It's a long one… :)
Wade had been gone by the time Missy had woken the next morning.
She had appeared from the bedroom fully dressed, in a white blouse, pencil skirt and heels, hoping to see him still lying across her couch, all ruffled and handsome, with that same old cheeky grin he always seemed to carry.
But all that was left of the merc, was the bloodied cloth and bowl of water she had used to clean him up the previous night.
Missy gave a sigh, wandering into the kitchen, placing a pretty diamond stud into each ear as she did so.
Missy's work day was uneventful at best, but by the time 3.15 rolled around, Missy came to find that Emily had not had a good day at all.
As Missy came to collect her daughter from the brightly lit nursery three floors down, she was met with an older female staff member with a hard face and thin, pursed lips.
"She's been an absolute handful all day," said the woman shaking her head, without even as much as a hello. "She refused to join in with the other children, and just would NOT listen when I told her it was naptime…"
Missy lowered her chin, her eyes blackening.
"She's deaf… I made that very clear to your colleagues when she started here….you just have to take your time with her-" began Missy, but the woman cut across her sharply.
"She should be wearing a hearing-aid in that case," sneered the woman, looking at Missy disapprovingly.
Missy felt her cheeks burning.
"The hearing-aid makes her uncomfortable," Missy argued. "she doesn't like to wear it."
The woman tutted. "You're her Mother, you should be making her wear it," she snapped. "Children in my day did as they were told…"
"But this isn't your day!" shouted Missy loudly, causing a couple of the children that were playing nearby, to look up at her curiously.
The woman glared at Missy crossly, before folding her arms over her chest.
"We are just not equipped to deal with children like her at our day-care," said the woman, her voice patronising and sharp.
Missy was furious. Livid. And right at that moment, she wanted nothing more than to smack this woman right across her horrible face.
Angry tears threatened to spill over her eyes.
She turned away from the woman, quickly walking over to the corner of the room where Emily was sat quietly, alone and sad, with her coat already on. .
"Hey, baby," said Missy, her voice shaky, as she crouched down before her tiny daughter.
Emily looked up at her with big green eyes and Missy could see that she had been crying. Her eyes were red and puffy and her nose a little sniffly.
"Shall we go home?" asked Missy, titling her head and stroking back Emily's short brown hair.
The little girl nodded and gave an upset little sniff, getting to her feet and reaching her arms out for Missy.
Missy instantly lifted her daughter, carrying her toward the door on her high-heels, as Emily buried her face in Missy's coat.
"I highly suggest that if she wants to come back tomorrow that she should bring her hearing-aid, maybe then she will learn to behave," said the woman, as Missy approached her.
Missy could have burst into tears right at this second, and so ignored the woman, strutting straight past her. And through the glass doors.
It was no wonder that with staff like that, Emily disliked going to day-care. She knew it was likely that Emily had been shouted at as it definitely took a lot to make Emily cry.
But maybe Missy should do as the woman had said, maybe sending Emily to nursery with her hearing-aid was the right thing to do, but Missy knew that Emily hated it.
She would cry and plead with Missy to take it off until she was red in the face and utterly distressed.
Missy placed a hand to Emily's back comfortingly as the pair of them headed into the large elevator.
Suddenly before the door could close, two of Missy's female colleagues from her office a few floors up, followed them in.
They barely gave Missy even the slightest bit of acknowledgement, but for the slightest of seconds, she saw the two women exchange a glance between each other.
A roll of the eyes and a smirk between her two colleagues was all it took for a single silent tear to roll down Missy's cheek. She bowed her head, until the doors had slid open and the pair walked hurriedly out.
By now, Missy's face was wet with tears, and as they left through the revolving doors, she didn't even notice a familiar face leaning up against the wall of the big office tower beside them…waiting….
"You ignoring me, Yummy-Mommy?" came a sudden voice from their side.
Missy jumped slightly at the voice, before turning to face the figure.
There, of course, was Wade, a smile plastered across his long face. His eye was purple but the swelling had definitely gone down a lot.
He was dressed in a black hoodie and jeans, and in his arms was an enormous cardboard box.
But the merc's grin soon disappeared as he caught sight of Missy's face.
