Author's POV

She smiles, she laughs, she feels a sense of relief of letting everything go. In this moment, where darkness finally arises into nothing, a beautiful glow of happiness eases its way into Madison's heart, soul, and mind.

Kimberley makes sure her daughter is fed, keeping a close eye on the teen.

"How does that taste?" The blonde asks, swiftly switching lanes and speeding through the lanes. The miles seemed endless, and the destination Madison had requested appeared hours away.

"S'good." The teen licks her lips, taking another bite out of the jelly filled donut. "I'm so full, but I can't stop eating." She giggles, her lips smeared with the red sweetness.

Cheryl turns around, giggling at her daughter's appearance.

"C'mere." She beckons her daughter over, holding a white napkin in her left hand. "You've got it all over ya."

"I'll wipe it once I've finished." Madison huffs, "I'll lick it clean." She giggles, shoving the rest of the donut into her mouth.

"Mum," She mumbles, uncaring of the manners nowhere to be found. "Your jelly donuts are better."

"You warming me up for something?" Kimberly jokes, blindly reaching back and stroking her daughter's leg. "I'll make you some once we've gone back home—"

"That's enough sugar for the week." Cheryl raises an eyebrow, forcing the teen to allow her to clean the mess on her mouth.

"You're no fun."

"And you don't need all that sugar."

Kimberley smirks, never before seeing Cheryl in this light. She's always known the Geordie to be caring, but this motherly side was definitely new to her.. not that she was complaining.

"One time I had a whole box full of them Cadbury chocolate eggs—"

"Oh yeah?" Kimberley butts in, "D'you know the sugar police here once had too much sugar to the point she ended up passing out—"

"And you tell me I've had too much!" Madison gasps.

"It wasn't like that," Cheryl tries to justify her addiction to sweet. "They.. They made us do it."

Kimberley bursts into laughter, but makes sure to grip the wheel firmly, not wanting to lose control.

"They made you do it?" Kimberley giggles further, "You holding the box in your hands like you've just discovered chocolate and nearly chocking on the damn sweets were them making you do it?" She giggles once more, along with her teenage daughter who's finding this all very amusing.

Cheryl clears her throat, unsure how to answer.

"Exactly—"

"Oh don't you start with that." The married couple begins to bicker; nobody loved this more than Madison herself.

"Start what? Telling the truth. You know I was always one against dating someone who lied—"

"What does this even have to do with anything—"

"And I've bloody married one!"

"Take that back!" Cheryl swats her wife's forearm, "Take it back I said!"

"I will do no such thing—"

"You just called us a liar!"

Kimberley laughs, "I love you."

"No." The Geordie pouts, sulking away in her seat.

Madison remains silent, loving this side to her parents. It allowed her to feel the connection they both had, an unbreakable love that could only be built and never destructed or cracked. 

"Aw baby," Kimberley reaches across, taking her wife's hand with force. "I was half joking—"

"That doesn't make it any better!"

"Are you going to let me finish?" The blonde giggles, bringing her wife's knuckles up to her lips, sealing and lingering them over and over again.

Cheryl cracks a smile, but forces her scowl back into place.

"You do exaggerate the stories—"

"Only because they sound boring in me head."

The family bursts into laughter, beautiful sounds of happiness fills the car. Something Madison was still trying to get used to. It had been years since she'd felt such a connection, a family connection to be exact.

"Say you're sorry." Cheryl moans, pouting cutely.

Kimberley smiles, "I'm sorry baby," she places another kiss to the Geordies knuckles. "Forgive me?"

Cheryl giggles, "You're forgiven."

Madison could not stop the grin forming to her expression from it's growing. Her smile grew sore, and in this very moment, she knew that this love was all she's ever dreamed about.

"See what I have to put up with?" Kimberley speaks to her daughter's reflection,

Madison giggles. "It actually.. Makes a nice change." She speaks truthfully.

"How so?" Cheryl asks, smiling to her wife reaching back over and lacing their fingers together.

"Well," The teen didn't want to make her confession cheesy, but there was no way she could make her words sound less in affection. "It's nice to know that love still exists." She blushes, looking away and fixating her eyes to the world outside.

"There is a love out there for everyone." Cheryl speaks softly, "Didn't you ever hear that saying before?"

