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Chapter Seven
Ethel's Confession
Ethel sat by her sister on the bed and looked at her sadly, she was so upset after what their parents had said to her. She sat down as if the world was on her shoulders and looked at her sister.
"I am sorry Esmie for all the times I have being horrible to you, I just wanted a mother like everyone else….seems it will never happen now" Ethel said looking at her sister who turned her head away not able to meet her eye. She knew she was only her sister but she had always considered herself Ethel's and Sybil's mother, she loved them much more than was normal for a sister, she loved them like a mother, they were her universe just like most parents kids are to them.
Ethel feels bad she had not wanted to upset her but what had happened recently had made Ethel realise her big mistake. She always thought her mother had to be her biological mother, the woman gave birth to her after all but she was only starting to realise now that doesn't make her a mother, she has to earn that.
"I am such an idiot, how have I being so blind? My real mother has been under my nose my whole time and I didn't even bloody realise" Ethel said and Esmie turned to look at her daring to meet her gaze. Ethel took a deep breath, she was not good with words at all but this time, she just had to get this right.
"I never could wrap my head around it, how can someone be your sister and your mother at the same time? I always thought it had to be by blood, it has to be who had given birth to you but I was so wrong, anyone can have a child but that doesn't make them a mother, a mother is the person who loves you and cares for you more than anyone else in the world, who will stick by you even when they know you are wrong, who makes you feel warm and safe and will protect you from harm until their last breath, that is not our mother, she is cold and likes to play mind games, she cares more about her reputation that anything else, she has never acted like a mother towards me" Ethel told her sister as she looked at her gently, but she didn't look in her eyes, not yet, she knew if she did she would be reduced to a sobbing mess.
"I was so jealous of Mildred, this annoying girl who ruins everything has a mother that cares so much, why can I not have a mother like that too? I used to ask myself that question until I drove myself mad, it was the only thing I wanted and I didn't know how to deal with the hurt so I lashed out at people and the people closest to me got it worse" Ethel went on knowing she had to say this. She couldn't keep this inside anymore.
"Now I realise I was wrong, I did have that already I was just to stubborn to stop and look enough to see it, I am sorry Esmie I should have realised before that my real mother was the girl who is right in front of me, you are my real mother, you are the mother who has always been there for me" Ethel said as she held onto her sisters hands.
She could feel her sister tremblling and she knew what she was saying to her meant a lot to her and she looked up at Esmerelda finally allowing her blue eyes to meet Esmie's hazel ones, she had said what she needed to say so she could let herself go now.
"I know the truth now, you are my real mum" Ethel said and that was what did it for Esmerelda, her lip quivered and she threw her arms around Ethel allowing herself to cry on her.
"Thank you Ethie" Esmerelda said allowing her tears to flow.
"Aww Esmie, that is okay, I am sorry for the way I have acted all this time, I didn't mean it" Ethel told her sister hugging her back.
"I do love you you know, you just wouldn't listen" Esmerelda told her sister with a sigh.
"I know, I am sorry I will listen for now on, I promise" Ethel told her burrowing her face into her sisters chest, enjoying the feel of her close to her. One thing Ethel will never try to deny is the fact Esmerelda gives the best hugs in all the world.
Esmerelda kissed her on top of her head as she held her, still crying her heart out and Ethel stroked her back protectively wanting to look after her.
"Are you okay? Do you need anything?" Ethel asked her sister cuddling her close and Esmie shook her head holding her Ethie before replying.
"No….I just need to hold you, I don't need anything else" Esmerelda replied and the younger girl smiled happily.
"Esmie, what are we going to do about...them?" Ethel asked talking about her parents but not wanting to spoil the good moment. Esmie sighed but knew her sister had a point.
"I will change them back in a few days, I think they need a taste of the real world they need to know what it is actually like to be afraid" Esmerelda replied with a sigh, wishing she did not have to help her parents but she knew people would notice if they disappeared.
"It is a shame that, I wish we could just forget about that" Ethel told her sister sadly. Honestly all her parents ended up doing is making her miserable and she hated it.
"Don't you worry Ethie, if they so much as say anything against you again I will turn them into snails again and this time I will not turn them back" Esmerelda told her sister seriously. She was not going to let her parents hurt her girl anymore.
Ethel smiled still keeping her head against her sisters chest, feeling so safe and comfortable for once in her life.
"I am glad you begged for me you know, I am glad I got to be your sister" Ethel told her sister and the elder blonde burst into tears again.
"Sorry" Ethel told her thinking that was enough for one day. Esmerelda would not have any tears left if she carried on like this.
The girls stayed like that for a while longer just hugging each other gently until a nurse came over to them full of smiles. She was much to cheery considering she was talking to a rape victim, Ethel thought.
"Hello, how is everything?" she asked them looking at Esmerelda.
"It is a little painful, but I am alright thank you" Esmerelda told the woman who smiled before she looked around confused.
"Wait a second, were your parents not here visiting?" the woman asked the two blondes as she was the one who had told them which room Esmie was in and she had not seen them leave. She did not see them anywhere.
"Oh yes, they had to go, urgent call, they didn't want to leave but they had no choice" Ethel lied quickly before Esmerelda could talk. She was the world's worst liar she would mess it up.
"Oh really...oh well I have the results of your tests" the woman said not sounding like she believed them but she went along with it.
"Oh..." Ethel said really worried. She gulped not wanting to hear what horrible disease that disgusting man had given her sister. Esmerelda grabbed the girls hand, feeling like she will be okay as she had Ethel with her.
"You are extremely lucky, all your tests came back negative" she told her with a smile.
"Really?" Esmerelda asked shocked to hear that. She had convinced herself she would have some horrible disease, considering what the rapist had being like.
"Yes really, the pregnancy test is negative too" the woman told her and Esmerelda could not believe her luck.
"But how….it happened twice" Ethel commented.
"Sometimes when someone is being raped their body can go into such shock it produces a protection that stops foreign bodies entering, that is what I suspect happened" the nurse explained. Esmerelda did not care why it did not happen, she was just so relived and hugged Ethel.
"So she is going to be okay?" Ethel asked looking at the nurse as she was hugged to death.
"Yes, there will be no long term effects physically, once you have recovered from the operation you can go home" the nurse smiled as she responded.
"I know I am lucky" Esmerelda said looking at Ethel and knowing she was so lucky to have the joy of having Ethel in her life.
