Episode 17 - Emmy's Journey

Written by: Fun But Shy Girl

Based on Stories by: DrDoom2006

Based on Characters Created by: Mark Reisman


2016:

Young Emma Mendoza laid on her bed inside her bedroom as she looked through a fashion magazine she was holding. The magazine had pictures of boys and girls wearing all sorts of different clothes for the summer. However, Emmy paused when she turned to the section of the magazine that showcased pictures of boys and girls modeling in swimsuits. Emmy looked at the boys in their typical swim trunks for a moment... but then Emmy turned the page, and had her eyes focused on a two page spread filled with nothing but teen girls wearing bikinis. Emmy's eyes began to focus on one teen girl wearing a tight pink bikini, whose body was turned to the side, but had her butt turned slightly towards the camera. Emmy's eyes began to become completely focused on the parts of the teen girl's breasts that were exposed, along with her butt. As Emmy continued to hold the magazine with her right hand, she slowly began to push the fingers of her left hand under her pants... and then beneath her panties. But then just as Emmy had her full hand pushed under her pants, her sister Jenna immediately walked into the room and said, "Wanna get some ice cream!?" A startled Emmy quickly pulled her left hand out of her pants and dropped the magazine on the bed.

Jenna then looked at Emmy with a puzzled look, while Emmy had a look on her face that conveyed she was embarrassed, humiliated, and ashamed of herself. Jenna then picked up the open magazine, and saw the two page spread of teen girls in bikinis. Jenna looked surprised for a few seconds, but then sat next to Emmy on the bed and smiled as she said, "You know... it's okay to have the feelings you feel. Even if they feel wrong... you at least need to admit to yourself that you're experiencing them." Then an ashamed looking Emmy turned away as she said, "I... I'm not feeling anything right now." Jenna put a hand on Emmy's shoulder as she said, "Well... just remember... the girls in these pictures look pretty... but they don't know you or love you. But... I hope what you're feeling right now puts you on the path to finding the kind of person you're attracted to that does know you and love you." Jenna then got up, left the room, and closed the door behind her.

Emmy then picked up the magazine, and had tears in her eyes and frustration in her face as she looked at the girls wearing bikinis in the pictures. Then Emmy looked up and saw several posters featuring boy bands on her walls. Then Emmy got up... and quickly tore the posters full of boy bands off her walls. Then Emmy opened up other magazines she had, and tore out pull out posters featuring female singers and girl led bands. Emmy immediately hung those new posters on the walls of her bedroom. Then Emmy opened up a photo album she had: and pulled out a recent photograph of herself and Olive. Then Emmy attached that picture to the wall near her bed... and then smiled.


2017:

Emmy was sitting in a chair facing the mirror in her bedroom, as Sophia stood behind Emmy braiding her hair. As Sophia worked, she said, "Okay. Almost done. And... there." Emmy smiled as she looked at herself and Sophia in the mirror and said, "Wow. We both look amazing." Then Sophia said, "Okay. Let me change into my clothes I brought so we can look like twins for our super selfie." Sophia then casually pulled off her clothes and stripped down to underwear, as Emmy's face turned blush red as her eyes became fixated on Sophia's increased amount of bare skin, including her young breasts that were starting to show. Then as Sophia looked in her bag, she said, "Shoot. I left the clothes at my place. I'll get them and be right back." Then Emmy said, "Oh, it's okay." Then as Sophia put her previous clothes back on she said, "Nah. If I run, it'll be quick. I could use the exercise. See you in a bit." Sophia then rushed out of the room, as Emmy titled her head down low and sighed.

