitted she had an affair. Instead she faced me with an ultimatum. Regina declared that she hadn't cheated and if I didn't trust her, I should leave. I did leave, to Chicago, where I had lived before moving with Regina to Kansas City.
The first weeks I felt like dying, turning to my only friends, bottles and flasks and bar stools. I had loved her, provided for her and whom I thought was my daughter, to have it taken away. I showed up to work drunk four times, the first time I got away with it. No one seemed to notice. The second and third time I was completely plastered, but two of my chums had locked me in a closet in their office so our boss wouldn't see. The fourth time I got caught, and my boss told me to sign up for AA, or stop coming to work.
I had no one to hire me, no options, so I signed up. Maurice, a recovered alcoholic decided to take me under his wing. He moved in and helped me stay clean. Once, I yelled at him for always following me and being around me, for making me feel like a delicate egg. He backed off for a bit, and it was only a week before I slipped up and had a beer. For fun I had another. Then I took three more. After that I never complained about him being around ever again.
I wanted to call, or visit Regina and Daphne, but I didn't want her to see me like this. I didn't want to prove her right, to justify her being with someone else because I was useless, a failure. I had pictures of them on my desk, but we weren't really happy those years. I was always suspicious of another man, and Regina was always on the bottle. There were a few happy pictures, like Daphne's first birthday, a picture at the park.
After six months of staying clean completely, and about nine months of being away, I called them. I almost chickened out, but Maurice told me I had to do it for myself. Regina yelled at me for twenty minutes, and when I begged to come visit, she told me to never call her, and to never come near her or Daphne. It was hard not to drink that night, but Maurice had emptied the house of alcohol and stolen my keys so I couldn't go out.
A year later I went and visited, despite my better judgement. Maurice had moved to Arizona, and we still kept in touch. I could have no more than a glass of wine at the time before relapsing, and even those were a special occasion. I had been promoted once, and I figured now was the best time, to talk to Regina, see how Daphne was.
I got off the bus a block away and walked to our old house. There was Daphne, sitting outside in a blue dress with a toy doll. I smiled at her in a cute sailor outfit, hair in a braid down her back. I remember when Regina would do that in the mornings if she was up, she would braid Daphne's hair on the couch while I made coffee. The mornings were the best. We were too tired to yell, and too busy to disagree. In a rush, Regina suddenly had burst through the front door, yelling behind her for Adrianna to grab Daphne for school because she needed to go to work. Regina was in the car, and Adrianna inside when Daphne turned from her toy and looked up at me. She concentrated as she did, and I realized, that this child looked nothing like me at all. This blond girl stared at me with her blue eyes, and as beautiful as she was, the sight of her made me want to vomit. Regina had moved on, and maybe so should I.
I'd gone home and focused on my work, focused on staying clean. I had dated one or two women, but it was hard talking about things like commitments and children. I threw out the pictures of Daphne and Regina, thinking about how excited I was when Regina told me she was pregnant. How happy we were, all the music we listened to, all the names we considered. Only to find out it had all been a collective series of lies.
I was back now, after finding out about the switch. Back to get to know Bay, and Daphne. I toyed with the ring in my pocket that I'd had since Daphne's second birthday. I was also back to let Regina know that I was sorry.
Emmett
"She hates me!" Daphne rolled her eyes at me.
"Don't be a drama queen, Bay does not hate you." I shook my head.
"Daphne, you don't know the things she said to me. They were all right! I hurt her!" Daphne gives me knowing look.
"Look, Bay may seem tough, but if there's one thing I've learnt about her through all of this, is that she's actually kind of sensitive. Give it time, she clearly needs it."
"That's what Toby said."
"Well Toby's right." I threw my hands up in the air.
"I want to give her time, but it hurts me to be away from her."
"So what are you gonna do about it?" I shrugged.
"Well I talked to Toby about Bay, and he says she likes big declarations. So I've been thinking about something… I was wondering if you wanted to help." Daphne laughed.
"Hey anything to get you two back together. What do you need?" This was the embarrassing part. It went against most of everything I stood for, but all that changed once I got to know Bay, anyway.
"Will you come with me to speech therapy?"
Daphne
"Hey, what are you doing here?" Wilke asked. He couldn't sign much, but it was cute that he tried.
"I live here." Wilke laughed embarrassingly.
"Right, right. I meant what are you doing in this house, I thought you lived in the guesthouse." I shrugged. I'd come in to grab some food from the fridge; my mom was out to dinner with a friend.
"Me and Bay kind of just, come and go as we please in whichever house." Wilke nods.
"Well then I guess that gives you more opportunities to run into me accidentally. Lucky you." He winks at me and I laugh.
"I'd be lucky if you left me alone." Wilke flashes me a dazzling smile that I'm sure most of the Buckner girls dream about.
"No can do sweetheart. How about we skip the theatrics and just get it over with." I frowned as I took a sip out of my water bottle. Wilke's smile only expanded.
"Get what over with?" I asked.
"Our first date." I chuckled and stopped him before he continued.
