elle marshall đ„đ [wynonna earp] (peacemaker) wrote in dunhavenic, @ 2019-03-11 17:04:00 |
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Entry tags: | !narrative, r * laura, r: elle marshall |
WHO: Elle Marshall
WHEN: 3/11, early afternoon
WHERE: the Pourhouse
SUMMARY: Elle is getting ready for Waverly's (early) birthday surprise and remembers baby Waverly.
WARNINGS: Nahhhhh.
Elle had gotten in early -- earlier than she might have otherwise, well before anyone else arrived to start getting ready for the day. She had a plan: decorate the entire bar in honor of Waverly. There was a special drink sheâd concocted just for the day (it was pink and sparkly and made Elle think of the first warm days of spring, or how it felt to stretch out in a hammock in the shade of a big tree to escape the summer sun). Thereâd be a cake that one of her other employees was picking up on their way in later. It had to be perfect. It wasnât unusual for her to go all out every time one of her employeesâ birthdays came around. Whether it was the day of or a few days later, Elle liked making sure they knew she paid attention. She liked making sure they knew she gave a damn. She liked embarrassing them. Just a bit. But Waverly wasnât just anyone. It wasnât fair, she remembered yelling at her mom when she told Wynonna that she was having another baby. Wynonna didnât want another sister or a brother. Willa already got all of their daddyâs attention. The new baby would have all of Mamaâs, and then who would even know she was there? Wynonna knew better than to yell at her daddy about it. Daddy wouldnât have taken it quietly -- not that Mama didnât make her sit her butt down in the corner and think about her attitude. But everyone knew not to talk back to Daddy, especially when he was in one of his moods. And ever since Mama had been feeling bad, heâd been in one of his moods. He was always in a mood, she overheard Auntie Gus tell Mama one day. Wynonna picked at the little balls of fuzz on her sweatshirt. He drinks too much, Auntie Gus said, heâs not good to you or the girls. Wynonnaâs gaze drifted to the window. Willa and their daddy were out there somewhere, practicing. They hadnât asked her to go with them. They never did. The day her mama came back with the baby, Auntie Gus came with her. She was there to help Mama with the baby, Auntie Gus said, and she needed Wynonna to be a good girl and mind them. She had to be quiet, and she couldnât get in the way. Wynonna didnât even want to see the baby, but then Mama waved her arm and Wynonna felt like she was being dragged across the floor. âThis is your sister, Waverly,â Mama said, her voice quiet like when she used to tell the girls to hide and not make any noises when their daddy was stomping around downstairs. Wynonna looked down at the baby and scowled. She didnât look special. She was just a boring little baby who couldnât even do anything. âDo you want to hold her?â Wynonna didnât, but she sat down on the sofa next to her mama anyway and held out her arms like her mama told her. The baby squirmed a little and then fell back asleep. Wynonna hadnât seen many babies but looking at Waverly then, she thought Waverly was okay after all. Later that night, their daddy came home. He wobbled a little as he walked over to the bassinet, and all of the women in the house held their breath, watching him. When he stomped out the back door after a minute, they all exhaled. Wynonna didnât know why everyone was so scared. The only thing she knew was that no one had better touch a hair on her baby sisterâs head. âI wonât let anyone hurt you,â she whispered, her fingertips just barely touching Waverlyâs soft hair. âI promise.â Elle quickly wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand, ducking her head a little out of instinct even though no one else was in the room. With one hand on the rail, she hoisted herself up the stepladder, a streamer roll in her other hand and a roll of tape in her mouth. Waverly wasnât just anyone. She was her sister, so everything had to be perfect. |