Briar's Patch

Chapter 4

"Hey Briar, I hope you don't mind me giving Emmett your address seeing that you two are friends?" Adam says while slipping his shoes off by the door with a tentative smile. 

Frowning at him I shake my head while signing; 'We're not friends, we just go to the same school.'

Adam's face drops in shock at my answer before he focuses on Emmett; "Dude, not cool to lie to me."

"Briar, please just talk to me, and I also want to apologize for grabbing your arm earlier," he pleads with me, taking a step in my direction, but Duke lifts his head to let out a growl. 

"You touched him without permission? Dude, he hates being touched without being asked," Adam chastises with a shake of his head.

"I didn't know, and he won't talk to me because of River's stupid comment," Emmett whines with a small pout. 

"Well, that's your problem right there since River is a moron sometimes," uncle Kenny replies with a shake of his head. 

"Emmett, you need to leave, and if Briar decides to talk with you, he will come to you," dad tells him while opening the door. "Now isn't the time as we are spending time with together with them."

Emmett looks pleadingly at me, but when I don't agree, he leaves while saying; "I'm sorry for ruining your evening. Briar, I'm sorry for grabbing your arm today."

He leaves with dad shutting the door behind him; "Okay, so now that's over with for right now, how is everyone?" 

Dad, uncle Kenny, and aunt Kacee sit on the furniture while Weston plays with the toys he has here. Adam motions for me to follow him into the kitchen. 

'What's up?' I ask with a raised eyebrow. 

Adam sighs softly; "I'm sorry for giving Emmett your address without asking first. I seriously thought you guys were friends. Why won't you talk with him since he's a nice guy?"

Scowling at him, I walk to my room without replying to grab the canvas I painted for uncle Kenny. Entering the living room, I shyly stop in front of him to hand him the canvas which he takes with a raised eyebrow since the picture is facing me. 

He turns the canvas around, so he can see it, and he instantly smiles with water eyes; "This is beautiful, Briar, is this me?" 

When I nod, he then asks; "May I keep it?" 

Nodding at him; 'I painted it for you.'

He carefully places the canvas on the carpet, and leans it against the wall, he then stands to hug me tightly; "This is one of the best things ever given to me, Briar."

Tucking my hot face into his neck as I hug him back just as tight. Pulling away a few seconds later, I notice he has a few tears have fallen from his eyes, which he wipes away quickly. Sitting on the carpet next to Weston to play with him for about an hour before I head into the kitchen to start cooking the burgers. I had told dad earlier I wanted to cook tonight. 

"Briar, do you want any help?" Adam softly asks from behind me. 

'You can grab out the dishes, if you want?' I sign before grabbing the raw burger to place on the griddle. 

Adam places the plates, glasses, and silverware on the counter next to me with a soft smile; "Look, I don't know what River said to you, but he can speak without thinking sometimes. I'm sure Emmett defended you though when it happened."

'Nope. He just stood there, and River got upset because I'm mute, and use ASL to communicate. He believes that my issues in communicating with people would go away if I would just use my voice,' I reply. "I'm done talking about this.'

Adam sighs at me when aunt Kacee says; "Adam, leave Briar alone about Emmett. Besides, Emmett should have told River to mind his own damn business about Briar being mute, even if they don't know why he is."

"Is the rest of dinner in the fridge, Briar?" she asks, and walks to the fridge to grab the stuff when I nod' she pulls out the large bowl of salad, and the garlic bread, which she slices before placing it in the oven once I turn it on, and move out of the way. 

Thirty minutes later, Adam tells dad, uncle Kenny, and Weston that dinner is ready, and everyone makes their own plates, except Weston, which aunt Kacee makes. The six of us sit in the living room to eat with Weston, Adam and I eating around the coffee table. 

"Adam, what are your plans after graduation?" dad asks. 

"I'm going to the fire academy," he grins, and I smile as I'm sure uncle Kenny and dad are happy about this choice. 

"What about you, Briar?" aunt Kacee asks with a smile. 

'Um, I was thinking of becoming a paramedic,' I sign with a small smile, and a pink blush. 

"How are you going to do that job if you don't speak?" Adam asks curiously, and I know he's not trying to be an ass, but it still hurts. 

Ducking my head in embarrassment as I know he is right, so I shrug signing; 'Never mind. I guess I will do something else.'

Grabbing my empty, dirty dishes, I take these into the kitchen to place these into the dishwasher. Cleaning the kitchen as dad and uncle Kenny enter the room with everyone else's dirty dishes, which they place into the dishwasher. 

"Briar, if you want to become a Paramedic, you should do it," dad softly says. 

I don't reply while I wipe down the counter and stove top, uncle Kenny adds on; "Adam sometimes doesn't think before speaking."

'He's right, don't worry about it. I'm tired, so I'm going to bed. Goodnight,' I sign, stomping my left foot to get Duke's attention since he sleeps with me every night. 

Heading to my room, I shut and lock the door behind us before stripping of my clothes, and pulling on my sleep pants. I turn off the light, and climb under my covers with Duke jumping on top of the bed to snuggle with me. Starring at the wall, I silently cry myself to sleep.