Shallow Valley

7.Snow

7.

Our families huddle closely
Betting warmth against the cold
But our bruises seem to surface
Like mud beneath the snow
(Sleeping At Last-Snow)

Family lunch, an unknown concept for Lexa, Madi and Aden. They had never had one. Maybe because there was no family to have lunch with. Lexa's only known relative was her uncle Titus. She wasn't even sure that he was her uncle at all. On Madi and Aden's side, they had no one too. Their mom was an orphan and so they had never met their grandparents or their uncles. Sometimes, Madi had wondered how should it feel to have grandparents or a big family who would have taken care of her. She had understood that, maybe, she would have liked it but, at the end of the day, she didn't care. She needed no one. This was the reason why she didn't was so happy about that Sunday lunch. She didn't want to meet a fake uncle. She didn't care at all. Moreover, Lexa was trying to cook something and everybody knew that she wasn't able to prepare anything similar to edible food. A stinky burning smell filled the house.

"Lexa, I think that your poisonous potion is ready!" Madi said, turning off the stove. Lexa ran to the kitchen and sighed. Everything had become carbon.

"What should be meant to be?" the girl asked, pointing a pan full of black burnt food. Or, at least, she thought it was food.

"Potatoes, I think." Lexa answered, sad. All the hours she had spent trying to cook had been useless. Madi laughed. She couldn't help, but find Lexa's kitchen attempts hilarious.

"Can you help me instead of laughing? We're late.". Madi nodded and got serious for a while, but then she burst in laugh again. Lexa groaned and rolled her eyes.

"Okay, out of my kitchen. Go and help Aden getting dressed." Lexa ordered.

"Yes, Heda ." Madi answered, jokingly. Lexa froze for a moment. She grabbed Madi's wrist and forced the teen to turn. The girl looked at the woman in fear.

"Let me go!" Madi whined.

"How did you call me?" Lexa roared, ignoring her.

"You're hurting me! Let me go!"

"Mama, it's snowing!". Lexa and Madi turned to the door. Aden was giggling, happily. The woman suddenly realized what she had just done. She let Madi go, regretting immediately how she had acted. The teen ran away, in panic. Fortunately, Aden didn't understand what was going on. He started jumping around Lexa, full of enthusiasm. Lexa bent down at him and smiled at him.

"Not now, sweetheart. Go to your room, I'll be there soon." she told him. Aden nodded and obeyed, diligently. Lexa sighed. She was full of shame. She didn't want to hurt Madi. She knocked the door of her room, shy. Lexa could hear the teen sobbing.

"Madi, can I come in, please?" the woman asked.

"Go away." the answer was. Lexa swallowed. She was a total failure.

"I'm sorry." she muttered. "Please, forgive me.". The door opened. Madi appeared and, for a brief moment, Lexa hoped that there would have been hope for them. However, when the girl gazed at her with eyes full of horror and hate, she understood that she was wrong.

"You'll never be like mommy. You are just a fake mother, a surrogate, someone who pretends to be a parent. And now, go away." she hissed, slamming the door. Lexa stood still, with no idea of how acting. She had never been so happy to hear the doorbell ringing, even if she didn't know who could be. She opened the door, gasping when she recognized Clarke being in front of her.

"Hi! Are you ready?". Lexa raised her brow.

"Excuse me?".

"Anya and Raven are already at Nyko's place and they told me to drive you because you don't know where he lives.". Lexa was more confused than before. Nyko was Lincoln and Anya's uncle, she knew that, but what about Clarke? What was her relationship with the Woods family?