(Authors Note: This story is Inspired by and dedicated to a close friend of mine who doesn't talk.)

Prologue:



“Are you sure Doctor?” Candice questioned over the phone.

“Okay…Thanks. Yeah I will…Okay Bye…” She replied, and she hung up the phone. Just as she did tears streamed down her cheek, as she couldn’t believe the bad news she had just gotten. Hearing the doctor tell her this was like someone ripping her heart out and tearing it into a billion little pieces. She walked over to the table and sat down, immediately burying her face in her hands.

“Honey what’s wrong? What happened?” Brian asked, as he suddenly walked into the kitchen to find his wife in tears and so much concern filled his voice.

“I just got off the phone with Doctor Larson…” Candice answered while sniffling.

“What did he say about Haley?” He asked, as he was now even more concerned and he went and sat in the chair next to Candice taking her hands into his.

“She doesn’t talk…”

“What?” Brian asked, as his heart dropped immediately at what she is telling him.

“He says the reason Haley hasn’t said any of her first words is because she’s mute… he says it might not be permanent. He says she may be able to talk later on in her life, or she might stay this way forever…” Brian looked at his wife as a billion tears streamed down his cheek. He looked into her light blue eyes that were so full of tears for a few minutes, than he placed his hand to her cheek and gently caressed it.

“It’ll be okay…everything will be fine. She’ll be able to talk later in life, I just know it. I have faith in our baby….”

“But what if she doesn’t?” Candice sniffled.

“She will…because I have faith in her. It’ll be okay honey, I just know it.” He reassured her, while pulling her into a hug. He held her close for a few minutes until she calmed down, than he got up and helped her up.

“Come on…lets go to bed.” He said gently, as he began to lead her upstairs to their room and the two of them went to bed.

~*~*~*~


The next day Brian woke up to find Candice not lying next to him, which is very unusual. He lay there thinking for a few minutes then he got up and went down the hall to Haley’s room to find her standing up in her crib waiting patiently for attention. She smiled excitedly once she saw Brian.

“Hey Baby…where is mommy huh?” He asked, while taking the one year old from her crib as soon as he did he found a yellow note taped to the crib. Pulling it off he unfolded it and began to read it.

Hey Brian,

By the time you read this note I will be gone. I’m sorry honey but I can’t stay and raise our baby knowing that she’ll never talk I just can’t handle it. I’m scared you know? I love you so much don’t ever forget that, and I love Haley too. When she gets old enough to understand please tell her mommy loves her very much and it wasn’t her fault. I’m sorry baby…but I had to do this.

~*~Love Candi~*~

Crumbling up the note as tears streamed down his cheek, Brian held Hailey close to him resting his forehead against hers he began to cry not knowing what to do.

Chapter One:
Brian’s POV



“So what time are you guys leaving for the tour tomorrow?” Mom asked over the phone, as I watch three-year-old Haley dance barefooted in the sand a few feet away. It’s a dark clouded day in Florida, and its threatening to rain any time now, but Haley insisted that its still beautiful out and we must play on the beach anyway.

“5:30”

“AM?? You’re waking my Grand daughter up at 5:30 in the morning??” Mom exclaimed.

“Its not like I have a choice mom,” I sighed. “Besides, she can sleep on the bus.”

“I still don’t think you should take her on tour with you. Why won’t you bring her here and let her stay with me?”

“Mom, we have this argument every time, and you know I always say no.” I groaned.

“It would be for the best of her, Brian! Being on the road constantly traveling isn’t good for a child Haley’s age, and besides you need to be able to concentrate on work!”

“I will NOT leave my baby in Kentucky for an entire year mom, I will not miss out on any part of her growing up!”

“I really think you should! And besides, if you leave her with me I can put her in this program for kids who have disabilities, and she can meet new friends who are just like her!”

“I’m NOT going to let you place her in some strange class with strange people who not just her, but I don’t even know!”

“Brian, you’re making a big mistake.”

