Secrets and Lies ||mildie/sillie||

Chapter 15

Sadie found herself in the kitchen with Kelly. She didn't know what to say, nothing in her life, even her own bad experiences, could have prepared her for this. She had thought that she wanted some time alone, but now, looking at Kelly, seeing the sadness in her eyes, all she really wanted was to go back upstairs to Millie.

"You know, you're the first person in almost 3 years that she has let in, that she has trusted" said Kelly out of nowhere. Sadie didn't know what to say, but she knew how she felt, she felt honoured and blessed that Millie had chosen her, of all people. "Looking back, I think I can pinpoint the first time she saw you, she came home in such a good mood" Kelly continued, smiling at the memory. "And then when I saw you two at the park, that's when I knew why. And, I'm sorry...I wasn't that nice to you when we first met, but I was scared for her. For her to trust someone new, for me has been unimaginable. And she and the boys have spent so long carefully crafting this façade, I didn't think she'd risk it, I wasn't even sure she knew how to trust again."

"Look, Mrs Brown..."

"Call me Kelly."

"Ok. Kelly, tonight has been...overwhelming, I wasn't prepared, I mean...I could never imagine...this. But I promise you, I'll never tell anyone, I'd never hurt her like that, ever."

Kelly looked into Sadie's eyes, "I guess I'm just going to have to trust you too, maybe...maybe it's time we all try to reclaim our lives." She unexpectedly pulled Sadie into a tight hug, "thank you" she said quietly, "thank you for bringing my daughter back to me."

"I'd do anything for her" Sadie softly said back, surprised at how candid she was being with Millie's mom, but she felt the need to tell someone, and Kelly probably appreciated it more than anyone else ever would.

As she released her, Kelly smiled and said "why don't you go up and see if Millie's ok? I think it's time everyone got some sleep...don't worry about coming back down."

Sadie returned her smile and nodded. Pausing on the bottom step of the stairs, she looked up and took a deep breath, releasing it with trembling lips, trying to calm the nervous energy coursing through her. She looked in Ava's room to find that Millie wasn't there, so she knocked gently on the door to Millie's room and entered slowly. She could see Millie lying still, curled up on her bed, eyes closed, her face still glistening from the tears. A shaft of moonlight broke through a gap in the curtains and lit up her face, Sadie thought she looked like an angel, it took her breath away. She quietly walked over to the bed, "Millie?" she whispered. No answer. Sadie felt an overwhelming desire to protect her, and, feeling uncharacteristically bold, lifted the cover and slipped into bed beside her. Facing Millie, she caressed her face. Moving a strand of hair away from her mouth she accidentally touched her lips, a shiver passing through her body. As she was taking her hand away Millie opened her eyes, she moved her hand over Sadie's ensuring she kept it on her. Sadie couldn't help herself, Millie's eyes were like a vortex, pulling her closer with every second, and there was no escape. Their eyes closed and their lips met, so slowly, so gently. They parted after only a few seconds.

Millie looked deep into Sadie's eyes, "you know all my secrets, Sadie. I've trusted you, given you everything I have, everything I am...I'm yours." Sadie couldn't speak, she felt like her heart was thumping in her chest so hard, pushing all the air out of her lungs. All she could do was close the space between them again, but this time she couldn't hold back, a desire, a need that she'd never felt before pushing all thought, all control aside. Millie returned in kind, deepening the kiss until they could no longer breathe and were forced apart. They rested their foreheads against each other, smiling, eyes closed, their arms around each other, slowly falling asleep, enveloped by the feeling of utter contentment.

*~~~~~~~~~~~~*