A New Dawn

Chapter 5 - Briar

I set my pen down and let my head drop on the bed. I finally got through all the annotations in Quiet Night. I was trying to read the book itself, but it would've been a crime against humanity if I didn't add to the insightful annotations. It also would've been a crime against humanity if I didn't berate the dumb ones.

Some people signed their names like Marlowe said, but the best annotations aren't signed which kind of sucks. I'd love to have a conversation with whoever wrote these comments. They seem to get Lanh, Hien, and Hai on a personal level from Lanh's internal conflict about what she wants to do to Hien's confusion about what she should or shouldn't do in the name of pleasing her parents to Hai's need to take out all his anger on other people or channel it in the things he likes to do.

I check the time on my phone. It looks like I spent... all night... appreciating these annotations. Not a bad way to spend an all-nighter. And I don't mind doing it again for the next two books.

I force myself to stand and get ready for the day. When I come downstairs, I head straight for the door, but someone calls my name. I pause and turn to face the kitchen where Grandpa and Mẹ are sitting. They already have mugs of coffee and breakfast set out on the table.

"What are you doing up so early?" Grandpa asks.

I gesture behind me at the door. "Going to get the next two books in Dad's series."

Mẹ laughs, taking a sip from her mug. "You already finished the first book?"

I nod, joining them at the table. I sit next to Mẹ, pulling a plate of waffles towards me. "Yep. And I responded to all the annotations, too."

Mẹ and Grandpa exchange amused looks. Grandpa smiles at me. "Sounds like what your dad would've done when he was your age."

"And what he would do now," Mẹ adds.

Grandpa raises his eyebrows. "Does he still stay up to read or is it just to write?"

I glance at him, feeling a weight settle on my chest. His voice is filled with nostalgia, genuine curiosity, and... sadness... But that's kind of on him. Thinking that makes the weight double down, but I shove it off. It's not like I'm wrong. It is on him. But I guess he's trying now.

Mẹ nods. "It's usually to write, but in between drafts, he'll stay up to read."

Grandpa smiles. "I'm guessing that's why he's still asleep?"

Mẹ snorts. "You have no idea. He was writing when I went to sleep, and when I woke up at three in the morning, he was still on his laptop. I made him go to bed, and I'm a little surprised he's not already up again."

"He's gonna be mad if he loses his train of thought," I laugh, taking a bite of waffles.

Mẹ waves me off, rubbing at her eyes. "He'll get over it. And his books always turn out great anyway." She smiles at me, propping her head up. "It's like how you used to get mad when we interrupted your rehearsals with Sarina because we ruined your mindset for the scene."

I stop chewing for a second and have to look down at my plate. It's hard to start chewing again now that my mouth has gone dry, and I have to take a few sips of milk. When I finally get the cinder block of waffles down my throat, I say, "At least that's not something you have to worry about anymore." I can't stop the edge from infiltrating my voice. Mẹ frowns while Grandpa glances between us. Shit. I take a deep breath and force a smile on my face. "Isn't that a good thing, though, since you don't have to deal with me being dramatic and being Dad's daughter?"

Just like I thought, the last part makes Mẹ laugh. "You're pretty much always your father's daughter." Her smile sobers. "Except when you perform. That's when you're my daughter."