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Polly drew the curtains to allow the sun to shine through in the dull, somber room.
Ada sat on the couch cuddled into blankets as Leticia sat next to her with her knees to her chest, "I thought I heard someone knocking. Couldn't get back to sleep." Ada announced into the silent space surrounding the three women.
"The longer you leave it, the worse it gets," the Gray woman rounded the sofa taking a seat facing the young Shelby woman, "Believe me, I know."
Leticia stopped fiddling with her rings just as Ada faced her aunt in shock.
"I was sixteen. And I didn't dare tell anyone." Polly confessed.
Ada spoke softly trying not to cause a faulty shake in her voice, "Polly, Freddie will come back," switching her gaze to the curly haired brunette, Ada grabbed her hand for comfort, "You have to believe me, Letts."
Leticia squeezed her hand with a small, quick grin and nod sent her way. Lettie wanted to believe the Thorne man would be back, so much so, that Ada would be happy. Ada deserved everything in the world and more.
"In the end, I did it myself. I did it to myself," tears started pricking at the corner of Polly's eyes at the memories that were resurfacing, "And I almost died. and he didn't come back. They don't. Why should they?"
Polly wasn't just speaking to Ada, she was speaking to both women in the room. The Gray woman didn't want any of her girls to go through what she did. She wasn't trying to be negative, she was trying to prepare them if the worst were to happen. And most of the time, if not all, the worst always won.
"You know the words. 'You're a whore, the baby's a bastard.' But there's no word for the man who doesn't come back." A tear slowly escaped Polly's eye. The sadness leaving her body in that one tear while a new hope shone through her eyes as she leaned closer to Ada, "One day, on your wedding day, you'll have a good man on your arm. And you'll say, 'Polly, thank you for common sense."
Her sharp eyes found Leticia's who hadn't strayed away from her own. A look that displayed she wished for the same to happen for the young Morelli woman. A look of powerful optimism for both their futures.
"This woman is in cardiff. We'll take the train tomorrow. We'll go to the castle afterwards for a treat."
Ada nodded her head trying to keep her tears at bay. Her hand never left the Morelli woman's, it only tightened to reassure her she wasn't alone.
