Thread: The Point of No Return (The_PG&Malicious Lullaby)

Okay, so when she got home, she did more than just drop the wine and Rumple off with his things. She managed a quick shower. It wasnt long. Just five minutes. It felt good to wash off the grime and sweat of the day, but even more to wash the memory of Abbys body the way she found her. It was as if she was trying to scrub the blood off of her, as if she had gone into a small trance. She let herself have a good cry in the shower, letting it wash away the memory, the bad feelings, the tears. For those five minutes, she was able to enjoy just letting it all go. Letting the wall she had built up fall down so she could be somewhat human again. Emotions were a scary and tricky thing for her. When her mother died, it was like her world had stopped. She had just finished her last class of the semester, of her entire college education. She was so excited to get to the hospital and to let her mother know that her daughter had just finished and that weekend was graduation. By the time she had gotten to the hospital, they told her that her mother was gone. It felt like her entire world crumbled apart. She didnt go to her own graduation. The excitement of walking the stage disappeared, the entire idea seemed stupid. If her mother wasnt there to see, then there was no point. Besides, she had been in hysterics all weekend trying to get everything together. And who was there? Abby. Abby and Esther had been friends since kindergarten. They were the two girls that used to fight with each other all the time over the stupidest things. Crayons, markers, and then one day, Esthers pencils were what everyone wanted to use. No one wanted to use Abbys crayons or markers. They wanted to used color pencils, the texture of the pencils so different from crayons and well one could shade and color better them than with markers, obviously. Everyone wanted to play with Esther that day. But Esther took one look at Abby who looked so sad that no one wanted to play with her. So she got up and walked over to her and just smiled. Abby looked up at her and Esther held her hand out to her and said, Color with me Abby. And since then, it seemed they were inseparable. Sure, like any friendship, they had their ups and downs but for the most part, it was such a strong friendship, they went to college together and ended up moving into the city together. Mostly because Abby got a great opportunity at the paper and at that time, Esther wasnt good to be on her own. Abby didnt give her much choice. She got better after her mothers passing and at some point, Abby started seeing someone. She never met her mystery man but they seemed to last long enough. It was the perfect opportunity and that was why she moved out, got her own place and thats where she had been for the past year. In order to cope with her mom passing, Esther blocked everything away. Abby had been alarmed at how okay and normal she was after the funeral. It was because she denied herself the ability to grieve. They say it happens in five stages. She never got through them. Not properly at least. Sometimes, when she was alone like in the shower, shed let herself feel a little bit. But very quickly she sucked it all back up and put her faade back on. She hadnt been truly happy in years. It seemed like she had one let down after the other. Freshman year of college, she found out her boyfriend Chad of three years, was cheating on her with every girl he could find. Sophomore year of college, her mother was diagnosed with cancer. The last day of senior year, her mother died. A month later, she was graduated, a bartender and still unable to find proper work as a teacher. Two months later, she got a job as a runner at the firm but still needed to bartend. Four years later, she was still a bartender and still a runner and nowhere near getting a job as a teacher, the only thing she ever wanted to do her entire life. And now Abby was dead. Its like the fates wanted to slap her in the face repeatedly. But if there was anything Esther wouldnt do, it was wallow. Shed save the wallowing for private moments like this but she sucked it up quickly when she would realize she succumbed. No one liked a wallowing baby, no one liked a self-pitying weakling. She would never be any of that. After her shower, she had pulled herself together, blow dried her hair properly so it was all wild, fluffy and flipped like the models hair when she was sitting in front of a blowing fan, applied some thicker eyeliner than she would wear at the firm and some red lipstick that made her lips pop. She donned a corseted black tank top with lace material for the straps, smoothing the material down her sides. It conformed well to her and was corseted by the way the material clung to her, tightly the way a corset would, but without the pins and ties. With it, she accompanied it with a black mini skirt that came mid-thigh and very quickly rolled up some black nylons with lace tops that sat well around her thighs, the lace tops only slightly disappearing under her skirt. If she moved a certain way, a little teasing peek could be seen. She paired it all with black converse. Esther worked at a bar, she was on her feet all day. She normally came from the firm where she wore fancy shoes that she stomped around in all day in haste. Wearing her black converse was like a reprieve even if it was odd considering the rest of her outfit. Tying her hair up in a messy bun, she quickly laid out Rumples stuff, made sure there was food for him, a kitty litter box set up for him and she wagged her finger at him. Pee or poop anywhere else but that box, you do not get to sleep with me tonight. The gray cat looked at her and then gave a small meow to which Esther took as compliance and agreement. With that, she left and hurried to the bar. If she was quick, she would make it with ten minutes to spare. Mallory had been thankful, incredibly thankful for her boss and his compliant manner. He was a good man. And the look of gratitude was evident on her face when he said he wouldnt mind, that he was heading there anyways. It was like relief poured into her and that meant that she could still keep a tab on Esther but also have her boyfriend make love to her all night. She got her cake and she could eat it too! Thank you. Thank you. I promise you I will make it up to you. Because really, she was asking him to go babysit and keep an eye on a girl who worked for his firm so she could go have sex with her boyfriend. Totally not in his job description but maybe things worked out well, considering she was a very dedicated secretary. After giving his address, she went home and when she got there, her boyfriend was there. It was a long evening of romance, candles, dinner, getting the sheets on the bed all rumpled, a bath, getting the sheets on the bed even more rumpled and then wet, a late night movie with some champagne and strawberries, more rumpled sheets and then some more. By the time Esther got to the bar, she was thankfully there with the ten minutes to spare like she had wanted. She pulled open the door and a small gust of wind followed her in. She pulled her hair down from the messy bun and the wavy locks billowed down over one side of her shoulder . Hey Esther! No one at the bar knew. She had no intention of telling them. Looking up, her eyes landed on Scott and Bridget, two of the bartenders and also a married couple. They were sweet together and while they all got along, these were relationships that never went outside of the bar. And she had been working here since she was eighteen. She was twenty-five now. Still, it made for good and fresh faces to see after everything. And considering everything, one would never guess what had happened by the big smile that appeared on her face. Hey! She hurried to the bar, walking straight past Mr. Pratt without even realizing. She got around and put her purse beneath it in a reserved cubby and she took her jacket off. We have news. What is it? Please let it be anything good and nothing remotely bad. Were pregnant! Bridget squealed and Scoot was smiling ear to ear. Oh my word! Congratulations! She hugged them both and they spilled the details of how far along Bridget was, when shed leave for maternity leave and asking her if she would take over her shifts on the weekends. They quickly finished up their little chat as the activity at the bar picked up. Esther was clocked in and she was taking orders, mixing drinks, opening bottles or pouring drafts like a pro. Four years she worked as a bartender, yeah she better have this down. After about thirty minutes of some chaotic rush, they slowed down enough, meaning all the patrons or matrons were happily taken care of. Esther took a moment to get a bottle of water and sip on it, and only then, did her gaze land on Mr. Pratt. She walked round the bar to stand before him. Mr. Pratt? She asked. What are you doing here? She hadnt seen him walked in. Have you been here this entire time? It was one thing to not notice her boss boss boss sitting right there. It was another thing to realize why he must have been there. Either for drinks or because Mallory begged him to. She lowered her water bottle and sighed with some resignation. Did Mallory ask you to do this? Because she didnt need to and you didnt need to. Im fine. Or, he really was there for just drinks and in which case Unless, you are here for drinks in which casenext round is on me? She asked a little awkwardly, laughing slightly nervously. Its embarrassing to assume. As she was always told, when you assume, you make an ass of yourself.