Author's POV

"Who's Andrew?" Madison asks, still shocked with what her Mam had just said. "And-And why do you want him dead?"

"Madison." Cheryl sighs, beating herself up. "It's not like that."

"Well, you just said it so it must have been like that."

"We can talk about this later—"

"Why talk about it later when you both were shouting about it seconds ago?"

Joan and Kimberley's heads shift back and forth as Cheryl and Madison argue.

"I said we can talk about it later." Cheryl says finally, "Go on and take this plate into the dining room." She holds out the plate for her daughter to take, but not to anyone's surprise, Madison rejects her Mam's request.

"No."

"Madison." Cheryl bulges her eyes, "Go on and put this inside."

"No."

"Mad—"

"Oh for crying out loud!" Joan grabs the plate and sets it back down to the counter, "You tell Madison exactly what's going on."

"Mam!"

Kimberley tries to get a word in but is instantly shut down.

"Your Mam's got another brother she's not told you about."

"What?" Madison's eyes bulge out, "How... How can you just keep that from me?"

"You wouldn't understand—"

"Well don't go say sh*t like you wish he was fcuking dead! You don't know what you fcuking have until it's gone." Madison's emotions pour out of her, she's quick to bolt out of the kitchen, leaving them in utter silence.

"Well," Joan clears her throat. "I didn't take her for the sensitive type."

"Mam will you seriously just fcuk off for a minute?!" Cheryl grits, following her daughter out of the kitchen and leaving Kimberley with her shocked mother-in-law.

"Why's she upset with us now?"

Kimberley smiles uncomfortably. "It's just a touchy subject for Maddy."

"To the point me own daughter tells us to fcuk off?" Joan scoffs, "I raised her better than that."

Kimberley doesn't reply, she had no part in feeding into Joan's rambling.

"Cheryl will calm her down and then we can finally have that dinner." She attempts to change the subject.

"Like fcuk I'm sitting on a table with someone that's just told us to fcuk off—"

"Cheryl would choose Maddy over me, don't take offense to it—"

"She just came back into her life." Joan cuts her off, "I've been around since the day Cheryl was fcuking born. I should be first."

Kimberley sighs, rolling her eyes. "It's not a competition, Joan. It's just the way it is." Kimberley says end of, resuming at preparing the dinner for tonight.

"Now don't get us wrong. I love that child, but we don't know much about her—"

"See," Kimberley looks at her. "That's where you're wrong. You don't know anything about her, whereas Cheryl and I know every single little thing there has to do with her." She takes a deep breath, "She may not have been in our lives for a long time, but, every second spent with her we're grateful and I know she is too... Maybe, maybe you should take some time to get to know her rather than jump to conclusion."

Joan simply shrugs, seemingly unbothered with what her daughter-in-law had just poured to her.

___________

Cheryl sits beside her daughter, finding the teen hiding away in the studio.

Madison doesn't acknowledge her Mam's presence, she was upset with what she had just heard. How could someone wish that upon their brother or anyone for that matter?

"You just gonna keep ignoring us?" Cheryl finally breaks the silence.

Madison keeps her eyes focused on the only light lit in the dim studio, she couldn't bare making eye contact with her Mam right now.

"You don't know the situation, Maddy." Cheryl speaks up again. "You can't hate us for something you don't even know about—"

"Exactly." Madison cuts her Mam off, "I don't know fcuk all about it. How could you just keep that from me? Am I not that important to know that you have another brother?"

"He's not me brother."

"Yes he is!"

"You know fcuk all Madison!" Cheryl snaps, "Enough." She grits. "I'm not having this conversation with you. You're far too young to know any of the sh*t that fcuker did to us!"

Madison sighs. "I deserve to know the truth."

"Yeah, well, you're too young to know the truth. Just know that him and I don't talk." Cheryl tries to explain, "Me Mam is always covering for him and trying to make him look like a fcuking angel all the god damn fcuking time." She confesses, "Why do you think I'm so protective over you?"

Madison shrugs.

"It's because all of the sh*t I've gone through. You know fcuk all with the trauma I've gone through. I've gone to hell and back, Maddy."

"You can't force someone into a bubble without explaining to them the reasoning behind it all—"

"Just know that I'm your Mam and I care."

"This has nothing to do with the fact you wished your brother dead—"

"Madison, please."

"Whatever." Madison pushes her way out of the studio, wanting this night to be over already.

"Can we please all have dinner now?" Kimberley sighs, seeing her wife and daughter charging back to the kitchen, both still looking unhappy. "Or are you planning to go at it at the dinner table too?"

Cheryl rolls her eyes, "Come on, grab a plate and lets fcuking eat already."

_______

They sit around the table in complete silence, plates full but nobody is eating. It was awkward, uncomfortable tension in the air.

"Maybe I shouldn't have come—"

"Yeah maybe you shouldn't have—"

"Madison!" Kimberley hisses at her daughter. "That's enough."

