silent

50

• ELIJAH •

I turn around in bed when I feel the mattress dip a little bit. I furrow my eyebrows when I see Amalia climbing into the bed next to me, her puppy in her arms.

"Hey, angel." I say tiredly. "What're you doing?"

She doesn't respond, only sets Petal aside and scoots over to me, burrowing herself under the covers. She wraps her arms around my waist and snuggles her head into my chest.

"Okay." I mumble. "Sleepover."

I wrap my arms around her and close my eyes again, rubbing my hand up and down the small of her back. After a few moments she lets out a small, content sigh and stills, signalling to me that she's asleep.

I kiss her temple and lean back, exhaling a breath as I let sleep pull me into it's blanket.

• AMALIA •

I wake up when I hear the front door open and close. I blink the tiredness from my eyes and grab Petal before climbing out of Elijah's bed quietly so I don't wake him up.

I leave the room and walk down the hallway, then down the stairs. I set Petal on the wooden floor before I continue towards the dining room, where my exhausted looking dad is with my grandpa.

"—so what are you gonna tell her?" My grandfather asks.

"I don't know." My dad lowers his voice to a whisper, however I still hear it. "I can't tell her my crazy sister shot me, can—"

He glances at me, and his eyes widen. "Amalia—"

He stops himself when I slide my gaze to the cast on his arm. I make a small, nervous sound in the back of my throat and bring my hand up to my mouth, biting my nails. What the heckity hell?

I wrap my other arm around myself, a sudden ache starting deep in my abdomen. I wince from it and furrow my eyebrows as they both glance at each other.

"Amalia, why don't we go to the living room?" My grandfather suggests.

I shake my head.

He smiles nervously. "Okay. I'll make you some breakfast while you talk to your dad." He says, standing up from his chair and offering it to me before leaving.

     Tentatively, I sit in it. Petal plops herself down by my feet.

     "Hi, baby." He says softly. "Are you feeling okay?"

     I don't respond, my eyes glued to the cast on his arm. My eyes pool with tears.

     "Hey, I'm fine." He assures me. "I just.. had a little fall and hurt myself a bit."

     I shake my head. That's not what he said before.

"Can I have a hug?" He asks, his tone one of hope. "I feel like I haven't seen you in ages."

I nod after a moment and stand. He smiles and pulls me down onto his lap, then presses a kiss to my cheek. He wraps his arms around me as he runs his fingers through my hair.