Between Land and Sea

Little Things

The family silently sat around in the hospital room. Avia, which had been released, sat on her dad's lap. Shay stroked her hair. Colette was trying to calm the fan's nerves and Gavin was busy making crafts with the boys to pass time. Avia would glance at Emmi to her hands, trying to figure this all out. Finally after boredom, pain and a cloudy mind, she pulled out her phone. She slipped the headphones in and pressed play on a Spotify playlist. Shay pulls uo Instagram. With his notifications blowing up, Shay makes a post. He puts a picture of Emmi and Avia hugging and types.

Shaycarl: Hey guys. Emmi is stable and will hopefully wake up soon. Your love and support is really helping us through this.

He clicks post and goes to check his notifications. Different YouTubers like Bratayley, the Atwoods and Daily Bumps posted about them. Shay quickly liked them and set his phone down hearing the door open.

Elizabeth Willow Walker walked in. Her blonde hair down and over the sides of her red cheeks. She bit her lip.

"Hello." She said quietly.

"Elizabeth." Colette replied slowly. She knew this was Emmi's birth mother. Colette had decided by herself the mother needed to have a good talking too, but not too rough. After all, Colette had no idea what Elizabeth had gone through. Elizabeth walked away from the short and awkward conversation to her duaghter. She planted a gently kiss on Emmi's cold forehead and stroked her hand. It was quiet except for the occasional baby cries and talking from outside. Elizabeth's heart hurt. The pain from inside her was tearing her up knowing she caused part of it. The beeping of the machine yelled at her "It's all your fault!" Elizabeth had taken blame long before. She knew Emmi and her true family had every right to be angry at the poor motherly job she had done.

The door opened again. They liked up to see Emmi's old social worker. She looked around at them.

"Hello. I'm Jenny, Emmi's social worker." She says, smiling. Jenny adjusts her straight navy blue skirt.

"Oh hello, I'm Colette and this is my husband Shay. You met us just a few weeks ago, yes?" Colette says. Jenny smiles.

"Yes I remember." She turns to Elizabeth, who looks guilty.

"Elizabeth Walker?" Jenny asks, looking at her.

"Yes." Elizabeth replies slowly.

"Hello Miss Walker, I'm going to need you and the butlers to come speak with me for a while. To clear up." Jenny explains.

"Oh um yes. Definitely." Elizabeth says, standing for stiff.

"Gavin watch the kids. Avia call if anything happens." Shays says, motioning toward Emmi.

"Okay daddy." Avia says, hopping off his lap.

"Okay dad." Gavin replies, still making crafts with the boys. Shay, Colette and Elizabeth follows Jenny out the door. Avia looks at Emmi and makes her way to her bed. She gets in and lays with her, rubbing Emmi's hand. She sighs and looks at the ceiling.

"I love you Em. Boy do you make me stressed." She looks to her sister and kisses her head. "In a good way of course." Avia smiles as she hugs her sleeping sister.

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Elizabeth

We follow Jenny to a conference room. We sat down, Jenny pulled out a binder.

"Okay Shay and Colette Butler, adoptive parents of Emmi Lauren (A/N yes I know her real middle name is Laurie, it's for the story don't come at me) Butler, Walker. That is correct, yes?"