01-23-2025, 11:32 PM
Marta woke up and got up from the air mattress on the floor of Elyse's room. Ricky had been good enough to allow Marta to spend the night with Elyse. It was good for her to get out of the house, and it was equally good for Ricky to have some time to himself. Marta hoped he had spent his time having fun and not just sitting around at home. He needed a break. The fact that she had a group meeting with some of the Blackthorn kids and Elyse's new friend Hayden had just made it make more sense for her to stay here.
Elyse was still asleep and Splash still snoozed at the edge of Marta's mattress, so she padded across the hall to take a shower and get changed. Today she wore a pair of blue jeans a white long-sleeved shirt with a black batman tee over it. She then went back over to the room, and Elyse was still asleep.
"Elyse, wake up sleepy-head!' she said shaking Elyse awake.
Elyse woke up and checked her wallet. "We still have time before you have to go down. Is something wrong?"
Marta shook her head. "No, but we have things to do first!" Elyse sat up in her bed and Marta went to her pack and pulled out a small wrapped Christmas present, climbed on to the bed, and handed it to Elyse. "Merry Christmas, Elyse!"
Elyse smiled at the package. "For me? Really?" Marta nodded vigorously and smiled. "And I haven't gotten you anything yet." Elyse frowned.
"It's okay. You don't need to get me anything," Marta smiled.
"Nonsense - it's coming - don't you worry!" Elyse smiled and opened the package to reveal a small wolf statuette. "This is amazing. Thank you so much, Marta!" She gave Marta a hug and put the statuette on her nightstand.
Marta stood up and pulled Elyse by the hand. Splash woke up from all the movement in the room. "Not done yet - it's breakfast time. Get dressed! It's time to go!"
Elyse complied and the pair (with Splash following) headed downstairs. Marta began to pull eggs and bacon out of the fridge and began to cook breakfast. Ricky had taught her how. "You don't have to cook for me," Elyse said, and Marta just gave her a smirk.
When breakfast was completed, Marta sat next to Elyse and they began to eat. Marta's thoughts turned inward. She was anxious about this meeting - mostly because she hadn't met this Hayden yet. At least she would be there with the other kids, and she heard Sterling was going to be there too. That would help, but she still hadn't revealed much of her past to the Blackthorn kids either. She was going to be vulnerable, and that was difficult.
"You'll be okay, Marta," Elyse said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "You don't have to say anything you're not comfortable saying. This is the first one - I'm sure no one will mind if you don't say anything."
Marta nodded. "I know. You really think this will help?" Elyse nodded. "I'm anxious about it. I really do want to be here though. It's just hard to think about sharing."
Elyse gave her a hug. "Just be open and trust yourself. You know these kids and what they've gone through. There will be no judgement. If it doesn't help, you don't have to go again. You know yourself. Let that guide you."
Marta smiled. "Thanks Elyse," she said.
The pair talked a little more while they finished their breakfast. Marta preparing herself for the talk that would be coming that day. She would be open and ready.
Elyse was still asleep and Splash still snoozed at the edge of Marta's mattress, so she padded across the hall to take a shower and get changed. Today she wore a pair of blue jeans a white long-sleeved shirt with a black batman tee over it. She then went back over to the room, and Elyse was still asleep.
"Elyse, wake up sleepy-head!' she said shaking Elyse awake.
Elyse woke up and checked her wallet. "We still have time before you have to go down. Is something wrong?"
Marta shook her head. "No, but we have things to do first!" Elyse sat up in her bed and Marta went to her pack and pulled out a small wrapped Christmas present, climbed on to the bed, and handed it to Elyse. "Merry Christmas, Elyse!"
Elyse smiled at the package. "For me? Really?" Marta nodded vigorously and smiled. "And I haven't gotten you anything yet." Elyse frowned.
"It's okay. You don't need to get me anything," Marta smiled.
"Nonsense - it's coming - don't you worry!" Elyse smiled and opened the package to reveal a small wolf statuette. "This is amazing. Thank you so much, Marta!" She gave Marta a hug and put the statuette on her nightstand.
Marta stood up and pulled Elyse by the hand. Splash woke up from all the movement in the room. "Not done yet - it's breakfast time. Get dressed! It's time to go!"
Elyse complied and the pair (with Splash following) headed downstairs. Marta began to pull eggs and bacon out of the fridge and began to cook breakfast. Ricky had taught her how. "You don't have to cook for me," Elyse said, and Marta just gave her a smirk.
When breakfast was completed, Marta sat next to Elyse and they began to eat. Marta's thoughts turned inward. She was anxious about this meeting - mostly because she hadn't met this Hayden yet. At least she would be there with the other kids, and she heard Sterling was going to be there too. That would help, but she still hadn't revealed much of her past to the Blackthorn kids either. She was going to be vulnerable, and that was difficult.
"You'll be okay, Marta," Elyse said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "You don't have to say anything you're not comfortable saying. This is the first one - I'm sure no one will mind if you don't say anything."
Marta nodded. "I know. You really think this will help?" Elyse nodded. "I'm anxious about it. I really do want to be here though. It's just hard to think about sharing."
Elyse gave her a hug. "Just be open and trust yourself. You know these kids and what they've gone through. There will be no judgement. If it doesn't help, you don't have to go again. You know yourself. Let that guide you."
Marta smiled. "Thanks Elyse," she said.
The pair talked a little more while they finished their breakfast. Marta preparing herself for the talk that would be coming that day. She would be open and ready.