||Hello Neighbour: A Better Timeline||

||Chapter 132: The Need For Space||

Next week Beatrix was freed on probation.

Beatrix sat away from Ike, who looked at his hands.
. . .
"Bea. . . I love you, I love you and Quentin; I do, but. . . I can't keep doing this."
Ike took his hat off,"I can't keep sitting around waiting to hear what you and Quentin do next, the next time you end up in the jail cell or hospital. . .", Ike gulped, a lump in his throat,"I need. . . I need space to think. . . We need space to think. . .", Beatrix nods, she so desperately wanted to not let the gap between her and Ike grow, but it felt like she was trying too late to undo the damage she caused.
"I understand. . ."
Imbir sat on Beatrix's lap.

~

Beatrix packed the van up, the essentials; She paused as Ike came out.
"You. . . Do you remember when we went to the summer camp, me and Quentin, cause of what we did?"
"Yes?"
. . .
"I heard mom and dad talking, if what they were doing was right. . . And Mom, she. . . Heh, she asked dad if we would hurt you."
Ike was taken it back, Beatrix had tears in her eyes as she looked into the van, Imbir curling up on the inside.
"Guess she was right. . . We hurt you and others. . ."
Beatrix turned to Ike,"I'll find Quentin, no sorry will make this right but. . . Just. . .", she rested her hand on his shoulder,"Just look after yourself and the others. . .", Ike nods,"You too. . . And find Quentin. . .", Beatrix nods, closing the van door, getting in the driver seat to leave and look for Quentin.
She spared a look in the mirror, watching the house grow small and Ike sitting on the porch defeated.
. . .
She sighed.
It will protect him. . . But now; She's gotta save her idiot brother from Smith.

=

That night, Ike sat on the floor of the living room, the TV barely filling in the silence that now plagued the house.
He hated it. . . The silence was so loud.
He took his hat off, running his hands through his hair and gripping it a bit.
This was for the best.
. . .
Then a thought crept into his mind.
He sat up a little, a way to fill in the silence and. . . Have company in the house.
He had the money, the time. . . He took out his phone.

=

"PUPPY!!!"
Aaron and Mya were stunned to see Ike bring in a white puppy,"Yeah, finally got the dog I wanted.", Ike put the dog down, the kids happily greeting her, the dog also happy to meet new friends.
Theodore stood in the doorway, nervous though happy for Ike,"Wanna pet her; Her name is Daisy.", Theodore sighed, he took off his gloves as Mya let the dog lick her face.
Theodore knelt down, examining the puppy as she ran around his kids to then looking at him.
Aaron could see his dad tense, ever so slightly in his shoulders and his hand twitched as the dog approached.
Daisy sniffed at Theodore's hand, Theodore trying to keep his arm from shuddering from the idea the dog would bite- He was literally in his 30s and still scared of any animal, he felt. . . Pathetic at times.
Daisy then barked, jumping up and down in front of him before licking his hand.
"That means she likes you and is showing affection."
"A-Ah. . . I see. . ."
Ike took out a ball,"You kids wanna play with her?", "Yeah!", so the kids got to play with Daisy in the backyard.
. . .
"You. . ."
"I know, it's pathetic. . ."

=

Beatrix parked the van for the night, she was gonna live in the van; She didn't want Crowface to try and find her before she found her brother.
"We'll be living in the van for a while, Imbir. . . But we'll be okay, we'll find Quentin and stop Crowface."
Imbir looked at her, curling up on a jacket as Beatrix went through Quentin's odd and disturbing drawings.
. . .
Is that. . . Someone with a cone on their head, a stop sign and. . . Rollerskates- Quentin, what is going on with you?