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Chapter Nine
Telling Sybie
Both of them sat there for a good while not saying anything but wondering what they should do. Ethel was happy about the turn of events, she loved Esmerelda more than her own mother and now knew she had only gave her up so she didn't have to live without her. It made Ethel's heart hurt with happiness but she was sent out of her thoughts when Esmie spoke.
"I think it is about time we go and tell Sybil" Esmie said knowing how fast things got out in Cackles and wanting to tell Sybil herself before she found out from a third source as someone will find out, it was a given. Ethel nodded in agreement and stood up to follow Esmie, as they started to walk Ethel grabbed hold of her mother's hand and Esmie smiled down at her squeezing it before they walked, hoping it would mean they could start to work on their mother daughter relationship.
Finding Sybil and asking Clarice and Beatrice if they could talk to her for a while, the three of them went off to Ethel's room. Sybil shared hers with Clarice and Bea so it wasn't save and Esmie being liked and respected normally had people knocking at her door because people were fighting and they didn't know what to do. Ethel having a temper like thunder scared people off so they tried to avoid going to her room if the door was closed. Ethel sat on her bed and picked up Nightstar who walked to her for a cuddle.
"What is going on?" Sybil asked knowing Esmie and Ethel were up to something as they were both acting strangely.
"Sybil…..we need to tell you something, you remember how my family tree was messed up and I was fearing that I was adopted?" Ethel asked glancing at Esmie out of the comer of her eye as she spoke.
"Yes, but that is silly Ethel" Sybil told her not believing it even if Ethel did.
"It is true, I am adopted, but it doesn't mean we are not related, the only thing is we are not sisters, you are my aunt" Ethel told her being more blunt about the truth than she knew Esmerelda would.
"What? What are you talking about Ethel, stop messing around!" Sybil said upset and confused and thinking this was one of Ethel's silly tricks.
"It is true the truth Sybil….I am her mother" Esmerelda replied knowing she had to say something in order for Sybil to believe her.
"Esmie why are you joining in on this joke, it is not funny" Sybil said angry that Esmerelda was not stopping Ethel from taking this joke to far, how could it be real, Sybil refused to believe it.
"It is not a joke Sybil it is the truth" Esmie said as she went and sat down between Ethel and Sybil "I am sorry if it upsets you, but it is the truth Sybil, I will explain" Esmie said but Sybil, who was normally not one to ever raise her voice, looked at Esmie darkly and shouted in response.
"NO, WHY DID YOU LIE" Sybil said upset and thinking that Ethel had always known this and it was just her that had been in the dark about this.
"Sybil calm down, I am going to explain that to you" Esmie told her knowing Sybil must be really angry if she was shouting when she was the calmest one out of all three of them.
"NO I HATE YOU, YOU LIED TO ME" Sybil shouted back, her blue eyes full of tears.
"She had no choice Sybs, just listen for a second will you" Ethel told her sister annoyed at her yelling when Esmerelda was trying to explain everything to her.
"No, I don't want to know, you lied to me" Sybil said before she turned around and fled the room in tears. Esmie made to follow her but Ethel stopped her.
"Give her a bit for it to sink in, she won't listen to you anywise, she is as stubborn as the rest of us Hallows" Ethel told Esmie who nodded knowing she was right. Sybil needed time to come to terms with it and just had to have some time alone for a bit.
"She will be fine, don't worry" Ethel said sensing her mother was heartbroken by Sybil's reaction. In all honestly, Esmie had expected Ethel to be the one who reacted by shouting and raging but for once Ethel and Sybil had switched roles.,
Esmie smiled slightly again and put her arm around her daughter, stroking her hair but she was not holding her so tightly that Ethel could not pull away if she wanted too but Ethel moved into her more not knowing why she was already allowing her mother to be like this with her, maybe she had been waiting for it for so long she just wanted the affection when she finally got it, but she enjoyed the feeling of it and Esmie stroked her hair softly as they sat there waiting a while before they would go and find Sybil.