"What's that?"

"Everyone has a soul mate, no matter where you are, or where you hideaway, you will always meet your soul mate." Cheryl glances to her wife, finding the blonde smiling to the road ahead.

"So how do some people marry the wrong person? Why do they stay with the person even if they're unhappy?"

Kimberley clears her throat, "They accept the love they think they deserve, and most of the time those people rush into relationships. They rush into something they thought would be perfect.. Like many relationships, you discover several things about each other over time."

"It's true." Cheryl adds, "I was with your Dad when I was young, I didn't know anything about meself.. Then I married Ashley – that went to shite. Didn't it babe?"

Kimberley chuckles dryly. "Damn bastard. I'd love to see him again."

"We're over him—"

"You are. Not me." Kimberley shakes her head, retreating both hands to the steering wheel.

"Mum?"

"Yeah?"

"Have you... Have you ever been married like Mam?"

Kimberley shakes her head, "No. Your Mam was my first and only."

Cheryl smiles.

"Did yous think you'd ever be in a relationship with a woman?"

The women shake their head in unison.

"Can I be honest?"

"Of course." Cheryl smiles, looking at her daughter once more through the rearview mirror.

"I think the thought of being with a woman is quite terrifying."

Silence.

Kimberley speaks before the tension grew. "Why is that?"

"I don't know.." Madison shrugs, "I think it's great how yous love each other and all that.. But I could never see myself with another woman."

"Everyone has their own liking.. I thought I would be with a man, look at us now. Nearly ten years together with the love of me life, and it just so happens it's a woman."

Kimberly grins, widely. "I love you." She whispers.

"I love you too."

"Who would I go to relationship advice? Not yous—"

"Who said you're getting into a relationship anytime soon?" Cheryl speaks in a stern tone.

"I'm just saying—"

"You're not allowed to just say until you've turned eighteen."

Madison howls out into laughter, not really sure why she found this all so amusing.

"Ya laughin' but I'm serious."

The teen continues to laugh, smacking the palm of her hand against the glassed window. It was all too amusing; she could not contain the hilarity.

The mother's roll their eyes in accord, both wearing a smirk to their lips.

"HAHA! Eighteen." Madison laughs once again. "Eighteen!"

"You're not dating at this age Madison," Kimberley speaks firmly. "That is final."

"Okay." Madison giggles, rolling her eyes at the serious tone her mother was urgently echoing.

"I'm not jokin'" Cheryl grits.

"I don't think you're ever too young to fall in love." The teen speaks, gently. "Like you said, your soul mate could come knocking into your life any second."

The teen shuts both women up with the sweet words she'd just spoke.

Kimberley clears her throat, "Guess I have nothing to say to that."

"Mam?"

The Geordie laughs, "Fcuk off."

They laugh.

"Raise the volume!" Madison claps, swaying her hands and singing loudly to the song.

"Last night I lay in bed so blue.. cause' I realized the truth they can't love me like you. I tried to find somebody new, baby they ain't got a clue, can't love me like you!" The family sings in unison, shouting the lyrics loudly.

In the moment of laughter, and giggles, everyone in the range rover was slowly being healed away from the internal scars that once lived in stubborn script. That would forever last to their hearts and souls.. Now erasing whilst surrounded with a love unlike any other.

The Rover slows down, both Cheryl and Kimberley's eyes grow in love for the secret garden they've arrived to.

"Wow.." Both women whisper.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Madison whispers back, unable to speak any louder.

The garden surrounds them with large shrubs towering around the once blossoming garden, now autumn has taken over the pinks and purple petals, leaving oranges and reds to fall to the grassed ground.

"It's even more beautiful, come on." The teen grabs the white flower box and exits the car.

"Wait up!" She hears the shout of her parents, but she's unable to stop her feet from rushing through the trees and the never-ending breathtaking land.

~~~~~~~~

"Wait up!" Christopher shouts, speeding up to his younger sisters feet. "You don't even know where you're going!"

"There's so much to see!" Madison giggles, slowing down her speed. "It's so beautiful here. Why didn't you show me it before?"

"I only just come across it the other day. There's so many flowers planted up ahead, I think you'd love it."

"You think!? Show me!" He grasps his sister's hand, leading the way.

