._Rookeries's Raevan

[Rookeries]

.

It has been a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.
My mom says some days are like that.
Even in Australia.

▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪

⒈ Solo ▪ with friends and family ▪ Happiness, Pt. 2
⒉ Solo ▪ with friends and family ▪ Happiness, Pt. 3
⒊ Solo ▪ Margie Sommerset
⒋ Solo ▪ Happiness, Pt. 4
⒌ Solo ▪ with ex o ex Snoof ▪ Graceland
⒍ Solo ▪ Catharsis
⒎ Solo ▪ The Sky Prince Returns ▪ an interpretation of Aina Clarke-Kantor
⒏ RP ▪ Dull Day
⒐ RP ▪ Creature Comforts
⒑ RP ▪ Technical Difficulties
⒒ RP ▪ Placeholder (Vesna's birthday)
⒓ RP ▪ Placeholder (Lorin's birthday)
⒔ Solo ▪ The Sky King's Malady ▪ an interpretation of Aina Clarke-Kantor
⒕ Solo ▪ Avowals

.  

[Rookeries]

.

Aina had some time to spare during the afternoon before Anita and Cruz arrived to join her family in brunch. Winter break was easygoing so far, but Aina found herself missing homework and an assigned list of things to do during her three weeks off. Her grandfather suggested that she try and work on one of her project assignments, if she had any. Among the few that she had that had not been due last semester was working on her Happiness project.

Starting early on the Happiness project had its boons and banes. Aina was already leagues ahead of most of her classmates in terms of completing it, because she was so enthusiastic about it, and she had run into a bit of a block with her book. While her grandfather did his work, Aina reread her big list of happinesses, only to find that the list was not quite as satisfactory as she would have liked. She was happiest when she read off the family members and friends she had listed, remembering them fondly.

Maybe, Aina thought, she could ask them for input.

After her grandfather helped her prepare a script to ask her friends and family about the project - she was a little phone-shy and might choke up on her words, after all - she sat down with her grandfather’s phone and diligently began rifling through his contacts list.





THE HOLMES-WAINWRIGHTS
alpha lyrae


The first person Aina spoke to was Miss Claire, whose name was near the top of the list of names in Duncan’s phone. She held her breath and looked at Duncan for some confidence as she grew somewhat flustered at her own idea. When Duncan returned her weary look with a strong smile, breathing in, breathing out, the pomegranate Frei did her best to mimic him.

When the dial finally ended on the other line, Aina looked at her notebook very calmly, cheerful and good spirits. “Hi, Miss Claire?” she asked, holding the phone close to her ear. “This is Aina!”

"Hi, sweetie! How are you doing?"

“‘M doin’ okay… um! How are you?” Aina asked, immediately warmed by Miss Claire’s greeting. She fidgeted with the phone in her hands some, flustering a bit as she recited the words she wrote on paper.

"Oh, we're fine, just finished having dinner."

“Um, I was wondering if you an’ Lorin an’ everybody could help me with somethin’ for my school project. I just gotta -- um, I just have to ask you one question.” Aina paused, staring at the words in front of her written on the notebook. Taking in a breath, she quickly recited the question: “Um-- what makes you happy?” she asked, flustering, and she stared nervously at the table.

"A project for school, huh? That's very important - we'd be glad to help. Hang on." The receiver's volume dipped and spiked as a hand was laid over it, and Claire's muffled voice could be heard repeating Aina's question to the others around her. Lorin's voice bobbed into hearing, enthusiastic, and Claire chuckled, asking him to think hard. "It's very important," she repeated earnestly, before the receiver cleared and she returned. "Alright, while they ponder, let me think here.. lots of things make me happy, but I will try to think of what makes me happiest." She hummed thoughtfully. "Warm tea on rainy days, musicals.. children.." She laughed softly in acknowledgment. ".. that pleasant tired feeling after a well-spent day, and giving hugs, I suppose." Another soft laugh followed. "Aaron's ready, here he is."

"Hey there, kiddo, long time no see." Aaron's voice was noticeably louder than his wife's, but equally full of cheer. "Let's see if I can help you out with your project there. Sleeping in is probably the top one." Laughter chorused from around him. "Hey, when you're up early five days a week to commute, having a day off is nice," he replied to it with a dramatic sniff. "Hanging out with people is another one, finishing all my work fully.. and early," he added in an amused undertone. "And nailing every note when you're singing. Nothing like it." He chuckled, and he called out, "heads up, Ivy!" before the receiver volume pitched again as it was caught by a new set of hands.

"School project, huh?" Ivy's grin was readable in her tone. "Gardenin's my pleasure, but I'm sure you knew that - love the feel of dirt between my fingers. I also love to travel; done a lot of it in my lifetime but it never gets old." She sighed as though reminiscing about a few trips abroad. "Party planning, especially when things go off without a hitch and everyone has a good time, but when all that fails though, retail therapy is the way to go." She laughed appreciatively, and a young, muffled voice asked a question pleadingly, which earned a louder laugh from Ivy. "Hang on, seems someone wants to say hello."

"Hi, Aina!" Lorin's voice was bright and excited as he came through the line. "There's lotsa things that make me happy, but what makes me the most happy?" He asked the question aloud, as though prompting his own thought process, but it was merely a gentle preamble as he rattled off a list easily. "I like sunny days in the garden, 'n helping people, and being with my family and friends, and reading new books.. or old ones I really like again. Oh! And drawing!" A long pause followed when the phone was passed away, and his distant voice added hastily, "And frogs!" while Claire laughed closer at hand. However he was not quite done, as he posed another question. "What makes you happy, Sissy?"

"Uhm.." Cadi's utterance was distant, and she laughed uneasily while put on the spot. "Video games." Aaron's laugh came through clearly. "Lame but true. But uh, let's see.. I like driving at night, like with the windows rolled down and music blaring.. having things to do, like being relied upon feels really good." Her voice fell quieter shyly. "Being listened to and respected - hard to come by among siblings. And spending time with someone, one on one, just hanging out. That's nice, too."

"I hope that helped you out, sweetpea." Claire's voice regained the clarity it had at the beginning of the call, and she added warmly, "Keep us posted on how your project goes, okay?"





BEN


“Hi, Uncle Ben!” Though Aina hadn’t seen Ben in a long while, seeing his name on her grandfather’s phone made her eager to hear his voice again. Ben had received the call assuming it was Duncan, but Aina had quickly corrected him, though it didn’t make him any less pleasantly surprised by the occasion.

“Hey, Aina girl. You never call me,” Ben said, retreating into the small office of the construction site. It was difficult to hear the Frei outside with the din of loud machines, and he wiped some of the sweat coating his ears with a dirty towel. “Must be a lucky day. How’re you?”

“Well, um,” Aina began, “I’m workin’ on a school project, so I wanted to ask you somethin’... oh! I’m doin’ okay,” Aina added, grinning. “How are you?”

“Doin’ alright. I’ll visit while work’s slowing down, yeah? And shoot.” Ben sat back in one of the plastic chairs available, kicking his feet up on the computer table.

“Okay! Um… uh, the question is-- well, I was wonderin’ what makes you happy,” Aina said a little clumsily, her fingers tracing over the words she had written so carefully to read. Ben raised his brows and turned in his chair, planting his feet on the ground as he thought.

“Deep question for a little kid to ask for a school project,” he admit, and Aina giggled. He tucked his hand under his chin and glanced up at the ceiling. He smiled. “Well. You, but you better know that.”

“Uncle Ben, duh,” Aina laughed.

“Kay. Needed to make sure. What else,” he crossed his legs. “Right now, a hot beer and a big lunch. Fireworks. Football, both kinds,” he grinned, “and your daddy’s cooking.”

“You must be real hungry right now, Uncle Ben! You should visit for dinner,” Aina insisted, bobbing her head.

“You bet. And real soon, Aina. Wish I wasn’t a bridge away. My answer help?”

“Mhm! Thank you,” she said.

“Good. See you soon, baby girl.”





THE KNIGHTS
NeonMace


Aina knew immediately who to call after Lorin and his family – thumbing up through her grandfather’s list of friends, she managed to find Ethiriel and Mister Henry’s phone number fairly quickly. She pressed the phone to her ear, humming as the phone dialed through to the tea Sigel.

There were only a few short rings before a familiar voice greeted Aina, sounding content as she answered. With Leo having shown up out of the blue and her volunteering at the hospital, Ethiriel's trips to the Clarke household were fewer and she hadn't been able to babysit quite as often. "Hello, little one," she cooed into the receiver, calm as ever.

"Hi, Eth!" Aina replied, bursting with enthusiasm; as much as she wanted to catch up with Ethiriel, she had a mission in mind, and she looked down at her notebook for reference. "Um-- d'you gotta minute for somethin'? I just gotta do something for a class project, an' I wanted to ask you and Mister Henry a question!"

"Henry, as well?" Ethiriel repeated, her voice shifting in interest. "We always have time for you, sweet one. Shall I find him?" Before Aina could answer, the Sigel had already lifted herself from her bed to roam the house. In less than a minute she was able to find the nurse lounging on the couch. Softly, Aina could hear Ethiriel ask Henry to place the phone on speaker for the two of them.

"Hey, Aina!" Henry exclaimed, shifting his weight on the couch. "Whatcha got going for school you need us for?"

"Mhm! If he isn't busy... thank you!" she chimed in quickly, bobbing her head as she waited for Ethiriel to retrieve Henry. Once the man was on the other line, she smiled. "Hi, Mister Henry! Thank you for callin'! Um-- I just gotta ask you one question," she said, tracing her finger underneath the line of where she read. She felt herself blush a little as she hesitated to ask - Henry was such a rare face for her to see, and it was a little harder for her to muster up the gusto to speak with him confidently.

"Um... um, what makes you happy?" she asked, giggling a little sheepishly at the end.

The nurse smiled in amusement at Aina's sentiment -- did Ethiriel call? Either way, he leaned in closer with his elbows on his knees so that both he and Ethiriel could be near the phone comfortably.

"Oh!" he said, his already large grin growing wider. "That's easy! My family -- both blood and chosen! Like you and Ethiriel! My brother and parents, everybody! Nobody can put a smile on my face like you guys can!"

This caused a warm smile in reaction from Ethiriel, who breathed softly in agreement. "I would have to agree. While family is... a new topic for me, I side with Henry that it is you all who make me happy."

Aina smiled warmly at the sentiment, and she nodded despite Ethiriel and Henry being over the phone. "Mhm! Me too... family makes me really happy... just bein' with 'em and stuff and makin' them happy!" she exclaimed, wiggling in her seat as she scrawled down their responses. "S'there anythin' else you wanna add?" she asked, perking; "and! Can we hang out again soon?"

A light giggle could be heard from Ethiriel. "I also agree with you, young one. And if I have anything to add, I would like to say just knowing that you and my friends are there thinking about me is enough to put a smile on my face."

While it couldn't be seen by either party, Henry nodded along.

"And of course we can, little one. I would love nothing more than that!"

Aina flustered, humming shyly to Ethiriel's addition. "Seein' you makes me smile too, Eth," she said, and she nodded once more. "Okay! Um-- I gotta call more people, but I promise we'll see each other soon! Thank you Eth an' Mister Henry!"

"Have a great day, Aina!" Henry chimed, putting his arm around Ethiriel and pulling her closer into a side hug. "Good luck with your project and thanks for calling!"

"Be well, young one. Do let us know how you do!"





AUNTIE AND NONC
Common Daizee


Aina felt a surprising amount of hesitation when she called Leigh and her nonc next – not because she didn’t want to, but because she felt an overwhelming feeling that she already should know what made her two loved ones happy. Still, given Duncan’s blessing, Aina called up her Auntie’s number with the sincere hope that they were not busy on this random weekend. She rested her head on the table as she waited for the phone to go through, tapping her pencil on her notebook.

The phone rang a few times more than Leigh would like to have her niece wait, but upon finally digging her cell from her purse she flashed the screen to Johan with a smile before picking up. The picture of Aina with her name above it would be plenty enough explanation for her boyfriend on why she was so prepared to take this call on a rare weekend date to the cafe.

"Hey honey," she laughed. "What's up?"

Aina stood straight in her seat as soon as she heard her Auntie's voice on the other line - "Auntie!" she giggled, bursting with happiness from both the phone calls previous and from hearing from her. She didn't look at the notebook while speaking with her this time, instead hugging her arms over the table as she spoke as closely to the phone as possible. "Um! So! I was-- I'm doin' a class project, and I was wonderin' if I can ask you a question 'cause it's for the project an' stuff! And-- um--" she quieted a little bit, fidgeting with her pencil, "can I ask nonc too, if he's there?"

Johan let out a small amused breath at seeing Aina's name at the top of Leigh's screen, but he nodded and otherwise let Leigh be, eyes tracing back to his book as the two ladies held their conversation.

"I'd love to help!" Leigh beamed a bit, leaning back in her chair as she set her own novel in her lap. "And I'm sure your nonc would, too! He's sitting right across from me." She smiles over to him, already certain he'd be glad to help his niece with her project. "What did you need to ask, hun?"

Aina's wings fluttered as she let out a relieved laugh, and she dipped her head a bit. "Thank you!" she said, and she flustered, spinning around a bit where she sat. "Umm," she giggled, "well, um, I wanted to ask... what makes you happy?" she asked at last, quickly leaning back to her notebook so she could write what Auntie and nonc said on paper.

