II.
1921
"You don't have to stay, I'm fine." Ada said to her cousin, who sat on the floor with Karl.
Maggie arrived late last night. She had drove down, leaving her daughter with her cousin's wife. Esme was one to complain, so Margaret was surprise to hear no protest from her. She had drove at five and some how ended up reaching Ada's at eleven. She had made a few pit stops and then a visit to the club before burdening her sister.
Her cousin smelt the liquor but she was happy not to see Maggie completely off-her-head pissed, just not so happy that she drove to her flat in that state.
"Well you may be fine but I wouldn't be, not knowing if you were fine or not." Maggie answered.
"That made no sense." Ada muttered, "What about Carrie?"
Maggie remained smiling for Karl the whole conversation, "Believe me, mum was overjoyed that she could take her granddaughter. But I did tell her that Esme owned me a favour so y'know." She took a pause as spoke to Karl, "I'm not here that long anyway."
"How are you doing?" She asked.
"Shouldn't I be the one asking you that." Margaret teased lightly.
"Maggie, I know I have been gone a while and we may not speak as much as we used to but... I still know you and... how you cope." She was very careful we how she spoke and how she approached the subject. There were occasions in the past when her cousin would, in a way, blow up.
"I don't know what you are on about. I cope well but I have nothing that I need to cope with at the moment. All is well." Even when Karl wandered away, in his own little world, Maggie stayed on the floor, fidgeting with own of Karl's toys.
"Maggie, I'm only trying to help, I know ever since-"
"Thank you for your concern, dear cousin but I'm great, really."
They sat in silence for a little bit, as Ada sipped her tea and Maggie still sat on the floor. She wasn't one for talking what happened. The family slowly started to stopped asking and trying to help. Ada was always worried for the woman, who she still saw as this young girl.
Ada broke the silence first, "Sorry I brought it up." But Maggie didn't reply, staring down. Ada didn't see the tear that fell on the old carpet.
"Well, you need to get to work and from what I've seen, you need to stock your cupboards, so I'll take that errand." Maggie stood her, dusting of her skirt. She put on a smile as she took the empty teacups off the table.
"You don't have to." Ada whispered. She didn't want help, but she barely had time these day to feed herself or clean up. Her main priority was Karl and Maggie saw that. She hated the help but she knew she needed it.
Karl babbled in the background as Ada rose from her seat too. "Don't worry about it."
"I'll call the nanny while you go out." Ada helped Margaret with the dishes.
"No, no, I'll mind him. It's not like I can't take care of a child." Maggie teased.
"I know, just don't want to burden you with work on your holiday."
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𝐌𝐘 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋 ᵖᵉᵃᵏʸ ᵇˡⁱⁿᵈᵉʳˢ
Fanfiction━━━ 𝐈𝐍 𝐖𝐇𝐈𝐂𝐇 Margaret Gray, she was lots of things. She was nicest and the meanest. The most protective and the most laid back. She was a mother but still young. She was raised by the infamous Shelby's, who taught her how to be loved and care...
