𝐆𝐎𝐋𝐃𝐄𝐍 𝐅𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐃. ᵒᵘᵗᵉʳ ᵇᵃⁿᵏˢ ²

10

10 . 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗺 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 .

    𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐒𝐄 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐑𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐃 by last night's occurrences. Too much had happened in the span of twelve hours, and despite the good news, it reminded all of them of what summer had been. Running, crying, sweating, more running, and hiding. For a while, they thought that part of their lives was simply over— they'd never have to hold their breath any more. But what happened that night, that night Ward's shots rang out through the sky, they realized that it was never really going to be over. They were suddenly thrust right back in the playing field of a game they knew, could end in all kinds of loss.

    And all of them, even Caroline and Daryl, were feeling it. The two grandparents thought it was all over— they thought they were done seeing their granddaughter come in crying, sitting at home and fearing if she was okay with all the danger looming around her, and thinking about the harm Ward could've done to their family if John B hadn't gone missing. Now, with the news that he was alive, the news that shook the house, they were back in that boat of worrying. If he was going to return, which they knew he probably would, everything would complicate even further— and they were back to worrying about her place in all of it.

    Charlotte didn't tell them what happened until she could speak in full sentences. That happened around midnight, but between the passing hours of then, and when she'd come home crying, Caroline and Daryl sat in her room. Caroline had braided Charlotte's hair once she was able to let go of her sobs, and Daryl read at her desk chair for a while.

    She finally told them about the day's events. Unable to recount the story of how John B contacted them, it made her heart hurt too much, she'd simply passed them the phone with the groupchat open. They read the messages, and Charlotte was too tired and weary to analyze their facial expressions, but she guessed that they were initially happy for her and happy in general, but also terribly frightened about what it meant for their family. And she was right— she knew her grandparents well. Caroline and Daryl did not know what to say at first, but they agreed that his existence was, more or less, a good thing. They didn't speak of their worries, because she was too upset for that. Such talk would wait until the next morning. All they knew, was that the news shook their little house on the Cut and riveted their thoughts all night long.

    Through the night, Caroline slept beside Charlotte. In the morning she woke carefully, and retreated to the kitchen where she began to fry up pancakes to lighten the mood. As she was sizzling them on the pan, she wondered how in the world her and Daryl would mention Ward. Would they have to tighten their rules? Or could they go as normal, with the same rules in place. And when was he going to realize they were back on the island— she assumed he already knew, but wondered why he hadn't done anything about it yet. Was he going to confront them? Ask where his "daughter" was?

    She bit her lip with anger and flipped the pancakes onto a plate to forget about thinking.

    Daryl didn't say anything as he trotted into the kitchen, from the hallway. His slippers dragged on the ground, and he wiped his eyes before settling them on his wife, there, standing at the stove. They caught eyes, but words didn't seem useful right then, because the look they gave one another was settling enough. They were both thinking the same thing.

    By the time he'd made his coffee and settled into his chair at the round table, Caroline was knocking on Charlotte's door.

    Charlotte was already awake— she'd been awake for an hour, but didn't say anything because she needed to think for a while without the knowledge of her grandparents' worrying weighing down her back. She lied there, with her eyes closed, thinking about everything until it became too consuming.