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Chapter Twenty-Nine
Back At Cackles
The girls were back at school full time but things were not going that well for them. Mildred was glad to be back with Maud and Enid but now that Ethel was basically her sister they couldn't mess with each other the way they had been doing before. Mildred felt a lot more caring towards Ethel and Maud and Enid didn't understand it, they were not willing to forgive Ethel so easily for what she had done to her before.
Mildred hated what had happened to Ethel but she would admit Ethel had changed a lot recently, she was calmer and kinder most of the time as if she had realised she had to grow up if she is going to raise a baby but being back at school was difficult for the middle sister.
She found it hard to do things now she had such a large bump, she couldn't run or fly and she had to sit sideways at her desk anywise it rubbed her bump and made it uncomfortable. The only thing she was relieved from was the school uniform, which Mildred thought was one less thing she had to worry about.
Esmerelda had gone to see Cackle and HB about it the day after they returned to school after Ethel had been in tears because her uniform was too tight and she was scared of hurting the baby. She had not been able to wear her sash in ages because she didn't want to tie a sash around her bump, the teachers knew she belonged to the purple house and told her just to wear her badge instead but that was before Ethel had such a large bump.
Esmie knew her and the teachers were not getting on well anymore but this was something she hoped they would not argue with her on. There was after all nothing they could do.
"Miss Cackle, I just need to talk to you about Ethel, she is really upset because her uniform is to tight on her" Esmerelda explained. The uniforms at Cackles were restricting enough as it is with a shirt, tie, pinafore and belt and them pinafores were tightly fitting, they were not loose. If Ethel was allowed to wear trousers or even a skirt she probably wouldn't have a problem but as she had no choice she did have a problem.
Ada nodded in understanding. She had seen Ethel since returning to school and now she was much further into her pregnancy her bump was much larger and she was struggling these days. Ada knew the girl couldn't wear the uniform, not only was it too tight but she looked ridiculous in it against her bump.
"I knew this would come, you may tell Ethel that she can wear her own clothes until the pregnancy is over" Ada replied. She had being thinking about this and it was the only solution, it was special circumstances, when she had had the baby she would go back to uniform like everyone else.
"Just tell her to try wear at least something purple" Hecate replied not wanting the girl to be in a bright orange dress and looking like a random person of the street. She wanted her to look at least somewhat part of Cackles.
Esmerelda nodded and thanked the teachers. Shocked it had been so easy, she thought she would have to fight them, Ethel was thrilled when she told her and instantly changed into some of the clothes Julie had brought her.
Despite this Ethel was struggling in school. People, mainly younger pupils who did not know any better and saw nothing wrong with it, kept trying to touch Ethel's bump without asking her. She shyed away from them each time and wrapped her arms around her bump, terrified about what they were going to do. Ethel only let her sisters and Mildred and Julie touch it, and Mildred only recently when the baby had been kicking and Ethel trusted her enough to feel. She didn't want random people touching her bump, she wouldn't even let Felicity or Gloria near it. Esmerelda had tried to tell people not to touch her but they either didn't listen or forgot and tried again.
Ethel being upset was stressing Esmerelda out. She was struggling with watching her like that, but she did love the baby, she just wished it could come sooner so Ethel was not struggling with her pregnancy anymore. Esmerelda carried the scan photo with her everywhere and kept staring at it, even in lessons.
"Miss Hallow, what is that? Put it away" Hecate told her one day as she saw her staring at something in her morning potions lesson. Esmie was smiling at it and not listening so didn't hear her.
"Esmerelda" the woman said. Esmerelda looked up just as Miss Hardbroom raised her hand to vanish the photo. Esmie put it down and jumped up.
"You are trying to vanish a picture of my niece or nephew, you will not!" Esmerelda shouted not caring her entire class was watching her.
"Then don't look at it in my class" Hecate told the girl annoyed she was been told off when it had been Esmerelda who had done something wrong.