Suddenly Emmy heard a voice say, "Wow, you are so crushing on her." Emmy turned her head and saw her older sister Jenna at the door. Emmy's face became red again, but this time from embarrassment, as she said, "Wha... what do you mean Jenna?" Jenna then sat next to Emmy as she said, "Sis, I'm in middle school. Trust me, I know what a girl having a crush looks like. So... does she know?" Emmy with a sad face turned her head. Jenna looking more serious now said, "Do mom and dad know?" Emmy with a sad face still, turned her head again. Jenna breathed a sigh of relief as she said, "Good. You know how much they listen to those radio programs about alleged family values all of the time. They are so totally anti-woke." Then Emmy sighed and said, "It doesn't matter anyway. Sophia is always going on and on about boy bands in the magazines, and boys at school she thinks are cute. It's not worth it." Then Jenna looking more curious said, "So... is it just Sophia you like, or... are there other girls you like?" Then Emmy said, "Well... I've just met her, but there's this cute girl in my class named Olive. I mean we're just friends, but I don't know, maybe..." Jenna then put a hand on Emmy's shoulder and said, "Look. Whatever happens: when it really matters, I'll always be here for you sis."


2019:

Emmy and Olive walked into Emmy's bedroom, as Emmy said, "Here's my bedroom." As Olive looked around she said, "Wow. Umm... Emmy... your bedroom is a little in need of..." Emmy then casually said, "In need of what?" Then Olive began to shake as she said, "In need of organization. I'm sorry, but... I can't help myself." Then Olive began to run around and clean up and organize Emmy's room. As this happened, Jenna walked in and said, "Hey sis. So... did you hire a janitor to finally clean up this place?" Emmy sighed and said, "No Jenna. This is my friend Olive from school. She's sleeping over tonight." Then with a sly grin, Jenna said, "Oh. Olive you say." Then a panicked Emmy began to push Jenna out of the room as she said, "Don't say anything!" Then right after Jenna left the room, Olive looked at Emmy's wall as she said, "Wait. Did I make this drawing?" Then Emmy noticed Olive pointing to a crude drawing of two girls standing together. Emmy blushed slightly as she said, "Uh... yeah. You gave it to me in 5th grade. We barely knew each other back then, but... when you gave it to me in art class, I really liked it."

Olive then looked at Emmy and smiled as she said, "Well... truth be told... in my bedroom... in my hope chest... I have pressed down and laminated... the first flower you ever gave me. Remember... on my birthday." A wide eyed and happy Emmy said, "Oh yeah. Everyone was giving you presents, but I realized that I forgot to get you anything. So I quickly ran to the park and picked your favorite flower." Olive smiled as she said, "Yeah. Everyone else might've given me stuff that cost money... but you actually gave me something that showed how much you knew me." Then Emmy stepped towards Olive as she said, "Well of course I know you Olive... and... I like you..." Olive looked troubled for a second, but then Emmy quickly said, "As a friend! I like you as a friend!" Olive looked nervous as she quickly nodded her head and said, "Of course. I knew that."


2021:

Olive and Emmy sat on two chairs near the beach as Emmy said, "Olive... I... I have to tell you something." "Sure." Olive said innocently. Emmy sat silent and looked nervous for a moment. Then she opened up her mouth and said, "Olive, I… I love you…" Olive in a straight forward tone said, "Yeah, and I love you." Then Emmy pulling up more courage from inside said, "No Olive. I mean... I really love you, love you..." As she spoke she leaned in and her lips touched Olive's. The blond girl opened her eyes as big as she could as she gently pushed her back while saying, "Emmy…" The Latina glared in shock at her friend, realizing what she had just done as she said, "I… I…" But before she could even move, Olive held her hands and spoke while saying, "Are you sure Emmy? I mean… I was always jealous of you and Sophia because I thought you…" Now it was Emmy that was a bit in shock as she said, "No… Sophia is… too traditional… there was this time when… I thought I liked her but… when I heard her talk to her mom about how she felt about going to school with people that are… you know… Sophia said how she wasn't enthusiastic about it and... it scared me…" Olive then took a deep breath as she began to speak softly to Emmy and said, "Emmy… if we go ahead with this… it's not going to be easy…" Emmy nodded her head and then said, "Olive I love you… if… if you want to… I'll take my chances…" Now it was Olive who leaned in and both teenagers kissed one another again, this timer much longer. Once their kiss finally ended, the two remained still smiling and now hugging each other.


