At Last|| Mialotte

Obsidian

The house was tense as Ellie was getting ready to see Nick for the first time in almost 3 years. So many thoughts ran through her mind and she wondered if she was making a good choice. But how would she ever know if she didn't make it? Mia had spent a long while comforting her after the conversation they had as a family. Ellie cried in her arms about what her dad had done to Charlotte and how she didn't understand.

She felt like she couldn't face Charlotte and she was betraying her, even though she had been told it was okay. This was Elaina's life and Charlotte wasn't going to tell her she'd not have any choice in what it was like.

It wasn't until Ellie heard her mom knocking on her door before peering in, that they had a moment alone. Charlotte had a small smile on her face and approached her, arms wide. She was conflicted on the situation too but she had spent long enough talking with Mia about her father that she knew it was a good decision. If it went well, then they could have a very loose relationship with supervision. And if it went poorly, then Elaina could have the closure she was seeking.

"Are you getting excited, Ellie bug?" She hugged her closely, kissing her nose.

"A little, Mama. I'm nervous too." Ellie looked down, unsure of herself.

"That's okay, love. Sometimes being nervous is our way of protecting ourselves. I get nervous right before things too and sometimes they turn out perfectly. What are you nervous about?"

"Well.. I just feel so mad at him."

"I'm angry with him too, Angel."

"I need to know why he ever thought it was okay to treat you like that. "

"I don't understand it either, Ellie. Sometimes I wish I would've left the first time he shoved anger at me in that way. But then I wouldn't have had you or Renee. " Charlotte paused, pulling Ellie ro sit on her bed with her. "I think what he did was very bad and he deserves to be in jail."

"Mama...?" Ellie's voice was barely above a whisper, her eyes teary. "Did Daddy ever love you?"

"Ellie, I'm not sure. I think that maybe he loved me when we were younger and freshly in a relationship. I can't pretend like I understand it. It felt like he woke up one day and decided he wasn't in love with me and I needed to change completely. He was always going on about how horrible I was and how bad my manners were. God forbid, I smiled at someone while we were out together. Then I was being disloyal. It felt like for the last 10 years we've been at the cemetery and he's been slowly killing me. I'm not sure if he ever loved me, Ellie. But what I can say is I never felt loved by him."

"I'm sorry, Mama, that's so sad."

"Oh my little middle, it's okay. Because now Mama feels so loved and special everyday. Do you know who makes her feel that way?"

"Mommy does?"

Charlotte chuckles, fluffing Ellie's blonde curls. "Mommy does yes, but I was talking about you, Ren and Alex. You always make me feel loved."

"I love you, Mama."

"I love you too, Ellie."

Mia was waiting by the door, not wanting to interrupt this moment for Char and Ellie. She knew they needed to have this talk so they could both understand each other and the tension could melt away. Mia had to admit, she was nervous about taking Elaina to see Nick too. But she knew that this would be a big turning point in her life. After this Ellie could decide she wants him in her life somehow or she could see him for the monster he is.

Mia had a feeling it was going to be the latter. Every night since they told her about Charlotte's attack, she would be woken up by Ellie coming into their room. When she would ask her what was wrong, Ellie would crawl onto her chest and cry her little eyes out. She was coming to check on her Mama because she was afraid Nick was going to get her again.

Her once peaceful dreams were now riddled with vivid nightmares of the images of Charlotte getting hurt or even worse, losing her all together. It was their little secret though because Mia knew if she told Charlotte, she'd shut down the meeting. Mia was having those thoughts too but it's good for a child to make these decisions so they feel in control. They'd never want Elaina to feel out of control in her life because those feelings lead into worse struggles.

Mia and Ellie's late nights typically ended in hot cocoa and marshmallows as they talked in the kitchen. Mia was always surprised by the depth of the conversations Ellie would lead on. One moment they would be talking about orcas and whale sharks and the next, it would be why does happiness seem to be our default emotion even though rarely anyone is that happy. Mia thought about getting her a journal so she'd be able to write down all these thoughts.

Mia hadn't heard anything coming from the room for a few minutes so she poked her head in. Her mouth twisted into a smile when she saw Ellie was letting Charlotte braid her hair, humming softly to her. She loved seeing Charlotte interact with their children. She always knew Char was the most wonderful mother and seeing it in small glances like this only further made her heart swell.

"Hi sweethearts." She smiled and came into the room, sitting beside Ellie and giving her kisses all over her. The little girl couldn't help but giggle and squirm as Mia peppered her cheeks with butterfly kisses.

"Mia, darling I can't braid when she squirms." Charlotte chuckles, holding her hands still while waiting for Ellie to calm down.

"Sorry, Char. Are you almost ready, Ellie girl?"

"Yeah! Mama gave me something to take with me so I'm not so nervous."

"Oh that's a good idea Mama had. What is it?"
Charlotte looked over to Mia, as she tied off Ellie's hair and laid it down against her back. "It's a necklace my mom gave me when I was younger. I loved fidgeting with it when I was nervous and I thought this was the perfect opportunity to pass it on to this girly."

"It's beautiful- Here let Mommy look at it closer, Elaina." Mia's voice was soft as she leaned in closer, taking it in her hands and looking at the charm. "Is this obsidian?"

Charlotte froze in her movements, not realizing Mia would be able to recognize the crystal. "Y-Yeah it is."

"And when were you gifted this, sweetheart?"

"My mom gifted it to me before my first date with Nick."

A mother's intuition is always right. Charlotte's mom has always known something wasn't right with Nick and had voiced it many times. She never listened to her mother though. For the first few years of their relationship, Char wore the necklace religiously. Her mom had explained it was to help shield her from negative energies and overall protect her.

Charlotte had taken it off one night and forgotten to put it back on in the morning. Unfortunately that was the morning that Nick lost it on her and the first time he laid his hands on her. She frantically tried to put on her necklace and broke the chain as he pulled it off of her neck. He hid the stone from her because he realized how much it must've meant to her and it took her the last several years to find it.

She replaced the chain so she could give Ellie this and protect her in her own way.

Mia could tell Charlotte was fabricating the meaning of the Necklace for Ellie. It had to be something much more than to calm her nerves, she knew obsidian stones were used for. And in the back of her mind, she made a note to get Charlotte a rose quartz necklace. The stone of unconditional love. Because that's all her baby needed, she was there to protect her.