Author's POV

"Watch if I ever talk to them again." Kimberley stubbornly says, cutting into her steak dinner.

Stephanie raises her eyebrow, setting her glass of wine down. "You can't do that."

"Why not? Not like they even want to talk to me anyways."

"Yeah but you should be the one to mediate everything." Stephanie sips her wine, "How else is the dynamic in your household going to get back to normal?"

"My wife is a fcuking child, Steph." Kimberley sighs. "She's just like our daughter. It's like she bloody gave birth to herself."

Stephanie chuckles, "Just give them some time to cool down, they'll eventually work it out."

"I'm not talking to either of them, watch and see how they're going to itch."

"And in the meantime," Stephanie raises her glass, "You can focus on yourself." They clink their glasses in cheer.

"About damn time." Kimberley settles back into her seat, finishing the rest of her meal. "Are the kids back at your place?"

"No, they're spending the night at my Mums thank god." Stephanie sighs, "And the husband is out on a business trip." She claps.

Kimberley laughs, "Look," She sits up. "Sometimes I can't stand my wife, but I couldn't possibly get excited for her to leave me and go on a few days' business trip."

"Maybe because you're married to a woman, it's different I'm sure."

"No there's more hormones involved."

They share a laugh.

"Being with a woman is... I don't even know how to describe it, because you know exactly how a woman is feeling, thinking, wanting, but... at the same time you don't, because at times I never get what my wife is hinting at, or why she's upset. But... women are much more tender, they're more understanding than men." Kimberley explains, "I used to date men, but, now I can't see myself with anyone but Cheryl."

Stephanie nods, "How did youse meet exactly?"

Kimberley chuckles to herself, "She came into my bakery, total cow."

They laugh.

"I found her to be so irritating and snobbish, I wanted nothing to do with her."

"Pop-stars are like that." Stephanie nods, "When she sat next to me that one time on the airplane... She literally said like one word to me and I could tell it wasn't genuine."

"Don't take it personal. She just doesn't like meeting new people."

"Isn't she a big-time celebrity?"

"Yeah?"

"Then she should be used to meeting new people every day."

Kimberley shrugs, "Cheryl is... A very different celebrity. She's more of a normal girl than a celebrity, if that makes sense. She's a completely different person now compared to the girl I first met."

"I guess." Stephanie shrugs.

"What's the dynamic like in your household?" Kimberley asks.

"Everyone is sorta living their own life. Nobody really interferes." She shrugs, "I like it that way. I spend his money he doesn't say anything."

They laugh.

"Plus, I totally know he's not in a business meeting right now."

"What do you mean?" Kimberley frowns.

"I know he has constant affairs."

"And you're okay with that?"

"Like I said, we don't interfere in each other's lives. It's better for the kids, I don't want drama in the house for no reason."

Kimberley decides not to say much; the topic wasn't something she was used to.

"I know it probably makes you uncomfortable."

"It's not that," Kimberley shrugs. "I guess, I always aimed to put my happiness first, but... you have kids to think about."

Stephanie ponders for a few minutes, "You have Madison."

"Of course, but, Madison is different. Like if Cheryl and I were to ever break things off, I don't think she'd take it so harshly."

"Why do you think that?"

Kimberley shrugs, "Because she's just like Cheryl. She's a tough cookie."

"The toughest cookies are always the ones to break easiest, Kimberley. Don't underestimate her vulnerability." Stephanie sheds some light on Kimberley.

"I mean, well, I know she's sensitive, don't get me wrong." Kimberley thinks aloud. "She's been through a hell of a lot and she's overcome a lot, that's how I know she'll be fine in the end." She shakes her head, "It's not something that will even be an option, Cheryl and I are, we're like fire and water, total opposites in many ways, but we complement each other perfectly. She's my forever – yeah laugh at me all you want you b*tch!" Kimberley tuts, "I'm trying to be serious here."

Stephanie snorts, "Oh my god that was so fcuking cheesy!"

"Fcuk you."

"Ah," Stephanie clutches her stomach. "I haven't laughed like that in a minute."

Kimberley rolls her eyes, "Eat your damn food."

--------

Cheryl sighs, she could feel the tension in the Mansion, even if her daughter was upstairs, far into the piano room pressing keys without an accord. She wasn't sure whether to go talk to her or let them both have their space, Cheryl was stubborn of course, just like her little girl.

She forces herself to the intercom, even if she wasn't going to face her daughter, she'd at least talk to her through the speakers through the house. Clearing her throat, she picks up the headset and speaks through.

"I'm ordering pizza if you want." She says, her voice blaring through the house.

The sound of the piano stills, soon followed by the intercom coming to life with Madison's voice.

"I'd rather eat sh*t than eat with you."

Cheryl's eyebrows furrow, grabbing the intercom. "Come down I'm ordering pizza!"