2022:

Emmy sat in her bedroom talking into her cell phone as she said, "Love you Olive. No you hang up first. No you first. I love you so much, so I'm never gonna be the one to hang up. Well if you don't, be prepared because I'm never gonna hang up on the person I love." Then suddenly the bedroom door opened, and Emmy's mother stepped in as she said, "Just here to clean any dirty clothes." Emmy suddenly looked embarrassed as she said, "Mom alert. Bye." Emmy then turned off her phone as Emmy's mother looking curious said, "Emmy, who were you talking to? I just heard the end of it, but it sounded like someone special." Emmy began to look nervous as she said, "Well... it was." Emmy's mother looking a bit excited, sat on the bed, and said, "Well tell me Emmy. Who's the lucky boy that my baby girl has her eyes set on?" Then Emmy began to look much more nervous now as she said, "Well... um..." Then Emmy's mother with a big smile said, "It's okay. It's just us girls here. You can tell me." Then Emmy spoke very slowly as she said, "Well... it's... not... a... boy."

Suddenly the smile completely disappeared from the face of Emmy's mother as she said, "What?" Then Emmy said, "You know my friend Olive? Well... we're more than friends. She's... my... girlfriend." Emmy's mother suddenly had a face of anger as she stood up and said, "You... you sneak behind my back and... Emmy, after all the things I've done for you. After all the sacrifices me and your father made to give you a better life." Then Emmy looking very worried said, "I didn't do it to hurt you. It's just that I love Olive, and she makes me so happy, and completes me and..." Then Emmy's mother suddenly slapped Emmy across the face and said, "I don't know what kind of demon is possessing my daughter, but get out of her now!" Tears went across Emmy's face as she said, "Mommy... I didn't mean to..." Then Emmy's mother said, "You are to never speak to this devil girl that's poisoned your mind ever again, or I'm sending you to an institution that cures girls of bad desires." Emmy then stood up and said, "No. I'm not doing any of those things. I love Olive and only I control who I like." Then Emmy's mother bitterly said, "Then I have no daughter." Emmy looked shocked as she said, "What?" Then Emmy's mother pointed to the door and yelled, "OUT!" Then tears began to flow out of Emmy's eyes as she said, "But, I..." Then Emmy's mother screamed, "OUT!" Then Emmy ran out of her house crying and sobbing, as Emmy's sister: Jenna stuck her out of her bedroom watching Emmy leave with a troubled face.


Later, Emmy was walking alone down a sidewalk on a cold winter night. Emmy then approached a house with a light on outside and soon knocked on the door. The door soon opened, and an older teenage boy appeared who said, "Emmy?" Emmy who had a sad look on her face said, "Alex. My parents kicked me out of the house yesterday and... look, I'll explain more but... you're my cousin. Can you please let me in?" Emmy's cousin: Alex, looking a bit frustrated then said, "Emmy, your parents already called us. They told us everything. They said you got yourself a girlfriend; going against all the things we were told a family is supposed to look like in church. I mean do you know how freaking disappointed everyone is with you!?" A very sad looking Emmy then said, "Look... please. You gotta help me. We're family." Then a mad looking Alex said, "How do you know what a real family is supposed to look like anymore? Until you do, you're no family of mine." Then Alex closed the door on Emmy. Emmy then began to cry as she walked away. Then suddenly a car pulled up next to Emmy, and her sister Jenna stepped out. Jenna then walked over to Emmy and looked astonished at how cold and sad Emmy looked. Jenna then held her arms out, and then Emmy just ran into Jenna's arms crying.


Emmy was shown into a small bedroom, as Jenna helped carry a bag in. Jenna put the bag down, and said, "Here you go." Then another teenage girl stepped into the bedroom as she said, "There's extra towels in the closet next to the bathroom, and I got plenty of feminine care products in the bathroom if you need any." Emmy nodded her head as she said, "Thanks." The other teenage girl waked away, as Jenna put a hand on Emmy's shoulder and said, "You'll be okay. I've known Emily and her parents since I was in third grade. You can trust them. You'll be safe here. You can still go to school, and we can hang out every afternoon." As Emmy looked like she was on the verge of tears though, she said, "But... what about coming home? I mean... I don't want to be in a house full of people I don't know. What am I supposed to do over the weekend?" Jenna sighed, and then said, "I'll try to change mom and dad's minds. Just... be strong Emmy." Jenna then left the room, leaving Emmy alone. Then after a moment of stand still, Emmy fell on the bed and began to cry.


