Talking Loudly

Chapter 9

August had gotten used Beth having on his chest as he laughed now. The day after the date she had passionately explained how she wanted to hear him laugh. But just putting her hand on his chest would do. They were in his small apartment cuddled together under a blanket. She was reading some of Under the Tuscan Sun.

He was watching her as she was falling asleep and then eventually she finally did fall asleep. He joined her soon after. The next day the two go to his brothers engagement party.

Beth met his family and they got along quickly. They were at the dinner table watching Phillip explain the story. Beth was confused to why she was included in the story and then realized. He was telling the story of Dance Dance Revolution. Both her and Lola had their heads in their hands laughing. Phillip even made a video and showed it to everyone.

August looks over to her, "Who knew you were such a great dancer?" He teased her and she rolled her eyes.

"Make it stop," she signs to Phillip and Lola does to. Lola was a ASL interpreter and fell in love with Phillip. Her family was hearing. And Lola had no problem with telling everyone what was going on. Everyone was getting along well.

Beth also found out that August is called Auggie. She loved it and laughed until she couldn't breathe.

"It suits you," she signs trying to convince him to let her call him that. He shakes his head refusing.

"Come on book nerd," he signs and they go away from everyone and she reads to him.

He listens to her voice as she had no clue about her pitches, but all they worried about is if she was saying things correctly. Beth had stopped reading and looked up at him with both eyebrows raised up in question.

"How am I doing?" she asks nervously. She always asked nervously. Beth was scared what Auggie would tell her. That she had butchered that entire page? Did he understand her? Was it all just gibberish?

"You are reading fine," August signs her reassuring her. She goes to start reading again, but he hooked his pointer finger on the top of the book and pulled it down from her face. Beth looked at him confused.

"Are you sure this will move them?" August signs.

"What do you mean?" Beth asks confused. The whole purpose of talking was to yell at her parents even if her English sounded broken. She wanted them to know that she was fine. That she's stronger. That even if she was deaf it didn't stop her. She wanted to show that she was better than them. Even though she already knew she was. She just felt the need to prove it.

She tried to explain it to August, but he didn't understand. It only wound her up and made her cry a little.

"Beth, I think it would really show them that you are better off without them if you sign it and had someone speak for you," August signs to her hoping that she would understand.

Beth was trying to understand but nothing was connecting.

"I don't need nobody to speak for me. I can speak," she says using her voice. August suddenly felt angry.

"But that's not the language you use. You don't use it with me or with Mr. Santorini. You don't use it with your customers either," August signs to her trying to get him to see what he thinks.

"But that was because I wasn't comfortable with you," she says looking down. He waves his hand at her making her look at him.

"That's not fair. You can't do that. Look down when I'm trying to explain how I see you. You can talk and not look me in the eyes. But in order for me to communicate to you I have to sign and you look away. Especially when I'm trying to explain that your voice in sign language will silence them. The way you sign will make them cry. It will show how you adjusted and how you were okay. In the end they were wrong. Your signing will show them there was no need to come back. And that is the biggest slap to their face," August signs to her.

Beth didn't know what to do because she understood what he was saying.

"I still want to speak," she signs frowning.

August sighs and nods, "If that's what you feel like is powerful then okay."

"What language do you prefer to talk to me in?" Beth asks curious. She already had a feeling what his answer would be. But she couldn't be sure.

"The language of kisses," August tells her honestly. She laughs and he joins.

"Clever," she signs back to him leaning forward for a kiss.

He nods his head, "Thank you."

She laughs and kisses him softly. They loved to kiss each other.

August pulls away, "Wait wait. I never finished of explaining why you should sign. Because that's who you are. It's a thing I love you for."

And suddenly for the both of them the world stopped turning. Beth was floating into space.

"I love you," she signs back quickly. Then soon August joined her.

And they both floated away from everything.