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Chapter Thirty-Three
Bonding With The Hallows
"MILDRED HUBBLE" Ethel shouted throughout the flat. The girl in question appeared in the doorway wearing a look of annoyance. It was half-term and Mildred wished it wasn't. It was only the first day and Ethel was driving her nuts.
"I am really hungry, get me something to eat" Ethel commanded without giving her a choice.
"No!" Mildred replied. Ethel had spent the morning bossing her around. First she had made her get her a drink and then a book, but she was not going to make the girl a three course meal. "You have legs, the kitchen is that way" Mildred said annoyed. Ethel huffed then and glared at the brunette.
"I am eight months pregnant! My back is killing me, are you really telling me to get up in my condition?" Ethel asked her and Mildred rolled her eyes. Millions of women were pregnant everyday, she doubted any of them complained about it, or used it as an excuse to make people their slaves, as much as Ethel.
"I am not waiting on you hand and foot Ethel, I am not a dog!" Mildred told the blonde annoyed. Ethel shrugged then.
"Fine have it your way" she replied with a smirk "ESMIE, ESMIE" the girl shouted for her elder sister knowing she would be on her side. The girl ran into the room so fast anyone would think Ethel was having the baby that second.
"Ethie, are you okay?" the older blonde asked rushing to her. Ethel looked at her and started to cry. Mildred was sure she was putting it on a bit this time.
"My back hurts so I asked Mildred if she would get me some food as it hurts to move and she told me to get it myself" Ethel said crying on her sister. Mildred hated Ethel in that moment. She knew Esmerelda was going to flip at her. Esmie had her arm around Ethel and turned to glare at Mildred.
"MILDRED, HOW DARE YOU TELL HER TO GET IT HERSELF, SHE IS PREGNANT, GO GET HER SOME FOOD NOW!" Esmerelda told her doing the glare she had used last year when she wanted Ethel to apologise to Mildred. Mildred understood in that moment why Ethel had done what was asked of her. That glare was seriously deadly.
"Why can't you get it?" Mildred asked losing patience.
"I am looking after Ethie!" Esmerelda replied. Mildred saw Ethel smirk at her as she had her head in her sister's chest, but decided to just go ahead and obey, Esmerelda was honestly so scary when she was angry.
Mildred went to the kitchen and made Ethel a cheese sandwich as she had not told her what she wanted. She returned a few minutes later and gave it to Ethel.
"A cheese sandwich? Are you trying to kill my sister? She is pregnant she can't have cheese!" Esmerelda told Mildred her eyes blazing with anger. Mildred was irritated herself, she didn't know how Esmerelda expected her to know what Ethel could not eat, she didn't make her food for her so she had never bothered to memorise what was dangerous for pregnant women like Esmerelda had.
"I am still hungry" Ethel complained.
"Make something else, now Mildred!" Esmerelda told her. Mildred had no idea why she was waiting on them like they were royal but she went back to the kitchen and started to make Ethel something else. Sybil was in there getting a drink of water and could read the expression on her foster sister's face.
"Let me guess, Ethel is making you wait on her and Esmie is yelling at you for being annoyed about it?" Sybil asked knowing her sisters to well. Mildred was so annoyed she spread the bread with butter aggressively.
"I am surprised Esmerelda does not make me curtsey to her" Mildred replied. Sybil giggled at that and Mildred had to laugh too. She wouldn't put it past the girl.
"She bosses me around too, and Esmie, though Esmie likes to wait on her for some reason" Sybil replied not understanding why the girl loved it so much. Sybil had seen Esmie happily getting everything Ethel needed.
"Just you wait Sybil, soon we will have uniforms" Mildred replied as her and Sybil both laughed at the image in their heads of that.
The two girls were suddenly caught of guard by Julie shouting for Esmerelda. All the girls in the flat had chores (except Ethel right now as she couldn't move, but she would have to do them once the baby was here). Esmerelda's was to empty the dishwasher but she had abandoned it halfway through to go to Ethel and Julie had nearly killed herself as she had not realised the door was open and nearly tripped up on it. Mildred and Sybil could hear them arguing.
