"I know," Esmeralda whispered. "Thank you both," squeezing the hands covering hers, "but please... I just need to be alone right now."
"I don't think that's true," Brianna countered, "but I think you want to be, and I don't blame you for that. Is there anything else we can do for you?" rising from the bed without releasing her hold on Esmeralda's hand.
"Should we take Adam?" Charisma cut in.
"Adam is fine for now," Esmeralda uttered faintly. Charisma nodded and stood.
"All right, Es. We'll go, but we'll be just outside the room if you need us for anything. Just remember you've got a lot of people who love you, okay?"
Esmeralda nodded and closed her eyes. Charisma and Brianna stared for a moment longer, then by mutual, unspoken consent, they walked silently to the door. Only when it was closed behind them, did either of them release a sigh. Then they turned to each other as a feeling of awkwardness fell over them for the things Esmeralda had said, and all the things between them still left unsaid.
Fortunately, they were saved from having to break the strained silence when Patrick crept into the room. He stutter-stopped, not actually expecting to see them leaning on either side of the bedroom door looking so drained. He didn't draw attention to it, however; instead, he continued towards the coffeepot that had been his original destination.
It didn't take much effort to locate the things he needed and soon Patrick had a pot of coffee brewing. Only then did he turn his attention back to the two women still leaning against the doorjamb.
"Everything all right girls?" crossing his arms over his chest and his feet at the ankles as he leaned against the counter. "How's Es?"
"She woke up for a little while, Daddy."
"But...?" waiting for a long moment for a response before he proceeded to speak again. "C'mon, lasses," his brogue coming to the fore as it always did in times of stress. "You'd not be looking quite so exhausted if somethin' troublesome hadn't happened in that room." He glanced around. "Where's Adam?"
"Adam's fine, Papa," Brianna replied. "He's taking a nap with Es. It seemed to bring her comfort and since he wanted to help her feel better...." She shrugged.
"So something happened betwixt the two of ya then?" seeing color rise in one face and drain from the other.
"Daddy!" Charisma choked out. Before he could comment further, the coffee finished making and Patrick turned his back to them to prepare a cup for himself and one for Okasa as well.
"I'm not gonna ask," he said quietly as he picked up both cups. "But maybe the two of you should figure this out before ya lose yer chance to do so." He didn't give them the chance to reply; he simply walked to the door and back towards the living room.
Almost the moment he disappeared from view, Kay stepped into the room, as though she'd been waiting just outside the door. With an effort at nonchalance, she grabbed two more coffee cups and poured them full, then looked at Brianna and Charisma.
"If you two would like to join us in the living room, we'd like an update on Esmeralda if you have one." Without giving them time to comment, she followed Patrick's footsteps back to the living room.
Charisma and Brianna spared one another a quick glance, then moved towards the coffee pot. Charisma grabbed the cups as Brianna picked up the pot, falling into a rhythm they had found with one another in a time long past. Charisma added sugar and Brianna poured the cream and in moments their coffee was ready. Only when that chore was done did they look at each other again.
"So do you want to talk to them or shall I?" Brianna asked, lifting her cup towards the people gathered in the living room. "Most of them belong to you."
Charisma snorted. "All but one belongs to me, and all but one belongs to you. I'd say it was pretty well even." She met Brianna's disbelieving stare. "Oh come on, Brianna - Mama and Daddy belong to you as much as they belong to me. However, I'll go talk to them. You'll let us know if anything changes?"
"Of course," Brianna replied as she pulled a chair out from the table. Charisma nodded and walked out of the kitchen. Brianna placed her coffee in front of her and folded her hands so she could prop her chin on top. Then she focused her gaze on the tabletop and waited.
************
"Es?" Adam said sleepily, yawning and stretching against her. He sat up carefully, strangely mindful of where he put his hands. Brianna had told him Es hurt, and Adam didn't want to be the one that brought more pain to her... however accidentally. He leaned over until his face was over hers, then he raised one hand and patted her cheek gently. "Es? You 'wake?"
Esmeralda blinked open heavy eyes, wondering why she still felt so exhausted. Then she met Adam's bright blue eyes and smiled even as tears flooded her eyes again. "Hi Adam," she breathed out quietly, afraid anything louder would cause the sobs to start. And as much as she may have needed that release, she refused to traumatize Adam with the depth of her grief.
Adam smiled then grew grave, reaching up to tenderly wipe the tear the spilled from Esmeralda's eye without her conscious permission. "Es hurt?" Esmeralda nodded, the motion causing even more wetness to slide down her cheeks. Adam sat up further and jerked a thumb at his chest with a determined air. "Adam kiss... make better."
"Oh Sweetie," Esmeralda replied softly. "I wish you could." She put a hand over her heart. "I hurt on the inside, Adam. I hurt in the place where Saphira was."
Adam put his hand on top of hers, closing his eyes and furrowing his brow in consternation. It would have been amusing if Esmeralda hadn't already been trying to hold herself together by sheer grit. As it was, she couldn't even appreciate how adorable he looked for fear of losing the last tether she had keeping her from simply losing control. She closed her eyes and focused on modulating her breathing. When she opened her eyes again, Adam was staring at her with a peculiar look on his face.
"Es?" he said calmly. "Phira's still there," patting the hand still resting on her heart. She blinked at him stupidly.
"Adam, how do you know that?"
"Phira told me," he responded matter-of-factly. Esmeralda sucked in a breath as though she'd been sucker punched.
"She told you?" asked in a hoarse whisper that was all that she could manage.
"YES!" he affirmed bluntly with a smile on his face, then pointed to the corner of the room closest to the head of the bed on Saphira's side. "Ask her!"
Esmeralda blinked dumbly, then turned her head. But to her dismay, there was nothing for her to see - no one in the corner Adam was indicating. Surely if Saphira was nearby, Esmeralda would be able to see her, wouldn't she? But she knew better than most that sometimes the heart and mind hide what they are unwilling or unable to acknowledge. And she also recognized that children are able to see and appreciate many things that most adults no longer accept as possible.
It occurred to her briefly that this was like a test of faith for her, and she realized if that was truly the case, she was failing miserably. Esmeralda closed her eyes again and decided to accept that as a possibility and act accordingly. She took a deep breath to center herself, feeling a peace settle over her she hadn't felt in a very long time. Now she didn't *almost* feel Saphira's presence - she truly felt Saphira beside her and within. The feeling made her eyes well with tears and this time she made no effort to stop them or the sobs that accompanied them.
Adam had been watching Esmeralda carefully, and when the tears started flowing and her shoulders started shaking, he looked to the corner for a long moment before sliding from the bed to the floor. He ran to the door and opened it with effort, then nearly ran smack into Brianna. He didn't hesitate, but took her by the hand and pulled her back into the room.