𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬 - regulus black

chapter ninety seven

"I don't think you're ready"

What could Candace possibly mean, Adena was confused, but her sister told her soon enough what was happening.

"Wait, don't go up yet."

Adena stopped in her tracks and let her luggage fall back to the floor.

"What's the matter?" she asked turning around to face her.

"It's about Mum," she answered right away, sounding serious, and worrying instantly the brunette. "She's sick. She fainted at work three weeks ago. Her health has deteriorated a lot. She's currently resting upstairs."

The young girl was shocked. These words had struck her. Her mother was sick. She became so weak and even fainted.

"Is it serious?"

"She got out of St Mungos last week. They said she has extreme fatigue and that she has become very weak because of work. And now she only needs rest."

She stayed silent. Her mother only needed rest, but she felt so worried.

"Can I see her?"

"Yeah, but don't be surprised... she's changed..."

Adena followed her sister upstairs, walking each step anxiously, wondering how bad her mother's health condition had worsen. Candace led the way to the guest room.

"We thought it'd be better if she was sleeping alone, especially since Dad wakes up early."

The girl nodded and prepared herself mentally to see her mother. Once Candace had opened the door, Adena felt frozen in place. Her eyes looked straight at her mother, lying in bed, under blankets despite the summer weather outside. Her face looked extremely pale and she had clearly lost weight. Maybe she had lost hair too. She looked so much older now. It was the worst state she had ever been in. But when she glanced up at Adena, her lips were smiling.

"Welcome home darling," said Juliet in a weak voice, almost inaudible.

Adena approached her and kneeled at her side.

"Hey Mum. How are you?" she asked, not being able to hide her worrisome.

"Not bad," replied the woman.

Not bad? What did it mean? Had she looked worse? So many questions were popping up in the girl's head.

That night, Adena didn't feel like eating, nor did she felt like sleeping or doing anything. She just stayed by her mother's side, holding her hand. Even when her father came home from work, she didn't move, and they talked a little. He looked more tired too, his wife's condition must have affected him as well. She tried to find some sleep but in vain, her mother's worrying state was keeping her awake, as well as the many questions in her head. The brunette did not always had the best relationship with her mother, being left alone most often during her childhood when she needed a mother but her mother would instead focus on her work as the Minister's secretary which she was so proud of. She had so much resentment towards her, even anger maybe, but she was still her mother. While she wasn't worrying about her daughter, Adena would still worry about her mother.

The next morning, Candace came into the room with their mother's breakfast.

"Dad said you had to come down to eat breakfast Adena,"  she said. "It'll be good for you, you look awful."

"Yes, go eat darling," said her mother kindly. Adena nodded and started heading out, leaving her mother and sister together. But before going down, she passed by her own room. She noticed that her stuff was tidied, thanks to Pimchin, and then she remembered she still had to talk to Regulus like he had asked her to. Taking out a piece of parchment and some ink she started writing at her desk.