Coffin of Hope

Chapter Thirty Eight

"Mommy!" Mally was excited. "You did that!"

"Yeah." Marcy sat down.

"Nice to see your aim is still impeccable." Marc wondered about his little sister.

She said nothing.

Paris, who'd followed behind her with Karou, clapped. "How about we go out drinking?"

"No thanks."

"Cigars?"

"Nope."

"Weed?" Karou threw attitude.

Marcy looked up, thinking about it. Mal was right in front of her, staring at her. She stopped thinking so hard and realized he was there. He wasn't communicating with her facially but she knew he wouldn't want her to do this. "No."

Karou was all types of confused. "Who are you?!"

"Not who."

"What?"

"Yup." Marcy stood up. "I want an apple. They got that?"

"At least you still like apples." Karou crossed her arms.

Marcy almost told her she hadn't had an apple in five years. She simply walked off.

"What's wrong with her?!"

"Rou, stop." Mike was tired.

"I do not get this! She was gone and now she's back but she might as well still be gone!"

Many of them agreed silently.

OF

"Where have you been?" Marc asked as Maddie walked up.

"Laying down." The 16 year old lifted a shoulder as she sat down.

"We're going to eat." The others stood up.

"Where's Marcy?" Maddie stood, too.

"She's been eating for the past two hours." Marc was confused about that. Marcy wasn't big on eating.

Maddie was confused. "Marcy? Eating?"

"She hasn't eaten since breakfast." Mal frowned.

"Yeah but she ate breakfast." Quinn pointed out.

"We didn't eat much the night before."

His siblings were still wary.

Maddie realized that Marcy could be eating to cover up her sickness. "I'll go find her. She might want something different."

"Well since this place mostly serves fish and she hates fish, I doubt it." Mike grimaced.

Maddie left anyway. She found Marcy eating chicharones at a booth. "Hey?"

"Hey." Marcy swallowed what was in her mouth.

"They said you've been eating for a while."

"It helps."

"So you don't have to think about being sick?"

Marcy raised her eyes. How did Maddie know that? Yeah, she was probably having pregnancy cravings but her real problem was she had no vice to indulge in and thought maybe eating would keep her from harming herself while pregnant. "Yeah."

Maddie's eyes welled but she sniffed. When she spoke, her voice was strong. "Let's go to dinner. Just me and you."

"What about Dante?"

"I can see him later." Maddie waved that away.

"You don't know that. Don't take anything for granted."