“No mom, no. That is where you’re wrong. Stop telling me how to raise my child I’m very capable of doing it myself!” I snapped, than I pushed the off button and stuffed it in my pocket. Sitting down in the sand I sighed heavily, as I began to watch Haley play in the sand. As I did many flashbacks and memories suddenly entered my mind of Candice and what it’s been like since she’s been gone. Not only the fact have I missed her terribly, and still love her very much, its been extremely hard to take care of Haley on my own, especially when she doesn’t talk. By the time she was old enough to where she should have been talking I immediately enrolled her into sign language classes, and taught her how to speak in sign language so I can at least know what she wants at all times, and I made the guys take the class too. Despite the fact that it’s been incredibly hard, I wouldn’t trade my daughter in for the world. She means EVERYTHING tom e, and I would die if I didn’t have her. Everywhere I go I always have to now where she is, and I refuse to leave her behind when I go on tour. I have to have her within arms reach at all times or I’ll go crazy worrying about her. I refuse to leave her with people who I don’t know, and she refuses to be left with people she doesn’t know either and will scream and cry the entire time that I am gone. Haley is my precious treasure, and I would die before letting anything or anyone harm her in anyway. Noticing the depressed and lonely expression on my face, Haley suddenly stopped what she is doing and looked at me, as a concerned expression suddenly formed on her face. She thought for a couple of minute, than she came over to me and sat in my lap straddling me. I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her close.

“Dada sad?” She asked in sign language, and I couldn’t help but smile a little bit.

“Don’t worry about it sweetheart its not important.” I answered, and then leaned down and kissed her forehead. She smiled up at me, and kissed my cheek, than she got up and took my hand.

“Dada play?” She asked, once again signing to me what she says to me.

“Of course princess. What do you wanna play?”

“Swim!” She answered.

“But sweetheart, it’s going to rain.” I answered while chuckling a bit.

“Swim!” She repeated, and looked at me with puppy dog eyes. I sighed.

“Alright. We’ll swim.” I gave in. She smiled really big, as she waits impatiently to be taken into the water. I took off my shirt, than I reached over and took off hers, a long with her shorts so she’s just in her diaper. Taking her into my arms and holding her tight, she wrapped her arms around my neck and rested her head against my shoulder, and I playfully ran through each wave that came toward us, causing Haley to squeal in laughter and hold onto me tight, as the two of us got soaking wet. We swam for a half n hour, than when Haley began to feel cold she clung to me.

“Dada cold.” She signed to me, as she looks up at me helplessly. I wrapped her tight in my arms holding her close as I carry her out of the water and onto the sand. As soon as I did I leaned over and grabbed my black leather jacket and I wrapped Haley in it and I sat on the blanket cradling her.

“You warm now baby?” She nodded her response, and snuggled into my chest, than she stuck her thumb in her mouth. I sat here holding her close for a while as I stare out in the ocean just thinking, until suddenly the sound of angry thunder cracked in the sky, and seconds later it began to pour.

“Ah shit,” I grumbled under my breath, though it was no surprise to me that it’s beginning to storm. Getting up from the ground I grabbed the blanket and our clothes and I hurried back to the house, with Haley giggling in delight. She loves the rain with a strong passion, and was secretly hoping we’d get caught in it. As soon as I finally got back to the house, which was really only five seconds away considering I own the private beach myself I opened the door and went inside. I then put Haley down.

“Go upstairs and pick out your pajamas baby, I’ll be right up to give you a bath, than you can take a nap.” Haley scowled at the word nap and she stomped up the stairs in disapproval. I shook my head, but chuckled a bit. After setting the stuff in my hands down just like I said I would I went upstairs to help Haley with her bath.


~*~Tarris’s POV~*~


“Tarris, Angela wants to see you,” Shayla announced, as she walks into the room to find me holding a crying child in my arms. I’m at work right now, which is an Orphanage. Once I saw that it was Shayla I suddenly smiled really big, as Shayla is my best friend.

“HEY Shay!!” I exclaimed cheerfully and I threw my arms around her hugging her tight.

“Hey Tare!” She replied, as she returns my hug.

“Are you here to help me?”

“Aren’t I always?” She laughed, and I smiled happily.

“You know you should just get a job here, you’re here almost every day.”

“I don’t want an actual job, I just like being here and helping.”

“Anyway, like I said before. Angela told me to tell you that she wants to see you.”

“Okay…did she say why?”

“No.”

“Kay, well Sarah here is pouting for some unknown reason and wont tell me why. She refuses to play with any of the toys or the other kids. Will you please take over and try to see if she’ll tell you?”

“Yeah.”

“Thanks” I said and then walked out of the room and headed for the office that belongs to Angela who is known as my boss. Once I got there I went inside to find her sitting at her desk and a little girl with short curly blonde hair and blue eyes and she looks about 2 years old sitting in a chair next to her.

“Hey Angela, you asked to see me?”

“Yeah, I wanted to introduce you to Emmalee here. She’s new and could really use a friend. She doesn’t talk because she refuses to and since you’re good with children who are like that I thought Id ask you if you’d take care of her. “

“Of course I will. How come we refuse to talk?” I asked curiously as I look at Emmalee who is sitting in the chair hugging her knees and looking scared out of her mind.

