Thank you for coming this far.

- artistwriter

Authors POV

             She stood brushing her damp hair for quite some time; staring at her reflection in a blank state of mind. Madison was always soft, sensitive, something she got from her Mam. She had the flaw of overthinking, over analyzing, over processing until she would eventually drive herself into a brick wall. It only ever did damage. Little did she know Cheryl had the same flaw, there sat the Geordie in the kitchen, looking blankly at the breakfast in her plate, now gone cold. 

She sighs. Deciding to collect her strength and climb back up the grand stairs, biting her lip along the way.

She was ready to recover, but knowing time will heal everything.

"Is that you babe?" Kimberley's voice sounds softly just as she enters their bedroom. She attempts a weak smile. 

"No luck?"

Cheryl responds with a heartbreaking shake of the head.

Kimberley pouts, upset for her wife. "Don't look like that, please." They speak in a soft whisper, the babies soundlessly asleep in their cribs. Kimberley sat on the sofa, looking over their babies as they flew away with the fairies. 

She sighs once more, signaling for Kimberley to stay where she was as she attempts to climb back into bed. Doing so successfully. 

"Just stay there." She gives her wife her best smile. 

A silence falls upon them, one filled with thought.

"She still needs time." Kimberley breaks the silence with a whisper.

"How much more time? We've given her all the time in the world. It's like nothing is ever good enough." Cheryl's eyes begin to water, she looks down at her hands not wanting to reveal her emotions. A sniffle escapes. 

"Aw babe." Kimberley sighs, quietly rushing over to her wife, gently taking her into a loving hug. "Don't cry." Placing kisses to her head. 

"I wish she w-would just talk to us."

"She will."

"No sh-she won't." Cheryl sobs.

"You know what she's like." Kimberley pauses to place another kiss to Cheryl's head, "She always comes around her own time. Give her the space she's asking for and you just wait and see. She comes right back and tells you exactly what she was going through, you's hug and makeup and kiss and cuddle forever. I know you both, I know how crazy my girls are." Kimberley breathes, getting a dimpled grin from Cheryl. "Don't look at me like that, you know I'm right."

Cheryl bites her lower lip, sniffling. "I love you." She pouts, earning a kiss off Kimberley. 

"I love you too. Now no more tears, please for the love of god." Kimberley groans, "I only want happy emotions from now on. Look we've made two babies without involving any men to get on our last nerve – that's something I'm going to use at dinner parties actually—"

"Please don't—"

"Why? I think it would get everyone to leave us alone." Kimberley pulls a face, earning a giggle off her Geordie wife.

"You're a fool."

"You must be one too then." She raises an eyebrow.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, you married me, didn't you?" They share a giggle, followed with sweet gentle kisses shared in a tranquil silence. 

They lay there for quite some time, indulging in each other's warmth, wrapped together in a beautiful cocoon. 

"It's so weird cuddling like this." Cheryl giggles, playing aimlessly with her wife's pajama buttons.

"Why is that? We always cuddle." Kimberley pouts in confusion. 

"You're usually someway – somehow always trying to get into me pants."

They erupt into laughter, giggling like teenage girls. 

"You just wait until you've fully recovered. I'm behaving... for now."

"Oh god." Cheryl rolls her eyes, snorting a laugh. 

Kimberley responds by sticking her tongue out, falling back into a peaceful silence. 

Although Madison's footsteps weren't too quiet, letting her parents know she was wandering abouts the mansion. Obviously trying to find ways to entertain herself – she wouldn't last very long until she would fall into her mother's arms once again. 

"Nothing to do." Madison grumps, slumping around in an oversized grey designer sweatshirt and shorts that barely show. She fiddles with her iPhone, keeping up with her social medias. 

Wish I was invited to a party. She mentally thinks. I could be invited to parties if I would just put myself out there more. 

A thought comes to mind.

She sets her camera down, taking a photo of herself but only capturing her sweatshirt and mid area in the photo captioning it with – Class of 2025 lets chat. Posting it without any hesitation and watched as the comments came flowing in. 

Soon enough her DM's were overflowing.

What school are you attending?

Come to Stanley High!

Are you taking any private schooling?

Come to my high school!!!!

I didn't know you were my age?! OMG!

And so on – and so on – and so on. 

She sat on the sofa for quite some time, responding to messages.

Time slipped and slipped.

The sound of Kimberley's voice breaks her eyes from the screen for the first time. 

"Did you say something?" She replies, sitting up, realizing now that it was midafternoon. 

"I said are you going to sit on your phone all day?"

Silence.

"Well?"

Silence ... and then —

"I want to go to a high school. Like an actual high school with kids my age and teachers – real ones. I want to do sports and stuff and whatever else kids my age do." She blurts it out. Her eyes widening as she realizes what came out of her mouth.

Kimberley's confused expression soon turns into a warm smile. "Is that why you've been acting weird?"

"Weird?" Madison didn't want to get into it. "Mum I'm being serious." She changes topics quickly. "I want to go to a high school. Can you please enroll me in one? I don't want to do homeschooling anymore. Please. I'll stab myself in the eye—"

"Not dramatic are we—"

"Please—"

"I'll have to talk to your Mam about it first—"

"What is there to even talk about. Your daughter is asking you to enroll her in a high school for her education and you need to talk it over with your partner? Is this a conversation? Actually?" 

"Enough with the smart ass act, it's too early in the day for that." Kimberley responds, pulling a face. "Maddy, you've never been to an actual high school before. You've been home schooled all your life. You may not actually like it." Kimberley says sweetly, thinking about her daughter's anxiety and what it may do in that kind of setting. 

"Which is exactly why I would want to do it. I feel like I would really like it. Please Mum." She ends with a pout. 

"If you talk to your Mam about why you're being weird with her-"

"You always do this-"

"Do what?" Kimberley huffs, crossing her arms. She remains stood in front of her daughter, whilst the teen sits on the sofa. 

"You always want a one for one – why can't I just ask for something without needing to do something in return?" 

"Maybe if you weren't always up to no good then there wouldn't be a one for one token all the time." They bicker. 

"Whatever."

"Now please. I need you to talk to your Mam – today."

Madison rolls her eyes, "I will speak to her when I am ready to speak to her."

Kimberley sighs, giving up at this point. "Whatever."

Silence falls. 

"Are you going to feed me?" Madison pats her empty belly, "I'm so hungry."

"Why haven't you had anything? You don't want to play the dramatic mood a little longer?" Kimberley smirks, turning around and walking away. Soon her smirk turns into a smile as she hears Madison's steps following behind.

"Dramatic mood?" Madison grunts. "I wasn't being dramatic."

"So why have you left your breakfast to go cold earlier today?" She raises an eyebrow.

"Because I'm sh*t at cooking." She lies.

"Okay what do you want for lunch?" Kimberley changes the subject, already pulling out options from the fridge. 

"Could you make a roast?"

Kimberley laughs. "Seriously?"

"Please Mum. I miss eating good." She pouts.

Kimberley sighs, caving in. "You talking to your Mam better be soon if I'm doing all this for you."

Madison smiles, returning her attention back to the iPhone. 

Kimberley makes sure to get a good mental photo of Madison in this moment. Her profile was the spitting image of Cheryl's. Although the teens nose was as cute as a button, the Tweedy curse definitely didn't make it. Her daughter's dimples ghostly kissed her cheeks as she sat occupied with the phone in hand. She was seeing Maddy in a different light... her aura was shining beautifully today and she hoped to always see her little girl happy. Hoping she could help Madison break those stubborn walls and endless barriers. 

Only time will tell.