Emerson

Chapter 11.

Emerson's POV

The rest of my Saturday was relatively boring. Saint came in at one point and let me know he was leaving. Blaine and I avoided each other. 

Everyone else came back a couple of hours before dinner. Knox and Leon made dinner and called us all for it. We all sit around the table eating the lasagna the two made for us all. Reece asks Griffin how his day went and he graces us with 20 minutes of non-stop talking about the day he spent at someone's house playing video games. 

"Emerson," Reece says, I look up from my plate towards him. "We have some family coming over in two weeks. I told them about you and they wanted to rush out to meet you but I got them to hold off for a few weeks to allow you some time to adjust." 

I look at him to see him almost holding his breath. I take a quick glance at Blaine, his earlier words ringing in my head. Maybe I can trust them. 

"Okay, how many are coming?" I ask quietly. Movement stops in the room. People's forks are set down on the table, eating stops, and they all stop and stare at me all except Blaine. 

"We have three uncles each of them is married. We have only Grandpa, Grandma died years ago. We have 12 cousins." Blaine tells me. Leon looks over at Blaine like he's crazy. 

"Why are you not surprised? He just talked." Leon says motioning towards me. They like I'm 2 and have said my first word, well I sorta have but they're overreacting. 

"He's talked to me before," Blaine says smugly taking a drink of water. 

"He talked to you first?" Griffin says. 

"Why are you so surprised?" Blaine asks him. 

"You're a dick. I'm way nicer than you." Griffin whines. 

"Well, I must be his favorite." Blaine teases him. 

"Nuh-uh." Griffin rebuttals like a child. I'm not entirely convinced I'm convinced I'm the youngest. 

"Yeah-huh." 

"Nuh-uh."

"Yeah-huh."

"Nuh-uh."

"Yeah-"

"Enough you two." Reece finally stops the childish bickering. "Emerson is allowed to go at his own pace and speak whenever and to whoever he wants." They both nod and look down at their plates. I see Leon smirk at the two before wiping it away to avoid being scolded. 

"Emerson I would like to speak with you in my office after dinner." I nod at Reece and we all go back to eating our dinner. Dinner is over much too quickly and I follow reece to one of the only rooms I haven't seen or been shown. 

I walk inside his office and sit down on the chair across from his own chair. The office is quite plain, it was black with dark wood accents. He had no visible pictures or frames. He had a few pieces of artwork on the walls but they were relatively generic. He sits down and looks at me. 

"Did you choose to talk or were you forced to speak tonight?" He asks me. I freeze at his question. 

"I choose too," I tell him after a few seconds. My voice is a little raspy and I keep it quiet. It feels strange to talk this much after so many years trapped in silence. 

"Good. I want you to know I meant what I said. If you don't want to talk you don't have to. I spoke to a therapist that specializes in trauma. She mentioned that your mutism most likely will be triggered in high anxiety areas and any time you feel scared or overwhelmed." 

I nod at him. 

"When the family comes do you want me to tell them about your mutism or would like to try and speak to them?" I think for a second. That's a lot of strange people all at once. 

"You can tell them." He nods. We sit there for a few seconds before he lets me leave the office. I head back to my room and go lie down to watch my show. I've done nothing today but I feel exhausted. 

Tomorrow I need to clean my room, it's not messy but it needs to be tidied up. 

I fall asleep watching my TV. The noise lulls me to sleep.