s a u d a d e ;

sienna penelope karlsson. thirty-two. travel journalist. pescetarian. true crime enthusiast. part-time lover. full-time mom to lena rose.

[sicnnakcrlsson]

justin hill​:

It had been hard for him to grasp the situation. He still didn’t know how he had to handle everything. The idea of being a father was still foreign to him and he felt like the time he had to process it hadn’t been enough. He still had so many questions and he hadn’t been able to provide himself with them. So when he found Sienna on his doorstep he felt all kind of mixed emotions. There was a part of him that was conflicted, nervous, angry even. But also relieved and glad. There was still a sense of awkwardness between them after he had offered her to come inside, offering her a drink in the kitchen that had always felt too empty now that his grandmother wasn’t constantly creating new dishes in them for her restaurant. Standing against the kitchen island, Justin wasn’t sure what to say. Or whether continuing about where their conversation had been abruptly ended during the vigil was a good idea or not. 

“So uh..” He hummed. tracing his fingers against his glass filled with water. “Is she still in England? With your mom?” 

— ever since the bonfire, sienna had been quietly dreading the next encounter with her former fiance. though she knew such things were necessary especially when she was trying to forge a relationship for their daughter’s sake. her nerves were shattered as soon as she pressed the doorbell but it was far too late to consider running away for a second time. which led her to taking a chair in his spacious kitchen, which was worthy of its own page in architectural digest, and quenching her thirst with a modest glass of water. her mouth dried suddenly in quick response to his question. how could she tell him she had brought her here? under the guise of knowing who her father was? in the quiet hopes of forming some kind of long-lost relationship with him? her mind trickled with thoughts of lena, the sweet innocent little girl that had been the catalyst for such a spontaneous event, knowing all too well honesty was now her best policy. wetting her lips a little, sienna shook her head slowly, tired fingers raking through tired, lacklustre hair. “ no, actually she’s here, on the island ” she admitted warmly, any hint of cool disconnection from the situation no longer evident. “ i thought it would be easier somehow ” the petite brunette gave a soft shrug, a little nervous and self-conscious in his presence.

[sicnnakcrlsson]

sloane roberts​:

Sitting on one of the stools at Sienna’s counter, Sloane leaned down against it, her arms resting on the surface as she let her eyes rest on the woman in front of her, holding a spoon in her hand and stirring up the contents inside of the pot. It was nice to have somewhere to go and relax instead of sitting at home while her mind raced over what the next step in her life was going to be when it came to Wes and the baby. She held the water between her hands as she brought it up to her lips, taking a long sip of it, a smile coming along her lips.

“How did you get away with not cookin’ a thing for the last two years?”

— sienna gave her friend a knowing smile as she paid attention to their dinner, careful not to overheat it too much. truthfully, having a miniature human helped disguise her lazy culinary skills a little better than if she lived alone, especially since her daughter had developed an affinity for anything that came in a cardboard box, shaped like a dinosaur. “ if i told you that, i’d have to kill you ” she warned her gently, taking another long, generous sip of her wine. “ and we’re having such a good time. just know that if lena asks, pizza rolls are super healthy and because of that, they belong in their own special food group. i don’t make the rules ”.

[sicnnakcrlsson]

adrianna soto​:

@sicnnakcrlsson​

“Do you know what I’ve been thinking about?” Adrianna said as she plopped down on Sienna’s couch, folding a leg beneath her. “I’m still thinking about the gunshot wound to the fisherman’s head in the west grace.” Adri paused to peer up at the other. “I don’t know, what if it’s some kind of serial killer on the island who’s just hiding on the boats and in our homes?” So maybe she was watching too much true crime alone at night but the mere thought made her feel some type of way. 

“I have two dogs but they won’t do anything. They’ll probably just lick whomever tries to come in and kill me. Lifting the glass of wine to her lips, she let out a groan. “Let’s talk about something else a little more uplifting like how your day went? If there’s anything new?”

