Coffin of Hope

Chapter Sixty Seven

Marcy made another note in her ledger. She was planning Sola's third birthday. So far most everything was planned but she was waffling over whether to have a birthday cake or their customary pizza.

"You're thinking pretty hard." Mal commented.

She stuck her tongue out and refolded her legs.

"Just tell us what's got you twisted."

"I'm not twisted. I'm- twisted. Damn." Marcy tossed aside her pen.

"About what?" Ellen asked.

"I have to hurry to get in this cake order. If I have a cake order."

"Cake?" Mal was terribly confused.

"Yeah. Do we have a pizza for her or do we get cake?"

Mal realized she was talking about the party then became confused himself. "Um..."

Ellen realized what she was talking about as well but she was confused about something entirely different. "Pizza instead of a cake?"

Both Fabangeses blushed. "It's a family thing."

Ellen didn't mean to embarrass them. "That sounds so sweet. A family tradition."

"It's more of our family's rules." Marcy rolled her eyes as she picked back up the pen.

"Yeah." Mal sighed. "They never let us eat anything."

Ellen pouted. "We haven't talked about your family yet. All we do is talk about the kids or my family."

"You don't want to know about us." Marcy promised.

"We're a lot to handle." Mal agreed.

"Yeah but I've been doing it." Ellen implored.

Mal and Marcy facespoke before turning to her in the middle of their big bed. They began telling her all about their messed up family.

Ellen's jaw seemed permanently dropped. She just couldn't make it stay up. Then she started crying.

Mal held her tightly. "It's okay, Elle."

Marcy smiled at them.

Ellen tried to get a hold of herself. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay."

"But how did you come out so nice if you have murderers in your family?"

"You think we're nice?" Both blurted out.

Ellen giggled accidentally. "Yes!"

Both were highly pleased.

She giggled harder. "You guys are so different from your family."

Both grew sad. "No, we're not."

She gasped. "You've hurt people?" She couldn't bring herself to say "killed".

Marcy looked away.

Mal breathed deeply. "We would never hurt you."

Ellen somehow knew that was a fact. She took Marcy's hand and squeezed it. "I trust you."

That was very sobering for the pair.

OF

In the end, Marcy decided to have pizza and cake. She just had to decide what kind of cake.

"What's her favorite fruit?" Quinn chewed on a cherry.

"She seems to really like blueberries." Marcy looked through cookbooks on different cakes.