Old Wounds

You settle in beside each other, cuddling and giggling like you were teenagers again. Slowly you start to notice Elsie's demeanor change. She was trying to stay light hearted but something had turned. You could sense she was upset or in emotional pain of some sort.

You squeeze her to your side. "Hey...what's up El?"

She takes a breath. "Sorry...tonight was just...whooo!" She exhales. "Between what it felt like with Penny...and you mentioning Fiona..." Her voice breaks as a light sob escapes her lips. "...I'm sorry..." She moans in a shuddering hushed voice. The tears were really starting to flow.

You take her head and hold it to your chest. Now it was your turn to comfort her. You knew there was history here, it looked like you might finally find out what it was.

"Elsie...what happened with Fiona?" You ask gently.

Openly weeping into your chest she gasps. "She **** me Jesse." She clings to you as if her life depended on it. You hold her tight. "My first time...she took my virginity...she wasn't gentle...it hurt so bad Jesse...it hurt so bad..." She sobs violently. "I was 15!"

You sit there holding her, a strange brew of overwhelming love and sympathy blending with blinding rage. "That fucking bitch! We'll call the cops..."

"No!" Elsie sobs. "No, just leave it please. It would give away our secret...and it was so long ago..." You hold her a long time as she cries and cries. You hold her to you, stroking her hair and back. She finally sniffles. "Sorry...with what happened tonight, and then you bringing up her name....sorry, it just all came back to me."

"It's okay baby, it's okay." You kiss her head softly and in a tender voice say. "Didn't you tell Mom?"

She shudders from the emotions racing through her and sighs. "No...Mom just knew I was in on the 'secret'...she was actually happy about it...she thought we did it together..." She sobs again. She wails. "I wanted you...you...you to be my first...I didn't want Fiona! I hated her!"

Holding the love of your life tight you just keep comforting and soothing her. You were thunderstruck. El and Fiona actually got along now, all this was so long ago. You were at a loss as to what to do. You just hold her tight and allow her her moment of catharsis. El had held this in for so long!

Your concerns and jealousy from earlier in the night now seemed so petty, so ridiculous. Elsie's pain hurt you more than anything you could feel on your own. You just hold her, support her. She continues to cling to you like an emotional life preserver.

As you embrace in the darkness of your room Elsie continues to weep. She would weep for a long time.

(Another POV shift.)

Standing just outside the room was Penelope. Her fists clenched, knuckles white. Her hard muscles tight and bulging. She shook with rage. Like Jesse earlier she had listened in on the conversation from the cracked doorway.

She had come up to apologize to her parents for getting out of control that night. Her mother telling her how disappointed she was in her had humbled and hurt the young woman. She had been naively and foolishly exploring her fetishes and feelings without thinking about how it made her parents feel. Her despair and regret now transformed into fury.

Her fierce angry blue eyes almost glowing in the dark hallway.

Through clenched teeth she hisses quietly. "Auntie Fiona hurt Mama! Fiona hurt my Mama!"