A lot that goes towards the resolution is in this part. Like I said, it is getting closer to being completed. I hope you all enjoy. Have fun reading; leave comments.

 

How Life Can Change

By Little Katie

Part XX: Holding Emily

 

Emily sat in the car, not knowing really what to say. Last time she mentioned anything about her mother's treatment things seemed to get worst and not better. She just stared straight ahead, making sure not to make eye contact with her father. She knew that if she looked at him she would break down into tears. If she told him what her mother had said, they would have a fight. If they had a fight, maybe rocks in her lunch box wouldn't be the only mistreatment she would get from her mother.

"Rough day, huh?" John asked as he stopped the car on the corner of their block.

"Yes, I guess." Emily said, maintaining her forward gaze.

"Mrs. Montgomery told me all that happened," John continued.

"I know; I was there when she called and I sort of heard from her."

"Not very nice what those boys tried to pull was it."

"No, not nice at all." Emily said straight-faced, almost as if she were separated from the emotions of the incident.

"Why didn't you go home first? Mom could've called me and told me."

"I did."

"Oh," John said, somewhat surprised.

"Didn't you tell her?"

"I told her, she didn't believe me."

"Hmmm," John murmured, at a loss for words.

"You don't believe me either, do you?"

"I believe you, I can see your clothes torn and I saw Sean, what's not to believe? Anyway, even if I didn't see that I would still believe you because you're my daughter and I trust you."

"Thanks," Emily said softly.

"I just don't know why your mom would think you were making something like this up."

"Well, she didn't say I was making it up."

"Oh," John adjusted himself in the seat. "What did she say, exactly?"

"That I asked for it. That instead of a good son that I was a whore."

For a moment, John had a look of utter shock on his face. He had never heard his child use such language; he didn't even know she knew that word. Then his face changed, literally turning red with anger. He didn't say a word; he just put the car back into gear and rolled on up to the house.

Once there he got out and walked straight to the house. For the first time since the accident, he didn't open the door for his daughter. He just walked, slow and determined, thinking exactly what to say and how to say it when he confronted his wife. He really had been trying not to start any arguments, at least, not until they received the test back from the doctor.

Emily unlocked her door and ran up to her dad. She didn't know why she ran or what she hoped to accomplish. She didn't want to hear her parents fight and she didn't want her mom to treat her any worse then she had since she got back home from the hospital.

"Dad," Emily said as they got to the front door.

"Yes, honey."

"You and mom aren't going to fight again, are you?"

"I don't know, honey. I simply don't know."

"Please don't, I hate it when you fight."

"I know you do, honey, but sometimes it has to happen if you want any results."

"But, you don't got to start arguing right away, right? I mean maybe you can just sit and talk like you sit and talk with me."

"Maybe."

"Please start that way, please. For me?" Emily stared at him with her big blue eyes.

"Okay, honey, for you. I'll tell you what, I will eat dinner and calm down and then try and have a nice, sit down, discussion with your mom, okay?"

"Thank you," Emily gave a half-smile.

John opened the door, a little less furious then when he arrived at it. He still wanted to go off on his wife, but for Emily's sake, he decided to resrtain himself.

"Honey, we're home." John called out in a cheery way.

"Oh good, you went and picked her up." Vivian had been told by her husband that Emily was hanging out at Sean's house.

"Yes, got her on the way home from work."

"Well, dinner is on the table. Liver and onions tonight."

Emily completely detested liver and onions, no matter how healthy people said they were for her. "I ate at Sean's," Emily called out.

"Okay, sweetie." Vivian put her best face forward. "You left here so fast before, I didn't even think to ask if you had homework?"

"I have a little bit."

"Well, you know the rules, you weren't suppose to go out until it was done."

Emily just stood there, dumfounded.

"Never mind, just go up and do it now. Don't let it happen again, we don't want your grades to start slipping, now, do we?"

"No mom," Emily said, as politely as she could manage. "I'll get on it right now."

"Good, get cracking." Vivian said then went to the dining room to eat dinner with her husband.

Emily found her backpack sitting on the floor next to the door. It was a good deal soiled from the incident earlier that day. She wondered how she could get it clean; it would be a shame to ruin such a nice backpack, she thought.