After around an hour, both of them thought it was time to go and find Sybil and were just about to get up when Sybil walked in. She had her head down and was clearly sad and hurting which broke Esmerelda's heart. Esmie smiled at Ethel and then let go of her before standing up and rushing to Sybil,
"Oh Sybil don't be upset, it is going to be alright" Esmerelda said really sad her sister was still so upset about this, she refrained from touching her though, knowing her anger might not have worn of yet.
"How can it be okay? Ethel is your daughter so you love her more than me and I have just lost one of my sisters" Sybil replied as she cried gently.
"Sybie, that is not true, I love Ethel in a different way from you that is all, and I know it is hard for you to deal with losing Ethel but, you are still family so nothing much will change in that aspect" Esmerelda explained to her knowing just how upset her little sister was.
"Why did you hide it though? Why did you tell Ethel and not me?" Sybil said looking at her older sister with her blue eyes full of hurt.
"I only found out today myself, and she told me because I forced it out of her, we haven't been hiding it from you Sybil, we would have told you" Ethel said logically feeling bad for Sybil in that moment.
"But I still don't understand, why did you pretend mum and dad are her parents? And there is only two years between you so how can it be possible?" Sybil asked having so many questions going through her brain in that moment.
"Please sit down Sybil, I will explain everything and won't leave anything out, I won't lie to you again" Esmerelda said and Sybil went to sit down next to Ethel, ready to listen to what Esmerelda had to say.
Esmerelda, for the second time that day, told the whole story. About meeting Sauron, about their carelessness and her ending up pregnant, about hiding the whole thing from everyone and their plans to run away together and then how she had had Ethel and Sauron disappeared of the face of the earth and lastly how her mum and dad had found out about Ethel and had given her two choices: letting them raise her and pretend she is her sister or get her adopted out of the family. She had picked the first option and her identity had been changed. Sybil started crying in that moment.
"Sybil are you okay?" Ethel asked worried about her as she was not taking this well.
"Esmie has suffered for so many years and we didn't know" Sybil said. Not angry anymore just heartbroken her sister had been forced to make that decision and had had to watch her daughter grow when she was never allowed to mother her properly..
"It is okay Sybie, I still got to see Ethel grow up and look after her in the background" Esmerelda replied as she smiled at Ethel.
"As you got older why did you not run?" Sybil asked not understanding. Esmerelda sighed.
"Because mum and dad still are in control of me, they have threatened to hurt Ethel and you and I couldn't let that happen, at least with the way things are you are safe" Esmerelda replied.
Everyone fell silent then as no-one knew what to say, they knew Esmerelda was right. It would do more harm than good to try to escape.
"Why did you decide to go through with the pregnancy when you knew it would be much harder?" Sybil asked as she knew her sister loved both her and Ethel, but she put herself through so much suffering when she didn't need too and Sybil didn't understand.
"I was terrified when I found out I was pregnant, but I loved Ethel from the first moment, I couldn't get rid of her, I am glad I didn't even though it has been harder, it was worth it" Esmerelda told Sybil who nodded in understanding, thinking her sister was brave.
"I think we should tell everyone" Ethel said. She knew if people knew they could help. True, they might be angry but it would stop the blackmail from Mr and Mrs Hallow as it would no longer be a secret.
"We can't! You two can't say anything" Esmerelda said honestly terrified of people finding out, worried about what would happen to her and that because she had lied and tricked people Ethel would be taken away from her, she had worked so hard and long to keep Ethel with her, she just couldn't lose her now.
"Ethel is right Esmie, if we don't tell anyone we will be stuck in this cycle forever" Sybil said knowing if they didn't do anything, they will be trapped by Triton and Ursula Hallow forever, even when they were old enough to get away from them.
"I don't think it is a good idea" Esmie replied wanting to avoid that at all costs. She knew it would not be as simple as Ethel and Sybil thought it would be.
"Come on mother, don't you want to be free and not have to hide anymore?" Ethel said without really thinking about what she was saying. She was starting to think of her as her mother now and it was coming naturally to her to call her that now. She knew deep down she had always known really.
Tears fell down Esmerelda's face at the word mother and her heart soared and felt like it was going to fall burst of her chest and in that moment she knew they were right. It was time to take action and take control of her life. It was time to tell the whole world the truth.
