And the Sunlight Clasps the Earth (Chaelisa)

vii

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"How did you end up... here?" Alissa asked one evening, holding her chilly hands up to the warmth of a fire Remi had lit a while earlier. The knife in the bandit's hand suddenly stilled and she looked up, a small frown on her face.

"What do you mean?"

"Living in the forest." Alissa shrugged, hesitant to probe any further. "Seems like a life choice you didn't exactly plan."

For a while, Remi only stared at her, thoughtfully, and Alissa fought the urge to squirm under the piercing gaze. But then the other woman turned her eyes away and picked up another piece of wood, continuing to chip away with her knife.

"No, I did not plan this." Remi's voice was laden with uncharacteristic wistfulness. "But, sometimes, life serves you cards you didn't ask for, and you just have to make the most of it."

Alissa expected her to continue, but Remi stayed silent.

"That's it?" She asked incredulously. "That's all you're divulging?"

Remi looked at her as if there'd been nothing strange about her cryptic words. "Yes." She shrugged and, yet again, went back to whittling the stick in her hand.

"I don't know why I bother." With an undignified huff, Alissa thrusted her hands closer to the fire, nearly burning her fingers in the process. Remi was, most certainly, the most annoying person she had ever had the displeasure of bumping into!

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For the second time in as many weeks, Lisa was parked outside of Roseanne's house. Well, scratch that, it was a goddamn mansion, which is why Lisa was fidgeting in her car, trying to build up the courage to actually approach the almost majestic building. When she couldn't prolong the inevitable anymore, she took a deep breath, grabbing the two bottles of wine she'd bought—Minnie had advised her to go down the more sophisticated route instead of beer—and a small plastic bag. Slowly making her way to the front door, she shoved the feelings of inadequacy and not belonging to the back of her mind.

"Lisa!" The door was yanked open before Lisa had time to ring the doorbell, and a beaming face of Mason peered up at her.

"Hey, kid." Lisa instantly felt more grounded as Mason eagerly pulled her inside and slammed the door shut behind them. "Mom! Lisa's here!"

Roseanne, dressed immaculately, as always, in black slacks and white blouse this time, strolled through the door which Lisa figured would lead into the dining room.

"Yes, Mason. And remember what we've talked about the indoor voice?"

"Sorry," he mumbled, still keeping a hold of Lisa's hand.

"Good evening, Miss Manoban." There, in her own home, Roseanne seemed less intimidating, somehow. Lisa was, once again, struck by the natural beauty of the woman, everything from her downright elegant jawline to the soft curls framing her face. "I'm glad you finally decided to leave your car."

Christ. Distracted from her musings, Lisa felt her cheeks getting warm, but, thankfully, Roseanne seemed more amused than anything.

"Hi," she finally uttered. She gestured to the bottles of wine she was now hugging to her chest. "I wasn't sure what you're making, so... I brought red and white."

"Wine?" Roseanne seemed genuinely surprised.

"I can be classy, too, you know." Lisa rolled her eyes, purposefully ignoring the small voice at the back of her mind that reminded her it was actually Minnie who opted for the wine.