Leigh paused, blinking curiously in thought after Aina had asked the question. It hadn’t been what she'd expected, and it makes her chuckle a little bit. "What makes me happy?" she mused, her head swimming with possible answers. "Can I say more than one thing...?"

Johan had heard what Leigh had reflected back to him earlier, but he glanced up when hearing the question that Aina posed. He pressed his elbow to the page he was in and leaned his cheek against his open palm, quietly curious.

"Mhm!" Aina said, "You can say lots and lots of things if you want!"

"Well..." Leigh glanced over at Johan, smiling at him before looking down at the empty cup in front of her. It was hard to think of meaningful answers on the spot, and she couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed to have an audience. "My family makes me really happy," she began, smiling a little wider. "Like you and your nonc!" She lifted her book from her lap, placing it face down on the table so she can lean forward, her elbows on its surface. "Reading makes me happy, too... and so does drawing. Hot showers, warm blankets, blue flowers, long walks-- good wine!" She laughs again, feeling predictable but comforted thinking of all her favorite things. "Should I keep going...? I feel like I could end up rambling and bore you, haha!"

Aina hummed as her Auntie listed all of the things that made her happy - just hearing them made the Frei miss her terribly. "Blue flowers an' wine'll always make me think of you, Auntie," Aina replied, giggling; "Mm-mm, you're not boring! I like hearin' you talk about your favorite things!"

Leigh giggled with the Frei, always warmed by her affections. "You're so sweet, Aina. How about I give Johan a turn first, though? He's probably more interesting than I am." She eyes the man across the table, raising her brows at him with a smirk. A small smile was plain on Johan's features when Leigh looked to him, but he shifted his weight off of the book, quietly shaking his head at Leigh's opinion.

"No way! I think you're the most interesting always, Auntie," Aina admonished, but she laughed, wiggling a bit in her seat. "But... mm... okay!" Aina replied, initially hesitant to stop speaking with Leigh. She hummed as she waited for her nonc on the phone.

Leigh nodded her head at Johan in retaliation, her smirk breaking into a smile. "Oh come on, now-- you give me too much credit," she laughs again, though she felt quite proud at Aina's compliment. Adjusting in her seat, she leans forward a bit as she announces, "Alrighty, I'm going to hand over the phone! here you go!" Then, extends her cell out to him.

"Hi, mamzelle," Johan greeted, taking the phone from Leigh as he hugged his arms over the table. Aina's smile quieted, but did not dull in the least.

"Hi, nonc," she said in turn, matching the quiet in his voice. "Thank you for helpin' me with my project... um, can I ask you what makes you happy?"

"Any time. What makes me happy..." he was now keenly aware that Leigh was now the one imparted to their conversation, but he glanced down at his book, humming as he thought. "A good book and a good cup of coffee. Our family dinners with your grandpa, father, and auntie. Hardworking students, like you," he said, "Is that enough?"

Aina hummed, giggling some at the flattery. "Silly! You an' auntie gotta visit soon for more dinners," she said.

"We will. Promise. Good luck with your project, Aina, I'll give you back to Auntie."

"Bye, nonc!" Aina said, and she waited patiently to return to Leigh.





VERMILLION
Atmadja


Cesc was surprised when his phone rang in the early evening--not so much that it rang so much as when he saw the name that popped up on the caller ID. It was halfway through close and he was just finishing prepping the kitchen for the next day’s bakes when the buzzing startled the Sigel and his companions, prompting the nearest one (Shepard) to call out: “Hot date?”

”Possibly just cute,” replied Cesc, sliding his thumb across the screen to answer. ”Hello?”

“Hi Cesc!” Aina greeted warmly through the phone, now draping herself over the table and comfortable - both from procuring so many phone calls, and because it was hard to be anxious around the stag. “I miss you! ‘M sorry I haven’t bought any of your cookies an’ stuff in a long time! But um, ‘m doin’ a school project, is it okay if I ask you a question for it?” she asked, bobbing her head a bit.

”Heya Aina! I miss you too!” called Cesc, flipping the sound onto speaker phone as he continued to wipe down the counter with one hand. The sound of her little voice brought a quiet smile from Shep, who otherwise said nothing. It also seemed to summon Vivi from thin air, her dark head poking into the room from the cafe proper, her face bright.

“We all miss you, cheri!” she sang cheerily, “Come play with us soon!”

”Yeah, you can ask me anything you want for school,” continued Cesc. ”Is it about baking?”

Aina giggled shyly at Cesc’s reply, and she sat up excitedly at the sound of Vivi’s voice, waving at the air as if everyone at Vermillion could see - Duncan chuckled from his spot at the counter. “I will, Miss Vivi, I promise!” she replied - hearing, all of these friendly voices all the way from Gambino made her miss them terribly.

“Mm-mm! It’s not ‘bout baking this time,” she answered, smiling as she kept her eyes on the kitchen floor. “I wanted to ask you an’ your family what makes you happy!”

“Oh!” Both Cesc and Vivi managed to say in a surprised unison, and the effect made both of them begin to laugh. Vivi pushed forward into the room, leaning on the counter and over the phone. She gave a long ‘hmmmmm’ and looked at Rhedefre, who waved at the phone as though giving her way.

“I perhaps would say…” she began in a considering tone, “finding something new and strange? Being with people and speaking with them, making the new friends… giving and receiving kisses, performing for an audience, getting dressed up in costume or lovely dresses, or making something exquisite to eat! Ah--and petting a lovely animal, as well. And being with little Aina is always a happiness!”

”Can't much argue with that,” said Cesc with a rumbling laugh, scratching his jaw as he thought. ”For me… baseball? Playing sports, hiking, being outdoors… being with my friends or family or Grump or Guy Smiley, getting my work done, finishing a book? Uh… I like when strawberries are in season, or teaching people how to bake, or making someone something they really like.” He straightened with a laugh. ”That too much? Here's Shep, too.”

Vivi was helpfully prodding Shepard at the moment, who drew himself over to the phone dutifully. “And I will fetch Grandmere, a moment!”

“Hi Aina,” said Shepard. “Uh, Vivi and Cesc and the pets make me happy. Carving’s nice. Also like beer.”

He looked up to Cesc covering a smile with one hand and shrugged. “Motorcycles, too.”

Gertrude’s entrance saved him from further response, and in a moment it was her voice on the phone: “Good evening, Aina. How is your schoolwork? Vivette says you have a question for me.”

Aina hummed as the Vermillion family spoke, her pencil scrawling down everything they shared in neat little curly-q’s and cursive. Mister Shepard’s short answer caused the Frei to giggle, but she sharpened up with Miss Gertrude on the line, her pencil at the ready on a fresh page.

“Good evenin’, Miss Maplethorpe!” she greeted in turn, “my schoolwork’s goin’ okay! Thank you for showin’ me it, I got lotsa friends now… for my class assignment, I wanted to ask you what makes you happy!”

“I am very pleased to hear that,” said Gertrude. “I would be delighted to help. I am very happy when I read tea or tarot or new books. I am always pleased to be learning. I am quite fond of Turkish delight and a good Victoria sandwich. Is that sufficient?”

”You kind of missed someone,” teased Cesc.

“Ah yes. My dog Balthazar gives me great enjoyment.”

“Oh! Miss Maplethorpe, my grandpa can make you a really really good Victoria sponge,” Aina said, proudly, and she hummed happily at the Vermillion’s list of happinesses. She laughed at the mention of Balthazar, keeping her phone steady between her ear and her shoulder. “We’ll make sure to get treats for Balthazar an’ Grump an’ Smiley too, and I’ll bring fresh strawberries for Cesc an’ beer for Shep an’ I’ll give you all the smooches, Miss Vivi,” she said, taking a breath afterward, “Thank you!”

After Aina spoke, there was a friendly jumbled mess of everyone speaking all at once, thanking her for her thoughtfulness and wishing her luck on her project, but in the end it was Vivi’s voice that prevailed in the hubbub.

“Thank you, my precious sweet! We cannot wait to see you again!”

”Tell us how your project goes, alright?” added Cesc.

“Have a lovely evening,” concluded Gertrude. “My regards to Duncan.”





THE FISCH FAMILY
kotaline


When Aina reached the bottom of her contacts, Aina was happy to see Vesna’s name. It was comfortable speaking on the phone, now, and she was remiss to realize that she had run out of people to call after the Fisch household. Despite it, she kept a happy heart and waited hopefully for Vesna as the phone dially, the pen idly floating above her palms.

“Hi hi!” Vesna’s voice came through on the other end of the line. “This is Vesna! Is this Aina calling?”

“Mhm! Hi hi, Vesna!” Aina greeted, smiling. She tucked the phone against her shoulder as she flipped her notebook to a fresh page. “Um-- I was wonderin’, I gotta do a school project, an’ I was wonderin’ if I can ask you and your papa a question!”

“Well, I don’t know as much about necromancy as Dad does, but I can pretty much help you with anything else! Or at least, like, google it for you or something. What do you need to know?” Vesna asked.

“Oh! ‘M not askin’ about anythin’ you gotta Google, but thank you!” Aina replied, giggling. She scribbled Vesna’s name at the top of the page. “I was gonna ask you what makes you happy!”

“What makes me happy? That’s easy!” Vesna said blithely. “Flowers, cute things, my friends, videogames, music, pretty much every color, cats, dogs, bunnies, stuffed animals, winning things, jokes… Lots of things!” She listed them off on her fingers, but ran out of fingers and hesitated. “I’ll go find Dad and let you ask him.” The faint sound of Vesna calling for Lorenzo could be heard through the other end of the phone, then after a bit, Lorenzo’s frazzled reply came through on the other end.

“Hello, Aina? Vesna said you had an extremely important question for me.”

“That’s a real good list, Vesna!” Aina complimented, and she laughed as Vesna hesitated, quickly writing her list down before she forgot. “Okay, thank you!” she replied, sitting back in her seat as she waited for Lorenzo over the line. Lorenzo’s harrowed response made the Frei laugh more than she intended, but she smiled.

“Hi, Mister Lorenzo! Mhm, it’s really important… um, it’s for a school project,” she explained, writing Lorenzo’s name next to Vesna’s. “I was wonderin’ what makes you happy!”

“What makes me happy?” Lorenzo repeated, slightly taken aback. “Ah, well… A difficult question, to be sure! Let me just draft some ideas for a moment…” he said, and the faint rattling of a drawer could be heard as he pulled a notepad and pencil from his desk.

“I suppose… Reading makes me happy. And Indian food is nice. Teaching has also proved to be fairly rewarding, if not sometimes frustrating. I enjoy talking to other necromancers, and, perhaps tragically, I also enjoy peace and quiet. Will that suffice, Aina?”

“Mhm! Take your time, Mister Lorenzo,” Aina smiled, appreciative of the thoughtfulness Mister Lorenzo always seemed to exhibit. She nodded along as he explained, carefully writing out the list and spelling out ‘necromancer’ phonetically, proud that it looked right. “Yup! Thank you,” she said, and she brightened, “If you like Indian food, Mister Lorenzo, grandpa can make some for you!”

Lorenzo laughed. “It is very kind of you to offer on his behalf. Perhaps I can make some for him sometime, if he enjoys it, though? When my schedule is freer, of course.” Setting aside the notepad, he ended with, “I’m glad I could be of assistance to you now, however, I do have work to return to, if that’s all you need from me. Thank you for calling, and the best of luck with your project.”

“D’you like cookin’, Mister Lorenzo? I think grandpa would really like that! An’ you can have an Indian Food Picnic together,” she suggested. “Okay! Thank you, um, good luck with workin’ and stuff, I hope we can see you and Vesna again soon!”

.  

[Rookeries]

.

HARTLINE FARMS
ex o ex Snoof


Things had come to a real slow for Hartline Farms this winter, and Stephen and Maree were appreciative of the time to breathe before the next season rolled in. Mordekai and Duncan visited the farm store for groceries, and it was good to see the former up on his feet after a few sick days. While they were tending to their errand, and other farmhands on shift made their afternoon meal in Stephen’s kitchenette, Aina visited the Hartlines with her notebook in tow. The project was still on her mind even though she had finished her phone calls, and Stephen, Maree, and Damien sat across from her on the couches in the farm’s living space.

“So,” Stephen adjusted awkwardly on his seat, a mug of warm coffee in his hand. Maree crossed her legs and let her older cousin lead the conversation for now, but it was easy to tell that the farmer was going to be bulldozed over fairly shortly. “How can we help with your school project, Aina? Need to bring a cow in for show and tell?” he teased, smiling.

Aina flipped her notebook open and fished for a pen inside of her backpack. “Um, well-- well, no,” she giggled, catching Stephen’s question a little late. She flustered, still not fully prepared to work on her project like this with people face to face. “I was gonna ask a question, um… what makes you happy?” she said, shyly, and she smiled bit at her Uncle Dame for some confidence.

“Oh, huh,” Stephen said, leaning back in his seat. He glanced at the other two adults in the room. “Interesting question for a school project. One of y’all wanna start us off?”

“Go for it, dude.” Maree presented Damien for the task first, opening her arms out in his general direction.

Damien smiled back pleasantly to his niece when she sought him, chin propped against his palm. As soon as the floor was given to him, the redhead clapped his hands loudly and rubbed his palms together. ”Right!” He paused for a moment to laugh, then settled his arms against his knees and leaned toward Aina attentively with a big grin.

”Makin’ other people happy, duh.” Damien’s grin warmed. ”Makin’ ‘em laugh, seein’ ‘em smile, that’s my jam.” His fingers drummed against his arms briefly, just a small sample of restless energy as he sat still in his seat. ”But there’s tons of stuff. How many you need?”