"This is first. You signed only. But I'm good with that, too." Wilke laughed as well and did the sign properly.
"I was thinking going old school, dinner and a movie. They're showing a movie at the drive-in next Friday, and I already bribed the guy for a subtitled version." I was surprised at how sweet I found that. Wilke had actually thought about someone other than himself.
"I don't think so." Even as I said it, I was smiling. Maybe I'd had enough hearing guys to last a while. Wilke stepped closer so that he was less than half a foot away from me.
"Come on. I know we're going kind of out of order, you cheat money out of me, and then we get drunk and mess around, and now we go on a proper date. What can I say, we're unconventional."
"More like hypothetical. I haven't said yes to that first date."
"You haven't, yet. So, tell me what I can do to turn that I don't think so into a hell yes." I smiled a huge smile at him and leaned in teasingly.
"I'll let you know when I think of something."
Melody
"Emmett, I invited Regina and the girls over for brekfast, they'll be here any minute." Emmett let go of the fridge door and walked over to me.
"Why?" I shrugged.
"Regina's been working so much, trying to save up for her own salon, I haven't gotten much of a chance to see her. Daphne is always welcome, and I'd like to get to know Bay." Emmett's face turned into a regretful smile as he stared off at the mention of Bay's name.
I knew I had been judgemental with their relationship. They are clearly long term about it, and I felt selfish inflicting my own opinions on my son. Regina said Bay has been miserable until recently, and Emmett hasn't quite been himself since the parted ways. If I knew my son, he had already gone to see her, right after him and Daphne "broke up", if you could call it that.
I knew Bay had to be an incredible girl. Regina was my dear best friend, deaf or not, and Regina had become completely fluent maybe… two years after vigorously studying at every opportunity. I knew Bay could and probably would do the same thing.
The light flashed, signalling the girls' arrival and I went to greet them.
"Regina, Daphne, Bay, come inside" They all came in and Regina spoke first.
"Hello Emmett, nice to see you." Emmett nodded and waved.
"Hey, Emmett" Daphne signed and gave him a hug. I ushered Regina and Daphne to their usual seats and tried to be subtle about watching Bay and Emmett.
"Hey Emmett." Bay signed, smiling softly as she sat next to Daphne. I watched my son stand there, shaking his head and taking a seat in between me and Daphne.
"So we're having omelettes and bacon, Daphne, no bacon for you." Daphne signed thank you and we began to eat. Bay was slow about her bites at first and then really started to go at it.
"You like it?" I tried to sign slowly, but it had been a while since I was talking to new signers.
"Oh yeah. My mom has pretty good omelettes, but she never puts enough cheese, it's like she just mixes the eggs, throws in some peppers and calls it breakfast. I don't like too much cheese, but this is the perfect amount… What kind of spices do you have in here too, because it's actually a very jarring taste, not overwhelming but very…"
My eyes were the size of saucers as I tried to take in everything she was signing. Bay was signing so much so fast! A few signs were a little lazy, but it was clear what she was trying to say. I looked around at Daphne and Regina's faces which were twisted with half smiles and confused eyes. Emmett just looked shocked. She must have notices our expressions because she stopped signing completely. Bay turned to Regina.
"What? Did I not do any of them right?" Regina laughed and Daphne began to laugh too.
"Where did you learn to sign like that?" Daphne asked. Bay shrugged.
"You know your self-proclaimed stalker Mr. Richard?" I turned to Daphne.
"Stalker?" What had these girls been up to?
"My interpreter for cooking class at Buckner." I smiled in realization as I followed the rest of Bay's signs.
"Yeah, I know him, why?" Daphne asked.
"Well he's a language professional. He speaks French, English, Italian, German and ASL. He's my French teacher. I've been practicing with Toby and Regina sometimes, and books and the Internet help, but I went to see him anyway to ask what it was like learning ASL for hearing people." We all nodded on, absorbed in how quickly she had immersed herself in our language.
"He said it was hard at first, but it's worth it if you're close to deaf people." Bay smiled fondly first to Daphne, who smiled back, and then to Emmett, who blushed.
"So at lunch and sometimes after school he would teach me. We would just sit in his classroom and sign about anything until I needed to learn something. Then he would write it down, sign it out. At the end of the day, he just gives me the paper and I practice them. It's surprisingly effective. I know I'm not close to fluent yet, but we've been practicing for maybe a month and half. He says I'm getting there." Regina nodded.
"You certainly are." Bay beamed a proud smile.
"You smile like your mother." I say. Bay turns to Regina, who in her own right smiles out of embarrassment. Daphne looks between the two before giggling like crazy.
"It's true. You both have that goofy snagged tooth." The both covered their mouths in embarrassment and Emmett and I couldn't help but smile either.
"I think they have beautiful smiles." Emmett signed. He hadn't said much the entire dinner, and we all sort of just sat there eating for a while, until I spoke up.
Bay
"Bay, Daphne, Emmett. You kids look like you're done eating, why don't you go hang out in Emmett's room?" Melody signed and we all stood up to leave. Daphne and I followed directly behind Emmett.
