The Silent Girl

8.

'Ella'

"Thank you for letting me stay here" I smile at Micky's parents standing by the door in the hallway.

"Not a problem, Ella. You are always welcome" Nicole, Micky's mother smiles. "Now, I'm afraid you'll have to sleep in Micky's bedroom, we don't have a spare room"

"That's perfectly fine" I say with a smile.

Micky's little brother, Toby, comes waddling into the hallway.

"Toby!" I exclaim, crouching down and hugging the toddler.

"Weslla" He yells, hugging me back. I giggle at the nickname he always uses.

"Hello, did you miss me?" I hug him close, cradling his small body. It had been 2 months since I saw Toby. I'd missed him, if I am honest.

"Yessss!" He yells. "Jelly missed you as well"

"Shall we go find Jelly?" I ask him, my backpack falling off my shoulder.

"Yeah" He grabs my hand and pulls on it. I look at Micky, watching him take my backpack and running up the stairs.

I follow Toby through the hallway and into the living room where Jelly, the dog was laying on the floor.

Jelly was the family's dog but Toby named it.

"Hello Jelly" I crouch down with Toby, rubbing his back with the palm of my hand.

"He told me last night that he wanted to see you" Toby explains, tickling behind his ears.

"Did he now?" I say, laughing. "Did you want to see me Jelly?" I lean down and whisper quietly.

Toby begins laughing, his childish humour coming out.

"Why are you here, Weslla?" He asks. "Where's your mummy and daddy?"

"I-I'm just having a sleepover with Micky, that's all" I smile, not wanting to say the truth to the four year old. My head turns to the doorway when Micky steps in.

"I put your stuff in my room" He walks over to us and sits next to me and Toby.

"Thank you" I say slowly.

"Is your cheek ok?" He asks, holding my free hand in both of his. "It looks worse"

"Thank you" I say sarcastically. "It stings a bit, but it's ok" I admit, Toby gets bored and runs off out the door.

"And are you ok?" He asks.

"I'm fine" I mumble.

"That didn't sound very convincing, are you ok?" He says sternly, expecting an answer.

"After everything she has done to me-" I start shakily, taking a breath, trying not to let the tears pool over. "-I-I still love her and I don't want her to lose custody and I just-" I pause, while Micky tucks a piece of my light brown hair behind my ear. "I don't know what to do"

"I know what to do Ells." Micky whispers.

"What do I do then?" I ask, wiping the tears from my cheeks, one of my hands was repeatedly stroking Jelly. 

"You relax, let the courts handle your parents and your situation. Don't worry Ells, we will always look after you." Micky whispers, stroking my hair and Jelly's back.

"Thank you" I smile, my arms hugging around his waist. "Thank you for letting me stay here, I don't know where I'd go"

"You are more than welcome here, anytime" He presses his lips to my hair. "At least, you're safe right now"

"Mhm" I hum, Nicole clears her throat from the doorway, making Micky and I to look back at her.

"Dinner is ready" She says, making me stand along with Micky and wiping the dry tear stains on my cheeks.

When Micky and I enter the dining room, Toby was sat in his toddler chair, Micky's mother and father sat either side of him. Leaving Micky and I standing in the doorway of the dining room.

"You didn't have to do this for me, I could've brought something from down the road. I'll give you some money for things" I grab my phone from my back jeans pocket, opening the case and pulling out a ten pound note. I put the phone and case back together and sit down at a spare seat. "Am I ok to sit here?" I check before relaxing.

"Of course Ella" Micky laughs, sitting next to me. I place the folder ten-pound note in front of them with a smile.

"We don't need that Ella" They both say in unison.

"You just accepted me, you probably felt like you were under pressure to say yes, so please just accepted that as a thank you" I say, looking between the three of them.

"Ella, please. You're more than welcome here, I'm not accepting money from a sixteen year old" She says firmly. "Now, both of you, enjoy your dinner and tell me if you don't like it"

All four of them dig into there food, making me do the same.

The evening in general was nice. We finished our dinner, Micky and I bathed Toby, read him a story and got him into bed.

Then Micky and I got ready for bed. I was wearing the clothes that we grabbed from my house after-school.

"Thank you for letting me come here" I say, laying on the edge of his bed, making sure there was room for him.

"You're more than welcome"

'end of 8.'

double update over the weekend :) 

getting far ahead with the chapters, trust me it's going to get good! 

Posted: 13.3.22