till' we meet again, william schofield

twenty-one

twenty-one

DAY OF DEPARTURE

SHE NO LONGER REEKED, her hair was no longer greasy, and her tears had ceased. Although her heart was still aching, she was functioning. She had to, as today she would be leaving for her home country— leaving everything behind.

She stood in front of the door to the hotel room she shared with her brother and his family— her family. All their bags were in order by the door. Everything was put back in their luggage, and now the once chaotic room looked as if nobody had entered yet.

Lara and Timmy sat at a coffee table, putting together a puzzle of some sort. They had a couple of hours to kill before leaving and they owned nothing else other than a puzzle to entertain themselves with. Blake was having a final interview with whatever poor soul he managed to sink his teeth into. He left earlier in the morning with a piece of toast in his mouth, mumbling he'd be back before they left for the dock.

Rosine sat on the couch next to where her sister-in-law and nephew struggled to put together the picture of a dinosaur. She sighed. Her huff of annoyance caused Lara to lift her head and raise a perfectly groomed eyebrow.

"Why don't you join us?" She asked in their primary language. Rosine smiled softly, appreciating the gesture.

"No thank you, Lara."

Lara clicked her tongue and rolled her eyes as she placed two pieces together. "Something must be wrong if Rosine won't put a puzzle together... Shouldn't you be glad we're going home?"

Rosine chuckled. "Canada may be your home, but Europe— France, is mine."

Lara narrowed her eyes at the red headed woman. "Home is where family is Rosine. Your family is in Canada," Lara hummed.

"Technically, all my family is in Europe."

"Rosine. Please. You're giving me a headache."

"That's why you love me."

They fell back into a comfortable silence. But Rosine still felt antsy, as if she had a fire underneath her arse. She sighed again, which caused Lara to look up at her with blazing eyes. "Go for a walk," Lara suggested, but Rosine knew it was more of a command.

Rosine raised her hands in surrender, mumbling apologies for clearly annoying her sister-in-law. Lara and Rosine weren't the closest, but they had a relationship like siblings. The type of relationship where a sibling can tell the other their annoying and lazy, but then the next day they'd be discussing common interest and joking as if they were buddies.

Rosine hopped off the couch and slipped on her shoes. She closed the door quietly behind her as Lara hollered for her to be at the dock by boarding time. Rosine made a sound of acknowledgement before starting her walk. She knew where she had to go as she wouldn't forgive herself for not saying goodbye.

•      •     •

She walked into the clinic, savouring the dinging of the bell as she went in. For the first time since she's been volunteering, she didn't go to the nurses lounge. Instead, she marched up to the receptionist desk. She leaned over the counter, smiling at Betty.

Betty looked up from her files. Her eyes filled with surprise and joy as her gaze landed upon Rosine. "I thought you'd be gone! I'm so glad you stopped by— actually, Alfred is in there with the nurse right now! Stay until he's done. I know he'd love to see you before you go!"