The White Queen (S.Rogers)

Chapter 4

"I need you to be strong, now, Brooklyn. I need you to be strong. Not for me, but for Juliana, and for yourself." She felt the words against her temple, where her father's lips pressed. His flesh hand cradled the back of her head, his metal arm holding her tight. "I need you to remember that I love you, and I will be with you as soon as I can be certain I'm not a danger to the two of you."

Tears cascaded down her cheeks, to be soaked up by his shirt, as whines of denial left her throat. Her fingers grasped at the fabric of his coat. Trying to keep him with her, to not let him leave.

"Brooklyn, listen to me. In all my life, in everything I have done, you are the one good thing I have had. I need you to remember that, remember that you are my Baby Girl."

Fingers poked at her cheek. Opening her eyes, Brooklyn squinted in the morning light, at her sister, who was laying on the bed next to her. Groaning, she shut them again.

Juliana giggled and poked her again. "Lyn, wake up. Breakfast time."

Brooklyn groaned again and tried to pull the blanket over her head. "Go away."

Still giggling, Juliana pulled on the blanket. "Breakfast, Lyn. Time to wake up."

Sighing, she let her little sister pull the blanket down. Reaching out, she stroked Juliana's cheek. "Did you hit the button on the coffee machine?"

The four-year-old nodded. "Yup. Pushed the button, and it made the perk perk pop sounds."

"Good girl." Brooklyn stretched. "Alright, I'm up. I'll be in the kitchen in a moment. Why don't you go watch the tv for a bit?"

Juliana made a happy sound and climbed off the bed, skipping out of the bedroom, her nightgown swinging around her knees. Brooklyn let herself have a few more moments in the comfort of her bed, before she sighed and got up. The bustle of Carroll Gardens ran under her window. She could tell, even before checking the weather, that the temperature was going to be high today.

Their first summer in New York. Free.

Not bothering with the robe tossed across the chair in the corner of her room, she yawned, and made her way into the hall, then into the living room. Juliana was sitting on the floor, between the coffee table and the couch, staring at the tv, where puppets were talking about letters. When the puppets talked to the audience, she was quick to respond.

Brooklyn walked to the kitchen, opening the fridge, and checking the state of the breakfast prospects. Grabbing the creamer, and the milk, she placed both on the counter before snagging the box of cereal off the top of the fridge.
"Cereal today, Little One." She opened the cupboard above the counter, and brought out two bowls, then a coffee mug "we have to do some shopping after we go to the school to pick up your paperwork."

"'Kay." Juliana got up and climbed, with no little difficulty, on to one of the stools on the other side of the counter. "We go to da park?".

"it's 'CAN we go to THE park?'" Brooklyn shook some of the cereal into one of the bowls. She didn't think the bright colored marshmallows in the cereal were healthy, but Marcus had encouraged her to try different things since they had been free.

"Can we go to THE park?" Juliana repeated.

"Maybe. It depends on how warm it gets today. I also have to go to work tonight, so you will be spending the evening with Mrs. De Luca." She added milk, and opened the drawer containing the silverware, grabbing a spoon. Sliding both in front of her sister, she turned around and began to make herself a cup of coffee. "I'll be back to pick you up after my shift."