The Hartline cousins sat back and let Damien hold the floor with quiet smiles, and Aina wrote down what Damien said to her eagerly. Her stage fright made her misspell a few things, and she determinedly crossed some words out to rewrite them in her nervousness. She smiled despite her nerves, and she bounced back in her seat, smiling up at Damien.

“I wanna know ‘bout lotsa things that make you happy!” she replied, and Stephen and Maree both had a good chuckle.

“Be careful what you wish for, Aina.”

”Pff!” Damien waved a hand, then quickly continued. ”Well, you make me happy, munchkin, you know that. You make lotsa people happy.”

From there, Damien began to count on his fingers. ”But for other stuff, there’s always money. Anybody who says money can’t buy happiness is a sucker. You know how excited you get when you get when you get presents?” His brows rose and smile grew, though it gained a mischievous curve. ”I get that excited when I get to buy stuff for you. S’even better when you surprise people with it.”

He waited for a moment as Aina scribbled down her notes, then turned to look at Maree and Stephen incredulously. ”Don’t leave her hangin’, now! I got it started, at least give her one.”

Aina nodded quietly when Damien asked her a question, and her smile widened, hugging the notebook to her chest. “Mhm!” she agreed, and she giggled, flustering to a bright red as she dipped her head down at Damien’s flattery. “You’re real nice, Uncle Dame,” she said, tucking some hair behind her ears.

Stephen and Maree had expected Damien to continue on by the time he had addressed them, and Stephen raised his brows at the accusation as he quickly finished taking his sip of coffee. “Thought you were gonna keep going,” Stephen said, sounding almost impressed that he hadn’t; he leaned forward to rest his mug on the coffee table and crossed his arms, tapping a finger against his arm pensively - he glanced at Maree, and she took it as a quiet request for her to go next. With a sigh, she relaxed on the couch.

“My horses make me pretty happy. I think all of the animals here are pretty rad,” Maree admit, and she shot Stephen a glance as he drew out a gushy ’awww.’ She looked back at Aina. “I guess I can’t complain about having money either. I like going out to the city, and days out, when Mr. Hartline over here is feeling generous.”

“Oh, please.” Stephen let out a laugh, and Maree shifted her body to face him to signal his turn - Stephen adjusted in his seat, not fond of the spotlight, and scratched his beard. “Well, I poured my body and soul into this farm-- so, my farm,” he began, tapping his foot. “Love the springtime and my hikes. Taking my time walking through the forest next door and finding something new to plant in my garden at the market.”

“Jeeze, you’re talking more than Damien,” Maree commented, and Stephen clammed up, sneering at his younger cousin. Aina smiled, writing as quickly as she could to jot their thoughts down.

“Well, I guess I’m done,” Stephen replied. “We do good, Aina?”

“Mhm! Thank you,” she said, carefully storing her supplies back in her backpack. She grabbed the sunhat from the coffee table and put it back on her head, preparing to leave - she smiled curiously at Damien, wiggling her shoulders a little. “Um… Uncle Dame? Grandpa an’ papa are gettin’ groceries, d’you wanna say hi?”

Damien had kept a wide grin at both of them with his chin cupped beneath his palms. As their lists grew so did his smile and it was only when Stephen announced his completion did the ginger’s attention move back to the frei. ”Oh s**t, yeah I do.” He was on his feet, quick as anything, and bent down to take up Aina’s backpack with one hand scoop her up with the other.

”Back in a few, ah?” he said to Stephen and Maree.

“Take your time,” Stephen said, waving at the two as they left. Aina giggled and clung to Damien as he picked up both her and her backpack, giving him a quick kiss, the rim of her sunhat squishing into the side of his face as she did so.

“Thank you for helpin’, Uncle Dame,” Aina said, and she leaned back to see him, smiling. “D’you have enough time to have lunch with us?”

As they walked, Damien adjusted Aina’s backpack to carry it over his shoulder. He leaned back a little to eye her all the same. ”Course, baby doll. Think I can swing that.” Damien glanced away for just a second, then peeked back at Aina with a curious smile. His voice lowered, as though he were imparting a secret. ”You know what else makes me happy, though?”

Aina giggled, adjusting the sunhat as it tilted from giving Damien a kiss to the cheek. When he leaned back, she did the same to look at him, and she lowered her head and matched her voice to be as quiet as his: “Hm?”

Damien’s face scrunched up cheerfully as soon as she answered. He leaned in beneath Aina’s sunhat and nuzzled her face, their noses brushed together. ”Gettin’ to be all mushy!”

Aina let out a short yelp when Damien leaned in to nuzzle her nose, and she giggled, holding his cheeks. “Silly!” she replied, mussing his hair.





THE BISHOP-MARLENES
ex o ex Snoof


Aina returned home with Duncan and Mordekai with bagfuls of groceries in tow, and waiting for them was Cruz and Anita. Her father began preparing lunch, and the Frei helped her grandfather sort away all of their produce where they belonged. Afterward, she sat down with Anita and Cruz to color and compile the notes she had taken in her notebook of everyone’s happinesses. She admired everyone’s responses and read every list more than once, doodling the people she loved and their joys with crayon on the margins of her papers.

There were, of course, a few key people that she had not asked about for their happinesses quite yet, but she knew she did not need to call them for the answers. The Frei smiled across at Anita and Cruz after she finished reading Uncle Dame’s list of happinesses.

“Cruz, Anita?” she began, wiggling a little in her seat. She held the notebook out to them, smiling shyly. “Um-- um, d’you-- can you help me with my school project, too?” she asked, earning some curious glances from Duncan, who was completing his work at the kitchen counter, and Mordekai, who was cooking at the stovetop.

Cruz had already begun coloring in one of Aina’s Frozen books; even though it wasn’t the right dress, he colored Elsa’s clothes pine green. He looked up a little late, as Anita took the notebook that Aina offered. They both smiled curiously at the frei and Anita couldn’t help but laugh. ”Of course, silly. What can we do?”

“Um, well, um, earlier today, I was callin’ all of our friends an’ stuff askin’ what made ‘em happy,” she explained, pointing to the notebook now in Anita’s hands. She smiled, resting her cheeks against both her palms as she admired Cruz and Anita from across the table. “So… um! I just wanted to ask you what made you happy an’ stuff! You can write it down if you want too,” she mentioned, shuffling a few of the crayons sprawled out over the table. “And you can read what everybody said in my notebook…”

”Oooh,” the croc cooed as he turned his attention back to coloring, his grin wide and eager, ”that’s easy.”

Anita blew a raspberry at him as she opened the notebook to take a peek. ”I can write ‘em down, sure.” She glanced up as she took one of the crayons to give Aina a smile, then offered the same to Duncan and Mordekai before she turned her eyes down to the paper. Anita took a moment to glance over the other entries to get started; her smile grew at all of the familiar names. ”He’s right, though, it is pretty easy -- ‘cause there’s a lot of stuff that makes us happy.”

”Mhm,” Cruz rumbled appreciatively, ”Like hugs and kisses.”

”Like hugs and kisses,” Anita laughed and shook her head but took the note just the same. ”One thing that makes me really happy,” she stressed as she adjusted her posture as though they were in a serious business meeting, ”is getting to sit on my butt and doing nothing.”

”Nothing!” Cruz repeated, incredulous. He giggled as he reached for a pink crayon to give the dress some floral trim.

”Mhm.”

“Okay! I won’t peek,” Aina told Anita diligently, focusing in on a coloring book of her newest movie favorite, Moana. She glanced up from her coloring with a small smile, giggling as she nodded in agreement. “I like hugs an’ kisses, too,” she said, sitting a little straighter in her seat to look at Cruz’s progress on Elsa’s dress. She always wanted to color things as good as her brother, or half as creatively, and she looked back at her own progress and hummed as she thought on ways to make it more original.

After choosing to make Maui’s hair a startling process blue, Aina glanced up at Anita as she continued with a very serious look - the Frei giggled, ducking her head some and covering her mouth with her hands. “Not even breathing?” she whispered, and the two men at the kitchen laughed, leaving the three to their discussion as they dove their nose back into their errands. Mordekai gave Anita and Cruz a silent thumbs up as he turned back to the stove.

”Not even.” she giggled right back. ”Spending time with you guys makes me the happiest, though. When it’s really calm like this. And really good food, like Momo makes.” Her eyes flicked appreciatively to Mordekai before she continued scribbling.

Cruz nodded as Anita wrote more of her notes down. He glanced up when there was a brief pause and found her to be looking at him expectantly; he grinned. ”Me too. Bein’ with people. Foods good but kisses are better.” His tongue poked out between his lips as he returned to his page, only to halt and sit up straighter abruptly. Cruz flailed one of his hands and tapped the table gently. ”And, um! Helping! Helping people. Other people bein’ happy makes me happy.” With that interjection seemingly finished, Cruz resumed his coloring in earnest - then added, ”And holdin’ hands.”

Mordekai glanced back at Anita at the compliment, flustering as he laughed and stuck his tongue out at her between transferring a cast iron skillet to the kitchen island for their lunch to cool. Aina hummed, nodding in agreement with Anita - “Yeah! Me too,” she said, keeping her chin tucked under her arms as she listened to Cruz and Anita, smiling ear to ear. Maui’s hair could wait until after they were done answering her very important question, after all, and she giggled when Cruz chimed in with his own answers.

She nodded excitedly at him, empathizing with his sentiments exactly. “Mhm! Helpin’ people and holdin’ hands are the best,” Aina said. Though she kept her scout’s honor in not peeking at the notebook until Anita was done, she glanced at her, bobbing her head a little. “Can I read yours, Anita? Cruz, are you gonna write more, too?” she asked, leaning over to poke Cruz’s nose - but her arm was a little too short to reach.

”Sure,” Anita chuckled as she slipped the crayon between the pages as a bookmark.

She returned the notebook to Aina, holding it in front of Cruz’s face, but he didn’t look up until Aina reached for his nose. When he looked up and the distance between them was just a little too far, Cruz leaned toward her and booped her fingertip with his nose instead. ”If you want me to!”

”You know whose name I didn’t see in there yet, though?” Anita pressed her fingers to her lips as she asked, halfway to hide the blooming smile so she could pretend to be a little more serious if only for a moment.

Aina excitedly waited for Anita to hand the book back to her, but when Cruz booped her nose, she giggled and quickly shied back into her arms. She looked up at Anita demurely, raising her brows, and shook her head. “I forgot somebody? Are they gonna feel bad?” she asked, a tad worriedly.

For a brief moment, Cruz looked just as unsure as Aina with a worried pout to match. She shook her head and smiled as she reached for her phone. ”No, she won’t feel bad. Do you wanna call her?”

It only took the croc a second longer to realize who Anita meant. He raised both of his arms quickly. ”Oh! Nerva!”

Aina’s anxiousness alleviated immediately after Anita’s reassurance, and she brightened at the mention of Miss Minerva. With her hands on the table, she lifted herself up to nod at Anita - “Mhm! Your mama isn’t busy? Is it really okay?” she asked, full to bursting at the potential to call her.

”We can try, anyway,” Anita glanced at the time on the screen before navigating her contacts, ”but she’d be happy to hear from you any time.” With his eyes closed, Cruz nodded sagely in agreement. Anita placed the phone to hear ear as it rang and her eyes roamed the kitchen ceiling until her mother picked up; a muffled but pleasantly surprised tone carried through the kitchen. ”Hey mam, are you free for a sec? Mhm. Yeah, Aina wants to ask you something, if you got a minute. Okay, I’ll pass you over--”

As Anita leaned forward to hand Aina the phone, it once again passed in front of Cruz. This time, he took advantage of the placement and leaned close to the mouthpiece. ”I love you, ‘Nerva!” A flurry of contagious laughter flowed from the phone and, though hard to with the lower volume, it was obvious by Cruz’s wide grin that she had returned the sentiment.

Aina giggled as Anita and Cruz spoke to Minerva, and once the phone passed to her, she held Anita’s cellphone carefully in her hands. The laughter had reached her, too, and she was flustered from all of the delight by the time she began speaking. “Hi, Mama Minerva,” Aina began, “I love you too! How are you? I’m colorin’ a Moana page, d’you want it?”

”Hi, sweetheart! I love you, too!” Minerva chuckled, ”Of course I do, if you want to let me have it. We can put it up on the fridge with the rest of yours and Cruz’s beautiful drawings. What can I help you with, sweetpea? Anita said you had a question?”

“Mhm! You can have it,” Aina said, smiling wide at Minerva’s compliment. She tilted her head as she felt a little hesitant at asking Minerva, and she glanced at Anita and Cruz for some confidence, wings fluttering as she rested her head on the table. “Um-- mhm,” she switched the phone to her other ear, a little fidgety, “My question was, um-- I was wonderin’, what makes you happy?”

”Aw, that’s a sweet question.” There was a slight pause as Minerva gave it some thought. ”Knowing all of my babies are over there, safe and sound and having fun makes me really happy. You all are having fun, right?” she teased.

Aina calmed as Minerva spoke to her over the phone, resting her head against her arm as she hummed. “Mhm! We’re havin’ a lotta fun,” she ensured, smiling up at Anita and Cruz. “I’ll make sure papa saves some of the lunch he’s makin’ so you can have some! I miss you!”

Cruz and Anita were both smiling and listening intently, though Cruz was attempting to add some gold trim to Elsa’s green and pink ensemble that wasn’t showing up well against the pine colored gown.