— not the most adept at using chopsticks, sienna stabbed at her dim sum, urging it to suddenly leap into her clutches so she could stop her stomach from rumbling. her attention diverted slightly to the soft, dull blur of the television as she fed herself, also noticing her solitary glass of wine on the table. “ i think you’ve watched enough true crime for one person — at least call me first before watching another episode of snapped ” sienna warned her softly, before taking a small, polite bite of her dim sum, her uncharacteristically sarcastic tone evident. “ that sounds like a fun way to go. remind me to request some face-licking when i meet my end ” she assured her as she reached for her newly-filled glass. when the talk turned to her personal life, sienna couldn’t help but feel her heart beat a little faster as she tried to scramble together an answer that was both honest and diplomatic for all sides. she didn’t know whether adrianna knew justin or their situation and she wasn’t in the right mind to find out so turned the subject onto something she knew much more about — her daughter. “ well, i took lena to her dance class, drank too much coffee, wrote a little bit to keep my publisher happy while i waited then came home to lena insisting that the tooth fairy was due for a visit and could we write to her with our new address ” it felt like she hadn’t taken a breath since opening her mouth but nevertheless sienna was persistent in wanting to avoid the touchier subjects. “ did you know that baby ballet is one of the most ruthless things to witness? and that’s just the mothers. you should come next time so you can see what i mean because words don’t do it justice ”.

[babypicss]

[sicnnakcrlsson]

who?: @sloaneroberts​

where?: sienna’s apartment | myrtle rock

when?: thursday, 7pm

— sienna looked up occasionally from her messy work, her lips curving upward into a gentle smile as she watched her friend closely as she made herself comfortable in her home. she was already looking forward to whatever the night had to offer, knowing all too well that staying at home was nearly as fun as going out for a night on the town. setting her spoon down after a few more stirs, the tomato sauce mixture thickening with every circular motion, she reached for her glass of wine and took a rather large sip. sienna sighed deeply, stretching out her back. she’d been cooking for what felt like hours. wanting something easy to make since she was more inclined to bake things than actually cook something edible, tonight’s meal happened to be penne arriabata, hence the red splotches of tomato juice all over her once-pristine counters. looking over all her hard work, she hadn’t quite estimated how tired she would be, despite offering to entertain her friend for the evening. still, she persisted as she took the plates to the dining table, hoping the effort would be appreciated.

“ you should know, looks might be deceiving but i haven’t cooked anything properly since two thousand and eighteen so just in case i have the number for poison control on my refrigerator. bon appetit! ”.

[sicnnakcrlsson]

marlow bennett·:

marlow had met sienna at the yoga place, sitting in on the last five minutes of the class. while marlow had cared for so many kids over the years, they didn’t actually have one of their own. not yet anyway. hopefully one day. but for now they were content being a night nanny, caring for other people’s newborns. and of course, having friends who’s kids marlow could dote on. the brunette had let sienna pick the cafe, marlow hand in hand with lena as they following along with the other woman. if the delicious smell that wafted out of the place was anything to by, it was definitely a good choice. a hum left marlow when sienna mentioned their might be two kinds. honestly, they’d had neither at this point in their lives, so maybe it was time to change that. marlow was the kind of person to give everything a try at least once. wasn’t the point of life to experience it all? a smile touched marlow’s lips as lena sidled up to her mother, tugging on the other woman’s sleeve in an adorable fashion. “ohhh salted caramel is delicious.” marlow hummed, glancing back at the menu. “i’m going to give it a try, and then i’ll give you my verdict.” the brunette grinned. 

— sienna chuckled softly as marlow laid down her plan to give the truffle-filled concoction a try. honestly, the only time she’d had either version was on assignment at an upscale japanese fusion restaurant and even then it hadn’t left her wanting to shout from the rooftops how much she loved it. “ promise you won’t hold it against me if you don’t end up liking it, whatever it is ” she pouted a little as they slowly made their way up to the register. looking over the cafe, the crowds were beginning to pile in, probably in pursuit of the same thing they were — a gluttonous doughy delicacy to sate their appetites with.  “ i didn’t expect people to catch onto this place so fast ” sienna sighed, moving toward the counter, greeting the server with a smile. “ i might have to unleash lena the armadillo on a poor, unsuspecting old lady ” she chuckled softly, giving over their order. once they all finished up, sienna took the tray in her hand, lena reaching for marlow’s hand as they moved through the tables. she was thankful for marlow in this instant, though it could have been true most of the time, but especially now with her hands full and no-one who could take lena’s. “ hm, where to sit? ”.

[sicnnakcrlsson]

annie morgan​:

She banged on the door with frustration. She could see the clerk inside, but the pubescent, pimply jackass was willfully ignoring her. “This fucking island,” she sighed. “How’s a girl supposed to get an emergency tampon when the drug stores all close at 9pm?” She paused a beat. “Hypothetically, of course…” 

@elisabethstarters​

— “ hm, hypothetically? you sure about that? ” sienna smirked as she witnessed the other girl’s late-night outburst. she hadn’t meant to be out so late especially since it had all been in the sake of bringing home food yet here she was, engaging with yet another stranger on this godforsaken island she was trying to call home. “ if you ask nicely, maybe someone will be kind enough to give you one for free? ”.