"I should probably go." I signed, just as Emmett and Daphne sat on the bed and desk chair.
I'd come to let both Melody and Regina know that I was fine, better than fine. I couldn't keep up appearances with Daphne and Emmett, though. I could barely look at his gorgeous face without bursting into spontaneous tears. Daphne gave me a half smile and began to sign.
"We all came here in my mom's car. If you leave, we'll be stranded." Daphne jokes. I'm about to suggest I take the bus home, anything to get out of here, when Emmett signs.
"I could drive you back if you really want to go home." My face must look panicked, because Daphne begins to laugh.
Damn, he really knew how to play his cards. I would rather sit in this room with Emmett and Daphne for another hour than spend 20 minutes on the back of Emmett's motorcycle with my arms around him.
"Never mind, you're right, it makes more sense if we all drive back together." Daphne nods.
"I'm going to the bathroom, okay? Be right back." Daphne exited the room before I could protest, and suddenly it felt like the room got much, much smaller. I retreated to the desk chair where Daphne had been.
"So what's new?" I signed, in an attempt to just ignore whatever the look on his face would convey into words.
"Bay…" I could already see in the expression on his face, in the way he signed my name, that he was headed for trouble.
"Don't Emmett, I can't do this. I can't." He stood up angrily and began signing.
"You can't what, Bay? Look me in the eye? You can't just talk to me? What can you do Bay? What's okay for you to do?"
"I can leave." I signed, and got up. I could tell Regina that I didn't feel well, or that I wanted to walk home. Anything to just, get out of here.
Just as I got up, my hand on the doorknob, Emmett turned me around and flattened me against the door. He had one hand on my hip, as if to assure I wouldn't wiggle out of his grip and run away, and one was signing to me.
"You can, if you want to. If you do, you should know that I don't make mistakes twice. If you walk out that door, away from me again, I won't be giving up. It will be different this time."
"Please." I sign. I was begging for him to let me go, to let me leave. Emmett let go of me and stepped back, reluctantly and I was upset to admit that loosing his touch on my side was disappointing.
"Fine. If what you really want is to never see me again, then say it. Tell me you never want to be with me. That you think we're totally wrong for each other, and that I mean nothing to you." I felt myself start to cry again. "Then I'll leave you alone."
"I can't say that, you know I can't. I don't feel that way at all."
"Then why don't you want to be with me." Emmett signed, seriously.
"It's not that I don't want to, of course I want you. But you hurt me, Emmett. You hurt me so badly you just left me bleeding. And I know you're sorry, but I can't trust you." Emmett's confident shoulders dropped as he lowered his head in shame.
"I know I hurt you, but can't you give me another chance, Bay? I care about you so much; I can't just… let you go again. I won't." I smiled through me tears.
"I need to be away from you right now, Emmett. To think." Emmett nodded and started to walk closer to me. I couldn't have backed up if I wanted to seeing as I was against the door.
Emmett held me hands and lightly brushed his lips against my own very softly, very slowly. I shook a little as the tears flowed freely and he cried too, I could tell, as he buried his face in my hair. I couldn't help myself at that point and I wrapped my arms around him, and I pulled him as close to me as I possibly could. Emmett immediately reciprocated and put his arms around me as well as he raised his head to kiss my forehead. He tried to back up, but I wouldn't let him. I needed to hold onto him for as long as I could. Even though I could feel the wetness of his tears, my ear on his heart felt his body shake a little with a chuckle.
Instead of attempting to pull away again, Emmett led me to the bed where we both sat down. I was practically on his lap, and he continued to kiss my hair and forehead. Then, he pulled away, but only to sign with one hand.
"If you need time to think, I'll give it to you. I'm not going anywhere." I nodded and kissed him on the cheek with the weight of a feather as I got up. I could tell in the look of his face that he didn't want me to go, but I needed to distance myself a little, or else I'd surely latch myself onto him for an eternity. I wiped my tears and smiled at him as I signed,
"Thank you." Emmett nodded, understandingly, but clearly upset. I returned to the chair I was sitting in before as Emmett wiped his eyes too, and Daphne tentatively opened the door.
"Everything okay?" She asked. I narrowed my eyes at her. She had suspiciously good timing for a deaf person, and moreover, she was in the bathroom for a long while.
Despite my ponderings, Emmett and I don't know what to sign back, so I just nod.
"Seriously, though. I'm going to take walk. I need to clear my head. Text me when we're leaving?" Daphne nods and sits next to Emmett, and Emmett doesn't do anything. He just looks at me as I leave, as if reminding me with his eyes, 'It will be different this time.'
Well well! Doesn't it seem to be looking up for Bemmett? I hope you guys liked this one, like I said, not my favourite chapter, but I think what's coming next will be great. I've been uploading every few days, but, just a warning, the next chapter might be a while. It's quite emotional, and sometimes I really need to sit and concentrate to embed real feeling. I hate turning in work that isn't done, you know? Anyway, shoot me a review if you'd like. Ideas, questions, compliments, critique, I read and appreciate it all! Thanks readers!