She walked to the top of the stairs, paused for a second and tried to hear what her parents were saying. Just the usual pleasantries for the moment, the "How was your day," and "Did the baby keep you busy," type of stuff. Emily knew that such neutral conversation wouldn't continue for long and that soon she would be the topic of discussion.

She walked into her room and kept the door open. She wanted to be able to hear when the conversation turned rough. With the door open, a slight possibility of hearing a raised voice existed, but with the door closed, it would be impossible.

Emily sat at her vanity and pulled out her spelling list. Writing spelling words five times each was a boring chore that seemed to simply waste time more than do anything about learning how to spell the words correctly. She always did well on spelling and the words on this week's list she already knew from last year. But, she knew the drill and tried to get the work done as quickly as possible.

"Apply," Emily said out loud. "A,P,P,L,Y. Why, because teachers like to waste your time." Emily chuckled at the little joke, one that went around the classroom all last year--last year, when things seemed much simpler.

Emily started began writing the words five times each. She first did all the a's in a column down the paper, followed by the two p's together in a column. Finally, she did the ly together in another column. She tried to do two letters or so together so it didn't look like she had used a shortcut. Her teacher last year hated when people did it that way and if she could tell that you had cheated, you had to write the words ten time each the right way. Emily had devised this way of doing it and only got caught one time but had talked her way out of it. She did the rest of the words and in about ten minutes time, the page was full and she was done with her spelling work for the day.

She put the page in a folder, then placed the folder into her backpack. She always color-coded her folders. Yellow was always used for spelling and green was for math. She pulled the green one out next.

But, before doing any of the work, she walked to the top of the staircase again to see if she could hear anything. Dad was talking about how much he liked the meal and how hectic things were at work. Mom mentioned how hectic her day had been as well with all the diaper changing and extra wash that she was doing.

Emily decided that it was safe for the time being to go back to doing her homework. She didn't fear missing out on any conversation about her, not for a few minutes at least. She pulled out the math worksheet due the next morning. It was nothing like the question she had been asked to answer in front of the class. The top line was some two-digit addition followed by single digit multiplication on the next. The third line had some simple division and the last line had a two-digit number multiplied by a single digit number.

"Stupid Mrs. Bryan and her stupid math problem, trying to make me look bad in front of the class. I knew the answer too, if she wouldn't of caught me off guard. Twenty eight times nineteen, that's so simple. It's 532, but I thought I was going to get an easy problem like everyone else. Like 5 times 5 or something. And dress more like a John. Hello, I'm not allowed. I'm not even a John anymore."

Emily was shocked that she had said that out loud. Admitting to herself what she really was. She stood up, and looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her hair had grown out nice and long now, and she didn't mind admitting to herself that she was kind of pretty.

"Who are you?" Emily asked her reflection.

"I'm Emily Corsi, and I'm proud that I am." She answered herself and giggled a bit.

Emily made her way back to the top of the staircase. She could hear the dishes being washed and the clank of them being dried.

"We need to talk." Emily heard her father say. She knew what was coming.

"Sure, what's going on?" Vivian replied.

"Let's sit down at the table and talk."

At the top of the stairs, Emily heard the conversation move into the dining room.

"Emily had a tough day I heard," John said.

"You know kids, they fight one day and the next they make up. I didn't put much stock in it."

"Even when those kids try to undress your daughter?"

"Oh, I doubt it was really that serious," Vivian said. "Probably some childhood teasing, didn't you try to do the lift and peek while you were growing up?"

"I think it was much more serious than that."

"I think," Vivian went on, "that she really doesn't know how to carry herself as a girl and probably gave out signals she didn't realize."

"So that makes it all right for two boys to jump her?"

"No, I'm just saying that it was probably some innocent teasing that got out of hand and that you have a way of blowing things way out of proportion."

"Well, she was traumatized by it."

"What doesn't traumatize her lately? First she makes up stories about me touching her, then she takes teasing way out of proportion."

"And she has you call her a whore."

"When?"

"That's what she said."

