"So, uh, y'know I told you about my Dad?" Lauren starts nervously, gaining a nod from both blonde's. "Well I told you that he wasn't around much and that was the truth... but we didn't get a nanny. He would go out and not come back for days, sometimes weeks at a time. And when he was home, he'd lock me in my room so that he didn't have to look at me."
"Why did you tell us you had a nanny?" Dinah asks patiently.
"I didn't want you to get mad and I was scared to tell you the truth." Lauren replies, swallowing thickly before continuing. "Before I went to live with my abuela, he went away for three weeks. It was about ten months after Anna left so I was nearly nine. I was running out of food and he locked the house before he left and the spare key was on the top of the door frame. I figured if I could be left on my own then I could go to the store on my own so I got a chair to stand on but I still couldn't reach the key and I put a box on top of the chair. Just as I grabbed the key, my foot slipped and I fell and hit my head. I woke up a while later and my left arm was bent funny from falling on it and I've got this scar behind my ear where I cut my head open from hitting it on the corner of the little table we had by the door. I used the key to get out and went next door to get help because there was blood on the floor and my head and my arm really hurt. They called an ambulance and went with me to the hospital and CPS came and that's how I ended up living with my abuela."
Ally goes to speak but Lauren takes a breath and starts to talk again. "He went to jail for about a year, he was supposed to be in for two and a half but got out early. My abuela stopped all communication with him as soon as she found out that he'd been leaving me on my own and like I said, she died last year and I lived with her up until then."
"That's why you're worried we'll leave you." Ally states sadly, taking the younger girl's hand in her own.
"Usually when he said he had to go do something and that he'd be back soon, he'd disappear for a few days. The first time it happened was about a week after Anna left and I think he was gone for four days. I was so scared because I'd never been left alone before. And one time when he left, someone broke in in the middle of the night and I was terrified any time he left because I was scared it would happen again." She sniffles, trying not to get upset as Dinah rubs her back.
"You're allowed to cry, baby." The taller blonde murmurs, pressing a kiss to the girl's head. "I hate that you went through any of that but we will never get mad at you for telling us something."
"It's important that you tell us these things so that we can help you heal from it." Ally continues, running her fingers through the little one's hair. "When we go somewhere and say we're coming back, have we ever lied?"
"No."
"And we're not ever going to lie about coming back, baby. We love you so, so much and the only way we would leave is if you wanted us to. But even then we'd put up a fight about it." Dinah explains passionately, gently holding the girl's chin to keep eye contact with her. Lauren's lip begins to wobble and the taller blonde carefully pulls her onto her lap.
They sit in silence for a few minutes before Dinah coaxes they smaller girl to look at her. "Did you eat dinner, love?"
"Came here right after work."
"What time did you finish? You didn't mention you were working today."
"Six." Lauren yawns, trying to cuddle back into the older woman.
"It's way past your usual dinner time, baby. You must be hungry, huh?"
"Mama gived baba." The raven haired girl shakes her head, her eyes flickering closed.
"No, no, baby. It's not time to sleep yet, you need to have something to eat first."
"Noooo."
"Come on, angel it's time to eat." Ally says softly, helping Dinah stand the girl up. Lauren whines at being disturbed, stomping her feet unhappily as hot tears roll down her cheeks.
"Shh, Laur you're okay. Calm down, babe." Dinah coos, trying to lead the girl to a chair only for her to drop to the floor and cry harder.
"No!" The little one cries, kicking her legs as the two blondes crouch down beside her.
"Lauren, stop." Ally says calmly, trying to take hold of the girl's hand to provide some comfort only for her to swing her hand out and hit the older woman.
"Lauren Michelle! You do not hit. What do you say to Mama?" Dinah scolds, causing the green eyed girl to start sobbing.
"'orry!"
"Good girl, now stop crying. It's time to for dinner."
"No, Mommy!" Lauren yells, her tantrum continuing as soon as Dinah finishes speaking.
"You can either stop throwing a fit or you can stand in the corner for ten minutes. It's up to you." She warns firmly.
"No! No corner!" The little one protests, her legs still kicking as she flops back onto the floor so she's lying down. She brings an arm up to cover her face as she continues to sob, trying to push Dinah's hands away when she feels herself being lifted from the ground.
"Alright, I want you to stand here for ten minutes and I'll come and get you when you're done, understood?"
"Mommy! No!" Lauren cries, trying to follow the blonde out of the corner only to be immediately taken back without another word.
It takes seven times of taking the younger girl back to the corner for her to actually stay there, Dinah and Ally taking it in turns to put her there so that their resolve didn't break.
"Okay, Lauren come here." The taller blonde speaks calmly from her place at the table.
Sniffling, Lauren turns and walks over to her Mommy, her eyes trained firmly on the ground.
"Can you tell me why you were in time out?"
"Threw a fit an' hit Mama, 'm sorry!" Lauren apologises tearily.
"Why did you throw a fit, baby?"
"Don't wan' dinner, wan' cuddles."
"It's important for you to eat, love. We need to make sure you're body's got enough energy to keep it going. Mama and I have already explained to you how important it is that you eat all of your meals, lots of times. I understand that you're tired but that doesn't mean it's okay to throw a fit or to hurt people. I think you owe us an apology."
"Sorry, Mama. Sorry, Mommy." Lauren whimpers, looking down at her feet once both women accept her apologies.
"Come here, love. You're all forgiven now, come give Mommy a hug." Dinah coos, opening her arms for the little one and holding her close. She sends Ally a thankful smile as the older blonde places three plates of food on the table. "Time to eat up, bug. Then we'll go night night, mh?"
"S'eep with Mommy an' Mama." Lauren states seriously, a sleepy pout on her face.
"Of course, sweetheart. We love our little cuddle bug." Dinah coos, gently rubbing their noses together in an Eskimo kiss before turning them towards the table and starting to feed the younger girl.