”Aw, thank you, sugar. I miss you, too! We’ll have to get you and your boys out here again sometime, all together.”

“Yeah! Can we do somethin’ all together at the beach?” she asked, her tone verging on pleading, and she kissed the screen of Anita’s phone. “Thank you, Mama Minerva! I hope you have a really really good day,” Aina said, peeling open the notebook in front of her and shuffling through the pages to find Anita’s handwriting, the phone still tucked to her shoulder - she began reading Anita’s list of happinesses quietly as she waited for Minerva’s farewell.

”Of course we can! The beach isn’t going anywhere.” She couldn’t hold back her delight at Aina’s cuteness and laughed again, this time punctuated by a handful of kiss sounds in return. ”You too, sugar! Tell everybody I love ‘em!”

The page with Anita’s writing was fairly neat in spite of it being written in crayon. She had picked a teal one from the pile of various greens Cruz collected, and organized a short little blurb. Things that make Anita happy are the people she loves and getting to spend quality time with them. This makes Cruz happy, too, but he likes having everyone together in big groups! Sometimes it’s really nice for Anita to stay at home and do a whole lot of nothing, it helps her stay happy. It makes Cruz happy to know that everyone around him is happy. Helping people makes him feel really special! Of course, the things that make Anita - and everyone - the happiest are dogs, dogs, and also dogs. There was a small scribble of a lopsided attempt at a dog paw and, written beneath it, read Tango wuz here.





GABE
ex o ex Snoof


[01:07:16PM] Johan Kantor: I asked Gabe the question Aina has been asking around to everybody. Here’s his answer:
[01:08:03PM] Johan Kantor: 1) Peace and quiet. 2) Privacy. 3) Mutual respect. 4) Robots.

[01:12:17PM] Duncan Clarke: Johan, thank you for being so considerate and asking for your friend’s help on Aina’s behalf. Please let Gabe know that we appreciate him… Aina has expressed wanting to meet him again many times… I hope we are able to arrange that with him soon. He is always welcome to our home for a cup of tea or coffee… I am glad to have met your friend. You two are valuable friends to one another… it shows in the unique honesty that you two seem to express around each other. How special!
[01:14:33PM] Duncan Clarke: You and Leigh are also welcome to a cup of coffee at any time… or tea, if you so choose… Anita and Cruz are visiting us at the moment for some lunch. If you are in Barton, please consider driving over for a spot of dinner. I hope you are doing well!
[01:21:49PM] Duncan Clarke: Hi nonc this is Aina I am typing on grandpa’ s phone because I want you to tell mister Gabe I am saying hi and he is cool and I think robots are cool too !!!!!!! 💖 🤖💖🤖💖🤖 ✨✨✨ I love you bye !!!!!!! 💖💖💖💖💖 Bye but not bye please visit SOON !!!!!!!! 💖💖 🐰🐝🌹With mister Gabe! 🖥️ 👬 THANK YOU 💖💖💖

[01:22:01PM] Johan Kantor: Hi Duncan and Aina. You’re both very welcome. I will let Gabe know you send your regards. Auntie and I promise to visit soon.



***


[12:47:17PM] Johan Kantor: Aina is asking for some participants in a short Q+A for her school project.
[12:47:20PM] Johan Kantor: Participate.

[12:50:35PM] Gabe Knight: What’s the question?

[12:51:51PM] Johan Kantor: What makes you happy?

[12:52:48PM] Gabe Knight: Really?

[12:53:21PM] Johan Kantor: You can call her or you can write it to me.
[12:53:30PM] Johan Kantor: Don’t cry.

[12:55:24PM] Gabe Knight: Wow, very hard choice. I’m sure you can’t guess.
[12:55:37PM] Gabe Knight: When’s the deadline?
[12:56:02PM] Gabe Knight: What grade school parameters am I trapped in?

[12:56:40PM] Johan Kantor: Aina didn’t tell me the deadline. Be diligent and answer by tonight.
[12:56:44PM] Johan Kantor: Grade 4
[12:57:21PM] Johan Kantor: Duncan showed me what she has so far. She called Cadi and her family earlier today. They’re too good for you, by the way.

[12:57:52PM] Gabe Knight: I’m well aware.
[12:58:11PM] Gabe Knight: Does she want one per person or is there a quota?

[12:58:39PM] Johan Kantor: You have more than one thing to list? 👏

[12:58:56PM] Gabe Knight: Gauging how much I have to bullshit.

[12:59:01PM] Johan Kantor: Stop stalling

[12:59:23PM] Gabe Knight: Give me a minute.
[01:06:45PM] Gabe Knight: Here, she can take her pick. 1) Peace and quiet. 2) Privacy. 3) Mutual respect. 4) Robots. (Guess which one’s bullshit.)

[01:07:27PM] Johan Kantor: #3. You respect nobody.
[01:08:31PM] Johan Kantor: Sent to Duncan. Thank you for your thoughtful 20 minute answer. For your convenience, he will make you sound as nice as Aina thinks you are.

[01:08:47PM] Gabe Knight: ******** off.
[01:10:35PM] Gabe Knight: Did you happen to see Cadi’s answers to this very intense essay?

[01:11:13PM] Johan Kantor: Yes I did.

[01:12:23PM] Gabe Knight: And?

[01:12:51PM] Johan Kantor: Do you need me to find you Cadi’s phone number?

[01:13:02PM] Gabe Knight: 👎

[01:13:21PM] Johan Kantor: It’s OK. I can wait.

[01:13:34PM] Gabe Knight: 👎👎👎

[01:22:10PM] Johan Kantor: Here, you graceless yokel.
[01:22:12PM] Johan Kantor: Hi nonc this is Aina I am typing on grandpa’ s phone because I want you to tell mister Gabe I am saying hi and he is cool and I think robots are cool too !!!!!!! 💖 🤖💖🤖💖🤖 ✨✨✨ I love you bye !!!!!!! 💖💖💖💖💖 Bye but not bye please visit SOON !!!!!!!! 💖💖 🐰🐝🌹With mister Gabe! 🖥️ 👬 THANK YOU 💖💖💖

[01:23:04PM] Gabe Knight: You have to stop telling her lies about me.

[01:23:11PM] Johan Kantor: No. We are holding hands. 👬

[01:23:45PM] Gabe Knight: Hold hands with your girlfriend.

[01:24:09PM] Johan Kantor: I have two hands. I love you. The son I never wished for.

[01:25:02PM] Gabe Knight: Excuse me, I have an appointment with death. TTYL.



MISS PHYLLIS


Aina helped her grandfather load the winter bouquets for the holidays into the back of his old car. The vehicle smelled of pansies, alyssums, honeywort, and poinsettias, pretty white and purple flowers offset by a brilliant red, looking especially bright in the snowy weather. They had begun their volunteer work anew a day after Aina had called around to friends and family for her school project, but she carried the notebook with her still in a backpack as her and her grandfather met up with his students and Miss Phyllis, with other art supplies and pencils in tow along with it. Miss Phyllis was a sweet woman - demure, quiet, and surprisingly young for somebody who was leading a surprisingly ambitious nonprofit. She had taken a particular shining to Duncan and his gathering band of students, who dedicated themselves to volunteering at hospitals Gaia-wide, indiscriminate of if they were on break or not.

Miss Phyllis had met with Duncan, his students, and a handful of parents at the front of the Barton Hospital - a larger facility with many patients enduring their time at the ICU. She helped gather the bouquets from Duncan’s trunk onto the two-tiered cart, smoothing out petals of small alyssums in their carefully arranged bouquet. Aina did the same, taking advantage of her small size compared to the other volunteers to load bouquets near the bottom of the cart, making sure no flowers were squashed in the process.

“Miss Phyllis,” Aina began, glancing up at the woman. “Does doin’ this for people make you happy?”

Miss Phyllis smiled down at Duncan’s young charge, a bouquet in hand. “Yes,” she answered, finding a small corner of the cart to tuck the last of the flowers in. “I think so. Doesn’t it feel nice, seeing smiles on people’s faces when you give them flowers?”

“Yeah,” Aina agreed, “It’s just a lotta work… grandpa an’ papa an’ me made bouquets all day today. Are there gonna be enough?”

“More than, I think, Aina. Thank you for all of your hard work,” Miss Phyllis said, leading the cart to the entrance of Barton Hospital, waving to Duncan and the other students ahead of them. “I think, for me, things that make me the happiest are things I work the hardest for.”

“But you’d be tired,” Aina said, glancing up at Miss Phyllis. Miss Phyllis smiled, chuckling, and nodded.

“Yes, at first. But things like comfort, friendship, family - I think they’re worth all the tired in the world. Don’t you think?”

Aina hugged a bouquet in her arms, nodding quietly as they stepped through the Barton Hospital.

.  

[Rookeries]

.

Previously ▪ “I picked it up from the office,” Duncan explained, leaning forward to look down at the poster, “Bouquet of Tender Thoughts, a volunteer program that delivers flowers to hospitals, as luck would have it! I was looking for some volunteer opportunities for my students. ”

“Oh,” Mordekai replied, quietly staring at the poster. Aina watched with stilted breath, but when her father took too long to respond, she held her hands out to take the poster from him.

“I wanna make bouquets too! Grandpa said we’re gunna stop by the Hospital,” she said, enthusiasm ringing clear in her tone. She'd expected Mordekai to respond with a smile, a laugh, anything - but when he didn't, she reeled her hands back, floating lower the more he stared blankly at the poster.

“Huh,” Mordekai finally responded, perking back to a small smile. He returned the poster to Aina, then stood, brushing the dirt off of his knees. “Where is it? Here?”

“It’s right in Gambino, but I had a few questions for them,” Duncan replied, carefully watching as Aina stared at the poster again. Her enthusiasm had dwindled this time around, and Mordekai seemed just as wary. “We could always wait until the market is over,” he amended, gently placing his hand on the Frei’s back.

The Frei looked up at her grandfather, frowning helplessly.

“Oh-- ye’know-- s’okay, you guys go ahead,” Mordekai stammered - the Frei’s fall in mood hadn’t gone unnoticed. “It sounds real neat! But I was gunna go over to Rebecca’s anyway.”

▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪

Duncan had taken his first sick day in over a decade, and Mordekai found it hard to refuse his only request as he went to the Barton Hospital. Duncan’s last trip for winter break with Bouquet of Tender Thoughts had fallen on the day of his appointment, and he asked - with room to say no - that Mordekai take Aina and his students to Durem Medical Center in his stead. Miss Phyllis, the project director, would join them at the entrance; all Mordekai needed to do was deliver the bouquets, if that was all he felt comfortable with.

Well. To hell with comfort - if Mordekai was going to fulfill Duncan’s wishes, he wasn’t going to do an incomplete job of it. He pushed down his nerves and finished preparing the last of the winter bouquets in the morning on his own, but he did not abide by the typical winter blooms he had seen Duncan use in his arrangements. Instead, he found the best and brightest annuals he could and made full bouquets that reminded him of seasons past - red and pink zinnias for the spring, warm petunias and marigolds for the summer, and snapdragons and pansies for the fall.

With the holidays over, he figured that the winter had not treated the patients at Durem especially kindly, and he empathized with the feeling - it did not seem like his place to remind them of the season with flowers. Aina seemed to approve of them, repeating protocol for their hospital visit to him with practiced ease. And, despite his status as Duncan’s replacement during their visit to the Durem Medical Center, Aina seemed to be doing more of the leading than Mordekai was, shepherding high school students into the hospital center with Miss Phyllis by her side as easily as anything.

His place as leader was nothing but a title, it seemed, but that was just as well for being a meager substitute. An anxious feeling settled in his gut as he saw the front of the familiar Durem Medical Center, anyway, and it only spiked as they rounded the corner of the parking lot into the entrance of the ICU. Aina was kind enough to help lead him into the hall, helpful and not at all aware of his familiarity with the place. He held her hand tighter than she was with his, but Aina did not seem to notice.

Mordekai had not been to the ICU in five years, but that time seemed to fade to nothing as soon as he found himself in that familiar hallway.

He took a breath in. He forgot what Aina told him as she left him to his own handful of bouquets.

The beds here were still the same - he could have sworn some of the nurses here were still the same. The pillars were the same. The posters were the same. The rooms were the same - the doctors, many of whom he recognized, were the same, but they did not seem to notice him.

Without thinking, he began walking down a random hallway, staring blankly at patient rooms as he passed by them.

He stood for a moment by the room he had been in. No one was in there. He continued on.

Just next door, the sight of a familiar face pulled Mordekai’s attention. As he trailed down the last few feet of the southern wing, he took a few steps back to glance through the transparent walls of a patient room. No guests were there - only an old woman, looking small in her bed, with a lone bouquet of winter flowers besides her.

With bouquets in both hands, Mordekai pushed the door of the patient room open with his back. “Hey,” Mordekai greeted, brows raised - he nudged his shoulders, calling attention to the flowers he was holding. The old woman did not seem to notice. “Special delivery.” As Mordekai drew near, the old woman opened her eyes, adjusting herself to sit as she reached for the bouquets Mordekai held out to her. She leaned forward to smell the marigolds, sighing at the slight honey smell, and relaxed back in her seat.

“Lemme put that to the side for you, Margie,” Mordekai said - he paused, the name slipping from him. He gave the old woman a nervous smile, and she nodded to him, calmly folding her hands over one another as Mordekai set the bouquets next to her older arrangement of flowers.

“How darling, thank you,” she said, breaking the momentary silence between them. “Are you with Mr. Clarke?”

