𝔞 𝔴𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔞 𝔴𝔦𝔱𝔠𝔥; 𝔥𝔞𝔯𝔯𝔶 𝔭𝔬𝔱𝔱𝔢𝔯

i. shades of blue.

"EMMALINA ROSE GRANGER, COME DOWNSTAIRS THIS INSTANT!"

"Coming Mum!"

Emmalina rolled her eyes to herself, and rushed down the stairs, almost stumbling over herself, her hair flying like a sparrow behind her. Just as she reached the bottom of the steps, her mother greeted her — lips pursed, her honey eyes slightly narrowed.

She gestured to her right and Emmalina's eyes followed, seeing a small mountain of dishes piled in the sink. Foamy water covered the dirty dishes, small bubbles forming and popping, swirling on their own.

"I thought I told you to wash the dishes!"

Emmalina's face turned into a scowl, as she walked up to the sink, and got ready to do the dreaded task assigned by 'Mother Dearest'. She suppressed a snort that threatened to escape to her lips at the thought.

After finishing the dreaded task resulting in dry and chapped hands, a doorbell made her pause the steps that she was initially taken to upstairs and she swivelled and went to open the door.

The visitor had to be her Aunt Ophelia better known as 'Lia'. She was her mother's younger sister — pretty with huge moon-like eyes and a sweet smile.

She opened the door and sure enough, her Aunt greeted her, her face holding a jolly smile as she gave her a big hug.

Aunt Lia's hugs were the best, as all the slight tension and worries evaporated away with the sheer warmth in her hugs. Emmalina melted instantly.

"Come in Aunt Lia!" Emmalina welcomed eagerly as she pulled her Aunt into the house. Ophelia chuckled merrily and followed her eager niece.

"Mum! Look Aunt Lia is here!"

"Oh is she? Give me a moment," 

The aunt and her niece took their seats opposite the sofa. Emmalina had such a wide grin on her face that pushed the apples of her cheeks up, and crinkled her eyes like half-moons. Aunt Lia was one of her favourite people on the planet — kind, and sweet like a cupcake, with such a nurturing aura, it was hard not to like the woman who was like the personification of warm balmy rays of the sun.

"I'm sorry I couldn't have been here during your 11th birthday," her aunt apologised, with a frown akin to a kitten.

"Oh," Emmalina's grin faltered as she remembered how hurt she had felt during that time. Attempting to put on an understanding smile, she forced herself to form words that would reassure her aunt. "No, it's no problem, only my 11th birthday, right? There will be other ones."

"No, but eleven is an important milestone."

Emmalina quirked an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Oh—well, um—puberty?"

"We start puberty usually when we turn into teenagers Aunt Lia."

"It's—um—going from an even to an odd number?"

"I turned nine from eight. It wasn't a milestone then."

Aunt Lia's face reddened in a hue of deep wine as she stammered over her words. "Well you know— that was a big deal too!"

Emmalina narrowed her eyes suspiciously, unable to deduce what was going on in her Aunt's head. Why was Aunt Lia talking about seemingly unrelated and unimportant things? Confusion clouded her mind, her face automatically turning into a confused frown.