Three weeks later, Emmy wore a ripped jacket as she stepped out of a public library on a Saturday afternoon. Then a car pulled up nearby, and Emmy's sister Jenna stepped out. Jenna then approached Emmy and immediately hugged her. Emmy hugged Jenna back and said, "Hey." Then as the two girls got into the car, Jenna sat in the driver's seat as she said, "So have you been here all day?" Emmy nodded her head and said, "Yeah. Since 10am. After using up my two hours of internet time, I just read most of the time. I found a dollar on the floor, and used that to buy some chips for lunch." Then Jenna looking upset said, "Oh Emmy. Well the backpack I have in the back seat has plenty of food in it. But why didn't you take more food from my friend Carly?" Emmy sighed and said, "It felt like it was rude to do so. Carly's family didn't have much anyway." Then Jenna said, "Okay. Well... I can always ask a favor from one of the cheerleaders I tutored. And Danny owes me a favor. Oh, and there's..." Then Emmy said, "Jenna, I can't keep staying in the homes of people I don't know. It just... doesn't feel right."

Then Jenna said, "What? And park the car a few blocks away from home and let you sleep in it again? You looked like you were freezing the one time we tried that. Plus, mom and dad got concerned when they didn't see the car in the drive way." Then Emmy said, "Are... are mom and dad concerned about me?" Jenna sat silent, looking uncertain of what to say. As Emmy read Jenna's face, she tilted her head down looking more sad. Then as a few tears appeared in Emmy's eyes, she wiped them away and said, "I... um... I'll stay at the shelter I got some food from that one time. They have beds, and it seems safe enough." Jenna looking frustrated said, "Emmy, no. You're my sister. I can't let you..." Then Emmy interrupted Jenna and said, "There's no other option for now." Jenna took a deep breath... and then said, "I am going to visit you every day, and I am going to keep trying to talk to mom and dad into letting you come back home. Okay?" Emmy nodded her head and said, "Okay."


2023:

As she normally did now, Sydney was spending her Saturday afternoon helping in the local shelter house. It was mid-January and the people coming to seek a warm place to stay and a warm meal had increased. Sydney loved helping other people. At first Sydney was feeling bummed out about her dad taking her cell phone, iPad, and laptop from her due to recent events in her life. However Sydney began to enjoy the greater freedom she had now, since she was using it to help the less fortunate at the shelter. She was now used to see all kinds of people every day: elders, adults, even some teenagers, yet, what she didn't expect was to see someone she knew very well needing help. And even though said person tried to hide behind a scarf and a hoodie, Sydney had very good eyesight, as she quickly recognized them and said, "EMMY!?" Startled, the teenager tried to run out of the building only for Sydney to catch up with her, as again Sydney said, "Emmy?" Crying, Emmy fell to her knees. Sydney looked confused as she said "Emmy... what... why?"

As they sat against the wall in the back-alley Emmy told her what had happened, all in the middle of crying and hiccuping: "A month ago... I was on the phone... with Olive... mom heard me... and... and I... I thought... I could tell her... but... she... she went so mad... she kicked me out... and..." An astonished Sydney then said, "Wait.. A MONTH AGO? You mean... you have been living at the shelter for over a month?" Emmy nodded, and it was then when it hit Sydney... now everything made sense... the way Emmy ate when they did homework together... her saying her mom was waiting for her a block away instead of picking her up in front of the house... always having an excuse for not having lunch... Sydney felt her heart drop to the ground...


