Prove It {P.G.}

Chapter 8

"Tell Ada Freddie went to America. Or Russia. Polly, it would do no good for Ada to bring a baby into the world alone. Pol, listen," he sighed. "The truth is you would have hit me with that thing if it weren't for the fact that you know I'm right." Polly didn't hesitate to continue her path to the door and slam it shut behind her. Lilian immediately turned to Thomas.

"Bloody dumbass," she mumbled as she got up. She shrugged on her coat and raced out the door to try and catch up to Polly. She spotted the woman walking rather quickly in the direction of the church and ran to catch up to her. "Polly! Pol, wait!" she called as she approached her.

"What, Lilian?" she growled as she whipped around to face her. Lilian stopped jogging and looked at the woman, eyes wide and lips parted in surprise. Sure, Polly had gotten upset with her before, but she'd never used such a tone. 

Polly immediately regretted losing her temper with Lilian when she saw the look on her face. She sighed as she took a step towards the young woman. Lilian, however, flinched and took a small step back, causing Polly's heart to shatter. 

"I'm sorry, Lil. I shouldn't have lost my temper with you; it's not your fault Thomas is the way he is," she said softly. She took another step forward cautiously, her apprehensiveness easing slightly when Lilian didn't shrink away from her. Polly took Lilian's hand in hers as she tried to ease back into physical contact. "I promise I would never hurt you, even if I'm upset. I'm sorry if I scared you."

"It's okay," Lilian whispered, closing the distance between herself and Polly. She wrapped her arms around the taller woman's waist and buried her head against her chest. She felt the woman let out a sigh of relief and kiss the top of her head.

"It's not okay, but I promise I'll do better," she said, her words slightly muffled as her lips were still pressed against the young woman's head as she held her close.

"Where were you going?" Lilian asked as she pulled away to look at Polly.

"To talk to Ada. Would you like to join me?" Lilian nodded, and they resumed walking, this time side by side and hand in hand. Their hands swung somewhat between them as they walked, and they gave the other's hand occasional squeezes to remind the other that they were still there. 

When they got to Ada's home, they found her in the living area.

"I thought I heard someone knocking," Ada said as she watched the pair sit down on the couch across from her. "Couldn't get back to sleep."

"The longer you leave it... the worse it gets," Polly started. "Believe me, I know. I was 16; I didn't dare tell anyone."

"Polly, Lil, Freddie will come back," Ada said, her eyes brimming with tears. Polly resumed her story, Lilian squeezing her hand in support as she did so.

"In the end, I did it myself. I did it to myself... and I almost died. And he didn't come back. They don't. Why should they? You're a whore, the baby's a bastard, but there's no word for the man who doesn't come back." It was then that she paused to look up at 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.' This woman is in Cardiff. We'll take the train tomorrow; go to the castle afterwards for a treat," she said softly.

"Okay," was all Ada muttered before she got up and went into her room, closing the door behind her. Polly let out a sigh and dropped her head into her hands. Lilian had tears running silently down her cheeks at the thought of all Polly had gone through. Gently grasping the woman's shoulders, Lilian laid back on the couch and pulled Polly with her. She rested the older woman's head on her chest and began stroking her hair lightly.

"I'm so sorry, Pol," she whispered. When Polly opened her mouth respond, the only sound that escaped was a strangled sob. She buried her face in Lilian's neck as she cried. Lilian continued to run her fingers through the woman's hair, whispering sweet words into her ear to try and console her. They spent some time in this position, and Lilian didn't stop her actions until Polly's sobs turned to quiet whimpers, and she lifted her head to look into the young woman's eyes.

"We should head back," she said as she wiped her tear-stained cheeks with her hands.

"Wait," Lilian replied, making Polly's eyebrows draw together in a silent question. "I want to hold you for just a little longer." Polly smiled somewhat weakly at the young woman's proposal and returned to her previous position in the crook of Lilian's neck.

After laying together on the couch for a few more minutes, Polly insisted they go back to the Shelby residence, and Lilian agreed, albeit reluctantly. They walked through the door together and immediately moved up to Polly's room. Both women stripped to their undergarments, Lilian putting her blade and sheath in the bedside table drawer, and they climbed into bed. Polly laid down first, and Lilian climbed on top of her like she always did. Polly laughed airily.

"What are you laughing about, Pol?"

"Nothing, sweet girl. I just don't understand why you like laying like that so much," she replied, a hint of laughter still lacing her voice. Lilian lifted her head from the woman's stomach to meet her gaze.

"I like being as close to you as I possibly can, and this is the best way I can do that," Lilian explained, her bottom lip sticking out slightly in a pout. This only made Polly laugh again at the child-like look on her face. Lilian huffed as she rolled off of the woman and buried herself beneath the blankets, her back to the woman.

"Oh, don't be like that, Lil. I think it's adorable that you want to be so close to me." When she was met with silence, Polly wrapped her arms around Lilian's waist and pulled her into a tight embrace, eliciting a small squeal of surprise from the young woman's lips. "Stop pouting, little one, or I won't read to you before we go to bed," she whispered in her ear. Lilian turned around in her arms so they were practically nose to nose.

"Please read to me," she said in a hushed tone. Polly smiled and kissed her forehead, followed by each cheek, her nose, and finally, her lips.

"Are you done pouting?" Lilian nodded hurriedly. "Good girl. What book do you want me to read?"

"Can you read the one from last night? I really like the one," Lilian said almost shyly. Polly agreed and grabbed the book from the stack beside the nightstand. Before she started, however, she looked at Lilian expectantly. "What?"

"Come lay how you normally do, baby. I can't play with your hair or rub your back if you're all the way over there," the older woman explained. Lilian failed at trying to hide the smile that grew on her lips and crawled across the bed to resume her position on top of her girlfriend. Polly cherished the way the woman's body felt on hers and how they fit together. She loved the little moments like these when they could just lay together and relax; whether that was in silence or as she read aloud she didn't care, as long as Lilian was happy. "Are you comfortable?"

"Mhmm," Lilian hummed, her cheek rested against the woman's stomach and her arms on either side of her, lightly tracing imaginary shapes on Polly's sides. She relaxed quickly at the feeling of Polly's stomach rising and falling in rhythmic breaths, and her eyes became heavy as Polly's soft voice drifted through the room.

After finishing a chapter, Polly looked down to check on her girlfriend. Her heart melted when she saw her fast asleep, a small smile resting on her sleeping face. The older woman set the book down gently and covered the pair with the blanket as she did her best to not disturb the sleeping woman. After covering them both successfully, she ran her fingers through Lilian's hair one last time.

"Goodnight, my sweet girl. Sleep well," she whispered into the darkness.