"Hey," he said, pushing himself from the wall and taking a step towards her, his gaze full of concern. "You alright?"
But Missy dragged her eyes from his, keeping her head bowed.
"No…" she said, her voice breaking slightly as she spoke.
She made to turn and walk away, not wanting anyone to see her in this emotional state, but felt Wade's sudden hand at her waist.
"Hey," he uttered once again, stopping her in her tracks and turning her to face him. His chocolate eyes travelled over her face. "Is it Emily?"
He glanced down at the little girl in Missy's arms, her face still buried in Missy's coat in an attempt to block out the world.
Missy shook her head.
"I think we've both just had a bad day…" she murmured, her voice quiet and her eyes dropping down to the sidewalk.
She didn't bother to elaborate. Why would Wade want to hear about her woes?
But she felt Wade's eyes remain on her as the seconds passed, his hand still lingering at her side.
"You wanna come and get a drink with me?" he asked her after a moment or two.
Missy finally looked up at him. His face was warm and soft, and right at that moment all she wanted to was have him tell her that everything was going to be OK.
"I-Ive got Emily," she said giving a gulp.
But Wade gave her an easy grin.
"I meant grab a coffee….but if it's tequila you're thinking about, I have an entire bottle at my apartment we can definitely go at later tonight…" the merc muttered, raising an eyebrow towards her.
Missy gave a small chuckle, wiping at her eyes with her free hand.
"As tempting as that sounds, I think I should take this one home…" said Missy, giving Emily's back a little pat. "She's not had the best of days."
At this, Emily lifted her head and her green eyes suddenly drifted to Wade.
"Waydee," she said with croak. "Laydy showted a me."
Emily made grabby hands for Wade,
The merc placed his box down onto the ground and reached out, plucking Emily from Missy's arms, a frown forming between his brows.
He looked up at Missy questioningly.
The caramel-haired woman gave a sigh.
"The woman from day-care…" she explained, running a hand over her tired face. "She was just an old witch."
"A witsh," repeated Emily with a nod, looking at that second so much liken her Mom.
Wade grinned, bouncing the little girl in his arms.
"Well you know what I think you should do?" he asked, in a playful voice, as Emily reached out and squished his cheeks between her pudgy hands, brightening slightly. "I think you should take out a bounty on her head and I'll deal with that ugly, old Sanderson Sister for you."
Missy smiled, blinking up at him a couple of times.
"But how about for now…" he said pretending to snap at Emily's little fingers with his teeth, as she giggled within his grasp. "...we go back to your place and I can show you what's in this big old box?"
He nodded down to the large cardboard box at his feet.
Missy narrowed her eyes at him slightly, but couldn't help but smirk. She wondered how he always had this ability to do this to them. To help them take their mind off their worries, even if it was only for a short time.
"Alright," she uttered, shooting him a look and bending down to pick up his box for him . "Geez this is heavy, what's even in here?"
But Wade merely grinned, as Emily squished her chubby cheek against his, before resting her head in the crook of his neck.
"You'll see…"
Twenty minutes later and the three of them bustled into Missy's apartment, cold and pink-cheeked.
Emily had cuddled up to Wade's chest as they walked home, but right now was a bundle of energy, so excited by the merc's presence.
He wandered over to Missy's couch and plopped the little girl's down onto it, as she giggled delightedly.
Meanwhile Missy plonked the Wade's cardboard box down onto her dining table, before shrugging off her coat.
Whas in bocs?" said Emily, clambering over the arm of the couch to try and take a peek.
Missy smirked, crossing her arms over her chest before strolling over to Emily and removing the toddler's red coat and booties.
Wade merely flashed them an award-winning smile and patted the box with his large hands.
"This…" he said in a charming voice. "…is me finally keeping my promise to you."
And with that, Wade ripped open the box and plucked out a long string of tinsel, tossing it their way.
Emily gave a shriek of laughter, grasping the silvery strand in her sticky paws.
"Christmas decorations?" said Missy smiling, her eyes roving across the merc before her.
"Yup," replied Wade, holding a large gold Christmas star aloft. "You've just got to sift through the crap to find the true jems, is all…"
He shot her a wink, causing Missy to roll her eyes and take a step forwards, peering into the box.