The next day, Emmy slowly woke up in a bed. She got up and saw the sun was bright outside through a nearby window. Emmy then opened to the door to the bedroom, and walked down a nearby stairway into the living room of Sydney's home, and saw Sydney sitting on the couch. Sydney turned to look at Emmy as she said, "Oh hey Emmy. Everything okay?" Emmy nodded her head as she said, "Yeah. Where's your dad?" Sydney then said, "Oh. He went to go talk to your parents." A confused looking Emmy then said, "Wait. I thought you said he was going to see my parents in the afternoon." Sydney then said, "Yeah. It is the afternoon. You slept for about eighteen hours." Emmy looked surprised as she said, "Oh. Sorry." As Emmy sat down next to Sydney, a smiling Sydney said, "It's okay. I... guess you were really tired." Emmy nodded her head and said, "Yeah."

Then a curious Sydney said, "So... what was it like there... at the homeless shelter I mean." Emmy sighed and said, "Well... the people in charge were nice enough... but... it's not like they cared a lot. I mean... when you're dealing with people that are homeless... you tend to think those people probably have little value, or that they did something bad to end up homeless. So even when the seemingly nicest people give you basic pleasantries when they offer you food and stuff... I mean... they don't really say or do much outside of the most basic things they're there to do. I get they're all low wage non-profit workers, and a few volunteers but..." A few tears began to come out of Emmy's eyes, as a concerned Sydney said, "Emmy... what happened?"

Emmy tried to fight back the tears as she said, "I mean... one night when I was sleeping at the shelter... something was wrong with the portable heater near where I was sleeping. So someone else who was sleeping near me, got up and complained about it. However the staff said that the building thermometer told them it was 60 degrees Fahrenheit and that was warm enough. However... the air duct system in that building was old, and some problem with it kept any heat from reaching our room. Plus, there was a crack in the window nearby, and super cold wind was coming in. They could've given us extra blankets, or boarded up the window, or something... but they didn't want to put in any extra work to help us... because I could tell they didn't think we were worth it... and maybe I am not worth it." A few tears appeared in Sydney's eyes, as she hugged Emmy and said, "Don't say that Emmy. You are worth so much. You are so special. I'm sorry if you felt forgotten... but know, you will never be forgotten by your friends." Emmy then scooted away from Sydney as she said, "Well... I was forgotten by my parents."

Sydney then held Emmy's hand as she said "It'll be okay... Dad will convince them and you'll be back home and..." At that moment the door opened and Max walked in. He didn't look happy. Sydney looked at Max as she said, "So... how did it go Dad? Can Emmy go back home?" Max sat on the couch and took a deep breath before he said, "Well... not right now at least" "WHAT?" - Sydney said in shock. Emmy on the other hand felt her heart break into pieces. Max sighed, and then said, "Look. They... they said that the only way Emmy can go back home is if she breaks up with Olive and moves in with her aunt in Chicago." Closing her fists, Emmy got up and walked away as she tried to hide the tears in her eyes while Sydney quickly ran after her.


A few days later, Sydney and Sophia were doing their homework in the living room when they were startled by someone banging the door. The teenagers glared at each other and when Sydney was about to call her dad, they heard Olive's voice screaming from the other side. Sophia went to open the door and a hurricane with blond hair burst in. "Olive you're back!" – Sydney said. "How's your grandma?" – Sophia asked. A frantic Olive then said, "She's getting better, but that's not the problem. I went to Emmy's home and her mother yelled at me and said she's no longer living there and..." "SHE DID WHAT?" Emmy yelled. Olive screamed in fear as Emmy yelled from behind her. Then the two embraced before Olive said, "You're OK!" Emmy nodded her head and said, "Yeah, Sydney found me at the shelter and..." "SHELTER?" - Olive yelled. Sydney intervened and said, "Olive, you have been away for a month." The blond held Emmy's hands as she said, "I want to know everything."