[sicnnakcrlsson]

justin hill​:

SIENNA + JUSTIN

“Are things so bad I need defending?” He had so little to go on that he started picturing all sort of possibilities in his head. He missed the times where they had been able to talk about anything – everything. However, with how she had left things before, and how she was acting now, Justin wondered if that had been true, or if it had just been what he thought. Had she been keeping things from him back then already? Showed what he knew about relationships and love. “Then why? You need to give me something here, Sienna. Because it’s all mixed signals. You’re saying good things, but why leave without a word if things were good?” He knew that he was repeating his questions, and the realisation only made him sigh and press his fingers against his temple, as if he was suppressing an upcoming headache. He allowed her to speak instead, but her words only left him more confused than he was before. It was something he couldn’t piece together, and the uncertainty was eating him up inside. “What could have been so bad that I wouldn’t want you? I just about have ‘forgiving lout’ written on my forehead, Sien. We were going to get married, what wouldn’t I forgive you for?” He spoke back, voice lower this time so they wouldn’t catch attention from surrounding people. Blue hues drew themselves to the phone in her hand that lit up once more, causing some irritation that built up in his chest. “I can come with you – we can talk this out. Whatever I did to make you feel leaving was the only choice.. We can talk about it.” 

— sienna couldn’t help but feel the remaining frustration and contempt for her situation bubbling below the surface as she faced her ex-betrothed, two tired fingers tightly pinching at the bridge of her nose. any answer she gave would be the one he wasn’t searching for so they were always at an inevitable en passe, neither one getting what they wanted from the other. her anxiety was palpable as her phone kept buzzing inside her jacket pocket, the desperation to run home and hide among the covers with their daughter was even more so. “ i got pregnant ” she blurted out, the strain of having kept her secret for so long burning in her throat as her lungs fought for air against the choking smoke of the bonfire. “ i felt stuck, i didn’t know how to be a wife, not the one you wanted —... and i cheated ” came the subdued revelation as she cursed herself for even invading his sanctuary. she hated it, the incorrigible need to satisfy her basest cravings with a man who wasn’t her intended as the architect of her desires but she couldn’t help it. no matter how easily her father’s mistakes had given her a self-made cautionary tale to reflect and rethink, one thing remained — she felt stifled, choked in love by someone who deserved to hold onto something real rather than an illusion, cast out of the permanent, unchangeable idea that there was someone for each soul in the universe to latch onto. “ but she’s yours, i knew i couldn’t come here with empty promises so i had, uh, him do a paternity test and it was negative ” sienna stood still, her feet clamped to the ground as her smile sank a little, disappearing into the skin of her neck as she dipped her head to avoid his gaze. a deadly silence grew around them as her secret came starkly to the surface until she pressed herself to remind him of the fact. “ you have a daughter, j ”.

[sicnnakcrlsson]

gale davenport​:

“Oh – Hello!” Gale spoke, turning away from the window he had been peering through after having rang the doorbell numerous of times. Either he was being ignored or there really wasn’t anyone home. But where else would people be who were mourning their loved one? In the act however, he got caught by someone he heard a few steps behind him on the sidewalk. Nevertheless, he greeted them with a smile, not even embarrassed for having been spotted. “Do you live here? Or know where they are?” @elisabethstarters​

— since coming home from the grocery store, lena rose had only one thing on her mind — naptime. rubbing her tired eyes, she took care to take large steps over the pavement crack lest she break her mother’s back. as they came up to their apartment, sienna couldn’t help but become wary of the cloaked presence at their neighbour’s door. unluckily for her, lena had also cottoned on this new development. “ stranger danger, mummy! ” her daughter shouted as she suddenly found the energy to pull her mother toward the smart-dressed man next to their home. “ i know, min älskling, well done. let’s see what he wants first ” sienna whispered, nodding along as she listened to his thin line of questioning. “ uh, no, actually i just moved here. haven’t really had the chance to make friends with the neighbours yet ” she assured him, her tone blunt as ever as she scooped her daughter up. “ are you looking for anyone in particular? i’m better with faces ”.

