Misty walked into the house looking down at her phone and didn't notice her father there at the table, "Where have ya been, girl?" She jumped slightly and pocketed her phone as she looked up.
"School."
"School ended an hour ago."
"I have tutorin' on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays," He got up and made his way to the girl. He grabbed her upper arm harshly in his hand and pulled her down the hallway.
"Ya were supposed ta clean while your mama and me was away," Misty looked up wide eyed. It was no use arguing with him when he had a grip on her arm. She had cleaned. The house had been spotless when she'd left for school that morning, "Get in your room," He pushed her roughly into the room and slammed the door as he left. Misty stood there in shock for a few moments before throwing her bag down and walking into her bathroom.
Her upper arm was already turning colors from his strong grip and she grimaced. At least this could be covered by short sleeve t-shirts. She shook her head and laid down across her bed. Fifteen minutes later she heard a knock at the door and her father talking to someone. He had his fake voice on meaning it wasn't her mother. She heard footsteps and sat up quickly as her door was opened.
"Some woman from your school is here. Cover that," Misty looked down at her arm where a purple hand print was and pulled her sleeve down. She nodded and walked past him to the door where Miss Goode was standing.
"I'm sorry. But you just stopped texting halfway through a text and I had to make sure. I thought I remembered you said he would be home today," Misty glanced backwards and didn't see her father before turning back to the woman and nodding. She reached for the door as she stepped outside and didn't realize her sleeve rose up, "Misty!"
The girl looked down and sighed, "It's okay," Cordelia grabbed her hand gently and pulled her so she could look at her arm. She lifted the girl's sleeve and looked up into blue eyes.
"Did he just do this?" The girl didn't look at her, "Misty mouse, please answer me," She gave a small nod and Cordelia tugged her hand so she could hug her lightly, "Come home with me."
"What?"
"Don't stay here tonight. Come with me. At least tonight. Tell him whatever you have to, but please don't stay here with him. He smells like he's been drinking," Misty grimaced at that and thought for a moment, "Misty mouse, please," The woman was pleading with her and Misty finally sighed.
"Okay. I'll be right back," She nodded and watched the girl disappear inside. She found her dad on the couch with a bottle of whatever he'd chosen for the night, "Umm. There's somethin' goin' on at the school tonight I need ta help with," He just looked back, "Can I go?" He stood and stumbled towards her.
"When will ya be back," She bit her lip.
"Tomorrow," He was silent for a long time.
"Yeah. Go," She sighed and ran into her room to grab an overnight bag and shoved some clothes into it. She grabbed her phone before heading back out. She passed her father who was sitting back down and went out the front door where the woman was still standing waiting for her.
"Are ya sure about this?"
"Yes, Misty," She held her hand out and the girl took it before allowing her to lead her from her house.
oooOOooOOooo
She stepped into the woman's house behind her and moved to the side so the woman could shut and lock the door, "Are you hungry? I can cook something," Misty shook her head.
"Ya don't have ta cook for me," Cordelia turned around and smiled up at the girl.
"I have to eat too, Misty," The girl blushed.
"Can I at least help then? I feel bad that I'm in your space and ya have ta cook for me," Cordelia shook her head and brought the girl to her in a hug.
"Misty, I invited you here, sweet heart. You're not invading. And if you want to help, then yes, you can help. But you don't have to, darling," Misty nodded and finally relaxed into the woman's arms. She brought her own arms around the woman's shoulders and felt Cordelia lay her head down on her shoulder. She buried her nose into the woman's hair and thought that it was nice to actually be held for once.
oooOOooOOooo
They'd decided on simple and quick and were now sat next to each other on stools at the woman's counter with a plate of spaghetti each. Misty grinned and speared one of the woman's meat balls on her fork before eating it. The woman looked up with a glare which turned into laughter and she stole one of Misty's back.
"Hey," Cordelia looked at her in amusement.
"Hey, what?" She squinted her eyes challengingly and Misty just laughed at her.
"Thanks," She shook her head.
"Nothing to thank me for, mouse."
oooOOooOOooo
Cordelia got up and walked into the other room to grab something and Misty took her opportunity to grab the dishes and move to the sink to wash them. Cordelia came back a few minutes later and Misty was drying them off, "I have a dishwasher," Misty just shrugged and turned to face the woman, "You're so sweet," She blushed lightly and Cordelia walked over to her, "I mean it."
