Revenge Is Sweet

42 - Paroxysm

✶𝙶𝚛𝚎𝚢✶

Sophia wakes up a little earlier than she normally does this morning. She seems excited to go downstairs and outside to check on her plants.

She even urges me to hurry up and get some shoes on to go with her. I'm already dressed by the time she gets up.

I didn't sleep much last night, I couldn't relax.

She says she wants to eat before she goes outside to work on her garden. Apparently, she had a dream last night about it and wants to do something with it.

She won't tell me what.

So, here we are. She sits on the kitchen counter with a bowl of cereal, perfectly content. I take a deep breath, preparing myself to pop her little bubble.

"Soph," I begin. She hums, in the middle of chewing her cereal. "I'm, uh, going to get out of the house today." I warn. "Maybe be gone all day. I don't know."

Sophia frowns, her chewing slowing down. She swallows before she answers me. "Can I go?" She quietly asks. But something in her voice tells me she knows my answer.

"No."

She watches me for a long moment. "Okay." She eventually agrees. Then clears her throat and looks down at her lap. "Hey, while you're out, will you get more milk? We're out." She mutters.

It's a clear attempt at brushing over what she knows is happening. I'm grateful for it.

She told me not to talk to her about it like she was a kid, but that's not how I meant it at all. I sugarcoat it as much as possible because I don't want her thinking about it.

If I could erase this part of me from her mind, I would.

"Yeah." I breathe. "Anything else?"

"No. I think we're okay."

"Okay."

Sophia looks less interested in her cereal after that. She stares at it for a second before just setting it off to the side.

I frown as I silently decide that next time, I'll wait for her to be finished with her food before I say it.

"You should get off the counter before Grey realizes where you are." Sophia whispers, looking across the kitchen. I glance over and spot Clementine sitting on my freakin' counter.

I narrow my eyes at her. "Clementine." I warn. She stares at me, wide eyed like she's surprised she's in trouble for this.

Sophia laughs quietly to herself. I turn my attention back to her, not all that concerned about Clementine.

Sophia's smile slowly fades away, just staring at her lap while she lazily kicks her feet in the air.

I sigh and glance down at my shoes. "I'll try be home before sundown." I give her a small smile as I begin to leave the kitchen.

"Be safe."

I pause, just about to leave the kitchen.

She knows where I'm going. She knows the cruel thing about to do. And yet, she still tells me to be safe. She wants me home safe.