Love Restrained | Yellowjackets

chapter twenty

XX

Hayden opened the door, holding it for Natalie as they stepped inside after another long day out with no game. The rest of the group looked up from their spots around the room, some lounging by the fire, others setting the table for dinner.

"Finally," Mari called out with a grin, mixing the soup in the pan. "We want to eat."

"We already told you that you don't have to wait for us." Hayden reminded her for the millionth time.

"You know the rule." Mari said with a fake smile.

The rule was that everyone would eat together. Meaning that even if it was ready they would have to wait. Lottie had established this policy of family time, where everyone would eat together and nobody could miss it.

Just as they were about to dig into their meal, Taissa looked around and noticed someone was not there. "Is Shauna in the shack again?" she asked, her voice tinged with concern.

Hayden threw her head back, groaning, as a sign of irritation. "It's fucking freezing outside."

Yes, she knew what Shauna was doing there, they all knew it. And they always waited for her, since the girl spent the whole day outside with dead Jackie Taylor.

"Well, then maybe one of you should go out there and get her." Ben suggested, looking up from his book to glance around.

A moment of silence was established when nobody moved. It was obvious that no one wanted to go out, it was freezing and they all knew that convincing Shauna of leaving Jackie, even if it was to eat, was an impossible mission.

Taissa rolled her eyes as she got up to get the girl since nobody would do it, but before she could go, Lottie spoke up, "Don't," she said firmly. "She'll come when she's ready."

"You're making it sound like she's doing her homework, Lot." Taissa said sarcastically.

"She's processing and she needs our support. I think it's healthy."

"So healthy..." Hayden muttered.

"Of course that everyone who's six months pregnant should risk getting pneumonia by staying up half night chatting with her dead best friend." Natalie said, earning a laugh from Hayden and a glare from Lottie.

"It's not fair. We're always waiting on her." Misty complained.

"Maybe we should just eat hers tonight." Mari playfully said as she put the pan on the table.

Taissa glared at her. "No one is eating Shauna's food."

The rest of them all looked at each other, actually considering this idea and just dropping it when Lottie reinforced Taissa's words.

"No one is eating Shauna's share."

They all waited in silence for a while to see if Shauna would show any sign of life until Taissa started complaining again.

"Ok, who reeks?"

"We all do." Van said like it was very obvious, because it was. She was right, they all reeked.

"Yeah, but this is next level."

Taissa was also right, the smell really was unbearable. They all exchanged glances, each of them acutely aware of their collective stench. However, this was something beyond their usual grime.

"Are you fucking serious?" Taissa exclaimed as she found the source of that smell, "Who took a shit in the pee bucket?" her voice tinged with a mix of disbelief and disgust.