Emmy led Olive to the basement that now was her temporary room, and once the two were sitting down: Emmy eventually said, "One night... after I hanged up with you, my mom asked me who I was talking to… she thought I had a boyfriend and she seemed… happy… so I thought I could tell her… but… when I told her it was you… she totally lost it… called me horrible things… and then… she threw me out of the house…" The blond hugged her when she started to cry. Emmy continued by saying. "I had nowhere to go… so I went to the city shelter… I was going to school in the mornings, then I did my homework in the library and hung out there till dinner every afternoon..." Olive felt the tears running down her cheeks, as Emmy continued by saying, "I never went for food on Saturday afternoon because I knew Sydney was there… but one day I was so hungry that I had to… I tried to keep Sydney from recognizing me but… I failed… she brought me here and Mr. Reynolds said I could stay here… Then he tried to talk to my mom and… and she told him that unless I ended my relationship with you I could never go back home…"

Olive sat beside her and then said, " The trip to my grandma was no piece of pie either…" Emmy rose her head and looked at Olive with concern as she said, "What happened?" Olive looked down and said, "While there, I kept talking about how I missed you and my mom… kept telling me that what I feel for you is some kind of a phase and that I need to get out of it…" Emmy was perplexed and terrified as Olive continued with saying, "…at some point… I wondered if she was right…" Emmy looked terrified as she said, "Olive…" Then Olive looked straight at Emmy as she said, "Let me finish… it was then when I realized that… what I feel for you… it's too strong for that… You're the first and last thing I think about every day. You're my other half, the one who holds my heart, and my everything. I love you Emmy… and nobody can change that…" The teenagers then embraced one another starting to cry as they held each other as tight as they could.


2025:

Emmy was in a bedroom packing several things into a bag as Olive walked into the room. Olive gave Emmy a quick kiss on the lips and then said, "Hey babe. How you doing?" Emmy made a little smile as she said, "Okay. Just packing everything I have. You know aside from my clothes, I only now just realized that I don't have much to pack, since... well... I didn't move in here owning much to begin with." Emmy suddenly took a deep breath as she sat down, while Olive sat near her. As Emmy opened up a backpack she had, she said, "When... my parents kicked me out... I was only able to grab a few things while heading out of the house. My wallet, my phone, my diary, and... these two pictures." Then Emmy held out a photo of herself and her two siblings, and another photo of herself with her parents. A few tears then appeared in Emmy's eyes as she said, "I sent them an invitation to our wedding. They... they never responded. I didn't expect them to... just like I never expect them to respond to me ever again... which probably won't happen considering I might not have much time left at all. Excuse me." Then Emmy stood up and walked out of the room starting to crying.

Olive sat alone for a moment, as Sophia stepped into the room and said, "Okay Olive. I double checked for you. Your flight is still leaving on time in two days, and I already got you a ride to the airport, and..." Then Sophia noticed Olive seemed upset. Sophia then sat down and said, "Olive, what is it?" Olive sighed and said, "It's Emmy. Life is never fair for her, huh? First she gets kicked out of her home... then my mother mistreats her... now she also has to deal with recovering from leukemia." Then Sophia said, "Emmy is a strong young woman Olive. She'll be fine. She has you for a start." Olive then looked down as she said, "I know Emmy is strong. I only wish I could say something to help her realize it... or maybe I could do something to help her realize it..."


Olive stood alone outside as she held her phone near her face. Through her phone speaker, Olive heard a machine voice say, "The person you're trying to call cannot be reached. Please leave a message at the sound of the tone." Olive heard a beeping noise, then took a deep breath, and said, "Mister and Mrs Mendoza... this is Olive Rozalski. I know you don't want to hear from me, but... it's about Emmy. If you didn't know... she was diagnosed with leukemia about a year ago. Luckily she's been receiving treatment, and it's all turned out very well. She's about to get a final checkup at the hospital tomorrow around three. She's already had the tests done, so we should be in and out in about a half hour... if you want to come see her. I... look, I know me and Emmy being a couple isn't what you pictured for her. And I'm not going to ask either of you to change your beliefs. I'm not asking you to have sympathy for Emmy and her choices... but if you could at least have empathy for Emmy, and be able to see how your choices and what you've done has affected us... it would mean a lot. Goodbye." Then Olive ended her call, took another deep breath, and then walked away.


