[She's still unconvinced, but she drops it for now. Mostly because she feels like her face is going to melt with how red it's gone as she considers all of the things that he hasn't said vs. the things that he's put out on this table. If it's obviously burdening his heart that badly...
No, she doesn't even want to think about it. Not right now.
She drinks her tea in silence a while, hands clasping the cup so hard her knuckles nearly go white.]
[He'll silence himself as he spots her red cheeks, his own turning pink as he searches his head for something to say. It's a burden, surely, but he'll endure it for her sake.]
Have you ever been rowing?
[His words are blurted out as he stares at her, still pink.]
The weather should be nicer soon, enough to go rowing. If you were interested...perhaps we could go!
I've only gone with my older brother when I was much younger.
[Innocently!! But she hesitates after she says it, her expression dropping considerably. She'd said it, but now that she stops to actually try and think about it, it's a very fuzzy memory.]
[She says it like a joke, but her eyes are still closed as she continues to attempt to remember Ernest's stupid expression as he'd tumbled out of the boat.]
I see. How kind of your parents to adopt two orphan boys, even with such a large family already.
My late uncle Vincent used to throw large parties around Christmas and invite children from the orphanage to celebrate the holiday. I always found it incredibly kind of him and my late auntie Rachel to do so.
['Kind'. Right. She doesn't know exactly why her father brought those two into the house, but given what she's learned of him, it couldn't have been for 'kind' reasons. But she keeps that to herself because she doesn't have the energy for that type of conversation right now.]
That sounds more kind than anything my family did. [She pauses and then adds:] The Nightrays ran an orphanage, but...those children. Most of them were probably killed the same night that I was.
[She's about to argue that she's been dead a week and has technically done nothing but rest, but then she recalls what he'd said about her angry spirit and shuts up. Who knows what's really happened. All she knows now is that she feels completely drained.
Carefully, she stands up again and glances down at the flower arrangement once more.]
[His heart nearly leaps out of his chest when she takes his hand and he brings himself to his feet, following her lead as the two of them walk to her bedroom. His face is flushed as he keeps his own eyes on the floor. It's hard to believe asked such a thing from him, let alone took his hand in her own.]
[She's still flustered, but she's also still scared. Anxious. As much as she wants to be alone, she doesn't want to be alone yet.
She's completely silent as she walks him in, but as soon as they're inside of her room (with none of her flowers dead, as though she'd never left) she turns to him and demands:]
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No, she doesn't even want to think about it. Not right now.
She drinks her tea in silence a while, hands clasping the cup so hard her knuckles nearly go white.]
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Have you ever been rowing?
[His words are blurted out as he stares at her, still pink.]
The weather should be nicer soon, enough to go rowing. If you were interested...perhaps we could go!
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I've only gone with my older brother when I was much younger.
[Innocently!! But she hesitates after she says it, her expression dropping considerably. She'd said it, but now that she stops to actually try and think about it, it's a very fuzzy memory.]
I think...I think we did?
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Did you enjoy it?
I took Lizzie before, while mother and father rowed in their own boat.
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I can't remember. I thought I had...Ernest rocked the boat to scare me, but ended up falling in himself.
[But for the life of her she can't remember his expression or what he'd said afterwards.]
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[She says it like a joke, but her eyes are still closed as she continues to attempt to remember Ernest's stupid expression as he'd tumbled out of the boat.]
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[He can't imagine it. Really, he can't.]
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[She feels that she has to make this distinction more clear.]
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My late uncle Vincent used to throw large parties around Christmas and invite children from the orphanage to celebrate the holiday. I always found it incredibly kind of him and my late auntie Rachel to do so.
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That sounds more kind than anything my family did. [She pauses and then adds:] The Nightrays ran an orphanage, but...those children. Most of them were probably killed the same night that I was.
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[She sighs and puts her cup down again.]
If I ever dream of it again, promise me you won't watch.
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It's bad enough that I have to relive it, I don't want anyone else to be burdened because of it.
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I'm exhausted. Thank you...for helping me home and making tea, but I need to rest a while now.
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Carefully, she stands up again and glances down at the flower arrangement once more.]
Will you stay...until I fall asleep?
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She's completely silent as she walks him in, but as soon as they're inside of her room (with none of her flowers dead, as though she'd never left) she turns to him and demands:]
Cover your eyes so I can change.
[Don't you dare peek. B(]
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