Cresswell: The Lunar Chronicles

Chapter Thirty Four

The minute they arrived at Scarlet's farm, the Rampion—or, more specifically, Cinder—was flooded with paparazzi.

Cress kicked herself. She should have hidden their location or sent the reporters off on a while goose chase long enough for them to arrive safely. Fortunately, Scarlet seemed to have a handle on the situation and was able to get Cinder, Iko, Cress, and Carswell inside after shooing away the crowd.

She was stressed, Cress could tell. She glanced at Wolf who seemed equally stressed and wondered if he was stressed because Scarlet was stressed or if he was stressed because he knew they were getting married in a matter of minutes. It was a little weird to see Kai dressed so casually and in a farmhouse setting. But he, like everyone else, fit right in.

Cress's heart warmed at seeing all her friends together. Though at some point Kai and Cinder disappeared together.

"Can I get you guys anything to eat or drink?"

"Ugh, a delicious turkey sandwich made on some homemade bread sounds delicious," Carswell said, blowing a chef's kiss.

"Homemade bread?"

"Isn't that what people do who live on farms? Grow things and make things and... knit things?" he added, waving and a hand towards an embroidered pillow.

"Fine. Sandwiches all around?"

A hearty round of cheers followed Scarlet's question.

Winter stood up, offering to help. Cress wasn't about to be left behind so she followed them into the kitchen, making a mental note to ask Scarlet to show her how to make cookies.

While Scarlet dove into cutting some tomatoes and avocado's and lettuce, Cress sliced some bread and Winter started spreading mayonnaise and mustard on them.

"How's Canada?" Scarlet asked, looking at Winter over her shoulder.

"It's great. I love the snow! And last week we went to the Republic for the first time."

"No way. Where?"

"Florida. Talk about a climate change."

Cress smirked to herself. She and Thorne went to Florida for a grand total of two days on their way to California.

"Other than our house, this is my favorite place," Winter added.

Cress smiled, nodding her agreement. She dropped a stack of sliced bread onto the counter beside Scarlet before wrapping the loaf up and sticking it back on the shelf.

Once the sandwiches were passed around and everyone had gathered in the living room again, Cress settled beside Thorne. He wrapped an arm around her. As the day turned into night, Cress kept a wary eye on the window, watching for the return of any reporters but they seamed to have given up.

"Okay, so there's only one spare room in the house and Jacin and Winter already claimed it. Are you guys okay on the Rampion?" Scarlet asked, her eyes closed and her head on Wolf's shoulder.

"Yeah, of course. We've only been staying on the Rampion for the past two years," Carswell deadpanned.

Scarlet lifted her head, her eyes snapping open with a glare. "You are more than welcome to sleep outside if you want."

"No, no, the ship's fine." Carswell leaned his head on Cress's.

"Why are you all so tired?" Jacin asked, pushing himself up and reaching for a left-over sandwich.

"We've been working. Not all of us can kick back in out mansions and glare at people all day."

Cress swallowed a giggle.