Post by Deleted on May 9, 2017 9:47:24 GMT -7
"And where do you think you're going?"
Furrow looked up at her mother from her spot on the floor where she was putting on her shoes. Mama leaned against the doorframe as she looked down at her daughter. Exhaustion was evident in the lines in her face, the slump of her body, and even in the way her eyebrows didn't go up quite as high as they once used to. Furrow had only been in the fields a few hours today, but Mama had been there since sunrise. She had always been aware of this fact, but right now it seemed to compound the guilt roiling within her about what she was about to say.
"School project," Furrow lied, looking back down at her shoes as she finished putting them on. She knew she couldn't stare Mama right in the face and lie, because she'd never been a particularly good liar. Field was exceptional at seeing through her sad attempt at lies, but maybe Mama wouldn't notice if she passed it off as nothing. "Some of the other kids had work too, so we couldn't do it any earlier."
After a pause, Mama asked, "What class is it for?"
Coming from Mama, this wasn't necessarily suspicion, but it made Furrow freeze a little all the same. With the busyness of their lives, there wasn't always a lot of time to talk about things like school. Furrow used to love school, and as far as Mama knew, she still did - but there were topics and things more important than talking about what was going on in school. Mama was probably just curious, wanting to prompt her daughter into sharing a little bit about her studies. Furrow didn't have time for that though - it would take about thirty minutes to get to the dentist office on foot, and the clock was edging ever closer to 9. What if they left without her? "Social studies," Furrow said, standing and slipping her backpack onto her shoulder. "Nothing too exciting, just about the Dark Days." This second - and third? - lie came out easier than the first had, and she was able to smile at Mama now to help cement it.
Mama smiled back a bit, moving aside some of Furrow's braids before lowering her hand again. "Why don't you take Field with you? It's dark out there."
Oh no, there was no way in the great big world she could take her big brother. "No," Furrow responded, too quickly. "I'll be fine, Mama. Field's probably studying anyway. Those big tests are coming up, you know." Mama probably didn't know, with as much as Field talked, but that was at least true. They both had big tests around the corner, which Furrow should probably be studying for.
Mama searched her face for a moment, then finally let out a breath, relenting. She didn't want to fight, and Furrow was such a generally good daughter. The knot in Furrow's stomach twisted just a little tighter. "Alright, baby. Be careful, and don't stay out too late. And take Papa's flashlight." Mama turned away and headed into the kitchen, Furrow following behind. She opened a drawer and pulled out the black flashlight, which they normally didn't use because of the cost of batteries.
Already, Furrow was thinking about how little she could use it and still make it to the dentist office okay. "Thanks, Mama," she said, taking the flashlight and kissing her mother on the cheek. "Get some rest, okay?" And don't wait up for me, she added mentally. Her mother smiled, and then she was out the door, walking quickly but not too quickly toward a mystery.
Furrow didn't have a watch, so she had no idea what time it was when she was finally standing in front of Dekom Dentistry. The whole way there, her mind had been burning with curiosity and anticipation - both at seeing Birch again and at the prospect of this meeting. It had been on her mind in the fields that afternoon, tending to the growing plants much slower than she normally did. She'd dressed for tonight in long black pants that might be too small for her, but showed that she actually did have legs, and an intentionally-loose dark red top. Were you supposed to wear dark clothes to these things? She had no idea, but she'd picked them out just in case. That, and she looked okay in them. Now, she tucked Papa's flashlight into her backpack - she'd barely used it - and raised her fist to knock. She let out a breath in an attempt to calm her heart, then knocked three times on the door, hoping the Dekoms hadn't already left.
WC: 781
Tag: @birch
Notes: Hope this works!
Furrow looked up at her mother from her spot on the floor where she was putting on her shoes. Mama leaned against the doorframe as she looked down at her daughter. Exhaustion was evident in the lines in her face, the slump of her body, and even in the way her eyebrows didn't go up quite as high as they once used to. Furrow had only been in the fields a few hours today, but Mama had been there since sunrise. She had always been aware of this fact, but right now it seemed to compound the guilt roiling within her about what she was about to say.
"School project," Furrow lied, looking back down at her shoes as she finished putting them on. She knew she couldn't stare Mama right in the face and lie, because she'd never been a particularly good liar. Field was exceptional at seeing through her sad attempt at lies, but maybe Mama wouldn't notice if she passed it off as nothing. "Some of the other kids had work too, so we couldn't do it any earlier."
After a pause, Mama asked, "What class is it for?"
Coming from Mama, this wasn't necessarily suspicion, but it made Furrow freeze a little all the same. With the busyness of their lives, there wasn't always a lot of time to talk about things like school. Furrow used to love school, and as far as Mama knew, she still did - but there were topics and things more important than talking about what was going on in school. Mama was probably just curious, wanting to prompt her daughter into sharing a little bit about her studies. Furrow didn't have time for that though - it would take about thirty minutes to get to the dentist office on foot, and the clock was edging ever closer to 9. What if they left without her? "Social studies," Furrow said, standing and slipping her backpack onto her shoulder. "Nothing too exciting, just about the Dark Days." This second - and third? - lie came out easier than the first had, and she was able to smile at Mama now to help cement it.
Mama smiled back a bit, moving aside some of Furrow's braids before lowering her hand again. "Why don't you take Field with you? It's dark out there."
Oh no, there was no way in the great big world she could take her big brother. "No," Furrow responded, too quickly. "I'll be fine, Mama. Field's probably studying anyway. Those big tests are coming up, you know." Mama probably didn't know, with as much as Field talked, but that was at least true. They both had big tests around the corner, which Furrow should probably be studying for.
Mama searched her face for a moment, then finally let out a breath, relenting. She didn't want to fight, and Furrow was such a generally good daughter. The knot in Furrow's stomach twisted just a little tighter. "Alright, baby. Be careful, and don't stay out too late. And take Papa's flashlight." Mama turned away and headed into the kitchen, Furrow following behind. She opened a drawer and pulled out the black flashlight, which they normally didn't use because of the cost of batteries.
Already, Furrow was thinking about how little she could use it and still make it to the dentist office okay. "Thanks, Mama," she said, taking the flashlight and kissing her mother on the cheek. "Get some rest, okay?" And don't wait up for me, she added mentally. Her mother smiled, and then she was out the door, walking quickly but not too quickly toward a mystery.
Furrow didn't have a watch, so she had no idea what time it was when she was finally standing in front of Dekom Dentistry. The whole way there, her mind had been burning with curiosity and anticipation - both at seeing Birch again and at the prospect of this meeting. It had been on her mind in the fields that afternoon, tending to the growing plants much slower than she normally did. She'd dressed for tonight in long black pants that might be too small for her, but showed that she actually did have legs, and an intentionally-loose dark red top. Were you supposed to wear dark clothes to these things? She had no idea, but she'd picked them out just in case. That, and she looked okay in them. Now, she tucked Papa's flashlight into her backpack - she'd barely used it - and raised her fist to knock. She let out a breath in an attempt to calm her heart, then knocked three times on the door, hoping the Dekoms hadn't already left.
WC: 781
Tag: @birch
Notes: Hope this works!