Chapter 17: Bolt

No longer working for Noemi meant that when Zinnia returned home from her time in the woods, she stayed there. Normally, she'd make everyone dinner, put the children and her mother to bed, and then quietly leave to make her sales. She and her father would never cross paths.

Zinnia figured that he'd come home some time while she was working. She just never knew how late. With the practiced way he walked into the house—so careful, so tip-toed much like she did when she was trying not to get caught—she knew this had to be a common occurence.

Vervain stood in the doorway, watching his daughter rock to and fro in his wife's rocking chair.

"Aren't you supposed to be in bed?"

Zinnia lifted her teacup to her lips. "I couldn't sleep."

"Get out of that chair."

She did as she was told, careful to balance her cup on its plate. "I'm sorry."

He left the room. Zinnia didn't move, didn't even dare to take another sip until he came back. Vervain wore a bag over his broad shoulder. She couldn't tell what it was filled with.

"Are you leaving, Father?" Farming this late at night wasn't a productive endeavor. The limited light ensured that.

"I have things to take care of," Vervain said, his jaw set. "You better not sit back in that chair while I'm gone."

"I won't."

He was out the door before she finished speaking. Zinnia looked back out the window, drinking more of her chrysanthemum tea. She'd had her suspicions. His distant attitude. Him giving excuses as to why he needed to stay on the farm for longer than necessary. When was the last time he joined them for dinner?

It wasn't Zinnia's place to voice any of this. It'd break what was left of her mother's heart to hear it.

Zinnia focused on a tree outside, and the way its branches gnarled downwards. What was it that her mother always looked at? That tree or something else further off into the horizon? Ianthe saw something no one else could, while missing out on everything else.

~ * ~ * ~

Ellie came home to her father's screams.

She ran straight up the stairs, her heart pounding as hard as her boots against the floor.

"What's happening?!" She ran into his bedroom.

Her mother cradled Vicente against her chest. She laid in bed with him, still dressed in her day clothes. Tears streamed down his face, his mouth opened in a long wail.

Bodil held a tube in her hands. It led to a bag resting on top of a long pole on wheels, the bag filled with a tan-colored liquid. Henrik stood off to the side, spluttering some nonsensical syllables. Something about how sorry he was for messing up.

"Mom...?"

"Shhhh," Hilda spoke into the top of Vicente's head. "It's okay. It's going to be okay." His sobs subsided into pitiful hiccups.

"We were trying to administer a tube feeding," Bodil explained. "Your father didn't take it well." She cleared her throat for Henrik's attention. He nearly jumped. "Take the line."

"Ellie's here, Vicente," her mother gently said. "Do you want to see Ellie?"

"Ellie!" He struggled to hold himself up. His arms shook from the effort. Hilda helped prop him up. Vicente smiled at her, his mouth slanted and uneven as he did.

"Hi, Dad." She couldn't do this. Not in front of everyone. Not while they were all watching her and hoping that she'd be the trick in getting him to take whatever that feeding tube was.

"How was your day? Did you have fun with your friends?" His words came out slow and clumsy.

"Yes, yes, I did," Ellie said. She took a step backwards.

Catching onto her escape, Hilda warned, "Ellie."

"I love you, Ellie." Vicente wiggled in Hilda's arms. Bodil picked up the end of the line that was meant for Vicente's...mouth? Nose? Ellie wasn't sure how the whole thing worked.

"I-I love you, too, Dad," she said. "I, um, I forgot to drop off some food for my friend. She realy needs it. So... I will be back."

"Ellie," her mother said again.

"I'll be back!" Ellie rushed out the door. She hurried down the steps, her heart thumping too loudly for her to hear if any of them called after her. Her bag slapped against her back as she ran.

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A/N: Next update on RRL will be Chapter 17.2. Voting is now happening on the main site for Chapter 28, and will end Saturday, August 6th.