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🧪 twenty-three. we accept the love we think we deserve ☆ ⊹ ࣪.⋆༘˚⋆𐙚｡⋆𖦹.✧˚
Nobody told Valeria about how her husband died because everyone didn't seem to know except for Tala and Tommy. When he came by a few days ago, he told her about what Ellie had saw. Joel was pinned down to a corner with a bunch of people surrounding him, his leg was shot out yet splinted up, and he was beaten to death by a woman built like an ox. When she heard about it, she cried all day and night and she never left her bed unless it was to shower or use the bathroom. Grief was such a tricky emotion for Valeria because she didn't know how to feel. Of course she felt sad, but she felt guilty and angry too. Angry at herself for not telling Joel about her pregnancy and guilty for not letting him stay home from his patrol.
There was so much to be said yet she couldn't even word it correctly.
Valeria finished picking up the shards of glass on her kitchen floor when she heard another knock on the door. Tala was gone when Valeria went off to use the restroom, but she wasn't going to try and run after the pregnant woman. "Hey." Valeria greeted Ellie who wore a gray sweatshirt and sported a wine colored bruise on her left eye. "Come in. Are you hungry?"
"No, I'm okay."
"Doesn't matter. I'm still making you a sandwich."
An awkward silence had filled the air despite Valeria's feet padding against the wooden ground as she walked around the kitchen and she placed the sandwich on the table. Ellie made no move to eat it. They stood in awkward silence and the dark haired girl cleared her throat to break the silence. "Tommy left to go after that..that woman." said Valeria, crossing her arms over her chest and she ran her fingers through her dark hair. "I know what you're gonna try to do, but listen to me when I say that it's not worth it."
Ellie exhaled forcefully through her nose. "I don't care. You can't talk me out of this. If it was you or me or Tommy, Joel would've been halfway to Seattle." said the dark haired girl as she placed her hands onto her hips.
"Ellie." pleaded Valeria as another wave of fatigue washed over her again. "Please, don't. I am quite literally begging you to not do this. Joel wouldn't have wanted this for you." Even speaking his name caused something sour to fill her mouth and Valeria sighed as she placed her hand onto her hip before she gently scratched at the back of her neck. "It's Tommy's decision if he wants to travel all that way to Seattle, but you're just nineteen. Don't do this."
Ellie looked conflicted as she took in Valeria's pleads that almost sounded philosophical or pathetic. "What if I do go?" asked Ellie, her eyebrows were furrowed and her face was slightly pinched.
