*Wendla's perspective*

Wendla makes her way out into the street and down to the warehouse where the girls run their business out of. It is a quaint place, with little room except for the large washboards and lines that they dry clothes on. Most people in their area pay them, which allows the girls to all live together in a suitable house. Deaf people have a hard time in big cities like Stuttgart, so they try their best to stick together.

While Wendla is scrubbing out the stains on a particularly tricky set of clothes, she thinks about Melchior and Peter. She met Peter just outside the city when she was running away. He got a job at one of the factories, and went to the city after schools. Wendla was surprised that he could sign, but it turns out that his mother is almost completely deaf, so he learned sign through her growing up.

Peter helped her get over Melchior. He saw her at her worst and helped her get on her feet. It was tough, she thought Melchior was dead like all the other boys who go to the reformatories and never come back. Peter knew how to love her and care for her, especially since she lost all connection with her family. He noticed the bump before she did, and at first she thought he'd leave her, but Peter never asked questions. He was strong, and her rock for so many years. How could she leave him like that? Their relationship strengthened over the years, and eventually lead to them sharing a room together. He helped raise Emilia, and Emilia thinks of him as her father.

Wendla moves on to hanging up clothes as she thinks about Melchior. When she came back from work, she saw Maria in the kitchen and wanted to get some bread from Emilia, since she wasn't feeling very well, with the weather changing into summer, she had developed a slight cold. At first she thought Maria brought a guy home as she did from time to time, but she recognized the hair, and how he stood. When he turned his head slightly to grab another dish from Maria to dry, she knew for sure it was Melchior. She was so shocked she dropped the plate she was holding. When Melchior turned towards her, a part of her wanted to kiss him, and another part was telling her to run. She decided to go to the latter, and ran as fast as she could to the factory where Peter worked. By the time she got there, he was just getting off his shift.

Wendla was in a fit, not knowing what to do, so she just flat out told him that Melchior was back. At first he was shocked, just as she, but eventually told her that it was up to her to decide what to do. He looked hurt, but Wendla thinks deep down that Peter would be okay. They never were as physically intimate as she was with Melchior, but they were companions, lovers. She knows if she goes to Melchior she would be losing the closest person she has, besides her daughter. She would be ripping her family apart. Wendla asked for time, and Peter understood.

After she finished hanging up the rest of the laundry for the day, she sat down and talked to Maria.

"So what happened last night? And this morning?" Maria asks, sitting across from Wendla.

"Melchior, the boy I was in love with, is alive I guess! After all these years, I thought he was dead, because none of the boys who went to the reformatory would ever come back to Geradstetten. He thought I was dead because my mother tried to get an abortion." Wendla sighs, "He's the father. Melchior is Emilia's father."

"But what about Peter?" Maria asks, looking confused. When she was with the girls, she told them that Peter was the father, and he was fine with that. While not the biological father, she knew that he would be the perfect match for her to raise a child with.

"We met on our way into Stuttgart. He knows he's not the biological father of Emilia, but he is the closest thing she has to a father. I told him last night about Melchior, and he is letting me decide what to do, which is awfully kind of him. I don't deserve him and I love him, but I loved Melchior more than I could ever imagine all those years ago. I don't know what I should do Maria!" Wendla signs, pulling her into a hug.

"Wendla, I think what is best is to get Emilia introduced to Melchior. If he is her father, they both have the right to know each other. Do you know how Melchior got here? Does he have a job? Just be careful, you are no longer the innocent children you once were. It was a long time ago, and you both have been through a lot." Maria signs, taking Wendla's hand. "Just remember, despite all of this, we girls have you, and we can always help you."

"Thank you Maria." Wendla signs with a smile. "You girls have helped me stay afloat after all these years, and I will never be able to repay you."

"That's what family does Wendla, we take care of each other." Maris signs before getting up. Wendla goes and finds Emilia playing with Elke in the next room.

"Time to go!" Wendla signs to Emilia, gathering up their belongings. "We're going somewhere new tonight, so we better get on our way."