Esmerelda knew after how much trouble she had been getting in she couldn't attack the woman physically, anywise she would probably get expelled and Ethel needed her now as did the baby but she wanted to do something. Luckily for her, she could do spells without speaking so she cursed HB mentally and then her face suddenly turned the colour of carrots. When the class started to laugh at her she yelled at them to get on with her work and Esmie sat down smirking the rest of the lesson. She didn't notice her face when she left the classroom and had no idea why everyone in the corridors were laughing. Even Drill couldn't hold her laughter in and was the one who told her her face was orange. Esmie slipped off to her bedroom before she could figure out it was her that had done it.
"Esmerelda Hallow" Miss Hardbroom said appearing in her bedroom "Why did you turn my face orange?" she asked in a deadly voice.
"Why did you try vanish my picture, and I didn't do anything you have no proof" Esmerelda told her and Hecate looked ready to kill as she knew she had no proof it was Esmerelda because she had been smart enough to use a silent spell.
As Esmerelda was so stressed with trying to help Ethel and dealing with the fact she was pregnant, Sybil did not want to bother them anymore. One night, a week later, it was thundering and lightening. Sybil was terrified and normally she would run to Esmie to make her feel better but Esmie was barely getting any sleep as she looked after Ethel at night so she couldn't today. Therefore, she jumped up and ran to Mildred's room, jumping on her bed and waking Mildred up as she put the covers over her head.
"Sybil what are you dong?" Mildred asked shooting awake and jumping out of her skin.
"Sorry I.." Sybil said before screaming as thunder rumbled over her head. "I was going to go to Esmie but I didn't want to bother her" Sybil told Mildred shaking under the blanket.
Mildred smiled. She knew the girl got scared a lot and she knew Esmerelda wouldn't mind her bothering her but she was also glad Sybil now liked her enough to know she had another option if Esmerelda or Ethel were not available.
"Don't be sorry Sybs, I get scared of the thunder too" Mildred told the girl truthfully. She had hated it when she was little.
"How did you get over it?" Sybil asked very curiously. Mildred was an only child so she had no sister to cuddle up to.
"I realised that as scary as it sounds, it can't hurt me so I stopped being so scared, it is not going to hurt you Sybil, just go to sleep and forget about it" Mildred said cuddling her gently as she pulled the covers over them more.
Mildred felt the girl cuddle into her and she realised she actually liked this. Sybil's warmth was nice to cuddle with and she hoped they could do this again. She really liked having a sort of sibling now and she cuddled the younger girl gently.
Both girls must have fallen asleep because Mildred woke up to sunlight shining though her window. It was a Saturday which meant no lessons but they still had to be in uniform. She was just about to get up to get changed when her door opened and Maud and Enid walked in.
"Oh you are awake" Maud said shocked as normally they had to practically drag her out of bed so she did not miss her breakfast, it was Enid that noticed the blonde's hair first.
"AHH" Enid screamed "Mildred someone is in your bed" the girl said looking worried. The noise woke up Sybil and she sat up rubbing her eyes and looking around.
"What is going on?" she asked as she yawned.
"Sybil was scared of the thunder" Mildred told her friends as she looked at their shocked expressions. "Why don't you go get dressed Sybil, I will meet you in about ten minutes and we can go down to breakfast" Mildred told her beaming at her as she kept her arm around her.
"Thank you Mildred" Sybil said as she threw herself at the brunette and hugged her around the middle. Mildred smiled hugging the girl gently before pulling away and jumping up. Sybil left and Mildred turned to her friends.
"What?" she asked confused as to why they were both looking at her like that as she opened her wardrobe to get her clothes.
"Since when do you and Sybil have sleepovers?" Maud asked shocked that Mildred and Sybil had been in her bed.
"She is my foster sister, we are practically family now" Mildred replied as Maud and Enid just gawped at her thinking Mildred was losing her mind.