equinox [h.s]

prologue - one

1979.
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"Would you bring the bag over to them, please?" Her mum, Rose, asked from the stove. Her head glanced down as she stirred whatever was in the pot. Beatrix huffed quietly, enough so her mum couldn't hear.

"I heard that." She turned around, pouting at Beatrix.

Beatrix trudged over to her mum in the kitchen, her little height making the top of her head reach her mum's hips, "Mum, what if nobody is home and then I get lost? Or I get scared? Or somebody takes me?" She tried to reason with her.

"You know I would never let any of that happen. I'm asking you because I trust you." Her mum told her.

Beatrix's head tilted, a gasp coming from her chest, "More than Net and Lo?" She asked, hopeful and excited. If she said yes, then Beatrix would happily take anything over to Piper's.

Her mum chuckled, smiling down at her before grabbing the spoon and stirring the bubbling pot again, "I love you each the same amounts, cheeky." She sang.

Beatrix huffed again, this one her mum heard too.

"Come on, please," Rose shimmied her shoulders, dipping the large wooden spoon into the soup and carefully bringing it down towards Beatrix, her hand underneath it to catch any drips, "Do it for your Mumma?" She was so excitable there was no way Beatrix couldn't laugh. And so she did, her giggles making her mum smile even more.

Beatrix thought about it even though she was always going to do it, "Okayyyy." She sighed, stringing out the words and shoulders slumping playfully. Rose jiggled the spoon a little, a gesture for Beatrix to try. She did, nearing it and making sure it wasn't too hot before she engulfed the whole thing.

"Mmmm," Beatrix hummed, "Sweet corn soup."

Rose turned, balancing the spoon on the edge of the pot, "Your favourite." She smiled, turning back to Beatrix, she propped her hand onto her hip and pointed to the paper bag on the table, peering down at her little girl.

"Piper wanted some plums, will you bring them over to her, please? She said she'd make pie with some and invite us over one night." Rose grabbed the bag and held it out for Beatrix to take.

Beatrix took it, feeling it weigh down in her small hands a little bit.

Beatrix's eyes lit up at the thought of Piper's pie, the way she would always serve it with ice cream and let her choose how much she wanted. Beatrix liked Piper, maybe even loved her, but she was too much older than Beatrix for her to be her actual friend.

"Alright," She nodded to her mum, "See ya!"

She padded her way out of the kitchen, passing the empty living room which would normally have Net in it if she hadn't been at her friends house. Passing the closet underneath the stairs, she wondered if she should stop to put her jacket on but decided against it. She was already warm enough with her fuzzy yellow 'Daddy's biker girl' jumper and denim overalls.

She just about reached the door when she heard her mum yell from the kitchen, "Chuck your jacket on, please. Don't want you catching a cold."

Huffing quietly, Beatrix placed the bag down and ran over to the closet to reach for her jacket. She pushed each arm through and did up one of the middle buttons. Running back over to the bag, she picked it up again, twisting the door knob.