[sicnnakcrlsson]

marlow bennett·:

@elisabethstarters·

marlow was craving something with a kick. sugar or caffeine, they really didn’t care in this moment. blue eyes scanned the menu, not quite sure yet what to get. “okay but what exactly does a raspberry truffle cappuccino frappe taste like?” marlow asked, head tilting. “i mean, the raspberry i get. but what exactly is truffle flavor?” wasn’t it something that grew in the ground, like a potato? marlow actually had no idea if the person next to her knew the answer, but the question was asked anyway, because where was the harm in that. and marlow was terrible at keeping thoughts in their head, brain linked to mouth with very little filter in between. 

— since coming out of their mommy & me yoga class, with both lena and marlow in tow, sienna was exhausted and in desperate need of some kind of respite from anything remotely physical for the next half hour. so If the sign reading ‘best baked goods in elisabeth’ was any indication of the reputation of the place then it almost seemed too good to be true and likely the perfect opportunity to keep their appetites sated. sienna could almost smell the beckoning scent of their famed chocolate croissants as she turned to address her friend. “ uh, i think there are two kinds of truffles? one’s a kind of mushroom found by pigs in the woods and the other's a kind of chocolate, don’t quote me on that ” being a connoisseur of all things chocolate, sienna would have been remiss if she didn’t have at least a little understanding of the different kinds available. “ easy mistake to make though, wonder which one they use ” her brow rose in excitement as lena tugged at her sleeve, voicelessly handing over her order of a raspberry muffin and a child-sized hot chocolate. “ maybe it’ll taste like salted caramel? or like when they do strange, revolutionary things with vegetables? ”.

[acecroft]

ALICIA VIKANDER Earthquake Bird | BFI London Film Festival 2019

[sicnnakcrlsson]

justin hill·:

“I don’t see how a location has something to do with whether you’re able to tell or not.” He knew she was most likely referring to the fact that they had a whole crowd that might overhear them, he wasn’t that insensitive to the words that she did speak. Somewhere deep down it frustrated Justin that whenever she said something it was short and curt, as if she had prepared for this already and was just saying out loud the words she had memorised. Like this was a test. At my mother’s, safe and sound. Her words caused him to sigh, lifting a hand to momentarily rub his eyes. So many questions, so many things he wanted to say to that but he was trying hard not to let his emotions get the better of him. Overreacting now would destroy any chance for a proper chat in the future. He didn’t even know why he was so angry. He had climbed out of the pit he had been stuck in after she had vanished into thin air and for the years that followed, Sienna Karlsson hadn’t occupied his mind anymore once he had accepted the fact she wasn’t going to reply. Yet seeing her now made all of it rush back at once. Revealing deep blue hues again, watching her look at her phone screen, he couldn’t be sympathetic to whatever it was that got her stressed. He wouldn’t let her use that as an excuse to get out of this. “So then, what? I just need to know, Sienna. Why couldn’t you value a minute of your time to at least reply to one of my messages. That you weren’t coming back and that I didn’t need to reach out anymore? Why keep me in the dark for so long? Was I that bad that you had to run away screaming?” 

— “ judging by the fact you know a lot more people here than i do, who would probably defend you in a heartbeat, i’d rather keep things between us ” sienna reasoned. the last thing she wanted for them was to cause a scene, spurning annoyance from both parties. determined not to relish in her part as the villain in their shared story, she knew even the smallest ounce of civility was long overdue. her heart ached for him, for the love he had lost for her that she only hoped would be restored even in a platonic circumstance. though now she had the pleasure of standing in front of him, the epitome of the betrayed lover with the slow ebbs of exhaustion wearing on his features, she would take acquaintances if that was all she could salvage from the hallowed ruins of their relationship. “ no, you were perfect. still are” she managed before a short bated breath dared to disrupt her precious train of thought. though they had still been treading carefully back through the staggered stages of their engagement, there was already a well-developed shorthand between them, a solid certainty that came with being with him, in his arms, that she hadn’t felt before. justin made her feel safe, beautiful too. which only made it harder to leave the sweet, tender comfort of their world behind. “ i didn’t deserve you. not as a husband or a father ” speaking at a faster pace so her thoughts could have a place to land before they had the chance to disappear, sienna felt the hollow chambers of her heart echo against its monotonous beat. it was true enough. she had fought against her self-built restrictions, wanting to be hopeful their relationship could persevere through her indiscretion and that she could be fixed. “ i should never have let you go like that, j. i don’t know what i was thinking. i wanted to reach out so many times but i didn’t know whether you wanted me to after everything i’d done ” satisfied with her rebuttal, sienna forced a soft, subdued smile. 