"I think maybe this whole experiment of making him accept a new gender was a complete mistake, evidently he can't handle it; making up stories, getting into fights, getting into trouble at school."

"We said a year, didn't we?"

"Well, it evidently isn't working."

"I don't see that."

"Look at all the trouble she's getting into and I don't see it getting any better."

"I think I note a bit of jealousy perhaps, or something."

"Me? Jealous? Of that, I mean of her, hardly. I'm tired of all the lying and trouble."

John kept his tongue, noticing the particular words that had been used.

"I mean, all right, I didn't call the school and tell them about the name change and everything. I figured they would know."

"It's a city school, with a few million kids. You think maybe they have a ton of paper work? Her name wasn't legally changed, neither was her gender. Remember, we decided to wait on that until the trial period was over."

"Sorry, I was a little busy giving birth, it slipped my mind."

"Well, did you straighten it out with the teacher."

"Kind of."

"Kind of?" John repeated, "What does 'kind of' mean?"

"Well I explained about the accident and about the surgery and the trial period."

"So it's straightened out."

"I tried. The teacher says she doesn't see her doing well around other kids."

"Why is that?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

"No, she handles people just fine from what I can see. She has her friend Sean and the girls at the party seem to like her."

"And these boys that 'attacked' her?" Vivian came back

"Hm."

"The teacher doesn't see her doing well this year."

"All this from the first day."

"Well, the teacher says she has an attitude, and was a constant problem."

"Doesn't sound like Emily," John said.

"No, it doesn't sound like the son we knew, she is something completely different."

"She is different in some ways from what she used to be, but not worse."

"Well, that is the way it's turning out."

"Maybe we should talk to her teacher face-to-face."

"Maybe we should follow the teacher's advice."

"Which was?" John asked.

"Special Ed."

"From one day of interaction, somewhat rash evaluating, isn't it?"

At that moment, there was a loud knock at the door. Emily gasped in fright.

Peering down toward the door, she saw her father come into view. He slowly opened the door; two policemen stood on the front porch, one tall, thin and black, the other shorter, bulkier and white.

"Can I help you, officers?" John said respectfully.

"We need to come in and talk to you and your wife," the tall, black officer said. He wore yellow chevrons on the sleeve of his uniform shirt.

"Certainly, sir, come on in." Both of the policemen came into the foyer, the white officer carrying a notebook.

"What's going on?" Vivian said as she walked in with the new baby in her arms.

"Do you two have a child named Emily?" the officer with the notebook asked, consulting it.

"Yes." John and Vivian said together.

"We need to talk to you about her," the police sergeant said.

"I know what this is about, believe me it's been taken way out of proportion," Vivian began.

"Ma'am, we never think child abuse is ever taken out of proportion."

"Abuse!" Vivian exclaimed.

"Yes, ma'am." The tall policeman looked very serious.

"Is your daughter here?" the other officer asked John.

"She is upstairs." John answered.

"We need to see her."

"Certainly," John said. "Emily, come down here." He said in a loud voice, half expecting that she was at the top of the stairs.

Emily slowly walked down the stairs, scared because of what was going on. She was still dressed in the clothes she had worn to school. The dress had a tear up the side and looked disheveled. Her hair also was a tad messy.

"I think we have seen enough, we need you two to come downtown to answer a few questions," the sergeant said decisively.

"I can't!" Vivian exclaimed. "I have a baby."

"Ma'am, we are not placing you under arrest, you can bring the infant with you."

"And if I refuse?" Vivian asked defiantly. John took a step back, giving the officers the idea that he would go with them and not put up a fight.

"Then we will arrest you, on charges of child molestation. Your children will be placed with Children's Services." Neither policeman blinked or changed expression at all.

"I guess I really don't have a choice," Vivian said nastily.

"Speaking of children, what about Emily?" John asked.

"Do you have relatives, or a close personal friend that can watch her?"

"Can I make a call?" John said.

The police sergeant nodded. "Yes, make it quick."

John went to the kitchen, called Barbara and explained all that happened.

"Our babysitter will be here in a few minutes, can we wait to make sure she picks up Emily."

"Yes, we will give her ten minutes then off we go."