“Yes ma’am. Just comin’ in for him today,” Mordekai replied. He flashed a more confident smile at her - the one thing Duncan failed to explain was how he greeted and left the patients, and he found himself lingering awkwardly besides Margie’s bed, one arm now empty of bouquets. “Happy Holidays,” he said, breaking eye contact with her as he glanced to the floor. “Ah,” he flustered, “sorry. I’m new.”

Margie broke into a wide smile. “I know.” Mordekai laughed, and she shook her head, pointing at him; “You little s**t,” she murmured, alarming Mordekai some, “I knew you had it in you.”

Amusement dawned on him, and Mordekai grinned, brows raised as he knelt down to speak with her in earnest. “You remember me?” he asked, and Margie sighed, shaking her head - a fair enough reaction. He giggled a tad clumsily. “C’mon, Margie,” he chuckled, “do you?”

“Mister Mordekai Dempsey Kantor, I couldn’t forget you if I tried. You brought a new meaning to hell to that goddamn unit,” Margie laughed, eyes crinkling as she faced him. She was always the oldest nurse at the ward, but since the last time Mordekai had seen her six years ago, she seemed to have aged fifty. “Sure the other nurses would love to see you upstairs,” she said, putting a gentle hand on Mordekai’s shoulder. “You were a riot.”

“Y’know you’re my favorite,” he retorted, putting his hand over her’s. “An’ I don’t think I wanna risk myself gettin’ trapped in there again.”

“Don’t flatter yourself. They would never take you back, not for a million,” Margie teased. There was still a brightness in those old eyes of hers, and she spoke with confidence, her thin hand moving to pat Mordekai’s cheek. “I damn well should be should be your favorite. You were the underdog, and I had your back the whole time. The whole time. And now you’re giving away flowers like a pretty little saint, aren’t you? Hell.”

“S’it a good look on me, Margie?” Mordekai asked, grinning. Margie took a breath in, and he stayed there with her, blue eyes meeting green as she took him in.

“Yeah,” she answered. She leaned forward, whispering: “But for once in your damn life, answer me this: how are you doing?” Mordekai laughed, hanging his head as he kept his balance by holding onto the corner of the bed. Margie chuckled, too, patting the top of his head. “I can wait. I’ve got all the time in the world,” she said, sighing.

“I’m-- doin’ good, Miss Margie,” Mordekai replied, rubbing his eyes before looking back up at her - he hummed. “Great, even. Life’s really been turnin’ around.”

“I can tell.” Margie gave him a wise, quiet smile. “Are you ready for my next question?”

“Hoo, boy,” Mordekai grinned. “Yeah. Shoot.”

“Mr. Clarke,” Margie continued, looking up as Mordekai stood. “He has a granddaughter. Comes in with him, white hair, flowers in her hair. She yours?” Margie leaned back, looking out past the walls of her room - Mordekai followed suit, hoping to catch a glimpse of Aina if she passed. She was nowhere in sight, no doubt yards away in farther corners of the hospital wing.

“Yeah, she’s mine,” Mordekai murmured, adjusting the bouquet in his arms. He turned back to Margie, nodding, breathing in a little at the burst of pride he felt. “My little girl. Doin’ a better job’n me right now.”

“Good God. You’re a parent now,” Margie breathed, covering her eyes, her laughter so much brighter than it was before. “Best news I’ve heard in years. You know, as a nurse. Not enough people tell us the good news. And now, here I am. Eighty and stuck in bed,” she said, urging Mordekai to a seat with a simple wave. She gestured to herself, and Mordekai sat with her, smiling fondly. “Hey, is that a good look on me?”

“Nah. You can do better,” he replied, his voice softening. His expression fell, but he held her hand in his, giving her fingers a gentle squeeze. “But you’re in good hands, here, huh. Gonna be up on your feet soon. A lotta people up there need you to kick their a**, Marg.”

“You little s**t. I wish you kissed my a** back then,” Margie said, squeezing Mordekai’s hand. She rested her other hand over his, holding him there a while - with a sigh, she let him go, leaning back in her bed as she waved him off. “Thank you. Now,” she closed her eyes, wiggling her shoulders back underneath the warmth of her bedsheets. “Go on. I need my beauty sleep.”

“Yeah. You get outta here, Margie,” Mordekai said, rising from his seat. As he did, he saw a glimpse of a smile as Margie let herself relax. When Mordekai turned to leave the patient room, his phone began to vibrate.

The ringing beckoned him out of Margie’s room quicker than he would have liked. The phone number read Barton Hospital.

“Hello?” he greeted, turning down the ICU to meet with Aina. He paused.

“Ah, please - if you can, call a guy named Johan Kantor,” Mordekai urged, voice rising despite the relative quiet of the hospital. “Yeah, he’s my brother. Duncan’s son. Gimme forty minutes.”

.  

[Rookeries]

Previously ▪ “I don’t think I can choose which doctor I can live with that easily,” Johan replied, pulling his seat back to take his mug into the kitchen. As Johan poured his drink down the sink, Duncan sighed as he made peace with the arrangements in the apartment, proceeding to the table where Aina was sitting. “What do you like about school, Aina?” Johan asked, glancing quickly at the Frei while opening and closing cabinets in an effort to find some coffee. Truth be told, he had spent more time in Barton than Aekea as of late, and his roommate seemed to have done some rearranging since the last time he was home.

“All the teachers, an’ I like the projects, and my classmates!” Aina said, scooting her chair a little closer to her grandfather when he met her at the table. Duncan gave another tired breath, folding his hands together over the table with nothing left to keep him occupied. “Did you notice I got stuff in my hair like Auntie?” the Frei asked, pointing them out first to her grandfather then to her uncle. Johan managed to find some pre-ground coffee in a cabinet above the coffeemaker, and he began pouring some into a filter.

▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪

Johan sat alone next to Duncan in his room at Barton Hospital, gripping his phone in one hand as he waited for others to join him. In the twenty years he had known Duncan, this was the first time he had ever seen his father rest, his glasses set to the counter as he closed his eyes and slept. Sweat glistened off of his father’s forehead from his fever, his breathing ragged from all of the coughing he had done, but otherwise, he seemed so strangely serene.

It was a poor look on him, Johan thought. His father was all difficult work and boundless energy, nearly eighty years old with the ability to recover from debilitating back aches and do a round of push-ups. His father, companionable and kind and a little restless; his father, who worked two jobs and was successfully raising a child.

His father, who had helped so many but refused to be helped himself. Where was that stubbornness right now?

“Hey,” said Mordekai, and Johan glanced back to see his brother and niece step gently into the patient room. Johan had long forgotten about the patient monitor’s repetitive beeping, but as he pulled himself back to the present, everything in the encompassing patient room seemed so loud and too-close.

“Hey,” Johan replied, watching as Mordekai closed the door behind himself and Aina. The Frei was walking with her father hand-in-hand, but she detached herself from Mordekai as soon as she saw Duncan at his bed. Johan and Mordekai stood back from their distant station at the chairs, watching as the Frei gingerly reached up to hold her grandfather’s thin hand.

With his body in blankets and in patient clothes just a tad too big for his frame, Duncan looked smaller than he ever seemed.

“Grandpa,” Aina began, wiggling Duncan’s hand. “Are you okay?” No answer came, and Mordekai crossed his arms, head dipping, his eyes wandering to Johan.

“What the hell happened? He went to the doc’s for a goddamn head cold,” Mordekai whispered, though Aina seemed to hear him despite his low tone. The Frei’s wings bristled, and she frowned, fingers curling around her grandfather’s as he continued to sleep.

“Head cold? Grandpa,” Aina reprimanded, brows furrowed. “You were s’posed to be warm, did you have your scarf and your gloves?”

“It wasn’t a head cold,” Johan answered quietly, glancing back at Mordekai. “He collapsed on his way to the appointment.”

“Why?” Mordekai breathed, resting his hand against the top of Johan’s chair. Johan kept his focus on the hospital floor.

“Fever. He has the flu.”

Even that much was difficult to admit, and the two men grew quiet. For something as simple as the flu to have caused Duncan to collapse seemed like a horrible joke, but there was nothing but earnesty implied in Johan’s tone. The flu - it was a term Aina had only vaguely known of, something that made people sick in the same vein as a head cold, or a backache, or a tummy ache. As honest as her uncle had seemed, Aina shook her head, dismissing the idea entirely.

“Grandpa,” Aina said again, lecturing him the same as he had done with her over small mistakes, all gentleness and calculated firmness. “You’re not s’posed to get sick. You’re s’posed to be warm.” Aina nudged Duncan’s arm. “Grandpa, can you hear me? You gotta get up, s’not bedtime yet.”

“He needs to rest, Aina. Remember, he’s sick,” Johan said, raising his head as he watched Aina continue to carefully try and rouse Duncan awake, her hands resting over Duncan’s arm. “The hospital’s going to take care of him for a little while. Three days to start.”

Mordekai stared at the ground. He frowned. “That’s a long time bein’ here,” he noted, his voice barely above a murmur.

“Grandpa, no,” Aina shook her head, “it’s okay, you can come home with us, an’ I can take care of you! Here…” the Frei did not have time during their travels to remove her backpack, and she unshouldered her backpack, unzipping it and presenting her notebook to her grandfather. She opened the book for him, with as idle as he was, and found his name near the tail of the book. “We can do all the things that make you happy, okay? Will that make you feel better?” she asked, hastily reading what her grandfather had read underneath. His handwriting was a perfect cursive, even and straight and legible, while Aina’s was curly and bubbly and loud; as she read his list of happinesses, she could imagine every word in her grandfather’s voice.

“Okay… so, we gotta garden, and we can make tea, and we can read together, and bake! I can call all of your friends for you and we can have a party together, okay?” Aina began, glancing up at her grandfather briefly. She looked back at the notebook, hovering her hand over where she had read last. “And… and spring will be here soon! And we can decorate our house with all of the flowers you like! Like the snapdragons an the larkspurs an’ the daisies, okay? And then...” she sniffed, “we can start plannin’ all the stuff we gotta get ready for picnics, and we can meet more friends, and…”

As she neared the bottom of her grandfather’s list, she paused, rubbing one of her eyes. If you were to ask me what made me happy most of all, more than all of the flowers in our garden, my answer is simple: our family. Your father, your mother, your uncle, your aunt, your grandmother, brother, Anita, and you, Aina, my dear granddaughter.

“We can have a family dinner, you an’ me, and papa, and nonc, Auntie, Anita, an’ Cruz…” But she couldn’t bring her grandma and her mama, she knew, and the guilt she felt was overwhelming.

“Grandpa? Grandpa, please? Will doin’ those things help you get better?” she murmured, her voice wavering. She crumpled against the bed, resting her head against the mattress, her notebook held limply against her hands. “You’re not s’posed to get sick…”

“C’mere, baby girl,” Mordekai whispered, stepping closer to Aina. He knelt down beside her, an arm wrapping around her shoulder. “It’s okay. He needs some time here.”

“No, he’s gotta be home,” Aina argued, trying to wiggle free from Mordekai’s arm. He relented, and Aina nudged her grandfather’s arm again. She knew this part of the hospital from the Bouquet of Tender Thoughts, and it was a place for sad people who needed their flowers to heal. Her grandfather did not belong here - he belonged in their garden, growing plants for those who needed it. “Grandpa, please? Wake up,” she ushered, and Duncan turned where he lay, smiling sleepily at his little charge.

“Hello, Aina,” he greeted softly, his granddaughter but a blurry figure in a sea of white without his glasses. His sons looked to him, too. Duncan was stubborn, but he was no foolish man - he understood why he was in the ICU, but that did not stop him from feeling so sheepish. “Why do you look so sad, hm?” Duncan asked, chuckling, holding Aina’s hand in his.

“You weren’t wakin’ up,” Aina cried, a hopeful smile curving her mouth yet, more optimistic now that her grandfather was awake. “Papa and nonc said you’re sick. Are you sick?”

Duncan’s brows upturned as he hesitated. “Yes,” came his answer, and Aina felt her heart plummet, her brows creased with worry. But Duncan held fast, reaching up to pat Aina’s head. “It’s alright. I’m just a bit tired, is all,” he said, laughing halfheartedly. “If I rest a spell, I’ll be right on my feet. There’s no need to cry.”

“No,” Aina argued, shaking her head, and Duncan smiled apologetically at her. The Frei reached up to hug her grandfather’s arm, and Duncan let in a breath. He was hot to the touch, feverish still, and it strained him to speak.

“No need to cry,” Duncan assured, closing his eyes. “A short nap will do.”

“No, you have to stay up,” Aina retorted, leaning back to watch as Duncan relaxed back against his bed, returning to sleep. “Grandpa,” she urged, tugging at his arm, but Mordekai gently coaxed the Frei away.

“Let’s let him sleep, mamzelle,” Mordekai murmured, and Aina denied her father’s reassurances, quickly floating around him.

“Grandpa! Grandpa, no,” Aina cried, “it’s not time to sleep yet, remember! We gotta take you home! Please?” As Aina’s tone shifted from pleading to exceedingly desperate, little tears began flooding from her eyes. Mordekai kept his hand on one of her shoulders, and Johan rose from his seat, carefully scooping Aina up into his arms. With his head still hung low, Mordekai watched quietly as Johan left the patient room, vacating the space as quickly as he could to leave Duncan and his older son to their silence.

Aina, despite all of her fight and refusal to leave, crumpled against her uncle’s shoulders and began wailing. Johan eased the knob open with his elbow, carefully slipping past the thin crack of the entrance door.

