Cardan and Jude

Reconciliation (And getting better)

I escort the man to the nearest police station, once he's fully come round. Much as I would like to leave him bleeding and broken in a ditch, that's apparently not how they do things in this world. Home seems like the last place I want to be right now, but I go back anyways. 

'Jude? You're back early... did they give you the night off?' Vivi asks immediately as I slump through the door. 

'Val thought I should have the tonight to myself.' I explain, putting the vials of Nevermore on the kitchen island.  

'Did you agree to something? Do we owe them?'

'No, Vivi, she was just doing me a favour.' 

'Oh. Very well. Oak's just through watching cartoons. I ordered pizza tonight as a treat; there are leftovers in the fridge.' 

I make my way to the fridge and pull it open, suddenly ravenous. Besides, if I stuff my face with 'Meat Feast', I won't have to face telling my sister about finding Heather sobbing in an alleyway right away. 

'Are we gonna talk?'

'About what?' I ask, purposefully avoiding her point. I keep my back to her whilst I pour myself a glass of chilled soda, the other hand stocked with pizza. 

Oak comes through now, clutching his favourite teddy bear that Heather won him in a claw machine. 

'Do we have lemonade?' 

'Only limeade, sorry sweet.' Vivi says, patting his head. He pretends to gag and runs back into the front room. 

'You know what I mean, Jude. We need to talk about Oak going to the elementary.'

I'd almost forgotten about that, what with everything that's happened since I left. 

'I still think he shouldn't go, but I talked to Val and she made some valid points about what we've all been through recently. I haven't been fair on you; I know Heather breaking up with you really hurt and you've been struggling - I was too focused on myself and my problems to realize, so I'm sorry. Much as you deserved it.' I poke. 'I also think that Oak should have more freedom than I've been allowing him. You're right, he needs to go play with Thomas down at the creek and bring back jars of tadpoles. But I can't let you enroll him in the school. It is just too dangerous. There's a difference between the boundary being the neighborhood and the boundary being a school across town.'

Vivi takes in all my words, and even gets a little teary-eyed when I mention Heather. She wipes at her eyes furiously and then replies. 

'Okay you're right. I just wanted Oak to have a little normalcy in his life because everything's been so topsy turvy recently. And I'm worried he feels like he doesn't fit in with the other kids around here. The last thing I want is him being outside of what he's used to and then feeling insecure about it.'

'Normalcy for Oak would be living at Madoc's house with Oriana. Besides Oak's too young to care about fitting in. Maybe this is something you're worried about?' I suggest, taking her hand. 

'Oh god, perhaps you're right. I feel like all the parents around here think there's something wrong with me and that I'm not fit to take care of Oak. But whatever - what you said about Heather, I think I'm finally moving on Jude. I've been feeling better lately.' She offers me a smile which I can't return.

I scrunch up my face. I have to tell her. 

Vivi is mortified. 

'I have to go to hers right now.' Vivi says, scrambling for the house keys. I catch her arm.

'Heather went home and not here for a reason. Let her come back when she's ready.'

'She was coming here? She bought flowers? When I'm in the wrong? I don't deserve her. Oh god Jude, is she alright?'

'I don't think so, I mean she got assaulted. But I got the man to the police and I walked her home so she's definitely safe. I'm sure she'll be back and then you can talk.'

Vivi slumps onto one of the stools and holds her head in her hands.

'Maybe you could message her?' I suggest.

'Yes! I'll do that!' Vivi jumps out her seat and runs to her room.

'But don't be too full on!' I shout after her.

I take her empty stool and adopt her position. I need to sleep for about a week.

The front door opens and closes and I roll over, trying to discern whose footsteps are shuffling round the kitchen. The clock on my bedside reads about six in the morning and I'm determined to sleep for at least another three hours, but the smell of fresh pastries guides me out of bed, to it's source. 

Vivi stands in her coat, nose and cheeks pink from the cold morning air, clutching her paper bag of goodies.

'You went out? But it's so early?' I yawn, stumbling over to peer in the bag. Being in the human world has made me the opposite of a morning person - I'm still getting used to the time frame they operate by.

'I was at Heather's last night.' Vivi says, desperately trying and failing to keep a huge grin off her face.

'What? When the fuck did you go out?' Amazed at how I missed her.

'Pretty late, you and Oak were already in bed and I figured you wouldn't care too much if I went. I left you a note in case you woke up and got worried; I didn't want to disturb you. It looked like you were having the best sleep of your life.' 

'True.' I yawn again, too tired to get upset over it. 'So what happened with you and Heather?'

'I think we're getting back together.' Vivi grins, her beam widening. 'But early days. We were talking on the phone for ages last night and she asked me over, so I went.' 

I raise an eyebrow, hoping she catches on to what that implies - going over to her ex-girlfriend's house late at night? - thankfully she does.

'Jude! It wasn't like that! God! We just chatted a little bit more and caught up. We talked about the incident yesterday too. She says she's doing okay, just processing everything. And we're going very slowly.' Vivi spills.

'I'm glad things are getting better. Now can I have whatever's in that bag?'

'Did you get me a danish?' Oak asks, appearing in the doorway in his robot pyjamas, rubbing bleary eyes.

'You bet I did kiddo!' Vivi says, hoisting Oak's prize in the air.

We sit down for probably the least tense breakfast we've had in a long time and feast on fresh-baked pastries and scalding coffee.