Darling Legacy · Chapter 6 — Siblings and accomplices
In the wake of destruction and instability, one either stops looking for things to build, or finds someone to build again with.
‘’Shhh, shhh, Corey, it’s okay,’’ said Christopher softly, drying his brother’s feet with a towel. ‘’I don’t like bucket!’’, pouted Corey, expressing his hatred for the cold water Christopher was using to clean his feet after a long day. Chris finished drying him, slipped clean, warm socks on him, and kissed him on the forehead. ‘’Go see Cathy now, Corey.’’
Corey trotted away happily, the memory of the cold water already far from his mind. Chris sat on the floor by the bucket and began washing his own feet. He used this moment of quiet to reflect on the past few weeks. He was frankly exhausted, and his hands were scarred and sore. The cold water helped, but he was mostly relieved that he would finally get to rest them a little over the next few weeks. He couldn’t believe that he and his sister singlehandedly built a house. Yes, they had built a house, or a shell of some kind. It was rough, but strong.
He couldn’t believe that, in the span of a few months, their lives had gone from comfortable and easy, to immensely precarious, to a new form of security that frankly wouldn’t be considered as such by most people. But for him, life was starting again, and they had survived what he believed to be the hardest part. They now had a roof, a place to be where they were safe. They had a budding community around them, which was definitely unexpected, but an immense blessing. They had a reliable source of food in the surroundings: a river rushed by their house, supplying them with endless and varied types of fish. Plus, they had planted some hardy root vegetables just in time for a late fall harvest: onions, potatoes, and turnips which now sat in the coldest and darkest part of their shell house, as they jokingly called it.
Their meals were simple, but regular and nutritious. When Lavina visited, usually once or twice a week, she brought along some donations, such as leftover bread, extra vegetables or fruit, and sometimes even milk. Needless to say, Cathy and he had become masters of grilling, smoking and drying. And, the twins didn’t complain about the repetitiveness, thankfully. Chris was already thinking of more crops, canning, and drying for the next season, but he knew they all needed to rest for now.
Cathy had been given a guitar, which was such a kind gift from Lavina. He had privately thanked her for the gesture, confessing that it felt as though it had breathed some life back into his sister. Since then, Cathy had played regularly in the evenings, and the twins enjoyed it too. As a matter of fact, he could hear the soft notes drifting from the other room, and that made him smile.
Chris got up and walked to one of the back windows. He pulled off the wooden plank and dumped the dirty water outside. He peeked out for a minute before putting the plank back against the opening: it was dark and rather uninviting. The morning would surely be a cold one.
He grabbed some loose papers from his easel and a pen, and before long found himself in front of the fire, with Cora on his lap. She was getting sleepy and leaned back against his chest, her eyes fluttering. Chris was writing on the paper, using his knee as a backing. Lost in thought, he looked up at Cathy, who was resting against the wall, her eyes closed.
-Spring plan-
Goals: Finish the interior divisions of the shell house.
Plant fruit trees and summer crops.
He looked up again. This time, Cathy was watching him intently.
‘’What are you writing? ’’she asked. ‘’I’m just making a plan for the spring. I thought we could plant more crops when the snow melts, and gather more materials to finish the interior divisions. What do you think?’’ asked Chris.
‘’I was thinking about the spring too, and I wanted to discuss that with you. Chris, I don’t think we’ll find more materials. We’ve combed through the forest and surrounding areas, and through the debris. If we do find anything, it won’t be smooth or appropriate for inside, unless you want this place to stay a shack forever,’’ Cathy said.
Chris chuckled. ‘’What’s wrong with our shack ? ‘’ he said, lightly tapping on the floor beside him ‘’I think it’s charming.’’
Cathy rolled her eyes and continued. ‘’I was actually thinking of getting a job. We can only do so much with crops and all. We need income. We need things, like clothes and furniture. What do you think?.’’ Chris thought for a minute. Yes, she was right. In fact, he had thought about it too, but hadn’t brought it up, afraid it would overwhelm his sister. He was unsure how to divide time spent working elsewhere, building, caring for the twins, fishing, and all the other time-consuming activities they were currently juggling.