Emilia always loved surprises, so she immediately grabbed her mother's hand.

"Good luck!" Elke signed as she locked up the place behind Wendla.

Wendla and Emilia make the walk to Melchior's, only a couple blocks away from their house. Emilia asks her mom lots of questions, but Wendla waits until they are outside of the apartment building before sitting her on a bench.

"Emilia, we are going to meet someone very special today." Wendla signs, sitting next to her.

"Who momma?" Emilia signs, giddy with excitement.

"His name is Melchior, and he is very special to me. Do you think you can be on good behavior for me? He's really excited to meet you." Wendla signs before cupping Emilia's chin in her hand.

"Of course mommy!" Emilia jumps up and down with excitement. She always liked the idea meeting new people even if she was a bit shy because something she didn't get to do often since almost everyone around her is deaf and hearing people tend to steer clear of them.

*Switch to Melchior's perspective* *anytime melchior and Emilia sign, they are also speaking*

Melchior just finishes setting the table when he hears a knock at the door. He decided to make dinner, knowing that after a long day of work that's what anyone would like, even if it is a mediocre meal like what Melchior made. He strides to the door and opens it up to see Wendla standing there, with a little girl wrapped around her leg.

"Hi, please come in." Melchior signs, opening the door wider and letting them sit down at his couch.

"You can talk?" Emilia asks, peeking out from behind Wendla's dress. Wendla doesn't notice her daughter speaking until Melchor squats down and signs,

"Yes I can speak! Hello little one, I'm Melchior. What's your name?" He looks at her with wonder.

"Emilia," She fingers spells before signing her name. She reaches out to him, and Melchior scoops her up in a hug.

"Does she know I'm her father?" Melchior signs when Emilia is in his arms. When Wendla shakes her head, Melchor nods. He knows it would be hard to tell her that her "father" Peter is no longer his father. When Emilia lets go, they make their way to the couch.

"So Emilia, what's your favorite color?" Melchior asks. He pulls out some books that she starts stacking and building with. He plays with Emilia and laughs with her while Wendla watches from the couch. Melchior instantly falls in love with Emilia, and notices that she looks a lot like her mother. Once he was done helping Emilia build a tower, he invites them to sit at the dinner table. He made spätzle, his favorite, with some red sauce. Not too fancy, but delicious nonetheless. Melchior learns more about Emilia and her time working with the other women in the laundry business. She's the main color sorter, and helps them change out the water.

"So Emilia, do you like Peter?" Melchior asks. Wendla looks at him sternly, not wanting him to go there."

"Peter is nice! We can have secret conversations because he can talk like you, but he doesn't play with me like your or momma. I think he works too much." Emilia says, wrinkling her forehead.

"Well Emilia, I do like playing with you. Have you learned how to read?" Melchior asks, spooning some more spätzle on his plate.

"We have taught her some, but it is hard with signing." Wendla signs before wiping Emilia's mouth.

"It's hard for me, but father reads me every night. I love hearing his stories! He helps me sound out the words." Emilia says, finishing her plate of food. "Momma can I go back to playing?" She asks, itching to get out of her seat.

Wendla looks at Melchior before he nods a yes. Melchior knows there's still plenty for him and Wendla to talk about, and he isn't sure the next time he'll see her.

"Go ahead, just make sure to wash up." Wendla signs, pointing to the kitchen. When Emilia leaves, Melchior scoots closer to Wendla.

"When are you going to tell her I am her father?" Melchior asks.

"I don't know. It will turn her world upside down, he's the only male figure she has in her life." Wendla says, picking at her food.

"I am her father Wendla. You can't just have her come over whenever it's convenient for you. I've been out of her life for so long, I've missed so much! I can't bear to miss any more of her life." Melchior signs with a sad smile.

"I-i" She hesitates.