The teen abruptly stands to her feet, "Ever since she came," She points at the older woman. "She made us all fight, Mam's upset with me, I'm upset with Mam, she's upset with Mam, Mam's upset with her!" She rambles, "I fcuking hate it here!" She quickly bolts out of the dining room, and heads out to the back garden, needing some time to herself without the chaos.

Cheryl sighs, massaging her temples. "Can you both just shut up?" She shuts her wife and Mam up.

"You've got some fcuking nerve talking to us like that!" Joan goes off on her daughter, "You may be fcuking well off now but don't you forget who fcuking brought you into this world and raised ya!"

"Oh like you did fcuk all! We practically raised ourselves—"

"Unappreciative cow!"

Kimberley stands to her feet, "If you two are going to hash your past out, start with communication and less insults." She sighs, bending down and giving her wife a kiss to the forehead. "I'm going to go see where Maddy ran off to." She exits the dining table, the sound of her Wife and Mother-in-law fades as she steps out to the back garden, instantly finding her daughter sat at the step of the endless garden.

The large space in their yard was so immense, that the moonlight couldn't even capture all its shadows in the night.

The darkness was laid out boundlessly before their eyes.

Kimberley sits down beside her daughter, not speaking yet.

Madison sighs, shuffling closer to her Mum and resting her head to the side of Kimberley's arm, indicating for affection and love. The Mother doesn't waste any time with taking her daughter into her arms, remaining as peaceful as the still night.

"Your Mam," Kimberley begins. "Your Mam has gone through more than you think."

Madison remains silent, she just wanted the truth. Every ounce of it.

"It's not my place to talk about it, but I just want you to be a little more patient with her."

Madison, still silent.

"And stop running out in the middle of an argument. It makes you look like a loser."

"I'm not a loser—"

"Oh, that got you to talk." Kimberley pulls her daughter back, catching the smirk Madison has been suppressing. "You being horrible to your Nan is only making her get fired up. She feeds off that. Don't argue anymore please." She sighs, "I'm sick of hearing her go off every five minutes. She's staying the entire weekend!"

Madison giggles. "Okay fine I'll apologize."

"Maybe you should just not say anything because she'll probably start an argument with you over the fact you're apologizing."

Madison nods, agreeing. She allows her Mum to help her back up to her feet and lead the way into the mansion, where chaos still sounds.

"I'm having him come around here and you two are going to talk this through—"

"No the fcuk you're not!" Cheryl shoots up from her seat and snatches the iPhone out of her Mam's hand, both fighting for the phone at this point.

This time, Kimberley steps in, trying to separate the two crazy Geordie's.

"Let go!" Joan shouts.

"You let go!"

Joan releases the phone, resulting to Cheryl flying back.

But Kimberley is quick to catch her wife, thankfully not hurting her nor the babies.

"THAT IS ENOUGH!" Kimberley shouts, holding her wife close, taking it out on her Mother-in-law. "My wife doesn't need this kind of stress on her right now. Either you respect this household or get out!" The fury in Kimberley's eyes has never been seen before by Joan, nor Madison.

"You watch the way you speak to us!"

"Joan. I'm not repeating myself."

Kimberley breathes heavily, hoping her anger would simmer down.

"Goodnight." Joan turns around and exits the room, the sound of her shoes let them know she didn't exit the home, instead, heading up to her guest bedroom she always took over when she visited.

"You okay, baby?"

Cheryl nods, cutely.

"Go on and have a sit down, I'll clean up." Kimberley sighs, releasing her wife.

"But I'm hungry." Madison pouts.

"Oh, now you're hungry?"

Madison shrugs at her Mum in response.

Kimberley sighs once more, "Go sit next to your Mam, I'll fix you a plate and bring it over."

The Teen does as she's been told, going straight over to her Mam and cautiously taking a seat beside her. "You still made at me?" She asks.

Cheryl looks over to her daughter, smiling with exhaustion in her eyes. "I was never mad, c'mere."

Madison shuffles over and snuggles into her Mother's arms, both exhaling in satisfaction. "She says I'm just like you, I don't know if that's a good or bad thing." The Teen chuckles, wrapping her arms around Cheryl's waist.

"I want you to be yourself, don't be like us."

"I didn't think I was like you." Madison looks up at her Mam.

Cheryl smiles, her body relaxing with each second of this shared cuddle. "You're better than us in every way possible."

"That's not true. You're the Nations Sweetheart." Madison giggles, "Everyone loves you, wants to be you or wants to be your bestie."

Cheryl laughs dryly. "I," She breathes. "I'd trade it all in, you know."

"What would you trade it in for?"

"A normal life."

"But this is normal." Madison says naively.

"Yeah," Cheryl smiles. "It is." She lies.

"Are you happy that I'm here?" Madison asks, randomly.

"Of course. Why do you ask?"