"Thanks," She nodded to the girl, "I think I'm gonna go change or somethin'," Cordelia nodded again, "Where's your bathroom?"
"Down that hallway, first door on the right," Misty thanked her and went to grab her bag before walking down the hallway where the woman had pointed. Cordelia walked up stairs and into her own bedroom. She pulled on a pair of dark red silk pajama shorts and a black tank top before heading back downstairs and taking a seat on the couch. Misty entered the room a few moments later and bent to sit her bag back down. Cordelia laughed and she turned around and blushed.
"I didn't realize which ones I grabbed. Quit laughin'," She tried to pout at the woman who just laughed at her again. Misty's sleep shorts looked normal from the front. They were solid black, but when she turned around, her backside was turned into a cat's face complete with eyes, nose, and whiskers printed on the shorts. She took a seat near the woman and Cordelia looked at the girl who was glaring playfully at her.
"They're cute, Misty mouse," Misty finally grinned and pulled her feet up to sit cross legged on the couch. Cordelia mirrored her pose and turned to face the girl, "I need to know, sweet heart," Misty looked down at her hands in her lap where she was fidgeting. Cordelia leaned forward and grabbed the girl's hands in her own, "What happened, baby?"
"When I got home, he was in the kitchen," Cordelia nodded, "He looked mad and he grabbed me and pulled me down the hallway while he was yellin' about how I didn't clean like I was supposed ta," Cordelia gestured for her to continue, "I swear I did it! I don't know what he was talkin' about," Cordelia squeezed her hands and shifted closer to the girl, "He got mad and threw me in my room."
"Sweet heart," Misty looked up into teary brown eyes and bit her lip, "Come here," She held her arms out to the girl and pulled her close to her, "I'm so sorry, Misty. You don't deserve this," She felt Misty start to relax into her arms and wrapped the girl more tightly in her arms. She brought her hands up and ran her fingers through wild blonde hair. Cordelia pressed a soft kiss into the girl's hair and felt Misty push her face into her neck.
"I've never been held before," Cordelia felt anger rise in her again and pulled the girl into her lap now. Misty stiffened for a moment before setting on the woman's lap with her legs on either side of her, "Thank you so much, Cordelia," Cordelia's heart swelled when the girl thanked her genuinely and suppressed her accent to do so properly. She pulled the girl even closer to her and felt Misty sigh into her neck.
"I'll hold you any time you need it or want me to. Okay?" She received a small nod and buried her nose in Misty's hair to just breathe in deeply as she held the girl.
oooOOooOOooo
The TV was on some old movie and Cordelia was leaned back into the arm rest with Misty leaned into her side. She had her arms around the girl and Misty had wound her arms around the woman's waist as well. Cordelia felt Misty shift as she yawned and the woman grinned down at her, "Are you sleepy, Misty mouse?" She felt the girl shake her head, "I think you are, sweet heart," Misty looked up at her with sleepy blue eyes and the woman grinned, "Go to bed, darling," She sat up after the girl sat back and turned the TV off. Cordelia got up and looked back when Misty didn't get up, "What are you doing?"
"Umm. Goin' ta sleep?" Cordelia moved back to the girl's side.
"Misty, there's like seven guest rooms in this house. Every one of them has a bed in it. Hell, you can even sleep with me, but I can't let you sleep on my couch," Misty looked over at her and shrugged.
"I don't mind."
"Misty, I know you don't mind, baby, but I would," The girl just looked at her and Cordelia stood before holding her hand out to the girl who looked at it before taking it and following the woman upstairs. She followed her into a bedroom and blushed when Cordelia pulled the blankets back and sat down. She looked up at the girl who bit her lip before rounding the bed and getting in on the other side. Cordelia turned the lamp off and laid down. Misty was on her back staring up at the ceiling and trying not to move, "I can hear you thinking."
"I'm sorry," Cordelia giggled and reached for the girl. She pulled her to the middle of the bed.
"Turn towards the wall," Misty looked at her strangely but did what she asked. She felt Cordelia push her body flush against Misty's back and she wrapped her arms around the girl's waist. She felt Misty finally relax in her hold, "Are you okay?" Misty made a split second decision and rolled to face the woman and wrapped her arms around her as well.
"I'm great."