"Is that all you can say? I don't know?" Melchior stands up. "Wendla, ever since I found your grave, I've been having nightmares. Of Moritz. Of you. Replaying the scenes where I killed you, our paradise tainted with blood. Over and over. Of our lost child screaming because no one could hear it. I would wake up in sweats, scaring off all of my roomates. I couldn't focus in school because I was so tired, but when I closed my eyes I could only see you in pain, like when I hit you with the switch. Tell me that there wasn't a single moment when you were thinking of me and I'll leave. I don't have to see Emilia if that's what you wish, I'll be out of your life forever. But, if you felt what I felt when we kissed this morning then Wendla, there is no way in hell I will ever leave you. You know I love you, and there is nothing I want more than to sweep you off of your feet and take you into my bedroom and show you. But, I also love you so much that if it is the best for me to leave, then I can do it."

"Melchior, sit down." Wendla signs, pulling him down to his seat.

"Wendla, please," Melchior signs harshly. "I need to know…

Wendla "I thought you were dead after I sent the letter about the baby to you. You never responded, so I visited your parents. They told me that you hadn't been in contact with them either, so I figured that meant you got in a terrible fight or ran away, and I was to never see you again like Leon a couple years ago. No one has heard of him once he left after being expelled. It was that same night that my mother took me to that doctor. When I left for Stuttgart, I knew I couldn't tell anyone anything. I knew, as I hid in the forest, there was no way I would ever see anyone I loved again. That night, I lost everything I knew. I was so frightened, Melchior, and I had no one. Just me and the little miracle growing inside of me. I had dreams too, about you. I imagined all of the awful ways you could have died in that reformatory and I would wake up screaming. It took a long time before the nightmares went away, and then they started back up again when I had Emilia. Every time I look in her eyes I see you, and it broke my heart that you would never be able to meet her." Wendla signs back sadly.

"When you came back, I didn't know what to do. You were exactly how I pictured you but more handsome. I like the stubble on your chin." Wendla reaches out to run her fingers against his rough skin. Melchior sighs, closing his eyes and cupping his hand around hers.

"Melchior I can never leave you. For the sake of our child, but I need to figure out how to tell Peter." Wendla signs, retreating back to her side of the table.

"But do you still love me?" Melchior signs, reaching out for her. "Not as Emilia's father, not as your friend, but do you still feel what we felt all those years ago? When you enter the room, I feel you in my bones, you entice me in ways I cannot explain."

"You have never escaped my mind Melchior. I see you in our daughter, in the way she looks at the world with wonder. I see you in the birds flying above to the heavens and in the streams trying to find the fastest path down. You were everywhere and in everything, and now you're here. You're here, and all I want to do is touch you and be reminded of your mind and strength, but I have strings pulling me back every time I reach out. I will tell Peter tonight, and we can work out everything else." Wendla signs before Melchior pulls her in for a kiss. He feels Wendla pushing herself against him, and he responds, kissing down her neck. He places his head against her heart.

"It's racing." Melchior smiles.

"With love," Wendla signs, reaching down to stroke his hair. "If only we could do more, sometime when our daughter isn't in the next room."

"One day, you can live here and we can have our paradise." Melchior signs, reaching up again to kiss her on her forehead.

"But," Wendla sighs.

"But what?" Melchior questions, not knowing what she's going to say.

"Before we can do anything…" She hesitates. "Anything like what we did in your hayloft… We have to get married. You have to make me an honest woman before we ever do anything like that again. I don't want to have another child while you're somewhere unaccounted for. I want you here, with me, forever."

Melchior looks at her astonished. "If I had it my way Miss Bergmann, I would marry you tomorrow. But, you have to sort your your life first. I am here when you are ready for me, I'll just be reading my books and writing reviews waiting for you." He kisses her once more sweetly before standing up to get Emilia.

"Look look! I made a castle!" Emilia squeals, pulling on Melchior's arms to have him join her with her books and trinkets she'd been playing with. Wendla joins them, and they play together as a family. Melchior smiles at Wendla whenever Emilia says something that reminds him of her, and in this moment he couldn't have asked for anything more.