Madison shrugs in response. "I don't know, I was just thinking about it."

"What were you thinking about exactly?" Cheryl responds, affectionally playing with her daughters' hair.

"You know, it's like, when you meet someone new and it's all exciting." Madison tries to explain herself, "And then after some time you just get used to them, and it's not as exciting, nor is it appreciated... I guess, I don't know if I'm making sense."

Cheryl looks at her daughter for some time, just, taking her in. Taking in her expression, her eyes, the greens, her pupils expanding, her eyes fluttering. Simply... taking her in. Memorizing her entire face, not wanting anything in this world to interrupt this precious moment.

"What?"

Cheryl shrugs.

"Am I right though?"

Cheryl shakes her head.

"It happens, you have to agree."

"It does," Cheryl smiles, moving a few strands of hairs out of her daughters, face. "But that will never happen with you. You're... You're more than special to us, sweets. It maybe unhealthy to some, but, you're me everything."

They share a smile. "I hope that's true."

"Guess you'll just have to see won't you."

Kimberley interrupts this moment with her cursing. "Bloody fcuking piece of sh*t fcuking dog!"

"Hey!" Madison bolts up, "Don't yell at him." Quickly grabbing the puppy off the ground.

"I was about to step on the little mutt!"

"Did the mean old lady yell at you?" Madison coos at Lotus, giving him baby kisses.

"Old lady!?" Kimberley scoffs, "Well," She holds the plate of food close to her, "This old lady is about to eat all the food I just put you."

Madison gasps, "But, but I'm hungry." She pouts cutely.

Kimberley rolls her eyes, handing the plate and taking Lotus in return. "I don't want you spilling food on that sofa!"

"I thought you were rich—"

"Rich my arse! Those are custom made."

Madison rolls her eyes, sitting back down beside her Mam and heaving down the food.

"Baby do you want me to fix you a plate as well?"

"No I'm not hungry." Cheryl smiles at her wife.

"You didn't eat anything today, babe."

"I know, but, maybe later. I just don't have an appetite right now."

Kimberley knew this mood all too well. Whenever Cheryl was upset over anything, her appetite seemed to disappear and no matter what Kimberley would do, it just, wasn't enough.

"Why Mam? Have some." Madison holds up her fork, wanting to feed her Mam.

"No thanks, sweets."

"Uh, please. It's really nice."

Kimberley watches in awe as her daughter feeds her wife, that seemed to be Cheryl's weak spot.

"Do you like it?" Madison asks, she too eating.

"Yeah it's nice babe."

"Have another."

Cheryl doesn't argue, knowing her daughter won't take no for an answer.

Kimberley smiles, sitting in the arm chair beside them with Lotus in her lap.

"Is it gross that I like to mix my food?" Madison giggles, cutely.

"You're gross. Period." Kimberley cheekily replies.

Madison sticks her tongue out at her Mum, although smiling.

"You think Nan is upset?" She asks, Cheryl and herself finishing the rest of the plate and setting it down on the coffee table in front of them.

"Let her be upset." Cheryl comments, "She's so insensitive when it comes to that stuff, I've had enough of it. She thinks just because I'm Geordie like her that means I have to be tough-skinned."

"You are tough-skinned though..." Madison smirks, "Remember what an ass you were when I first met you—"

"I wasn't an ass, you were the one with a stick up your arse!"

Madison gasps, sitting up. "You literally hated me."

"I did." Cheryl giggles, "But not the hate you're think of, more like, I hated you because I secretly loved you."

"Good save." The Teen rolls her eyes.

"Well it's true."

"Mum loved me more than you."

Kimberley nods, agreeing.

"Well you were an ass to us."

"So were you."

They bicker.

"What are youse even fighting about right now?" Kimberley tuts, "Keep your voices down before the warden wakes up."

They all share a giggle.

"Make some room for me." Kimberley walks over and sits herself beside Madison, sandiwhcing the teen between them, with Lotus now sitting on Madison lap.

Kimberley pouts her lips to her wife, wanting a kiss.

Cheryl does just that, kissing her wife, a sigh escapes her soul, relaxing her entire being.

"Erm." Madison clears her throat.

"Love you." Kimberley whispers against her wife's lips.

"Love you."

"Love you." Madison mocks, pushing her Mum back. "Give a girl some room to breathe for crying out loud."

Kimberley tuts, "You're such a c*ck block."

"Yeah, well deal with it." Madison huffs, snuggling back into her Mam's arms.

"Better not be sleeping by us tonight." Kimberley teases.

"That's exactly where I'm going to sleep—"

"We have ten guest bedrooms for Christ sake!"

"I know, but I like your bed better." Madison hums, winding her Mum up.

"I'm having sex with your Mam tonight."

"Kimberley!"

Madison giggles, "Where? In your dreams?"

Kimberley tuts, "I can't stand you."

"Love you too."