Later that day, Olive led Emmy out into a hospital hallway as a curious Emmy said, "Olive, why do you look like you're in a rush? And you've been checking your phone several times since we got here. Is everything okay?" Then Olive looked right at Emmy as she said, "Well actually... I did something without telling you, and I'm not sure if it was the right thing, but... I guess we're about to find out." A confused looking Emmy then said, "What are you talking about?" Then Olive and Emmy turned the corner of a hallway and saw sitting in two chairs nearby were Emmy's parents. Emmy stood in shock as she said, "Mom!? Dad!?" Emmy's parents stood up as as Emmy's mother looking nervous and cautious said, "Hello Emmy."


Later, inside of the hospital lobby: Emmy and Olive sat in a set of chairs facing Emmy's parents who were sitting in their own set of chairs. Emmy's father looked at Emmy as he slowly said, "We... we recently heard from Olive here about your recent leukemia diagnosis. How are you feeling?" Emmy looked down slightly as she said, "I'm okay. It's in remission right now, and it might never come back." The four all sat silent for several moments. Emmy's mother then spoke up and said, "Have you heard from your brother and sister recently?" Emmy looked up as she said, "We talk every week. Why?" Emmy's mother sighed and then said, "Because they won't talk to us anymore. They're upset at us with how we treated them, and... with how we treated you. We were just trying to get one of our children to turn back into who she once was. But in doing so... we lost all our children."

Emmy's mother tilted her head down as everyone remained silent for a moment. Emmy then finally spoke up and said, "I know you two wanted the best for me. But... maybe if you had taken the time to talk to me... to really know me in the last few years... you'd know who I really was, and then maybe would've known what was best for me. I mean I've been a teenager for over five years now, and teenagers change a lot, and... if a teenager can't talk to their parents about what they're going through, then who can they... Ugh." Emmy began to look frustrated, as Emmy's father then said, "We should've listened to you more Emmy. We may not be completely pleased with how you turned out, but we're ashamed of how we both turned out. This... choice you made in who to love... is not what we planned for. But... we did want to continue being part of your life when you found love." Then Emmy's mother said, "So... if you give us a chance... we'd like to have our daughter back... no matter what she's like now."

A few tears went down Emmy's face, as she nodded her head, took a deep breath, and then said, "I'd like that. But please know there's a lot of painful memories I feel and still see in my mind whenever I think of you two. It's going to take a long time before those painful memories are not at the forefront of my mind when I look at you. But... I would like to have you in my life again... and I would like for you to attend my wedding this Saturday." Then Emmy's father handed Emmy an envelope as he said, "Then, here." A confused Emmy then said, "What's this?" Emmy's father then said, "A check which should more than enough cover the expenses for a nice wedding ceremony. A father is supposed to cover the cost of his daughter's wedding, correct?" Emmy smiled as she said, "Thank you dad."


2046:

At an outdoor picnic, many members of Emmy's extended family were gathered together. Emmy's mother and father were setting up a table with food, when they suddenly saw Emmy and Olive approaching them with two teenage girls. Emmy's mother then said, "Olive, Emmy. Hello. Where's Barry? And who are these girls?" Emmy smiled as she said, "Barry will be here with Alisha in about an hour. But first..." Then Emmy motioned to one of the teenage girls to step forward while saying, "The paperwork and formal procedures were finished about an hour ago. Mom... dad... I'd like you to meet our newly adopted daughter, and your new granddaughter... Kelly Rozalski-Mendoza. Oh, and she brought with her: her new girlfriend Jackie. I hope that's okay."

Emmy's mother took a step forward... and then hugged Kelly as she said, "Welcome to the family Kelly." Then Emmy's father waved to Kelly's girlfriend Jackie as he said, "And we're honored to have you as a guest of our family today Jackie." Then Kelly stepped away and held Jackie's hand as she said, "Come on. Let me introduce you to my Aunt Sophia, and her niece who's also named Kelly." As Kelly and Jackie walked away, Emmy's father put a hand on Emmy's shoulder as he said, "You're a good mother, a good wife... and a good daughter Emmy. We're proud of you." Tears appeared in Emmy's eyes as she smiled, and then hugged her parents.

THE END