“Shh, Aina,” Johan began, pressing the door closed with his back - it sealed shut with a soft clicking noise, and he held Aina against his shoulder, swaying with her in the relative emptiness and white of the hospital wing. With Aina crying, he filled his lungs with air, then exhaled, closing his eyes. “Breathe in. Breathe out. Let’s calm down,” he murmured, and Aina shook her head, prodding his neck unknowingly with her branches - sobbing, the rain Frei wrapped her arms around her uncle’s shoulder.

“No, I don’t like grandpa bein’ here,” she wailed, “people here are so sad…” Aina’s statement struck Johan, and he glanced at her bed of white hair, his frown slight.

“Shh. Breathe in, breathe out. What does papa need to do when he’s sick? He needs to rest before doing those fun things you mentioned, right?” Johan asked, and Aina nodded a tad, her hair brushing against his shirt. “We have to let grandpa rest like that, too.”

He repeated his earlier motion, swaying with his niece, exhaling and inhaling slowly. “Breathe in, breathe out,” he said. “Calm, calm.” Despite her rattled state, Aina tried to breathe with him, breath hitched and short until she began focusing on his motions, his directions, and her crying began to calm. Johan arched his neck up, feeling the sterile light hit his eyes as he rested his weight against the door.

“It’ll be okay,” he murmured, though he was uncertain of that himself. The flu felt like such a trite thing, but he reminded himself of Duncan’s age. He did not know if Aina or Mordekai understood the weight of this illness - it was no head cold.

How stupid were they, merely watching their old father volunteer at hospitals? How stupid were they, letting him return to his work as a teacher? This Duncan was not the same man as twenty years ago. It had taken this much for even Johan to realize that.

Their father, nearly eighty, had nearly died in front of him. Even with Aina crying so much, Johan was grateful that she did not know that.

With another inhale, Johan clutched the phone still in his hand.  

[Rookeries]

Duncan had promised his family that he would return home from the ICU in a matter of a few days. A few days passed, and the Barton Hospital recommended that he stay with them for a while longer. Life threatening - those were the words Mordekai heard the doctors use when speaking to his brother. Something so simple as the flu had knocked the wind out of Duncan’s sails, and it was hard to accept.

Duncan had shown no significant signs of recovery from his flu - yet - and his lack of presence everywhere was so acutely noticeable. Mordekai drove his car between their home and Barton to visit between work, and that in and of itself felt too strange. Anita and Cruz found time away from Gambino to help them at their home, but even with the errands being manageable between the four of them, dust and clutter seemed to be gathering in Duncan’s absence.

One day, when Mordekai returned home from Barton for the evening, Anita was not there. Cruz and Aina kept themselves occupied in Aina’s room, and he looked around the various rooms of the house before giving her a quick call. He returned to the foyer, back resting against the side wall of the front door as he stared down at his feet.

==

It was an odd feeling for her, to be here. This wasn’t the kind of place she had ever really needed to visit and for that Anita was grateful; she was fortunate to not experience loss the likes of this in her life thus far but others were not so lucky and those others included the people she held most dear. The compulsion to come was a strange one, as well, but one she couldn’t put aside - it churned unpleasantly in her stomach, almost like butterflies, and would wash over her in brief waves until they grew more frequent with Duncan’s hospitalization. Then it sat heavy, like nausea, and when it refused to leave she was able to understand the cause.

Her phone rang as she stood outside of the gates. She had been in the same spot for several minutes, daunted by the size and scope and meaning of the place; she didn’t even know where to start. Anita looked at her screen and chewed her lip. Her thumb swiped to answer with a moment of delay as she took a breath to steady herself.

”Hey, babe…” She wasn’t sure it worked.

==

Mordekai tapped his free hand against the wall as the phone kept dialing, the sound echoing through their empty home. It felt louder than it really was, and as the phone was silent for the second between Anita receiving the call, he felt his heart pounding in his chest. Her reply was not a cheerful one - no, it was far from - and his eyes wandered out the window peering into the front porch. Some part of him hoped she was already headed home, but there was nobody outside in sight.

“Hey,” Mordekai replied, his voice quiet - he dipped his head again, and his free hand gripped his elbow. “Ah… this call botherin’ you?” he asked, laughing halfheartedly after. “‘M sorry…”

==

”No, hey…” she blurted out as soon as the apology left Mordekai’s mouth. After another breath, Anita managed to sound more sure of herself even with their softer tones. ”I’m glad you called. It’s never a bother.”

Her eyes drifted up to the sign - GRACELAND - and all of the words she had ready in the back of her mind were suddenly gone. She had a plan, when she did this, but it was a very ill conceived one in retrospect. It was only through various conversations she had been present for - not really a part of - that she knew the name of the place to begin with but beyond that she was stumped. There were a lot of headstones to navigate and all she had was a name.

Anita settled with her back against the fence and held the phone close like a lifeline. ”I’m just feeling a little weird… stepped out for some air. I put a note on the fridge. I don’t know if you saw it...”

==

Mordekai inclined his head, letting out a soft breath at Anita’s reassurance. He slowly knelt to the floor, keeping one elbow against the top of his knee as he kept his phone tucked against his ear, too, fingers gripped tightly against his case. He glanced back out at the porch as she explained, watching as a light layer of snow was already coating the top of Duncan’s car since he’d returned home with it.

“Ah-- nah, jus’ got back…. Guess I din’t notice,” he laughed, adjusting to sit on the floor. He rubbed the bridge of his nose, then leaned forward, adjusting the beanie hiding his messy bed of hair. “Guess everything’s been kinna weird, huh,” he added, quieting. He grimaced, keeping one hand against his forehead as he leaned back, staring at the ceiling.

“I don’t want to burn you out, Anita… you don’t gotta stay here this long. I-- dunno when he’s gettin’ outta there.” He fell silent for a moment, the words lingering in the air. “But everything’s gonna be okay.” His own reassurances to Anita seemed to fall flat, and he felt his gut sink; he covered his eyes.

“I promise.”

==

”Okay,” Anita answered softly as he explained. She could hear the strain in Mordekai’s voice the longer he spoke, much as he tried to keep it even. Before long, she had slid down to a crouch against the fence and watched her breath form clouds. It didn’t make much of a difference that he hadn’t seen the note when she didn’t give a lot of information in the first place, just that she was out of the house on purpose and not inexplicably missing. In truth, she intended for the trip to be short but with it being her first visit to Graceland Cemetery and realizing just how arduous of an undertaking its navigation would be, Anita was out far longer than she intended already.

And here she was, still at the entrance - not yet brave enough to proceed while Mordekai, in a moment of vulnerability, offered her an escape.

”I’m not going anywhere,” she managed to say, after swallowing a lump, ”You don’t have to worry about that…” Anita glanced up, the delicate flurries from before a little more detectable. ”I, um - I have a question, though…” Her eyes clenched and she grimaced a second too late to take it back. ”If it’s okay… I’m, ah--” She swallowed again; the lump grew stubborn. It made the brief pause she took to rid herself of it feel painfully long; it rallied that nausea and made her voice waver. ”I’m at Graceland - and I-I’m not sure where she is…”

==

Mordekai’s hands slid down to his mouth as he heard Anita through the line, looking vacant as he stared at the white ceiling above him, fingers curled around the edge of his phone as he let in a breath. “Yeah?” he replied, voice quiet in the brief pause between Anita’s sentence. What she said next made him breathless - seconds passed before his next answer, and he shifted in his seat. He took in a quiet breath, dipping his head some.

“Annie’s,” he began, as if to confirm to himself that was why Anita was there, even though it was obvious as soon as she had said Graceland. “Annie’s… first row, far away from the gate. Put out some poinsettias for her,” he murmured, “there’s a photo there. Duncan put it in a little frame. She’s right below to her mama. Got some alyssums for her.”

He fell quiet, and he leaned his side of his head against the wall. “Anita,” he said, gently, “hey… it’s okay.”

==

Her fingers curled, pressed against her closed lips. Each second it took for Mordekai to collect his breath, the faster Anita’s heart wanted to pound. When he spoke again it was her turn to fall breathless - an apology played on her lips, too quiet to hear, but she tightened her mouth attentively as he described the area to her. It sounded beautiful.

”That’s nice,” Anita whispered. She took a deep breath, shaken, only to have it taken from her again with Mordekai’s assurance. ”I’m sorry… I just-- I wanted to say hi.” Her voice wavered the more she tried to force it steady. Fingers clenched, she brushed at one of her eyes. Her breath trembled terribly even as she whispered. ”I haven’t even said hi…”

==

Mordekai smiled tiredly as he hung his head, laughing halfheartedly at Anita’s apology. “Got nothin’ to apologize for, huh,” he assured - his voice was no longer rattled, just calm, his fingers tracing flowers on the misted glass of the window to keep himself from being too idle. He traced dandelions, crude but looking pristine and white against the snow.

“Take all the time you need,” he said, near whispering, and he glanced up at parts of the window he couldn’t reach. “She’s real patient… likes meetin’ new people.” With another breath in, he pushed himself back up onto his feet, holding his knee as he willed himself to stand.

“Hey,” Mordekai said, hands hovering near the doorknob of the entrance. “Want me to pick you up...? Fresh air sounds real nice.”

==

While Mordekai’s breath seemed to calm, Anita’s had difficulty. Her words rattled, even a simple ‘mhm’ came out shaken, but she tried her best to take slow, controlled breaths and match his even tone. His description of Annie’s demeanor helped, however small it was, and her head hung with a nervous but appreciative laugh.

The offer came as unexpected, though she wasn’t sure why - maybe the weather, maybe the place. It drew a tremulous smile. ”Um - yeah. If you don’t mind…” She wasn’t sure how much of the tremble in her voice was from emotion or the chill in the air. ”How long, do you think…? And ah, should I meet you out front or…” in front of Annie.

==

“Don’t mind at all,” Mordekai assured - his hand was only on the doorknob for a second before he stepped back, glancing back at the stairway. He proceeded past the foyer and upstairs - even if the kids were likely going to be in their room a while, it was better to tell them where he would be going than to leave them mysteriously alone after just having returned home.

Once he reached the top of the stairs, he paused, silence gathering between them as Anita’s question tapered off, unfinished. “Wherever you wanna, Anita,” he answered, laughing gently. He held the rail hugging the edge of the upper floor as he proceeded to Aina’s room.

“Gotta tell the kids where I’m goin’, and… I think I’mma take the bike.” He stopped a few feet from Aina’s room, glancing downstairs. “If that’s okay. Just-- sounds like you need some time. Don’t even gotta leave now.”

He looked to the door of his own bedroom, head dipping some as he lowered his voice. “You warm out there?”

==

His assurance let Anita breathe a little easier. She reached back to hold onto the fence, only to retract her fingers from the cold iron. Anita shook out her sleeve and wrapped her fingers in the fabric to protect them as she used the fence for balance when she returned to her feet.

”Yeah,” she murmured with a glance toward the stones, ”Before I left, I told them you’d be home pretty soon, so…” She trailed off as Mordekai explained. Anita hummed, a bit uncertain as she took slow steps through the snow.

”If you’re sure… it’s pretty chilly. There might be ice.” Her breath shook again, this time definitely from the cold as her emotions settled. ”I don’t want you to get more achey.” Mordekai’s question of her own warmth brought her head down with a humble laugh. ”Could be warmer… Maybe we can put up a fire when we get back.” After all of this, the only thing Anita wanted was to curl up in a big blanket pile and take a nap -- she was really starting to understand why Cruz and Aina did it so often.

==

“I’ll be careful. Think I already screwed myself with the cold, s’okay,” Mordekai reassured, a dash of amusement in his tone. The winter this year had been especially rough on him, but the idea of riding his bike after neglecting it for so long sounded strangely soothing. He pushed the loose door of his bedroom open with his back as Anita suggested a fire, and he hummed, reaching for one of his parkas to take to her.

“I’ll bring somethin’ warm for you,” he said, resting the parka across one shoulder, then he grabbed a pair of gloves, stuffing it into his pocket. Mordekai shut the door of his bedroom gently behind him once everything was retrieved, and he proceeded to Aina’s room with a little more confidence. “We can start a fire, an’ we can make somethin’ hot to drink, huh?”

He stood against the railing for a moment, dipping his head, hesitant to hang up on Anita. Still, he glanced at the door of Aina’s room. “Okay… be there soon, Nita. Gonna say bye to the kids.” He paused. “I love you.”

==

”Aw man,” Anita sighed, with just a dash of amusement to match his own. Her head dipped and she paused in her step; her cheeks were already nipped from the cold but they grew a touch warmer as she smiled amidst Mordekai’s sweet sentiments. ”Thanks,” she breathed a laugh and a slight shiver punctuated her appreciation for everything he offered. More and more, as much time as she knew she needed, Anita hoped his arrival would hasten and they could curl up in a calm sense of warmth and normalcy.

”Alright, babe… See you in a bit.” His next words pulled from her a gentle sigh of admiration. ”I love you back.” Even as she pulled the phone from her ear, Anita felt some reluctance to end the call. Her thumb hovered over the button a few seconds longer, to see if it would disappear on its own, and when it did not she allowed her thumb to fall.

With her hands free, Anita shook out both of her sleeves and wrapped her arms up across her chest. She should have dressed more warmly, she knew, but at least her legs weren’t feeling the chill like that one stupid New Years. Anita shook the fresh flakes of snow that clung to the tops of her shoes from standing still and stood in front of the entrance once more. She took in the sign, the rows beyond, and drew a deep breath before she pressed on.

