Hydrangea

Chapter 9

     Charity sits up rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand. She yawns stretching her arms out towards the sky. She leans against the tree and looks at the twins. Ryker was turned towards her. His face is gentle and calm with sleep. His dark eyelashes gently rest on his cheeks.

     Charity looks over at Andrea whose arms are crossed. Unlike Ryker her face looks almost grumpy. Charity slowly crawls toward Andrea. She taps Andrea on the shoulder. Andrea doesn't stir, instead she gets a grumpier expression.

     Now slightly frustrated Charity taps Andrea's right shoulder with more force. Andrea does more then stir, or get grumpier. Andrea throws her right fist into the air nearly hitting Charity. Charity goes as still as a statue. Andrea slowly opens her eyes to see her hand sitting to the right of Charity's face, in the air.

     Sitting up quickly Andrea feels an intense need to apologize. Andrea sets her hand at her side, unfolding it from the fist it was in.

     She then turns to Charity and asks," Are you alright?"

     "Yeah I'm fine," Charity says plainly. Charity scoots back on her knees.

      Ryker stirs in his sleep flipping to the opposite side. They both turn to look at him. The two stay silent for a moment before looking at each other again and snicker lightly.

      Charity reaches for her hair ties and take them out. She lets her short thick hair fall over her neck and shoulders. She then pulls it back up again.

      Andrea watches her do that and combs her own fingers through her hair. She didn't pull it back like Charity. Always letting it lay down to the middle of her back. Andrea pulls it all to the right side of her face and lets it sit on that shoulder. She stands and pulls Charity up to a standing position.

     Andrea turns around her back to the other two and scans the area.

     She turns back and says quietly," Follow me." Charity nods and follows Andrea step by step deeper into the forest.

     Charity slowly counts the steps as they walk in a comfortable silence. 71, 72, 73 74. Charity watches her feet as she does this. 95,96,97. She walks straight into Andrea's still back. Charity looks up at her and sees she has stopped in front of a tall tree.

     The tree doesn't twist around itself as much as the ones near it. Hidden among the leaves of the tree is a plum like fruit the size of a softball. They hang in the air weighing down the strong branches.

     Andrea reaches up and grabs one, and then another until her arms are full with a dozen of the fruits.

      Charity looks at the fruits making her stomach grumble and says," I can carry some to."

     Andrea looks back at her and asks," You sure?"

     "It's just some fruit," Charity states extending her hand. Andrea sighs dropping one into Charity's open palm. Charity's hand is pulled down instantly by the weight of the fruit. She lifts up her arm and looks up at Andrea with a stunned expression.

     "This is fruit!?" Charity demands staring at the heavy purple sphere in her hand.

     Andrea snickers at her like she always does and says," Yes. This is why I didn't want to give it to you."

     Charity smiles and says," I got it." As she clutches the heavy fruit to her chest.

     Charity recounts all her steps back to their clearing. Ryker is still asleep. Andrea goes to set the fruits down. She sets them in between the four trees that look as if they are protecting the three of them. Charity still clutching her fruit walks over to her tree and plops down in front of it. She sits staring at the fruit in her small hands.