She pulled out a large bauble, with a pin-up girl holding a Santa hat over her otherwise naked body, and the words "Happy Holiday's from Madame Misty's Burlesque Babes" emblazoned across the top.
She cocked an eyebrow at him.
"Ahhh…now that….is one from my….uh…personal collection…" he said as she tossed it his way, shaking her head and giving a laugh.
Behind them, Emily was happy playing with the tinsel, wrapping it around a chair leg at their feet.
"So," said Wade after a second or two, as Missy took a look through his collection of Christmas lights. "you gonna tell me what happened earlier?"
Missy looked up at him instantly, giving a shrug, sighing lightly.
"I don't know…" she murmured. "The nursery seems to think I should have another go with Emily's hearing aid. They said that she's refusing to listen to them. What did that witch say…that's right, that's she's a handful."
Missy shook her head, tucking her hair behind her ear.
"I just don't know…" she uttered, giving another sigh. "I feel like the worst Mom in the world, a-and that woman…what she said about me…about Emily…-"
"You realise that you and Emily are pretty much perfect, right?" said Wade, her face and voice suddenly serious.
Missy looked up at him, chewing on her lip.
"You shouldn't even fucking listen to that bitch…" he said in a low voice, making sure Emily couldn't hear him. "She obviously hasn't got a fucking clue about anything. I'm deadly fucking serious about that bounty y'know, just say the words and I'll fuck her up for free."
Missy gave a sniff, smiling, her eyes meeting with his.
"Thanks…" she said quietly, but her voice was slightly distant.
Missy unfortunately knew what all this meant.
The only reason she had taken this job was because there was day-care in the building, and most importantly, it was free. And if Emily was forced to go elsewhere,, it would mean that Missy would never be able to pay for rent, bills, food and nursery bills on her current salary, which either meant she would have to move back to her Aunt's place down in Florida, or, she would need to find another job, which would likely mean longer hours and more time spent away from her daughter.
Right now Missy was stuck between a rock and a hard place…
She was lost…a horrible feeling of dread in the pit of her stomach.
"Hey," came Wade's soft voice suddenly, breaking Missy from her thoughts.
She suddenly felt his hand reach for hers.
His fingers were warm and he squeezed her digits tightly.
"You realise I'm here right…" he said titling his head, his eyes locked onto hers. "…you don't have to deal with all this on your own."
But Missy couldn't smile… she couldn't speak.
As much was Wade was lovely with his offer. She was alone, and she would always be alone.
No one would want them…not really.
It was always going to be just the two of them.
She tugged her hand from Wade's and stalked into her bedroom, giving a hard gulp, knowing she what she was about to do would break her heart….
Two seconds later she came back into the living room carrying a little plastic box.
Emily, who had looked up at Missy, interested in what her Mom was doing, instantly shook her head.
"Noh, noh, pwease," she said, her face looking immediately frightened and becoming panicked.
Wade looked over at them.
Missy's heart thudded in her chest as she kneeled in front of Emily.
The little girl began to cry, shaking her tiny head…
"Noh, pweeease Mommy…" said Emily, trying to back away, getting herself worked up.
Missy reddened, her eyes brimming with tears as she pulled the hearing aid from the little plastic box in her hand.
"Noh, Mommy I don wanna, pwease..." said Emily giving a small wail, and shaking her head. "…pweeeease don make me! Noh…"
The tiny toddler was practically begging. Pleading with her Mom.
Missy wiped away a tear from her own cheek.
"Baby, you need to just try it again," she said gently.
"Pwease, pwease…I will be gud," said Emily, holding her hands over her tiny ears and giving an almost hysterical cry. "Pwease Mommy…"
Missy gave a sob. She was torturing her own daughter. But this was her only choice right now.
"Pweeease Mommy, noh!" said Emily, crying her eyes out, tears pouring down her red cheeks. She looked up and saw Wade. "Waydee, noh…"
And with that she ran over to Wade, coming to hide behind him and clutching at his legs.
Missy lifted her trembling hands to her face, suddenly breaking down into tears, her whole body suddenly racked with sobs.
