From across the hallway

Part 5

The week slipped slowly by, with things getting slightly easier for Missy.

She had a friend now, at work. A girl named Karen, who worked on the floor below. She was nice, and just the day before had asked if Missy wanted to go grab a drink after work with her and a couple of the other women from the office.

It was a Friday night...obviously a few years ago, Missy would have leapt at the chance. But she had Emily now. Her priorities had changed.

So Missy had politely declined Karen's offer, desperately hoping that that hadn't scuppered any chances she may have had of a friendship...

Now Missy and Emily walked home hand-in-hand.

Emily had fared no better at day-care this week.

She had still not made any friends and was very reluctant to join in with the other children, or so the staff had insisted anyway...

Missy knew that Emily's hearing issues were a big part of that and the children's screams and yells only drove to hurt her little ears, confusing her. Missy had wondered whether giving her hearing-aid another go, would be a good idea...but she remembered how much Emily had hated it. The little girl had cried and almost pleaded with Missy not to have to wear it, the whole situation breaking Missy's heart in two. She had vowed never again...but right now, what choice did she have?

Emily had only got quieter as the week progressed, going further and further into her shell, clutching tightly at Missy's hand in the mornings when it was time for her to leave.

So on their way home this evening, Missy and Emily had called into a bookstore on their way home, and had found one of Emily's favourite stories, reading it together.

It was story about a Mummy vampire and a Daddy vampire and their little daughter- who was a witch. Emily loved the part where the little witch would fly around on her broomstick, over the heads of her Mom and Dad.

Emily had been obsessed with this story for a while now and had been delighted on Halloween when they had passed a group of girls all dressed like little witches on their way home.

"I waw be a witsh, Mommy," she had said, her eyes full of awe.

Missy had merely smiled and stroked the top of her tiny head. "Next year sweetie," she had said gently. "We'll get you a hat and everything!"

Missy had tonight, bought the book covertly and was hiding it away to give to the Emily at Christmas.

Now the pair trudged up the long winding staircase, up towards their apartment, but the conversation hadn't strayed far.

"Wenn can I be witsh?" came Emily's quiet voice, as she looked up at Missy with wide green eyes.

Missy smiled.

"Next Halloween you can be a witch, baby..." she said for the hundredth time that month.

"But I wan be witsh now..." said the little girl looking sad, jutting out her little lip in a pout.

But before Missy could answer, the pair of them were almost bowled over by a figure flying around the corner towards them.

Missy stared up suddenly, as the person skidded to a halt.

"Well if it isn't my two favourite ladies," came the voice of Wade Wilson.

But Missy couldn't help but gasp slightly as she saw his face...

Wade was dressed, as always, in his usual sheepskin jacket, this time in a white vest and jeans, his blonde hair messy and slightly unkempt, but it was his face that had shocked her the most.