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Chapter Twenty-Three
High Tensions
Christmas was coming up fast, it was now only a week away and although Julie had put up the Christmas tree and decorated the flat she had not had a chance to finish her Christmas shopping. On Wednesday she asked the girls to come into the front room.
"Why don't we all go out and get some Christmas presents, I am sure you will all like to buy something for each other" Julie told her daughter and the sisters cheerily.
"But Julie we have no money" Sybil replied with a sigh pointing out a fact. Mildred had a little bit of money from savings but Mr and Mrs Hallow had never given the girls pocket money so they didn't have a penny to their name.
"Don't worry, I will give you all so money, come on let's go" Julie told the girls as they all left the flat excitedly as Mildred sighed.
"I wish it would snow" Mildred said. She loved the snow.
"Me too!" Sybil commented as they got into the car and Julie smiled.
"Let's wish for a white Christmas then" Julie told the girls, hoping their wish came true.
"Well it doesn't really matter, Christmas sucks anyway" Esmerelda commented and Julie gasped at her.
"Esmerelda!" Julie said hurt by what the girl had said. She loved Christmas.
"It does for us Julie, mum and dad were only there one year in all our lives and even then they didn't want to do anything" Ethel told the curly haired woman from the passenger seat. The confession made Julie sad and she promised herself this year would be a good Christmas for all three of them.
Arriving at the shopping centre the place was packed with shoppers getting their last minute gifts. Julie kept the girls close to them. The last thing she needed was to lose Sybil in a shop and leave the girl traumatised.
"Spend your money wisely, it has to last you for everyone's presents" Julie told them handing each girl some money and letting them all go shop for gifts but she did keep an eye on them. After the gifts were brought she brought some wrapping paper and more tape and they got back into the car. Ethel was exhausted and fell asleep in the passenger seat as soon as she got in.
"Poor thing is worn out" Julie said stroking the girls head back from her face as she slept soundly before returning home. She woke Ethel as she could not leave her in the car and the girl went into her bedroom and napped.
Despite the fact Christmas was coming up and everyone was excited, night-time in the household was proving to be a nightmare. Esmerelda had a habit of standing up and walking around to check on Ethel and the baby at the most stupid times.
Mildred was asleep and heard a noise and she woke up to see a tall shadow at the end of her bed and screamed thinking someone was in the flat.
"Shh Mildred, it is just me" Esmerelda said and Mildred sighed with relief but once she got over her shock her anger then kicked in.
"Esmerelda...what on earth are you doing?" Mildred asked sitting up in her bed annoyed.
"I am just checking on Ethie" Esmerelda told Mildred just as Sybil shot awake from their speaking.
"What is going on?" Sybil asked looking around with fear in her eyes.
"Well done Mildred" Esmerelda said blaming her for Sybil waking up.
"You are the one who decided to go for a stroll at four in the morning!" Mildred commented wondering what the girl was doing.
"I am checking on Ethel, you know my PREGNANT sister?" Esmie commented annoyed at Mildred's lack of understanding. With the noise the last sleeping person in the room woke up.
"What on earth is going on?" Ethel asked rubbing her stomach protectively.
"Ethie! Are you okay? Is the baby okay? Please tell me everything is okay" Esmerelda asked panicking over Ethel.
"We are both fine Esmie, why is everyone awake, what time is it?" Ethel asked squinting to try to adjust her eyes to the clock on the cabinet next to her.
"Esmerelda has been wandering around" Mildred replied with a glare towards the eldest blonde which she couldn't see because it was dark.
"Just because you don't care doesn't mean I don't, I have every right to check on Ethel, she is my baby sister" Esmerelda replied turning towards Mildred and raising her voice.
"I never said you can't check on her but you can do it quietly instead of stomping around like an elephant!" Mildred replied frustrated and tired.
"How dare you!" Esmerelda shouted back insulted. Ethel though was the one to speak up.
"Will you both shut up?" Ethel asked them "I don't care who started it, it is four in the bloody morning, I want to go to sleep!" Ethel told her sister and Mildred, feeling a headache coming on.
"Oh sorry Ethie, we will stop fighting, I love you, night" Esmerelda said turning in the blink of an eye from anger to loving towards Ethel.
"Goodnight" Ethel said putting her head back on her pillow to go back to sleep.
It wasn't long until all four girls were back asleep, all tired from the day's shopping trip and this nightly adventure.
If Mildred thought Esmerelda disturbing them would stop her wandering around again she was sorely mistaken. The next night she woke to the sound of stomping and saw Esmie's shadow.
"Oh no, not again" Mildred moaned out knowing this was going to be another night of no-one getting any sleep.
"Esmerelda, go to bed" Mildred whispered into the darkness annoyed.
"Not until I have checked on Ethie" Esmerelda replied annoyed as she walked to Ethel to check on her darling sister.
"Now what is happening?" Sybil asked as she woke up again from the sounds of talking and walking.
"Esmerelda is walking around again" Mildred whispered. Her bed was right next to Sybil's so she didn't have to talk to loudly.
"Esmie" Sybil said with a sigh.
"Go back to sleep, all I am going to do is check on Ethel then go back to bed" the older girl said and Mildred and Sybil put their heads back on their pillows, waiting for Esmerelda to go back to bed, even though she said she was going as soon as she had checked on Ethie though she still took ten minutes.
The next night it happened as well, and the night after that. Mildred woke up every time but sometimes Ethel and Sybil would not be disturbed. Mildred knew the girl cared so much which was why she was doing it but it didn't mean Mildred was happy about it.
Mildred was sat at the breakfast table the next morning eating her breakfast slowly as she tried to stay awake. She was exhausted from Esmerelda wandering around and she knew in that moment enough was enough. This was ridiculous now. She waited until the sisters had left to get dressed before pulling her mum aside.
"Mum I need you to have a word with Esmerelda, she keeps wandering around every night to check on Ethel and I haven't slept properly in days" Mildred complained.
"Mildred when you share a room sometimes the others bother you" Julie told her daughter knowing she was struggling to adjust.
"Mum I need to sleep, I have homework you know, she is a nightmare, can you not tell her to stop? I know she is checking on Ethel but she is being a nightmare" Mildred told her mother as Julie washed out the bowls from breakfast.
"Alright I will try have a word but I can't force her to stop Mildred" Julie replied not looking forward to talking to Esmie about this. Their relationship was strained already this would only make it worse.
"Do something, I can't deal with this anymore" Mildred said walking towards her bedroom annoyed. She was regretting ever suggesting the girls should move in. She had not realised how annoying Esmie would be at the time.
Julie watched her daughter leave and was upset for her but she didn't know what to do for the best, though she would have a word with Esmerelda even if she knew it would not go well.