What had she done?
She felt like the wicked witch. The evil mother who did that two her own daughter. Who frightened her to the point that she would run away…
Maybe that woman had been right all along…
But it wasn't a second before she felt a warm hand at her back.
Wade's.
And a moment later… two tiny arms wrapped themselves around her neck.
"I'm sowwy Mommy…" said Emily in her ear, still crying, she could hear it in her voice. "I'll be gud, I pwomis I wil."
Missy tore her hands away from her face, pulling Emily into her, cradling her tightly.
"Mommy's sorry," she said shaking her head and pressing a kiss into Emily's soft brown hair. "Mommy's so sorry."
She held onto Emily for what felt like an eternity, the hearing aid now lying abandoned on the floor.
She would never, EVER make this mistake again.
It took them both a minute or two to finally calm, Missy pulling away to look at Emily, wiping her little cheeks with her thumb.
"I'm so sorry baby. I won't ever make you wear that thing again, ok?" she said as Emily mimicked her, wiping the tears from Missy's face too.
The little girl pressed a sloppy kiss to Missy's cheek.
It was only then did Missy realise Wade had been crouched beside them this whole time, his hand on Missy's back.
She looked up at him, so embarrassed and ashamed of herself.
But to her surprise Wade's look wasn't accusing….or judging…but it was soft and full of concern.
She wanted to murmur a sorry to him too….an apology for forcing him to witness that.
But as much as she tried, she just couldn't seem to find the words…
But one thing felt more natural than anything else…
Missy knew who initiated it, but before she knew it, she and Wade had pulled each other into a tight, warm hug.
Both knelt on the floor beside each other, Missy for the first time since she could remember, felt warm…and safe…like she had someone else there with her…like she wasn't alone.
Wade held her tightly in his strong arms, his thumb tracing circles over her spine as Missy buried her face in his shoulder. He smelt like musk, and gunpowder and…..cotton-candy. And it took all her strength not to protest when they finally pulled apart.
She looked up into his chocolate eyes, the whole room falling utterly silent. Even Emily who was watching the pair of them in awe…her little mouth agape…was quiet. Before finally Missy managed to mouth a 'Thank you.'
Wade merely smiled back easily, getting to his feet and reaching out a hand for Missy to take, tugging her up onto her high-heels.
She wiped at her eyes and gave a sniff, picking up the hearing aid and flinging back inside the plastic box.
She would donate it to a kids charity or something, but it didn't belong here, with them.
She smiled down at Emily, placing the hearing-aid on the table out of sight of the little girl.
She really did love her with all her heart.
Emily smiled up at Missy, as though forgetting that this whole thing at ever happened.
The caramel-haired woman gave an sharp inward sigh.
"So…" she asked gently. "…you wanna decorate a little before dinner, sweetie?"
Emily gave a nod plucking up her piece of silver tinsel and holding it aloft, beaming.
Two hours later and Missy's living room looking akin to something you'd find at Santa's grotto.
Wade had pulled a tatty little plastic tree from the box which Emily and Missy had got to work decorating, while he put up some lights around their window.
Missy had served up some chicken pasta for the three of them, which Wade had charmingly said was the best thing he's ever eaten in his life. Missy had merely rolled her eyes but given a laugh and had politely told him he needed to get out more.
Emily had of course been so excited. Running around the living room, flitting between Wade and Missy happily.
"So," said Missy, as she placed one of the last few baubles onto the tree, before glancing at Wade. "How did you find out where I worked? You stalking me?"
He looked over at her grinning.
"Maybe…" he said waggling his eyebrows at her. "Or I might have just seen your security pass hangover your coat this morning as I was leaving."
Missy smiled, pursing her lips together.
"Y'know you didn't need to rush off this morning," she said after another second or two, biting at her lip and toying with a strand of tinsel already positioned on the tree. "I could have made you breakfast…"
Wade didn't reply, he merely stared at her, her eyes taking in her every feature.
Missy felt herself immediately redden beneath his gaze.
"Sta!" said Emily suddenly at their feet, breaking through their moment, and clutching a large gold star ornament in her sticky paws.
Missy beamed down at her daughter and lifted her up into her arms.
