His Daughter

Hard Goodbyes

Third Person POV:
Sooner than any of them would've liked, the trio of blondes found themselves in the kitchen. Scarlett was quick to continue her attentiveness towards the two girls, purposely ignoring the tension plaguing the air. She didn't want to waste her limited time on a man who she knew would never admit to his wrongdoings. Though, just the thought of wasting it on a man in general was reason enough.

Carter had routinely fallen back into the mannerisms she knew too well. Regardless of the presence of the only two people she seemed to find comfort in, well the only two around her currently, Carter couldn't help but return to a state she was used to. Too used to.

Not that she could do much to change that. It'd been a part of her "routine" since she could remember. A part that her MiMi was tired of trying to break. A part that her Uncle Casey was constantly berating her father for. And a part that her Scarly wasn't aware of. Or maybe it just wasn't confirmed for her yet.

Rose took to recognizing the change in her endearingly named "sissy". The girl was observant for seven years old, practically eight if you asked her. She was mature and always seemed to pick up on the little details when she was actively trying. And with her mother's actions alone she knew something was happening. She might not understand it entirely but it didn't mean she was unaware.

Especially after their short exchange in the bathtub, the young girl had become increasingly protective of her "mini" as she kept referring to her in her head. She wanted nothing more than to understand why a man she adored so much could be so different with his own daughter. It made her question if it was her fault, but the remembered words of her mother were quick to discredit that.

She watched as the younger rested her head on her mother's shoulder, accepting the comfort, though not embracing it. She just laid there, staring into space with a distant look in her eyes. As the woman continued to make their breakfast, Rose followed her movements, hopeful that something would spark any change in her sisters demeanor. And when the change never came, the girl found herself looking around, thinking about what it meant.

The small girl had unknowingly become one of her favorite people. If not her favorite. She was her person. That may seem strange for the short amount of time they'd spent together, but only they could tell that time meant nothing.

Scarlett also took notice of the change in the youngest's behavior. She was more than likely where Rose had gotten her observational abilities from. Though, she unfortunately recognized the connection of the unwanted presence in the room, tying it to the probable cause of the child's distance.

The heartbreaking understanding that Carter's mannerisms wouldn't change for a while was what pushed her to act as if nothing was wrong. She simply hummed, rocking them back and forth as she cooked. The cuddles hopefully providing the last means of comfort before their inevitable parting came.

As she finished cooking, she plated their food moving to sit at the table. When she noticed Carter simply picking at her food, the young girl ended up on her lap for the remainder of the meal, taking bites when fed to her. Her slow chewing and staring into empty space more evidence of the issues at hand.

Breakfast was silent. Not the silence they'd enjoyed over the previous days though. It was tense. The air thick with words unsaid, regrets not had, and emotions unwanted.

The dreaded end of breakfast came faster than the girls were prepared for. They soon found themselves on the couch, soaking up the final fifteen minutes they had together before a week apart. Scarlett was hoping it was only a week. With her distaste for Colin and his unwillingness to understand how wrong he was, she was unsure if he'd be back the coming weekend.