(02-17-2023, 11:08 PM)Pearl Blacke Wrote: It was a strange feeling to be given any kind of affection by a motherly figure that wasn't her nanny. She was stiff at first, unyielding to the embrace. But then she seemed to just... melt against her mother in law and she cried her heart out for quite some time without words. Hell, the tea in her cup she had not wanted to waste was tepid before she even finished crying. It was probably about a half an hour before the sobs subsided and she just kind of rested her head on Lottie's shoulder.

She gave a shuddering breath and then finally eased herself away so she could sit back and take some deep breaths. She still didn't talk, she simply picked up the cool tea and didn't even curl her lips at the unpleasantry of it no longer being hot. "I am sorry to have taken the liberty of making some tea. I was feeling hungry but I didn't want to eat your food without your permission and thought that a cup of tea would ease the hunger pains until you got home."

She sniffled, cradling the cup and finally meeting Lottie's eyes. The girl was genuinely heartbroken over the things that had happened over the last several months since meeting Joe. "You have to know that I love your son very much. We didn't mean to fall in love, it just happened. It's my fault that he lost his job, it's my fault that there is scandal... I shouldn't have gone to confront my brother as I did... But I couldn't let him hurt more people knowing he was the monster he was."

Pearl scoffed at herself and swallowed heavily. "Now my father doesn't even want me. My mother always seemed to hate me and I never felt like she wanted me.... And most of my siblings... They just... always treated me like the odd one out. I came home from school when I wanted to stay gone, then I met Joe and he was everything my family wasn't."

She gave a shuddering breath.

"He came to me and was the only one in this world at that moment that made me feel like somebody cared about me. He didn't mean any harm in trying to comfort me and my brother... Well, he's such a vindictive man sometimes and I wonder how I even share blood with him." She shook her head, "I don't understand what I did to them all to make them hate me so before Joe even came into my life. I don't understand why I'm not loved by my own mother."

Lottie exhaled hard as she stared at the expectant eyes of youth looking for the wisdom of age.  But there was only silence. A silence that grew only wider. 

Lottie had an education from the school of life, so knew no pretty words to fill a gap wide enough to drive a horse tram through. 

How could she comfort a woman grappling with the pain of being raised poorly?  Hating yer children was a sin!  How could Lottie lay bare the effects of being 'mothered' a woman who should have just kept to buying and appreciating new dresses instead of birthing and ignoring children like they were unfashionable clothes in a wardrobe. 

"I don't know dear. Some women aren't suited for families. I am glad ye ave found Joe. At times he can be a clot, but he's a kind one. Ye will have ta start yer own family, and give love that way.