‘’I agree with you. I’m just not sure how we’ll split the time, though,’’ he began. ‘’I do,’’ Cathy said confidently.
‘’I’m listening,’’ replied Chris, taken aback by his sister’s engagement and proactivity.
And so they formed a plan: they would both get part-time jobs, at opposing times. The person who stayed home would do their best to care for the twins using nap times specifically for upgrades. Then, they would switch places and continue what the other had started. Eventually, they would be able to afford the materials to finish the house.
Only the sound of the crackling fire broke the silence, a quiet rhythm against the night. Occasionally, a slight snore from one of the twins could be heard, along with their soft breathing. Cathy and Christopher lay on either side of the toddlers, covered in blankets and sleeping bags. Chris, who wasn’t asleep, got up to add fresh wood to the fire. ‘’Do you think we can actually pull this off?’’, asked Cathy, out of nowhere. Christopher jumped; he believed she was sound asleep. ‘’Yes,I do. Of course,’’ replied Chris confidently. Cathy sat up, a serious look on her face. ‘’No, I'm really asking. You always say that everything will be fine. You’re too hopeful. I want to know how you really feel, Christopher,’’ insisted Cathy.
Christopher continued tending the fire. He quietly regained his spot on the shared floor bed, covered his legs, and, looking at his hands, told the truth to his sister.
‘’To be honest, I'm not 100% sure. I never was about any of this. But everything has worked out so far, so why wouldn’t it this time ? ‘’ he asked. Cathy wiped a tear from her cheek. ‘’I miss Mom and Dad.’’
Christopher stayed silent. He missed them too. He thought of them often. He wanted to share with her that he, too, was angry. He also felt a raging sense of injustice at having been thrown into such a situation. In the past few months, there had been times when he cried and screamed... in silence. He refused to let her see the way he felt. He feared that her collaboration — already so precarious— would end. He knew that unless he showed her nothing but confidence, he risked her coming apart. And the truth is, he couldn’t handle that. He loved and cared for Cathy, but there was no space or time, mental or physical, to handle something like this. He needed her. He felt horrible for not allowing her to feel and express herself more during this traumatic life event. He expertly managed to place a structure around her, maintaining what little composure she had left. He felt like a hypocrite... But what else could he have done?
Cathy’s sniffles pulled him from his thoughts. ‘’I’m sorry, Cathy. I really am. I know it’s hard... I know,’’ he said, rather unconvincingly. Cathy wiped her nose on her own sleeve and sighed. ‘’It’s not your fault, Chris,’’ she began. ‘’You can’t promise me anything. I know it. I’m not an idiot. Actually...’’ she paused. ‘’I don’t think I've asked you how you are doing, or what you’re feeling. You probably miss them terribly too.’’
Christopher held his breath, still assessing. Should he tell her how scared and unsure he also felt? Would she fall apart as he predicted? Could he take that risk? Before he could answer, she spoke up again. ‘’I never thanked you either. Thank you, Chris, for taking care of us. You helped me stay focused, and I have been too busy to crumble. I need you.’’
‘’I need you too,’’ said Chris.
Chris breathed a sigh of relief. Something told him that Cathy knew how guilty he felt. His sister wasn’t the gentle type — thanks and apologies usually had to be forced out of her. Her words had to have been intentional. Maybe it was her way of letting him know she, too, needed him. Perhaps she was telling him that there were no hard feelings.
He turned just in time to see Cathy lie back down. ‘’Goodnight,’’ she declared.
And just as abruptly as it had started, the conversation was seemingly over. Chris remained sitting for a few more seconds. He definitely had a companion in his sister. He lay back down, feeling a whole new wave of hope: yes, things would go well. Something told him that with his sister as an accomplice, they could get through anything.
What kind of relief might one feel upon realizing they were never alone?
