Luisa: The Orphan Tale

Part XVI: The Little Cutie

Luisa, Chloe and Elise all awoke together, tangled in a ball together with legs and arms intertwined, this is how they slept every night, one on top of the other. You could scarcely tell who from whom as their hair covered all their faces and as they all had dark hair the difference wasn't noticable at a glance.

They drug themselves out of bed and got ready for the trip home, their carriage was to leave in a few hours time.

Elise finished first and decided to go downstairs and snack on some cheese and bread she knew they had.

She went down and collected her snacks and elected to sit outside, the morning air was cool but not frigid and the gray skies sprinkled down light rain. Elise so adored the rain, a trait she shared with her two lovers as they also adored it, always taking the chance to be outside in it.

As she sat eating her snack, she saw a girl walk by, of about probably fifteen buy much shorter than average, she looked so familiar to Elise. She had dark skin and black hair and was accompanied by an older woman of maybe forty-five. She was dressed in a fine dark red dress and her hair was pulled up in an elaborate style, her skin was painted with only the tiniest bit of makeup.

Elise couldn't help but feel a gnawing feeling take root in her stomach, she had to go up to her. She acted quickly as the two women walked with pace.

"Pardon me!" Elise called as she quickly walked towards the women. "Could I ask?" She asked as the two women turned.

Then she saw the little face of an old friend.

"Mignonette!" Elise cried! "Oh my little cutie! How are you!?"

Mignonette froze is surprise, she stared up at the tall Elise, who only seemed to k have gotten taller as her height had stagnated, her old friend who she'd not seen for so long.

"Elise!?" Mignonette cried. "Why are you here!?" She asked as she hugged the auburn haired girl.

"I was working in an orphanage. What are you doing? You look amazing!" Elise exclaimed as she embraced Mignonette with all her heart.

"Liliana? Who's your friend and why does she keep calling you 'Mignonette?'" the older woman asked.

"Oh sorry, Aunt Flavia!" Mignonette said embarrassed. "This is one of my friends, one of the girls I used to stay with when I was in Paris, before you found me." She explained.

"Ah! Well then well met, Elise was it?" Flavia asked as she greeted Elise.

"Yes, Madame!" Elise said graciously.

"I must thank you for taking care of my Mignonette!" She said with a courteous smile.

"It was our pleasure! Mignonette was the most treasured thing we all had!" Elise smiled. "If it's not an inconvenience to you both, may I ask that you come say hello to Luisa and Chloe?" She asked.

"Luisa and Chloe are here as well!?" Mignonette asked in shock. "We must simply go see them!" Mignonette pleaded to her aunt.

"Of course darling, go!" Flavia smiled. "They clearly have experience looking after you! I don't want to intrude so I'll be waiting at home." She said as she bowed and graciously left.

"Come! We're just in this inn!" Elise said as she walked Mignonette in front of her and hugged her while they walked to the inn. "Luisa and Chloe will be so happy to see you!"

Once inside they went up to the girls' shared room, and Elise knocked before opening the door.

"I have a surprise!" Elise said.

"More food?" Chloe asked.

"Hello everyone!" Mignonette said as Elise ushered her in the room.

Luisa and Chloe gaped as they saw the little girl from Paris stood in the center of the room.

"Mignonette!" Luisa squeaked as she ran and immediately hugged the girl, picking her up in the process.

"Well! I see age hasn't made you grow!" Chloe jested.

"It seems not! For Luisa can still easily manhandle me!" Mignonette laughed as the breath was squeezed out of her by Luisa who soon sat her down.

Chloe then came by and gave her a less overwhelming hug and a kiss on the lips.

"How have you been?" Luisa asked as her and Mignonette sat on the bed and the other two held each other as they watched the reunion. They both knew that Luisa was the closest with Mignonette, it made sense as they were both Spanish and even half Moorish for that matter.

"I'm good! You remember that big house I always wanted?" Mignonette asked and Luisa nodded, remembering that conversation clearly. "Well I have it! My grandfather passed away just before I was found and he had left everything to me! He wanted his daughter's long list child to have all he had." Mignonette explained. "So I own land now! And I have those servants and all the things I said I wanted! Though my aunt controls the money until I'm of age but she's a kind woman whom I love dear!" Mignonette said smiling in such a manner Luisa had never seen before, she glowes with an almost visible golden beam of happiness. "What about you three? What happy after I left?"

Luisa and the others went on to explain in great detail the story of which they traveled and now have recited many more times. Mignonette shared much of her life in the two years since they all had last met.

"So you have a big house too!" Mignonette laughed.

"Yes! And you're welcome to visit anytime you'd like! I must insist you do so within the year, you know how I'll miss you so!" Luisa said as she squeezed her Mignonette.

"Chloe and I are excited to be back with Luisa and see this new house of ours!" Elise smiled.

"Indeed!" Chloe agreed.

"I will see about visiting soon!" Mignonette agreed. "Such trips need planning as Brest is far from here. Speaking of which I'm needed back at home, I assume you're leaving soon as your things are packed?" She asked pointing to their luggage.

"Yes sadly, in less than an hour!" Luisa said regretfully.

"Well I'm glad we caught up!" Mignonette said. "I love you all! I'll see you all soon!" She said as she stood and kisses them all goodbye.

"I'd walk you home but there's no time." Luisa said as tears welled.

"The walk me to the threshold of this inn and I'll consider it the same." Mignonette smiled softly as she raised her hand out and Luisa took it as she stood, wiping clear tears from her brown face.

"We'll finish packing." Elise said as she smiled on, holding on to Chloe.

"It will give you two a moment alone." Chloe said as she smiled at them as the walked away nodding in acknowledgement.

"I'm so glad I know where you are now." Luisa said. "I was heartsick with worry about you! As I'm sure all the girls were and are! You were our baby." Luisa said as she began to cry softly again.

"Dry your tears!" Mignonette playfully scolded.

"I'm sorry. Just with everything that has happened, I feel I'm being granted a second chance!" Luisa said.

"Perhaps you are." Mignonette said. "Luisa!" She said as they stopped outside the front door. "You're a wonderful woman and my protector who deserves the world, keep those two close to your chest and you'll be happy." She said as she hugged Luisa in that childlike way she always did.

Luisa hugged her back tightly. "Thank you. I love you, Mignonette!" She said as she squeezed the little girl.

"And I love you, Luisa." Mignonette said.

And without another word they parted ways with a tearful smile and a nod each, and with love in their hearts.