“She has been abused by her father for an entire year…and a couple of weeks ago he tried to kill her. He tried to drown her in a pool but she was struggling so he just started to bang her head against the wall until she was knocked out…a neighbor heard screaming and looked out her window, she saw what was going on and called the police. By the time they got there her father was gone. They rushed Emmalee to the Emergency room and she barely made it out of there alive. But luckily she did and as soon as she recovered they immediately sent her here. She doesn’t talk because she’s still scared of what happened.”

“Awww… poor thing…” I replied, while looking at Emmalee for a couple of minutes. She just sat there looking at me with a frightened look in her eyes. I thought for a couple of minutes, than I went over to her getting down on my knees in front of her.

“Hey Emmalee… I’m Tarris.” I said gently. Being scared out of her mind she scooted as far back into the chair as she could get and hugged her knees tighter.

“Its okay sweetie…I’m not going to hurt you. The last thing I ever want to do is hurt you. If you will let me I’m only here to be your friend okay? Is that okay with you?” She stared at me for a couple of minutes not being sure if she can believe me, but when she looked into my eyes and saw a kind and gentle look in them, something she’s never seen before, She suddenly decided that she likes me. She scooted closer to me and I smiled sweetly and opened my arms.

“Want to come to the playroom with me? I bet there’s some really fun toys in there you could play with. “ She accepted the offer and scooted into my arms. Wrapping my arms gently around her I stood up holding her. She wrapped her legs around my waist resting her head against my shoulder, and I looked at Angela.

“How old is she?”

“She’s two year old; here’s some files that have some more information about her in them.” She said, while handing me a folder.

“Thanks,” I replied and then looked at Emmalee and she looked up at me. I smiled at her once again causing her to smile too but only a little bit, and I led her back to the playroom where I had left Shayla.

“Who is that?” She asked curiously.

“My new buddy Emmalee. She’s come to stay with us.” I answered as I look down at Emmalee once more discovering a shy look on her face, as she holds onto me tighter. I kissed her forehead and then took her to where there’s a bunch of toys that no one else is playing with.

“Here you go sweetie, you sit here and play for a while okay? It’s almost time to have a snack.” She nodded and I sat her on the floor and then went to Shayla.

“What happened to her? How come she’s all bruised up?”

“She’s been abused by her father…he tried to drown her in a pool but since she was struggling he became impatient and began to bang her head against a wall until she became unconscious… a neighbor heard screaming and looked out her window and she called the police. By the time they got there her father was gone…they never caught him. Emmalee almost didn’t make it out alive.”

“Awww…poor thing…”

“Yeah…and it scared her so bad and she refuses to talk. But my goal is to change that…I think I can get her to overcome her fear.”

“Yeah I do too, you’re really good with children who are like that I know for a fact you can help her.”

“She just needs someone to love her that’s all…that’s the only cure she needs.”

~*~Brian’s POV~*~

“Dada,” Haley said to me in sign language as I had just helped her into her pajamas and laid her in my bed in my room.

“Yeah Baby?” I asked, as I lie down next to her and wrap her in my arms.

“Sing to me Dada?” She signed.

“Mm hmm would you like me to sing our song?” She nodded, as I began to gently rake my fingers through her hair and I sang to her the song that I had written for her the day before she was born.

Yeah, I know it hurts
Yeah, I know you're scared
Walking' down the road that leads
To Who-Knows-Where

Don't ya hang your head
Don't ya give up yet
When courage starts
To disappear
I will be right here

When your world
Breaks down
And the voices tell you,
Turn around
When your dreams give out
I will carry you
Carry you
When the stars go blind
And the darkness starts to
Flood your eyes
When you're fallen' behind
I will carry you

Everybody cries
Everybody bleeds
No one ever
Said that life's
An easy thing
That's the beauty of it
When you lose your way
Close your eyes
'N' go to sleep
Wake up to
Another day

When your world
Breaks down
And the voices tell you,
Turn around
When your dreams give out
I will carry you
Carry you
When the stars go blind
And the darkness starts to
Flood your eyes
When you're fallen' behind
I will carry you

You should know now
That you're not alone
Take my heart and we will find
You will find
Your way home

When your dreams
Give out
I will carry you
Carry you
When the stars
Go blind
And the darkness starts to
Flood your eyes
When you've fallen
Behind
I will carry you
Carry you
I will carry you
Carry you

By the time he finished singing the song to her, Haley had fallen asleep. Brian lay there watching her sleep for a long time until he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep too.