~~~~~~~~

Madison pants, stopping in front of the once flourishing flowers, now left wilted, its petals have fallen to the soiled ground.

She gets on her knees, searching for that one flower still hanging to its final life. She smiles, snapping the white rose off the dying bush.

"We told you to—" Cheryl stops her wife from interrupting this precious moment Madison was having. They take in the way their daughter inhaled the rose, grasping it gently in her hand.

"I found it." The teen looks back, smiling tearfully. "There's always one left around this time." She sniffs, standing back up to her feet.

"Are you going to find more?" Cheryl asks, stepping closer to the teen.

"That's all there ever is.. Always this one."

"What are you planning to do with it?"

"I.. I think I want to do things differently this year." She smiles, gazing back down to the rose.

"And what's that?"

"There's a lake up ahead, come on." She leads the way, speeding her way through the paths of dying shrubs either side of her. The smile grows, her beautiful chocolate locks flow with the wind, the box held firmly in one hand and a rose held from the browning stem in the other.

Her feet come to a stop, taking in the large lake, gentle winds breeze through the calm autumn air, creating small waves.

She kneels down, flourishing the rose further. Petal by petal, she brings the white rose to life, her hands shake.. Unable to control the jitters streaming within her.

"I love you." She whispers, setting the flower down to the water. She watches it float away, never taking her eyes off the rose revolving along the water and glowing with the rays of sunshine.

The mothers take a seat beside their daughter, both watching the rose along with the teen. It floats away, just like Christopher descending to the heavens.

"You okay?" Cheryl whispers, draping an arm around her daughter, and pulling her in.

"Much." Madison smiles, melting to her mother's touch, and reaching over for Kimberley's hand. "Thank you."

- - - - -  

The day was creating a new memory for Madison; a day that would once leave her in gloom now paints a smile to her lips and eyes.

"So, what are we doing for the rest of the day?" Cheryl asks, getting the teen out of her daydream.

Madison's gaze is ripped away from the cloudy night sky, the car still speeds through the streets with no particular destination.

"I was supposed to watch the stars." She whispers, suddenly sad to see the greys painting into the night.

"You can still do that—"

Madison cuts her Mam off, "No I can't," She huffs. "Look, you can't even see a single star in the sky—you can barely see the bloody moon."

"Do you have another plan?" Kimberley asks, feeling slightly sorry for her daughter. She knew the love Madison held for the stars, the glimmering and twinkling of their presence.

"No."

Kimberley and Cheryl share a smile, both unsure how to bring back the happy aura back into their daughters bubble.

"Let's just go home." Madison whispers, settling her head back against the window, and watching the world pass by.

"Are you sure—"

"Yeah." The teen cuts her mother off, not really in the mood to speak anymore. Both women get the hint, they decide to raise the volume for the music just a bit higher, giving their daughter something to zone out to.

"Kimba?" Cheryl whispers a few minutes later.

"Hm?"

"You have something in mind don't you?" This gets Kimberley to grin, widely.

"What is it? Tell us."

The blonde raises her eyebrows, giggling a few times at her wife's huffing.

"Tell us—"

"We're almost home. I'll tell you then." This gets a smile from Cheryl. She remains patient through the rest of their journey, even sitting still as her wife enters the code to their gated home a few times, purposely punching it incorrectly just to wind the Geordie up.

"Mado," Kimberley speaks gently, lowering the volume. "You up?"

"Yeah." The teen grabs the white box, and climbs out of the Rover. All she wanted to do now was get in bed, and sleep into the next day.

"Your idea better work." Cheryl breathes, sadly.

"Hopefully." They follow their daughter to the front door; unlocking it and watching Madison hurry up to her bedroom.

"Well?"

"Where are the Christmas lights, the ones that twinkle—"

"Oh my god! Are we actually going to start putting up the Christmas lights!?" Cheryl squeals, jumping in her spot.

"No—"

"What – then why do you need the bloody lights?"

"Just get them you lemon, meet me in the back garden—"

"Erm," Cheryl stops her wife from walking away, "Excuse you. You can help us, I'm not carrying them out by meself."

Kimberley rolls her eyes, "Fine, anything you want princess."

Cheryl giggles, "Oh. You haven't called us princess since we officially started dating."

They walk to the storage room, collecting the lights from the large box labeled Christmas decorations.