It was exactly where Mordekai told her, laid out precisely as he had described.

The inscription pulled her lips into a brief curve - Leave with a smile. Her stomach clenched; she was going to try.

”Annie,” the name barely came out as a whisper. It felt strange to say in private, outside of conversation that already encompassed her. Anita swallowed. ”Hi. I’m, um… y-you don’t know me,” she clenched her eyes shut -- of course she didn’t, ”but… I know your family. They’re very important to me… and you’re very, very important to them.”

With a slow exhale, Anita lowered herself to a crouch. Her arms crossed against her thighs, her chin atop her knees. ”It felt wrong… not to come here at least once.” All of her thoughts felt scattered, like they were hanging just out of reach. ”I know they come see you, so I’m sure they’ve told you about some things. A lot’s happened since you went away… and, I’m part of the stuff that’s happened. I hope that’s okay…”

Every few sentences, Anita paused to steady her voice. Despite her best efforts, the thickness in her throat threatened to return. ”They’re all amazing, but you know that.” She laughed and hung her head. Anita combed her fingers into her bangs and pushed them back. ”Your daughter’s so smart… She has so much energy and creativity, it’s incredible watching her. And your father is so good, I really wish my dad had been as supportive to me as yours is to everyone he cares about… And your--”

Anita halted there, a hand pressed to her face for her to hide behind as the next work stuck in her throat like tar. With a few shallow breaths, she pressed on, ”Mordekai… he’s one of the best people I’ve ever met. H-he’s so sweet and he works so hard, all the time, for everyone… and I-I love him. I love him so much... “

The tears that welled in her eyes brought a strange sense of relief along with their sting. They bubbled over and were hot against her skin. ”And I just--” Anita turned away from the headstone, chin pressed to her palm. It was difficult to choke out all of her sentiment. ”I wish I knew how you felt about that…”

Shuddering from a mix of the cold and her emotion, Anita wrapped her arms tightly around herself. She buried her face against her knees and let her tears flow freely as she sat alone in a graveyard at the site of someone she had never once met. ”I-I worry… that I’m-- that I’m doing too much. Or not enough. O-or that I’m somewhere with them that I shouldn’t be… I don’t know if I’m supposed to be here. I don’t know if you even want to hear this or if it makes a difference, but I-I feel like I’m intruding so much… Like I’m just-- forcing my way into this family - your family - a-and I’ll never know how one of the most important people in their lives feels about it… I’m sorry.”

Her fingers curled into her hair at the separation of her braids. Every word she whimpered was a muffled mess against her knees, peppered with trembling breaths, sniffs, and ragged sobs. Her throat burned with emotion. ”I-I’m scared… that you might not want me here… Th-that you might think I want to take them away from you… especially him -- a-and I don’t want that... Not ever. They love you so much... A-and I want them to keep loving you. I don’t think they could ever stop…”

Anita took a moment to catch her breath. She wasn’t sure how much time passed between her sitting and now, when it felt somewhere between hours and barely five minutes. How close was Mordekai to arriving on his bike in the snow? Had he even left the house yet or opted to give her more time? She thought she would have been freezing by now but the intensity of everything bloomed past her core and through her skin; her cheeks were hot and wet but too warm to be uncomfortable and the tremors of her sobs had kept her muscles loose. Her breath calmed. She turned her head against her legs and was nearly blinded by the white of snow all around her.

”I’m sorry for coming here like this.” Anita sniffed, her voice quiet and hoarse, ”I just… wanted you to know that…”

==

Mordekai underestimated how difficult it was to navigate his shitty mom bike through the frosted and unpaved roads of Barton-Bass’ken, but he managed, the parka and gloves for Anita tucked underneath his own jacket to warm it when they met, along with a small basket of annuals he plucked from the garden, a scarf from the coat rack, and a packet of pancake mix. By force of sheer stubbornness, he ignored the unrelenting cold and aches it brung just to be outside, and it helped that he was moving, convincing his s**t legs and his s**t bike to move faster than was responsible in the snow.

So, somehow, some way, Mordekai managed the distance between Duncan’s home and Graceland in the usual time - a good 30 minutes, maybe less, and he was by Graceland’s gate. He could not tell if he was too warm or too cold, and he rubbed his red nose and tucked his ears underneath his beanie, glancing over at the gravestones to try and spot Anita.

A few others were there, even in the thick of winter. He recognized a few faces from his visit with Aina last January. In the far distance, where Annie and Cerise’s gravestones were, he spotted Anita, looking pale against the snow. Carefully, he stepped off of his bike, swinging open the entrance to the gates just enough to fit himself and his bicycle through. Both the bike and iron whined at the pressure and movement, but he tried his best to be gentle, stepping carefully and slowly to be quiet for the other people present.

It had dawned on Mordekai that it was not right of him to take his bike as soon as he spotted Anita’s Oldsmobile, idle and empty, and it hurt to try and think of how cold she could have been while enduring the snow. As Mordekai approached Anita, he raised his head up some, waving to try and catch her attention.

“Hey,” Mordekai said, voice quiet as he drew near, boots crunching against the snow - he looked a bit bloated with the winterwear for Anita cozied inside of his zipped jacket. Smiling a tad, he reached underneath his jacket, pulling out the three now-warm items for her to take.

“I dunno if that’s weird,” Mordekai admit, smile widening a bit. With the additional items no longer tucked inside of his jacket, it felt so much colder outside than before. “But they’re warm?”

==

Anita looked up at Annie’s stone. Her mouth pressed against her knuckles, all pink and chilled, fingers stiff. She could have gone back to the car, could have warmed up a little, but something rooted her to the ground and she stayed all the while with the only comfort in the air that there was very little wind. Maybe it was the desire to be present, to stand out as a marker against the snow and prove to someone other than herself that she really had come here and she really had visited.

Was that selfish, to wish it known that she made the effort? She didn’t know. All she could feel was the chill in her bones and the goosebumps on her skin, her eyes still red and wet. When she flexed her fingers, they ached. Anita pulled her phone free and checked the time. As determined as she might have been, spending so long out in the cold wasn’t smart.

”Thanks for letting me sit here for a while…” she smiled and felt her lips begin to chap. There was no point sitting there in silence.

Anita stood stiffly and her knees protested; she wondered if that was how Mordekai felt every day in the cold and let out a soft breath. The gate opened but she didn’t look immediately, not until she caught movement in her peripheral from none other. Even as she saw him, even as her heart pounded and brought a little more warmth, as she returned his wave with a lift of her hand, her feet still felt like lead and she stayed where she was. ”Hey,” she said with as much gentleness, only to laugh as he pulled the items free, ”you’re silly... Thanks.”

She sniffed and donned the gloves first; the warmth almost burned as it settled into her skin but it was a welcome sting compared to the numbness of the cold. Anita pulled the parka around herself and buried her face against it before she slipped her arms into it properly, just to bask in the extra heat Mordekai had given it. Even just moments after pulling them on, she felt much less frozen -- and standing next to him, the weight in her legs lifted. She shifted, just a step or two closer, and let her forehead rest against Mordekai’s chest.

”Thanks for coming... “

==

“Try to be,” Mordekai hummed, chuckling as Anita took the items from him. He nodded, resting his hand against the edge of his bike basket as Anita pulled on her winterwear. As she warmed herself, he glanced to the side at Annie and Cerise’s gravestones - the poinsettias and photo albums left there were frozen over, powdered with snow since the last time a gravekeeper had come by to clean them. His expression softened to a muted frown as he extended the two women a wave, too, but his attention turned back to Anita as she stood, approaching him.

It brought a smile out of him, the feeling of her forehead against his chest. “No need,” he replied in lieu of her thanks - he took off the scarf he had carried around his neck, carefully bundling it around Anita. He touched his palm to his own cheek to check its warmth - having gloves on helped them not be quite so cold, and he placed his hand against Anita’s cheek, brows upturned.

“You gotta be cold, huh,” he murmured. She looked tired, worn and pallid and red from the cold. Tucking his chin on top of her head, he wrapped one arm around her waist, gently urging her closer. “I’m sorry. Shouldn’ta made you wait so long.”

==

She murmured, something of a verbal shrug at Mordekai’s question. Anita pressed her cheek into his palm and nuzzled gently despite the roughness of his hard-working hands. ”It’s okay,” she shivered and wasted no time in wrapping her arms around his middle with his invitation, ”I did need some time… It worked out.” Anita could only imagine how worried it would have made him if he arrived twenty minutes earlier while she was letting out so much emotion it was hard to catch her breath -- it was for the best he had come with some delay, she thought.

Anita rubbed Mordekai’s back with one freshly gloved hand and turned her head to kiss his palm. She leaned back to look at him, her face flushed and eyes damp. At least the air had dried her cheeks and the tear stains, she hoped, could not be felt beneath his fingers. ”What about you, huh? Biking out here…” Anita huffed with a tired smile; her eyes stung and her face felt sore, it always did when things bubbled over like that, ”We’ll have to let the car sit for a bit while it warms up.” She bit her bottom lip reflexively, then quickly released it. ”I can go start it up… if you want a minute.”

==

His fingers curled against Anita’s cheek as she wrapped herself around his middle, and he hummed, smiling gently as he craned his neck down to kiss the top of her head. “Good,” he replied, his answer plain and simple, a bit breathless in the relief he felt from meeting her here. He closed his eyes for a moment, giving Anita a gentle squeeze as he swayed slightly where they stood.

With the cold numbing the sensation in his fingers, he did not recognize the tears that had run down Anita’s cheeks. He leaned back with her, and the wetness in her eyes and red cheeks pulled a sad smile from him. She looked so horribly tired, and he brushed his fingers against her hair, laughing quietly when Anita spoke. He shook his head, glancing down at the floor as his feet shuffled against the snow.

“I’m okay,” he said, the hand against his bike basket gripping tightly on. He glanced at the small bundle of flowers he’d procured, and the pancake mix, and smiled gently at Anita. “You don’t gotta go anywhere, ‘less you wanna get warm. Just gonna drop some things off.” He kicked on the bike brakes, and it whined in protest as it buckled clumsily into the snow.

Before he collected his gifts, he wrapped both of his arms around Anita, giving her a small squeeze. “Thanks for comin’ by,” he whispered, resting the side of his head against hers. “Know they’re achin’ to meet you.”

==

Anita nodded. Her breath still felt a little shallow, her throat a bit clogged, and she swallowed back some emotion that threatened to return when he told her she was welcome to stay. The air was cold but he brought her warm things and she was reluctant to leave if he didn’t mind her presence. ”I’ll be okay until you’re done,” she closed her eyes against the brush of his fingers, ”I’m a lot warmer already…”

The squeak of the bike’s kickstand drew her attention enough that the adjustment of Mordekai’s arms caught her by surprise. Her breath left in one big sigh and Anita pulled her arms around him closer. All of the effort she put into making her emotions behave was for naught in the wake of his reassurance; her lips quivered and her voice wavered. ”Yeah?” was all she could manage to ask but it was enough - enough to hear the uncertainty.

==

Mordekai held Anita close as he heard her sigh, and he closed his eyes, nudging Anita’s head with his own as an affirmative to her shaky voice. “Yeah,” he echoed, his hands against the smalls of her back as he hugged her tightly, wanting nothing more than to help ease her spirits. But his sentiment was true, too, and he let out a soft breath, leaning back to look at her with a gentle smile. “Gotta meet their family,” he said, brushing some of Anita’s bangs aside.

As hesitant as he was to do so, Mordekai pulled away from her, leaning to the side to grab his gifts. “Here,” Mordekai whispered, grabbing the small bundle of flowers for Anita. His smile widened, and he held the pancake mix in his hands, gesturing with it to the tombstones. “Flowers are for both of ‘em, if you wanna say bye. And,” he laughed, glancing down at his pancake mix. “Annie’s favorite is pancakes. Usually cook ‘em for her, but she don’t like ‘em frozen.”

With one more encouraging look, Mordekai sobered, proceeding to the gravestones as he knelt down to meet their names. “Hi, Annie, momma Cerise. You meet Anita, huh. She’s lovely, right?” he cracked a smile, inclining his head. “Yeah. I know she’s too good for me.”

==

For as long as he held her, Anita clung to him. She relented as he leaned back and her smile trembled; her head hung at Mordekai’s assurance and she reflexively tried to hide her face in what of her hair hadn’t been brushed aside. She let him slip away from her and took the flowers carefully into both hands when he offered them. ”Oh,” was all Anita managed to say about the pancakes but she laughed all the same, genuine despite the odd mix of feelings she carried.

She stepped with Mordekai, back to where she had been. It felt less odd to be here with him than it did alone, less like she was intruding yet again. She kept the flowers close against her chest, then nearly hid her face against the petals when he addressed them. ”Am not,” she reached over to scritch the back of his head through his beanie, ”you fibber.”

Anita took a breath and stepped away, past Annie’s stone and toward her mother’s. She carefully pulled apart half of the bundle of flowers and knelt down to place them atop Cerise’s grave. ”It was nice meeting you…” she whispered.

==

“Am too,” Mordekai teased, humming as Anita scratched the back of his head - he arched his neck to smile at her briefly, watching as she walked closer to Cerise’s gravestone. He looked back to Annie, placing the box of pancake mix near her placard, and he reached over to the poinsettias and picture frame to wipe it of snow. He brushed the frost between his fingers to melt it, then crossed his arms, glancing to the ground as he thought on things to say, quietly listening to Anita as she extended her greeting to Cerise.