"You wanna put the star on top, baby?" she asked clearly so that Emily could hear her.
The little girl wriggled in her grip and leaned over, placing the star, a little wonkily on the very top.
"Perfect," exclaimed Wade brightly. "Just like you and your Mommy."
Missy shot him a look, shaking her head, but her eyes lingered on his a little too long. And for the slightest of moments she felt her heart start thud in her chest and butterflies appear in her stomach.
"Right then, sweetie-pie," said Missy, finally tearing her gaze away from the merc. "I think it's bedtime, don't you?"
She gave Emily's sides a little tickle.
As Wade grinned over at the pair of them, he chewed on his lip for a moment.
"I should get going," he said rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. "But…um…listen…"
He gave the slightest of gulps, which Missy caught, a bemused frown crossing her face.
"…I'm going to this Christmas party…at my buddy's bar, a couple of blocks from here, on Friday…I know it might be difficult for you to get a sitter this close to Christmas but….if you wanted to come….it would be great to see you there…"
He flashed her a wide smile.
"…we could get wasted on that tequila I sorta promised you…it'll be fun. You can let your hair down and we can compare our slut-drops and do karaoke to a selection of WHAM's greatest hits. I mean there's no karaoke machine, per say, but you'd be surprised how well I know the words to Careless Whisper. . "
Missy smiled at him, giving a chuckle, but her gaze dropped to her feet.
"I'd…uh….love to…." she gulped, her heart plummeting slightly. "…but I don't think I'll be able to, with Emily, y'know…"
She felt so disappointed. Even affording a sitter this close to the holidays would be too much for her already limited bank-balance.
As much as she would have loved to go…
It had been ages since she'd been out…probably before Emily came along, if she was honest… and the idea of spending some time with her neighbour…sounded, well….nice.
Wade nodded.
"Of course," he said, smiling back, but there was a hint of what looked like disappointment in his eyes. "I'll text you the address in case you change your mind. Weasel's parties are always pretty good. At the end of the evening he usually gets so wasted himself, he makes it a free bar. Then the night ends with everyone trashing the place…..ahh, good times."
Wade wiped a faux-tear of fondness from his eye, causing Missy to grin.
Emily who had been watching the pair of them, chewing on a strand of Missy's caramel blonde hair, suddenly reached out a hand for Wade.
Missy laughed.
"You wanna say goodbye to Wade?" she asked the little toddler gently.
Emily smiled and leaned forwards in Missy's arms, pressing a rather wet and squelchy kiss to Wade's stubbly cheek.
Missy beamed, her heart pounding, gazing at the pair of them.
"Wow, now that was amazing," he said cheerily. "Now, you think I can get one from your gorgeous Mom too?"
Emily immediately nodded and looked delightedly at Missy.
"Moomy kish Waydee! Yes, yes!" she said clapping her pudgy little hands together and grabbing for Missy's lips.
Missy wrinkled her nose and gave a laugh, before rolling her eyes.
And before Wade could react, she had pressed a quick kiss to his cheek.
That same scent of cotton-candy hit her for the slightest of moments, before she pulled away.
Wade beamed almost instantly.
"Oh….well that was chimichanga-ing amazing!" he said to Emily who giggled back. "I got a kiss from the most gorgeous baby-momma in NYC. Life-made!"
Missy shook her head and gave yet another eye-roll as Wade grabbed his jacket throwing it on and headed out the door, giving Emily a wave as he did so..
"See you Friday Yummy-Mommy…" he called back finally to Missy, as he pulled the door shut behind him with a snap.
Leaving Missy stood there a bemused expression lingering on her face and the taste of Wade's skin, still lingering on her soft, pink lips…
I really do hope that was ok? I'm not sure if people are enjoying it anymore so that's why I'm being a bit slow at writing….sorry. If anyone is still reading and liking it I'm really glad. I just hope I'm kinda doing ok…
Thanks to starrat, dancindonna, Legolas girl 31, petite-yoyo, jonstar1034, Raging Raven AngiMK, LilyMyDeer and Smaug the Golden for reviewing the last chapter.
Enjoy your weekend.
Please review! :)