"Think it would be strange to call you that, seeing as I call our daughter that." Kimberley speaks, her full attention on the lights in hand.

"Right." Cheryl rolls her eyes.

"Is someone jealous?" Kimberley giggles, "And why am I holding all of these?!"

"I am holding something!"

"What is that—"

"Remember on our wedding when we did them Chinese lanterns?" Cheryl bites her lower lip, raising an unopened pack.

"Aw baby, that's a good idea. Who knew a tiny person could come up with such big and brilliant ideas—"

"Fcuk off you cunt!"

"Mrs. Tweedy-Walsh, what a filthy mouth you've got on you." The blonde winks, leading the way out of the storage room. A giggling Cheryl follows close behind.

"You took me innocence away."

Kimberley howls out in laughter, nearly tripping over the light cords trailing along her feet.

"What's that laugh meant to mean?" Cheryl pouts, standing beside her wife as she begins to hang the lights along the trees, the hammock resting below the high leaves.

"It's meant to mean, you weren't innocent baby.. Don't even try to argue." Kimberley giggles, keeping her feet steady, the tree easy and safe to climb.

"Says you!" Cheryl shouts, standing at the bottom and watching her wife throw the lights in precise landing.

"You don't hear me arguing."

The Geordie remains still, pulling a face in sulk.

"Just because it's dark doesn't mean I can't see those ugly faces you're pulling at me."

"Are you calling us ugly!"

Kimberley giggles, jumping down and landing perfectly. "Shut up you loser," The lights come to life with Kimberley plugging them together.

The garden trees light up with a million twinkling lights, putting every star in the sky to shame.

"C'mere." Cheryl giggles, allowing her wife to pull her into a heated kiss. They hold onto each other, having missed the touch of one another. Their tongues roll in unison, a rhythm they each knew all too well.

"Did I tell you how beautiful you are?" Kimberly murmurs, never wanting their lips to part.

"Once or twice. Tell us again." Cheryl whispers, feeling attached suddenly.

"You're looking even more beautiful to me right now."

A blush rises to the Geordie's cheeks, melting Kimberley's heart completely.

"Says you." She giggles, nervously.

"Come here, come here and kiss me." They kiss, for sometime. Their lips connect in a spark; the sky that paints in gloom feels insignificant to them, as they create sparks, shooting them through the sky with just a simple kiss.

"I love you."

"I love you." Kimberley breathes, "Let's go get our daughter."

Their fingers feather together, smiling all the way back inside and up to their daughters bedroom.

"Mado?" The blonde whispers, stepping in first.

"I'm sleeping." The teen grumps, her eyes pierced shut.

"Maddy, baby, could you come with us for a second?"

"Can't it wait until tomorrow?" Madison rolls over, finding her parents smiling widely at her. "What's with the creepy smiles?"

"Creepy?" Kimberley gasps, "Shut up and get up."

The teen smirks, sliding out of bed and slipping her house shoes on.

"Close your eyes."

"I'll fall—"

"Give us your hand."

Both, Cheryl and Kimberley take their daughters hand and lead her out of the home.

"What's all this about?" Madison huffs, growing impatient.

They stand in front of the trees, darkness surrounds them, with the only light twinkling from the plants hanging above the large hammock waiting for the family to rest in its comfort.

"Open your eyes."

Madison's green eyes flutter open, sparkling from the lights dancing in the night.

Silence.

It grows, the teen is unable to find the right words to describe the way she was currently feeling.

Tears were the only way she could project her emotions.

"Why are you crying?" Cheryl whispers, wiping the first tear that trickled down her daughter's cheek.

"What's this for?" She laughs, tearfully.

"We thought we'd bring the stars to you tonight." Kimberley whispers.

The teen breaks down, falling into Cheryl's embrace, with Kimberley bringing them all into a warm bubble of wrapped arms.

"Thank you," She whispers, over and over again. "Thank you for everything."

"You're welcome, now come on. No more tears. Lets lay down under these stars? Shall we?"

Madison nods; allowing her parents to help her climb onto the hammock, she lies between both women. Their eyes settle to the twinkling lights dancing above, growing a love that could never be bought or imagined.

"I love you." Madison whispers, taking both her parent's hands and lacing them with her own. "Christopher would have loved you too."