"Eat it yourself!"

"Come down!"

"Fcuk off!"

Cheryl slams the headset back to its base and marches up to the piano room.

"Don't tell us to fcuk off." Cheryl says seriously.

Madison ignores her Mam and continues to play the piano once more.

"I'm talking to you." Cheryl walks to the front of the piano and looks at her daughter. "You're a shite player!" She leans forward and shuts the piano cover down, nearly slamming Madison fingers along the way.

"What the fcuk is your problem!?"

"Your attitude is me problem! You're seriously upset over the fact I told you, you don't deserve that crap? It's fcuking clothes, get over it."

"You're so inconsiderate to my feelings," Madison stands to her feet. "You're a terrible mother at times."

Cheryl's eyes go wide, "Take that back!"

"No!"

"I said take that back!"

"No!" Madison snaps back, "You're a right cow sometimes." She goes to walk away, but Cheryl is quick to grab a hold of her. "Let go of me!"

"You're not going anywhere until you apologize—"

Madison snatches her hand free, "Apologize!?" She screeches, "Apologize for what? What the fcuk did I do to apologize?!"

"Your attitude."

"You have no empathy what so ever, it's quite sad to see actually. Maybe that's why it was so easy for you to give me away—"

Cheryl smacks her daughter, silencing the room.

Madison grabs a hold of her cheek, "I hate you." She rasps, running out of the piano room and over to her bedroom, slamming the door shut, making sure to lock it. She collapses down to her bed, crying her little heart out. The sizzling of her left cheek remains, stinging in agony.

She fell asleep with tears in her eyes.

------

"Are you planning to go back home tonight?" Stephanie asks, as Kimberley drives them back late that night.

"Agh, honestly? I don't feel like dealing with either of them."

"Stay over for the night? Nobody is home, honestly. It's just me and an empty house."

Kimberley thinks for a second, "It does sound pretty inviting."

They giggle.

"Come on, we'll have a nightcap and talk some more crap?"

"Alright you've twisted my arm."

"Ah!" Stephanie claps in excitement. "I haven't had a sleep over in forever, I think when I was about twelve years old."

"Calm yourself."

"Trying."

Kimberley chuckles at her friend, really enjoying her time since forever. They drive up to her Stepahnies home, "Shall I park in the driveway?"

"Yeah go ahead."

They collect their belongings, Stephanie leading the way to her front door.

"You have a beautiful home." Kimberley comments, "It's quite cozy, actually."

"Yeah, I told my husband from the start, I don't want a big home."

Kimberley chuckles, "Then you'd probably hate my house."

"That big, eh?"

"Over twenty-bedrooms—"

"What the fcuk!?"

"What?" Kimberley raises her hands, "We did it for family."

Stephanie rolls her eyes, "That's fcuking bougie as hell."

Kimberley shrugs, "I love the garden we have more than the house, if I'm being honest."

"Big?"

"Huge."

"Go figure." Stephanie smirks, "Do you want me to get you a change of clothes? And then we can just have a nightcap in the Livingroom?"

Kimberley looks at Stephanie from head-to-toe, "Do you think your skinny ass is going to have clothes that will fit my big ass?"

"You're not fat, Kimberley."

"Have you seen the size of my arse!?"

"Yes, actually, I have." She smirks, rolling her eyes. "I have sweatpants, I'm not always this done up."

Kimberley rolls her eyes, following her friend up to the bedroom.

"Here." Stephanie hands her over a hoodie and oversized sweats.

"These.... Fit.... You...?" Kimberley raises an eyebrow, looking at the large material.

"Would you get changed and quit shite talking?" She huffs, exiting the bedroom with her own change of clothes.

Kimberley shrugs, getting out of her own clothes quickly and into the much comfier ones. She sighs, finally relaxed. "Do you have any wipes for my makeup?" She calls out.

"Yeah! It's on my nightstand!"

Kimberley helps herself, wiping her face clean, soon exiting the bedroom and going downstairs to the living room with her iPhone in hand. She decides against texting her wife, noting to text her before she sleeps.

"Red or white?" Stephanie calls from the kitchen.

"Either one is fine."

"Red it is." The raven-haired beauty comes through with a bottle of wine in one hand and two empty glass in the other. "The clothes fit okay?"

"Perfectly actually, thank you."

"Perfect." Stephanie smiles, sitting beside her friend. She pours them each a glass and sets the bottle of wine down. "This is nice."

They sigh, relaxing back into the sofa with their feet resting on the coffee table.

"What time is it anyways?" Kimberley asks, taking a large sip out of her glass.

"Just gone two o'clock."

Kimberley chuckles to herself.

"What?"

"It's two in the morning and my wife hasn't even bothered to text me."

Stephanie frowns, "Are you going to text her?"

"Nah." She decides against it, downing her glass in one go. "Pour me another."