anything and everything

Arinx and Aliyan

"hey Molly, how are you doing today?" Arinx asked, sitting beside her little sister and offering her a cup of juice.

"I feel a lot better. Can we go to the willow trees today?" Molly asked, pushing herself up on shaky arms to sit up.

"It's late. Why don't we go there on your birthday, we'll spend all day at the trees." Arinx said, helping her up and adjusting her pillows.

"I don't want to wait three more days. I want to go tonight."

Arinx sighed and looked outside. There was still a good amount of light. They could probably make it and spend an hour or so.

"Let me get the wagon ready. Can you get dressed by yourself?"

"Yeah, I'll be okay Arinx."

Arinx went out to the shed and brought out the wagon. She padded it with a thick, but dirty, blanket. She then grabbed a second one to wrap around Molly. She was always so cold these days.

When she went back into the house to get Molly she found her dressed warmly but had clear signs of exhaustion from something as simple as getting dressed.

"Alright, grab on." Arinx squatted down and let Molly get on her back before picking her up and taking her to the wagon. She wrapped her up nicely before taking the handle and starting the walk.

She noticed Gabe in the window of his house as she passed and waved at him. He nodded at Arinx. He knew the only place she'd go with that wagon in tow.

The walk was over an hour but they filled it with conversation. Molly asked Arinx all sorts of questions about things like school. She stopped going to school almost two years ago but she loved to hear about the fun Arinx had.

"Is dad okay?" Molly asked suddenly. Arinx fell quiet. Their dad had been drinking a lot more lately. He got distant when mom died but watching Molly fall sick did things to him that Arinx couldn't explain.

"Yeah, he's just busy at work." Arinx dismissed the concern.

"I heard him yelling at you yesterday. He hit you, didn't he."

So she didn't hide the bruise well enough. "He was drunk. It doesn't matter."

"When I'm healthy again, I'm going to hit him back." Molly decided.

"Violence doesn't solve violence." Wasn't she a hypocrite for saying that? "Just ignore dad. I'm here for you."

"Yeah. I guess so. You always take me out to see the stars so I don't need him."

Arinx laughed. "Exactly, who needs a boy when you have me. I'll always be beside you."

Arinx pulled the wagon down their hidden trail to the willow tree patch deep in a park. No one came this far off the beaten path. At least, no one arinx had ever seen before.

She gently lifted Molly from the cart and set her in the hammock before laying down beside her. As the sun began to set, fireflies came out.

"Hold still, I want one to land on me." Molly said.

Arinx smiled and closed her eyes to relax. "Okay."

That wagon ride had taken more out of her than she wanted to admit. She spent so much money on medicine these days she had very little left for food. What they did have went to Molly so she could get healthy again. She didn't have the energy she used to have.

She didn't even notice she fell asleep.

"Arinx." Molly shook her shoulder.

"Hmm." Arinx startled awake. Her eyes shot up to the sky to see the moon grinning back at her. "Fuck."