Angelica

                                    

                                          

     She laid there silently and watched David sleep. She watched as his chest rose and fell, she smiled as he mumbled something in his sleep and she pushed a strand of his dark hair off of his forehead.
     They were together now, David, Angelica and Nelly. A ready made little family. Bobby was happy for them, Kevin could care less and Rosa...well, every time Rosa looked at them it was with a disapproving glance. Angelica didn't care what she thought.
     Angelica and David hadn't consummated the relationship by sleeping together sexually, there really was no way to do it without everyone knowing. David wasn't rushing her anyway, he seemed to just be happy having it official that they were together. 
     And Nelly was ecstatic. She really was the sweetest little girl.
She didn't see it as Angelica replacing her mother, she accepted Angelica as someone who could make her daddy happy and be a friend to her.
     Nelly was asleep on the bed at Angelica's back. She could feel her little arm wrapped around her waist. She smiled softly thinking back to when Nelly had asked her, a complete stranger, if she needed help that day they had all met, the day the world had gone insane.
     Angelica felt that Nelly had been the one who had eased her out of her former life of hell into this one, where she was comfortable laying in bed with a man she hardly knew.
     David was the best too. He in no way pressured her but he didn't treat her as if she were a fragile, breakable thing either. When they did get some alone time and he was able to kiss her and touch her, he did it passionately. And she welcomed it.
     After six long years of being someone's object, someone's plaything with no more value than a stone, Angelica needed David's attention, his...love. She smiled and stroked his strong jaw line.
     Nelly stirred behind her. She needed this little one too. Needed her giggles and to have her feel safe in Angelica's arms.
     She wasn't so naive as to believe she was out of the darkness completely. She still had nightmares of her time locked in that basement. In times of stress she could still feel a panic attack clawing at the back of her mind. But, all she had to do was hold Nelly close to her or feel David's hand in her own or his lips on hers.
     She freed herself as gently as she could from Nelly's embrace and she kissed David lightly on the cheek and she got out of bed. Before leaving the room she looked back and smiled at her little family.
_______________________________________
     She made her way in the dark down to the bathroom where she relieved herself. When she finished she made sure the door was shut so the stink stayed out of the rest of the house.
     They had come upon the house about a day and a half ago on the outskirts of Orange, Texas. More importantly they had found food in the pantry to replenish their dwindling supplies.
     Thunder rumbled in the distance and Angelica could hear the patter of rain on the roof. She went into the kitchen and found Rosa sipping from a bottled water. She looked up and smiled at Angelica.
     "Good morning," Rosa said softly, "did you sleep well?"
  Angelica nodded and smiled politely. She went and grabbed her own bottle of water and started to flee back to her room when Rosa's voice stopped her.
     "Please," Rosa said softly, "Angelica let's talk."
     Every time they were alone Rosa wanted to talk. Angelica knew what subject Rosa was stuck on, her and David's relationship. Angelica turned to face her, forcing herself to make eye contact. She raised her eyebrows in question.