"But I need to look after Ethie" Esmerelda argued when she was told she had to empty the dishwasher.
"Esmerelda it will take you a few minutes, Ethel will be fine, go on I want it done now" Julie told her before she was seen leading the blonde towards the kitchen. Mildred picked up the plated sandwich and headed to the bedroom. She was prepared to give Ethel the food and then ask Esmie if she wanted her to do the job for her (so she could get out of being Ethel's personal slave).
Mildred walked into the bedroom and put the sandwich on the table near Ethel when she realised the girl was uncomfortable. Mildred at first was wondering if she was putting it on because she wanted Mildred to do something else but Mildred looked at her a while longer and realised she was rubbing her foot but trying not to lean forward to much because of the pain in her back. Mildred knew pregnant women could have swollen sore ankles and suspected that was what was wrong with Ethel.
"Where is Esmie?" Ethel asked her wanting her sister back. She wanted her sister to look after her.
"She is emptying out the dishwasher, are you okay?" Mildred asked concerned.
"No I am not alright! My back hurts and my ankles are throbbing, but why would you care, you clearly think I should be walking around and getting everything myself, well let me tell you pregnancy is crap" Ethel said letting some tears fall as she was stressed and uncomfortable and it was just all getting to much for her. Mildred felt awful then.
"Oh Ethel, I am sorry I didn't realise you were actually that uncomfortable, I know I will give you a foot massage" Mildred said as she started to rub the blonde's feet and the girl laid back on her bed to relax as Mildred rubbed the tension out of her ankles and feet.
"Why are you being so nice?" Ethel asked her and Mildred laughed.
"Because I like you, plus if there situation was reversed, I am sure you would do it, I know you are nice really" Mildred replied.
"Eww no, I won't rub your feet, I hate touching people's feet" she replied and Mildred snorted. Same old Ethel. She had not changed that much. Mildred kept on rubbing the girl's feet and knew Ethel was liking it as she sighed in relief. When she was finished she looked at Ethel.
"Is there anything else you need?" Mildred asked willing to get it for her this time.
Ethel shook her head "No….thank you for the foot massage" Ethel said as she started to drift of to sleep. Mildred smiled, happy the girl was more relaxed and could sleep now.
"Oh Ethie is asleep" Esmerelda commented as she walked into the bedroom she shared with Ethel.
"Yes, I gave her a foot massage and she drifted off" Mildred replied with a smile. Esmie smiled back at her.
"Oh thank you Milbie that is so nice of you" Esmerelda replied and Mildred looked at the girl confused.
"Milbie?" she asked rising her eyebrows.
"Yes well we are kind of sisters now so you need a nickname" Esmerelda commented with a shrug. Mildred smiled at her, honestly super touched. Mildred hugged the older girl gently and was happy to feel her arms wrap around her frame holding her in the hug.
"Thanks Esmie, I really love having a nickname, and I have always wanted a sister" Mildred told her, honestly she always had wanted one, more so when she had met the Hallows. Their bond was amazing.
"Well now you have three, Ethel will be chuffed, she won't be the middle child anymore as you are older than her" Esmerelda joked and Mildred laughed, happy she was finally getting along with all the sisters. Esmie hid a yawn and Mildred realised it was quite late.
"I will leave you both to sleep, goodnight Esmie" Mildred said heading for the door.
"Goodnight Milbie, and thanks for helping with Ethel" Esmerelda replied beaming.
"Well she is my sister now too sort off, see you tomorrow" Mildred said as she left the bedroom closing the door behind her with a smile on her face. Finally she was bonding with all three of the sisters, except for just Sybil, and she felt like they were all family now, she walked to the room she shared with Sybil and found the young girl sound asleep in her bed.
"Goodnight Sybie" Mildred said as she put her covers over herself, falling asleep with a feeling of happiness at having all her family around her. She had not been sure at first how easy it would be to adjust to living with the Hallows but she saw them as family now and even though Mildred knew deep down one day they would have to leave, as they were only fostered, she knew they would always be close to each other because of the time they had spent together.