Being a Barrow - A Sequel to Barrow's Boy

Finishing the Mask

     Walking into the house after over a month of being away was a new experience for Abi. She had never spent that long away from home before, as ridiculous as it was to admit it. Had she missed it? She truly couldn't say. Perhaps that would depend on her family's reaction to her surprise arrival at home. 

     It was oddly quiet as she walked in the door, and she closed it behind herself. Adjusting her hold on her case, as she saw no purpose in calling Alice for a task she could easily do herself, Abi walked to the stairs and began ascending them, deciding that she would at least put her belongings in her room before going on the search for her family.

     She was walking through the upstairs corridor toward her room, able to navigate her way without much thought when the sound of her footsteps on the running rug was finally interrupted.

    "Abigail?" She turned.

     Edward had poked his head out of his office - for both he and Papa had one, though Papa's was downstairs and much grander. He seemed confused to look at her, eye going from her face to her case to her dress and back to her face. He had a new eyepatch. How nice for him.

     "Hello, Edward."

     "They didn't say you were coming home."

     "No," Abi acknowledged. "It was a rather last-minute decision. I thought I would surprise everyone."

     "Well, you've surprised me." He watched Abi for a moment, then sighed.

      "I hate to say it, Abi-" Odd, he had never called her that before, "but Uncle Alexander and Aunt Charlotte aren't here. They're in London actually. Scheduled to be until next weekend."

     "Oh," was all Abi could say. They'd been in the same city as her and hadn't said a word about it. Edward stepped out of his office, walking toward her. 

     "Why don't I take your case for you?"

    Abi let him, walking with him to her room. He was quiet as they walked, likely unsure of what to say. As they reached Abi's door, Edward let her be the one to open it. They both walked in as she did so, the case being placed down on her bed. 

     "You know, I went by the local school the other day." Abi turned to him, wondering where he was going with these words. "I'd had the thought that we should donate some money to them. For you."

     "For me?"

     Edward nodded, not meeting Abi's eye.

     "You're in school to be a teacher, right? So I figured that education must mean a lot to you. And that you might appreciate it if we contributed to that in some way."

     "I do," Abi offered, sitting on the edge of her bed as she stared at her cousin, brow furrowed. "But, Edward, why?"

     Edward finally looked at Abi, putting his hands behind his back. He seemed to ponder her question for a moment, then turned to the door before looking back at her. 

    "I owed you." He seemed to settle on the words as if he wasn't sure if they were a bed of roses or nails. "I've got a lot of work to do, so I should get back to it."

    Edward made his way to the door, then turned back as he was crossing through the frame. 

     "If you want company, you're welcome in my office."

     "Theodore!"