It took Barbara only a few minutes to get there, John let her in with the officers standing out of the way. Nothing much had been said while they waited for Mrs. Montgomery to arrive.

"Bye." Emily said to her parents, moving to stand next to Barbara, still very much afraid of what was going on.

"Bye." Vivian said in a bitter tone. The officer scribbled something in his notebook.

John got down on one knee. "Listen, honey, everything will be fine. We are just going to talk to the officers and we just can't do that here. We might even be done in time to pick you up tonight. If not I will see you in the morning."

"Promise?" Emily said with watery eyes.

"I'll do my best." John wrapped his arms around his daughter and gave a tight squeeze. "Now be good for Mrs. Montgomery."

"Okay," Emily walked out the door and into the Montgomery's minivan. She watched as her parents got into the squad car. She could no longer fight back the tears that trickled down her face.

"I wish I had something to say to make you feel better, sweetie," Barbara said. "All we can do is hope that the best happens."

"I know." Emily wiped her forearm over her eyes to dry them. She buckled her seatbelt and Barbara drove on home.

When Barbara pulled into her driveway, Sean stood outside, waiting for them to arrive. Emily looked away, embarrassed that the police took her parents away, she didn't think she wanted to see or speak to her friend. Slowly she opened the door and got out.

Sean ran up to her, not really knowing what to say. He figured he would just improvise. "You're still wearing my jacket," he said cheerfully.

"Yeah," Emily answered him somberly. "I thought that is what I was suppose to do."

Sean smiled as he led Emily into his house. His mother said they could go into his room as long as he kept the door open. Emily sat on the corner of his bed and kept her hands folded on her lap.

"Thank you," Emily said quietly.

"What's that?" Sean asked.

"I said, thank you, I sort of didn't before."

"Oh, I was happy to do it, made me feel kind of good sticking up for a girl."

Emily gave a half-smile.

"I told you, I liked you."

"Yeah, I know, but there doesn't seem to be that many people sticking up for me."

"I don't mind the extra work." Sean smiled.

"I'm sort of worried, you know, about my parents and stuff," she admitted, looking down at her folded hands.

"Anything I can do to help?"

At that point, Emily started to cry. Sean really didn't know what to do or what to say. He simply put his arm around Emily's shoulders and allowed her to be vulnerable.

Emily buried her head into Sean's chest, the tears kept coming and she didn't know if there would ever be an end to them. She held onto Sean for all her worth.

Sean returned the embrace. He didn't understand the feelings he had. Here was a friend, crying and having the worst time of her life, but he felt good. He didn't feel good because of Emily's situation, he felt good because she was in his arms, because he was a rock she could count on.

"So this is what it feels like to be a real man," Sean thought to himself as he stroked Emily's hair. He realized that she was vulnerable, and that he could really take advantage of the situation. He wouldn't, he couldn't; he was too much of a man to do something so cowardly. No, he simply held her, without saying a word. After all, what could he possibly say to make the pain go away, that wisdom wasn't his, it may not have been anyone's.

The two sat there for a half hour. To Sean, it seemed like a lifetime, a lifetime he would more than happily spend again. Then the crying turned to a whimper and the whimper turned into silence. Sean could see Emily taking deep even breaths. He pushed her hair from her face, being as gentle and soft as could be. She had fallen asleep. This made Sean almost proud. Proud because he knew that a person wouldn't fall asleep in your arms if they didn't trust you. He just sat there and let her sleep.

A few minutes later, Barbara passed her son's room. She peeked in and aquickly ssessed the situation the best she could. "What is going on?" Barbara asked softly.

"She fell asleep, Mom, I didn't do nothing."

"Well, maybe if you move real slowly we can let her have your bed tonight."

"Oh, Mom, can't we just stay like this? We ain't going to do nothing, I promise."

"But aren't you going to be uncomfortable?"

"Heck no, I'll be fine."

"Okay, if you want, but keep the door open."

Sean smiled back and blew his mother a kiss with his free hand. He reached over and propped a pillow up to lean on, making himself as comfortable as possible. He stared at Emily's soft features. A few times, he brushed back the hair that had covered her cheek. While watching her, Sean slowly fell asleep.