“I dunno what Anita told you ‘bout herself yet, Annie,” Mordekai began, and with a breath, he looked back up at her gravestone. “Bet she din’t tell you enough. She’s nice like that - sells herself short so you don’t feel bad, knowin’ you’ll never be half as wonderful. Got this way of talkin’ that makes you feel right at home. Has this way of holdin’ herself s’like it’s the easiest thing in the world,” he laughed, crossing his arms over his legs, “like it’s the easiest thing in the world keepin’ a family together.”

WIth a somber smile, he hung his head for a moment. “Yeah,” he continued, voice lowering. “Too good for me, right. Y’know I’m not fibbin’.”

==

Anita breathed quietly, her head inclined to the other flowers present against Cerise’s resting place. She could hear Mordekai’s voice behind her as he spoke to Annie but none of the words and, rather than listen closer, she whispered over them. ”Sorry, I’m just gonna stay here for a second… Let them have a little privacy.” Anita hummed and swallowed uncertainly. ”The pancakes thing is adorable, huh?” she laughed and let her forehead rest against her knee, ”That’s really sweet…”

When she listened again, Mordekai seemed to have gone quiet. Anita said her thanks to Cerise and offered the stone a brief smile before she stepped back to Mordekai’s side. She settled next to him in the same manner, at the same level, and offered the remainder of the flowers to Annie just beside the container of pancake mix. ”That’s smart,” she complimented softly; she tapped the side of the mix with the back of her finger, ”so she can make ‘em anytime she wants.” Anita smiled to him, tired but relieved. She leaned over to nudge his shoulder with her forehead. ”Do you want a little more time while I warm up the car?”

==

When Anita met his side, Mordekai glanced at her, smiling tiredly as she left the remainder of the flowers for Annie. He chuckled, a tad sheepish about his offering, and rubbed the back of his head. “She’s gunna judge me for bringin’ somethin’ premade,” he laughed, tone calm and teasing, “think she’ll find it in her to forgive me?”

With another hum, he leaned to the side as Anita rested her head against his shoulder, watching the gravestones for a moment as she spoke. “Nah,” he replied, smiling at Cerise’s gravestone - he offered his hand to Anita’s to help them stand. He turned to Cerise’s gravestone, resting his hand over the top of it in greeting. “Bye, momma Cerise. You two rest easy.”

He hitched up the kickstand with his feet, grabbing ahold of the handle as the wheels struggled to rotate in the shallow layer of snow. With a breath in, he nodded toward the iron gate at Anita. The pain he was feeling was undeniable, now, dulling his legs, but he put his best effort forth not to show it. “Les’go home,” he murmured, squeezing Anita’s hand.

==

”Of course,” Anita answered reflexively, with a small chuckle, but found herself turning to the side. The fact of the matter was, she knew very little of Annie’s preferences or personality, it felt strange to answer on her behalf even about something as small as that. She was grateful, then, that Mordekai offered his hand. It wouldn’t have been a problem if he wanted just a little more time to linger but it was cold and, as welcoming as he helped make it simply by being there, Anita did not want to overstay her welcome.

She smiled to the stones as best she could and dipped her head in agreement to Mordekai’s parting words. ”Thanks for meeting me,” Anita added gently and offered the two silent, resting women a small lift of her hand. Her gloved fingers slipped between Mordekai’s and she gave their arms a gentle swing of encouragement. ”And get warm…”  

[Rookeries]

Catharsis
January 2017

Three days passed painfully slowly. Aina did not forget what her grandfather had told her in the hospital - he would rest a spell and return home, and everything would return to normal. No more fevers, no more sleeping during the day. Armed with that knowledge, Aina still contended with school and lived out her days as normally as she could, but there was a great emptiness in her home that her grandfather had left in his absence. And, when three days passed, grandpa was still not home, and papa was still so sick and tired from his pains that did not go away since the start of winter.

But Aina was intent on helping - she did her best to water the garden, to keep up with her homework, to cook, to clean; everything was fine, everything was fine, she insisted. As the days went on, though, it was clear that the pressure of helping was having an effect on the little Frei - she was sleeping at school and immediately after her return home, and as much as she tried to insist that she could stay home, Mordekai called her uncle and requested his help. They agreed that it was too much to expect Aina to help as much as she did. While her guardians were sick, she would go live with her Auntie and uncle in Barton.

As much as she loved her Auntie and uncle, she did not want to leave her father behind, and she hoped that her grandfather would be home soon. But her father and uncle were honest with her: they did not know when her grandfather would return home, and Mordekai was sick, too; if she would allow them to, they both needed to rest a spell. And, with her Auntie and uncle, Aina could rest, too - she could focus on school and not worry about having to take care of her folks.

The decision to have Aina live with her Auntie was a snap one, and Aina did not have much room to argue before she would go to her Auntie’s. Her uncle only had the weekend to help her move to Auntie’s flat, and Aina felt frustrated in her helplessness. She was handling things. Why wasn’t anybody letting her help?

The pomegranate Frei sat alone in her room on the floor, hugging blankets in the far corner, where she usually sat with her books and art supplies to work with for the evening. Across from her was a small suitcase that she had never seen before. It was a plain black, worn from dust through the years, that was just big enough to carry her clothes and a few other supplies. As much as her father insisted on helping her pack her clothes and items, Aina urged him to rest - for once in a very rare moment, the pomegranate felt the need to be alone.

She reached up to one of her low bookshelves to grab the mason jar containing her butterfly, Agnes. “It’s okay, little lady, I won’t leave you here,” Aina murmured, gently resting the jar beside her. She rubbed her eyes and pulled herself out of the small bundle of blankets. A pile of clothes she would take was bundled up on the floor across from her, and all that was left to collect were her school supplies and other things she wanted to take. Aina shoved her box of art supplies halfheartedly in front of the clothes and pulled her backpack close to her.

Unzipping it, she pulled her mama’s journal from out of her backpack. She opened it to the front of the page and read her uncle’s writing on the inside cover: You said that journals were good for catharsis. Did you ever learn what that word meant?

Aina remembered looking the word up on her own the same day her papa had given her mama’s journal. It meant, if she recalled it right, a release of emotions, and she recalled back to when her grandpa explained to her what introspection meant in tandem - looking inward at your emotions, he said. She thought defining those things were so silly, months ago; who didn’t have the ability to look at their feelings? Who needed to let go of happiness?

Aina breathed in, breathed out; calm, calm. Breathe in, breathe out. She closed her eyes, brows furled worriedly, as she tried to think on what she felt, and the only thing she knew was that she was not very happy. She felt a whirl of emotions that she did not want to keep instead.

Aina breathed in, breathed out, and she opened her eyes again, setting her mama’s journal aside on the floor. She looked inside of her backpack - catharsis. She did not keep a journal of her own. She found her notebook - no, that was almost full. She set the notebook aside, too, and found one last book in her backpack: The Sky Prince, its cover empty and sky blue and a little more weathered from its time in Aina’s company.

She opened the little sky blue book, her fingers running through every carefully written line her mama had produced, admiring every sketch that went along with the tale, until she reached an empty page. And she read it again and again, until she grew more and more frustrated with the blank pages that followed, wings bristling as she settled into her own discontentment.

“Would you have finished this book with me, mama?” she asked, staring at the first empty page, frowning. She sniffed. No answer followed.

“Did you know this book’s my favorite? Even though it’s not finished yet,” Aina continued, sniffing again, “‘Cause it’s about you and me. I miss you.”

Aina breathed in, breathed out.

Calm, calm.

“I can write for you, too, okay?”

Instead of packing, Aina grabbed a stray crayon from the floor - and, carefully, she began writing in the little sky blue book.  

[Rookeries]

THE SKY PRINCE RETURNS
An interpretation of Aina Clarke-Kantor

It was many years before the Sky Prince made her return to the kingdom above the clouds. Was it triumphant? That is hard to say: long ago, the subjects of the World had thought their dear Prince vanished. But with her and the Sky Empress’s sacrifice, The Great Evil had subsided to meek shadows, casting itself away to the darkness offset by sun and brightness.

But was it triumphant? Of that, I am not sure: after all, the Sky Empress was no more. And, when the Sky Prince returned, her heart lay in ruin as her father told her thus. Her dear mother had prayed for her safe return, and yet her long journey had sprawled into many years, and the Sky Empress had succumbed to her malady before the Sky Prince had returned with a cure.

It made everything stretched-thin and tiresome for the Sky Prince, but no one knew, as her mother’s love had kept her youthful beyond time’s reach. The Prince of Clouds, after all, was nothing but radiance and cheer, curiosity and naivete: no challenge could wear her, her subjects thought.

So, perhaps I can say this: it was triumphant for the World, yes, but for the Sky Prince, she felt nothing but emptiness. In secret, she had returned home defeated and despaired, for no cure could cure the Sky Empress of her sickness.

The Sky Prince’s journey had merely taken away something most dear: her chance to say good-bye.  

[Rookeries]

Dull Day
January 2017

Aina packed her suitcase and backpack and held hands with her father through the bus drive from their home to Barton. It was a quiet trip. Mordekai spent most of the commute with his eyes closed, feeling a bit too tired from their busy days and pains, and Aina kept herself occupied by staring out the window. The Frei helped her father navigate their way to Lighthouse Coffee using his phone; that was where they were to meet her Auntie and uncle for her stay at Leigh’s flat.

Given the mild winter day, the cafe was packed more than Aina had seen the handful of times she had visited the venue. She pushed the door open using her side, her hands occupied by her suitcase and Mordekai’s hand, and she glanced around the area to try and make out the familiar faces of her Auntie Leigh and her uncle. When she spotted Johan sitting near one of the windows, she waved, and Mordekai followed suit.

Johan: -setting his book down, he gestures to Aina and Mordekai at Leigh- “They’re here.”  

[Rookeries]

goodness gracious i gotta get it 2gether

Creature Comforts
January 2017

After clearing Aina’s temporary stay at Leigh’s flat, Johan did what he could to arrange his time away from the office and university to help his niece with the transition. As much as Aina adored her Auntie, it was clear that the girl felt it was her duty to stick by her grandfather’s side to help him, and she did not handle it well when she was denied the chance. Johan saw Aina angry for his first time when he tried to explain that this was not her responsibility, and she did not speak to him much during their first few days together.

Johan soon learned that the Clarke-Kantors had been dealing with the loss of a friend in recent times, as well, and it was a hard winter to be sure.

After making a few calls around to the friends Aina knew, Johan managed to get in contact with Mrs. Holmes in Gambino. It was odd meeting so many folks associated with Lab in such short a time, but Mrs. Holmes and her son Lorin, Duncan explained, were also steadfast friends to those at Vermillion. In a vie to lift spirits, the two agreed on meeting at the Holmes household for a brief get together. It seemed like the two young Freis needed some comfort, after all, and seeing another friendly face might help them both.

Arming Aina with as many comforting things as he could - the back of his car was littered in blankets, a few trinkets, and Aina’s backpack of art supplies and games - Johan called Mrs. Holmes and asked if those in the house would like cups of coffee. After picking up his and their orders from Propeller Roasters, he drove himself and his niece to Lorin and his family. Once her backpack was strapped on, Aina wrapped herself in her blankets, and Johan held her hand to the entrance of the bungalow.

The Frei stared at the floor, a bit quiet, and Johan - with both of his hands occupied, one with his niece’s hand and the other with a to-go tray of coffee - nudged the doorbell with his elbow.

“How are you feeling, Aina?” he asked, glancing at her as they waited at the porch. Aina smiled up at Johan.

“‘M okay,” she replied.  

[Rookeries]

Technical Difficulties
January 2017

Johan had finished paying off Gabe’s commission for a custom computer for Aina and her family months ago, back in November, but actually getting the computer built was taking much longer than expected for reasons beyond either of their control. The main reason was the parts getting shipped either in complete fragments or extremely delayed during the holiday season. Another reason was the piss-poor timing in which the last of the parts had arrived - helping Vermillion sidetracked their interest in receiving the computer at all, and Duncan fell ill near the beginning of the year in between the ensuing chaos, and getting a computer set up was at the very last of his family’s priorities.

Still, after it was agreed that Aina would stay at Leigh’s home for an undetermined amount of time, it seemed like the Frei needed any and all types of pick-me-ups. Johan mentioned mister Gabe, which seemed to brighten her mood at least a little, and he invited the elected Robot Genius to build the computer at Leigh’s flat, with her permission. He recalled that Leigh had only met Gabe once before, in passing at a cafe in Gambino, and Aina was eager to sing Gabe’s praises concerning his intelligence and knowledge of Star Wars.

While waiting for Gabe, Johan set himself up with a small army of work that was collecting from his time away from the office at Leigh’s coffee table. Aina volunteered to make tea, and afterward, set up her art supplies to color next to her uncle. She chose to watch a rerun of Frozen on television but politely requested that they switch to Star Wars as soon as mister Gabe arrived.

If Johan were being honest, it was mildly distracting hearing Let It Go so many times while researching intensive cases regarding some perturbing felonies. Aina was already dozing slightly against the surface of the coffee table midway into the movie.

Johan: -he takes his reading glasses off, sighing as he takes a minute to think, leaning back against the couch - glances over at Leigh, keeping his voice low- “Do you like this movie?”  

[Rookeries]

PLACEHOLDER - Vesna's Bday, Feb '17  

[Rookeries]

PLACEHOLDER- Lorin's Bday, March '17