{ Context: This is kind of a continuation of what happened outside the bar in ep.2 }
~☆~
"Mildred, please. I'm really sorry I made a rash assumption. You don't need to call a cab, let me take you home", said Gwendolyn who was trying to reason with the other woman in front of her.
Mildred on the other hand was averting her gaze from Gwendolyn, like she's something that hurts her beautiful brown eyes.
But deep down despite everything, she also wanted to understand why Gwendolyn made these supposed "assumptions" about her?
"Mrs Briggs, I... I don't understand what led you to believe that I was..." she took a deep breath trying to calm the nervousness that was setting in and then she continued "Like you and the other women in that bar", Mildred she said pointing to the charming bar she had been to for a brief moment before.
"Mildred, I thought there was something going on between us", Gwendolyn said, making hand gestures between herself and Mildred. "Look, I'm sorry for taking over. But I really thought something was up... you accepted my invitation and then...", the words seemed to suddenly catch in Gwendolyn's throat.
"So what?", Mildred scoffed trying to get to the point right away, she wasn't known for being a woman with a lot of patience.
Gwendolyn tried to explain it again to Mildred, but trying to explain what exactly?
How she got carried away by her feelings for the nurse, how she thought they were flirting at the seafood restaurant, and how that made her assume and even dare to allow herself to believe that something special was going on between them.
Or maybe it was all just a mere illusion, but deep down she knew there was something and even though she didn't know what it was yet, she knew it wasn't one-sided.
But still, Gwendolyn would not force Mildred. She would never do that to someone who wasn't ready yet. Even because she herself knows how difficult it is to accept something that is so special and important, and that changes anyone's life.
"I just..." Gwendolyn tried to format the words in her mind, but it was so difficult.
And then Mildred, tired of it all, said, "I just want to know why? Why here?" she asked, looking up at Gwendolyn for the first time, in what seemed like ages of trying to avoid the older woman's ocean blue eyes, "And please don't tell me it was because you assumed again," she finished.
Gwendolyn sighed and finally realized that she would have to tell the truth, so she took a deep breath and said "You had asked me if a man would join me."
Mildred's eyes quickly flicked to Gwendolyn, a little wide with a mixture of confusion and surprise. The older woman tried to elaborate on her words and said "Back at the hospital, you asked me and so I assumed you were trying to insinuate something else".
"I asked, because I was a little suspicious," said Mildred sharply, it wasn't supposed to go off like that but she didn't much care at the moment.
"When you looked at me before the lobotomies. I have to admit I had my own assumptions, and so when you asked me I saw your ring and just wanted to make sure the invite was in a friendly way and nothing else."
"I know this is true, but why did you accept it? Even after knowing that no one would join me." Gwendolyn asked in a teasing yet serious way.
"I don't know," Mildred answered meekly.
"I think I had convinced myself that nothing was going to happen. That you only invited me because you wanted to be my friend and that I was wrong to assume you were mentally ill, like the other women in Lucia's hospital."
"A mental patient??" Gwendolyn asked incredulously.
"I know that you Mildred Ratched, are an intelligent woman who knows that same-sex attraction is not a mental illness."
Mildred looked away for a brief moment, Gwendolyn was sure, and Mildred hated it.
"I work in a hospital for the mentally ill, Ms. Briggs. And I've certainly seen what happens to women just like you, because I help them, treating them as best I can to try and give them a chance to live a normal life.", Mildred spoke cautiously as if each word was merely calculated.
Gwendolyn was a woman known for her patience and empathy, but it seems that with Mildred she managed to exhaust these beautiful traits of her personality in a few seconds. And she wouldn't accept being insulted or any other woman like her just for loving someone of the same sex.
"I'm not asking what Nurse Ratched believes, I'm asking you Mildred," Gwendolyn asserted, gathering what little softness she still had in her words.
Mildred raised an eyebrow and questioned the older woman a few feet in front of her. "As far as I know there is only one of me, Mrs Briggs" and then she continued "If you want I can arrange electroshock therapy for you tomorrow, it seems your nerves are a little out of place don't you think?" Mildred asked sarcastically and for a moment almost proud of the way Gwendolyn flinched when she mentioned the word electroshock.
"How did you..." Gwendolyn dangerously approached Mildred, and Mildred backed away in fear for her own safety.
"All I did was respect your boundaries. And I know what I did, making those assumptions was wrong, but you can't come right in front of me and throw it in my face that I'm not normal and that I'm mentally ill for the society we live in."
Gwendolyn was practically seething with rage, not just for Mildred but for herself, for the world they live in, a world full of prejudice.
Mildred closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. i'm tired. she thought.
Returning to the real world, the first thing Mildred saw were those deep blue eyes staring straight ahead, which as incredible as it seemed still had a sweet look to it despite everything.
Mildred swallowed hard and I was silent for a few seconds and then taking a deep breath said "I apologize if I offended you, and I think I should apologize to you too, for your assumptions", she said making eye contact with Gwendolyn. The older woman sighed, she didn't mean to be so aggressive with Mildred.
"Mildred, please let me take you home," Gwendolyn was practically begging this time.
The younger one thought, she knew deep down that Gwendolyn would never touch her or do anything to her if she didn't allow it. She even considered accepting it, but the voices in the back of her mind said that it was a bad idea and that it would be better if she took a taxi as previously planned.
Mildred politely declined Gwendolyn's ride once more, and set off again towards the pub to hail a taxi.
Gwendolyn hesitated for a moment but then gave up and carefully placed her most comforting left hand on Mildred's arm and when the other woman didn't move away she finally said "You can't get away from this Mildred, believe me it will only make things worse".
The younger woman just overheard what Gwendolyn said and said "Thanks for the invitation, it was wonderful" and with that, Mildred soon walked away leaving Gwendolyn all alone.
The older woman didn't realize she was on the verge of tears until she felt a lone tear fall and slide down her rosy cheek. Quickly wiping away the once-lost tear, Gwendolyn glanced one last time at the bar, a wistful feeling washing over her, before she headed to her car and started on her way back home.
~☆~
A/n: I hope that you enjoyed :)
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Fanfic>>> Just some short mildolyn stories while S2 doesn't come out ;) <<<