Barbara checked in on the children a few times while she took care of other tasks. She got a call around ten o'clock. John said that he was going to come over after being dropped off at home. Barbara told him that she would wait up but that Emily and Sean were already asleep.

The hour went by quickly, there was a knock on the door. Barbara answered already knowing who it must be. John walked in and just shook his head before even saying a word.

"So, that bad?" Barbara asked.

"The doctor got the test back and reported us to the police. I think it's a law they have to follow."

"So they found something?"

"Yeah, Vivian's hands were all over her."

Barbara frowned.

"You know what bothers me," John went on, "it happened right under my nose. I mean, I knew they were having trouble adjusting to each other, but I never thought Vivian could do something like this."

"So, what's going to happen?"

"It looks like we are going to separate."

"Think you're going to get a divorce?"

"I don't know, I really don't. She's not the woman I married. First, she tried to blame it on me, but the bruises were too small to come from me." He looked at his hands and shook his head again. "Then she tried to blame Emily. She needs help, if she gets it, I'll stick by her. But if not, who knows."

"What did the cops say, you know, about Vivian?" Barbara asked.

"Well, with the baby, they can't really lock her up. I guess they could, but they chose to order her to stay away from Emily, she can't be within 1000 feet, no phone contact either. We'll have to see a children's court judge."

"Ouch."

"Well, our lawyer says, once we appear in front of a judge, that she will probably be allowed supervised visitations."

"How is she handling it?"

"She's angry. I don't know if she is angry that she got caught, or angry that she has to be away from the family or angry with herself. Right now I'm getting the silent treatment."

"So she's leaving your house?"

"Probably by tomorrow or the night after, do you mind keeping Emily for a few days?"

"Not at all, I enjoy having her around. There is so much she has to learn about being a girl still," Barbara managed a small smile, pleased in some way that she could continue helping Emily.

"Yeah, Vivian said we should change her back." John's expression looked pained

"You couldn't." Barbara exclaimed.

"No, she seems really happy, even though she struggled the first few months."

"Come, I've got something to show you." Barbara led John to the open door of Sean's room. The light from the hallway fell on the children's faces.

"Like I said," John said, "she seems really happy."

"Well, a little more polishing and I think you've got a real keeper." Barbara tried to make a joke. "I'll help as much as I can."

"I know," John put his hand on Barbara's shoulder. "You've been a great help, and a great friend already."

"You know," Barbara changed gears, "the teacher gave Emily a pretty hard time today, from what Sean told me."

"I heard Emily got in trouble."

"From what Sean said, the teacher really had it in for her."

"Emily wouldn't say anything, we always had the rule, in trouble at school, in trouble at home. Teacher is always right, that sort of thing."

"Well, from what I've heard, that teacher comes from a very religious upbringing, one that looks down at anything out of the ordinary."

"So, you think Emily might keep having it rough?"

"With what those boys tried to pull, and some of the comments the teacher made, she isn't going to flourish like she could."

"But, these are reports from children, don't you think they may have embellished things just a bit?"

"Well, the comments I'm talking about, I heard from a friend that also teaches. She hadsome choice things to say, and told me that the school isn't qualified to help someone who's been through such a life-altering event."

"So, what do I do? Keep her home?"

"I know someone that runs a small school, about fifteen students that he works with. I'm sure he has room for Emily."

"What kind of students?" John wondered if they were all in similar situations. It seemed unlikely.

"Mostly those considered behavioral problems or slow in regular schools. But they have all been doing great in his school. The Daily News even did an article."

"Maybe I should look into that."

"I would." Barbara smiled.

"Well, keep her here tomorrow, I'll be here in the morning to explain things to her. I'd rather her hear it from me, anyway."

"Will do, why don't you get home, get some rest. You look beat."

"I think I will. Thank you."

"Don't mention it."

John closed the door behind him and Barbara locked it, then she went back to her son's room.

She watched the children sleeping for a minute or so then tiptoed out. "They do make quite a couple, don't they," she told herself. She turned out all the lights and went to bed.

 

Wow, a lot happened. Emily's parents are separating, a budding romance, a new school. Leave a comment.

  

  

  

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