[sicnnakcrlsson]

sam nichols‌:

Bobbie had always enjoyed attention and Samantha knew that she was her grandfather’s granddaughter even though none of them met the other — maybe they crossed paths in another life? It was something she had thought about way too much, even though she didn’t believe in spirits or other lives that much. Sam opened her mouth to respond, but it was clear that Bobbie had the upper hand in the conversation, she still stumbled and tripped on some words, but she was fairly eloquent for someone who was three months away from turning two. “Mommy made one, but I helped,” she said excitedly, “I didn’t light it, mommy says I shouldn’t play with fire, do you let your little girl play with fire?” For that bit of conscience Sam was happy and she pressed a kiss on her daughter’s forehead. “Fire is not for playing, we already discussed that,” she raised an eyebrow at her daughter who was looking curiously at the woman next to her. She was curious and inquisitive, but she was also tired, which Frankie noticed must be the reason why she was holding back from actually showering the woman about questions. “You’re in luck, because she’s past her bed time, otherwise you would have a new best friend,” Sam pointed with a small smile as Bobbie leaned her head on her mother’s shoulder, eyes attentive on the lights in the sky. “Are you new around here?” She asked, eyebrows frowning as she tried to think whether she had seen the woman in Fremont or in Myrtle Rock before. It was probably a dumb question, seeing as the island wasn’t as small as people painted it out to be, but the words came out before she could keep them in.

— sienna couldn’t help but ache to hold her own daughter in her arms, the longer she stood in the presence of the moving mother-daughter tableau. one thing at a time, she surmised as she felt the laughter bubble inside of her chest at the little girl’s antics. “ only when she blows out her birthday candles to make her wish and never without a grownup ” sienna assures her gently as her mother dished out her own polite warning as only a mother could. she remembered having a similar conversation with lena when she was at the dangerous stage of wanting to stick her fingers in any electrical appliance she could find. as the little girl’s attentions seemed to waver and the childish questioning died down, sienna folded her arms tight across the front of her jacket, protecting herself from the cool night air as the crowds seemed to settle into manageable patches of people. “ oh damn, remind me to bring in reinforcements next time ” she chuckled softly, hoping the flimsy but possible offer of friendship would extend to her enthusiastic little mini-me. it had been a necessary move but that didn’t lessen the fact it was also strenuous especially for the most adaptable of four year-olds. luckily lena told her enough about her feelings surrounding their big life change to keep her sanity sated and her worries bubbling at a tamable level. she only hoped she had made the right decision by following her mother’s advice and her heart to tell justin about their daughter she had raised without him in the hopes of piecing her family together. i am. what gave me away? ” sienna raised a soft, subtle brow as she gave her new companion an almost apologetic smirk for sticking out like a sore thumb.

[sicnnakcrlsson]

justin hill·:

He wasn’t quite sure what he was feeling at that particular moment. His entire body felt like it had dropped all it’s weight down to his legs. His torso echoed with his heart banging against his rib cage but he wasn’t sure if that was out of panic, anger or something else that was brought up again by the sight of the woman he would have forgiven everything for and grown old with. His head was light, eyelids blinking slightly more rapidly than normal to regain the concentration so that the sight of the woman before him wouldn’t blur. His entire being was in disarray. He had come to accept her having disappeared from his life only months after she had left, having picked himself up and build bigger things for himself. The law firm with his sister, a reputation for himself in both Vancouver and on the Island. He definitely had never pictured this upon their first meeting after she left without a word, and her response to his question was only … irritating, to say the least. “So what, that’s it? You disappear without a word, never reply to anything and now you’ve come back five years later to pay your respects to the people you barely even know?” He was never this crude, always spoke in a more refined and dignified way and never to make anyone feel bad. “Where were you all this time? I had no idea if you were safe or – or.” Or not. But did she even care about that, he wondered. The only flaw in all of this was that eventually he would most likely forgive her for her negligence. As he always forgave everyone. 

sienna felt her steadfastness crumble at his words, so harsh and disarming juxtaposed with the whispered honeyed reveries he had used to set her heart alight. she kept her body tight, arms folded neatly across the front of her jacket as she silently accepted the way his anger manifested itself, the perfect barraging chorus echoing in her chest. in the infancy of their relationship, he was hypnotic, the tender, genuine way he carried himself, so sure in his sentiments as if his words were the sated salvation she needed to quell her worried thoughts. yet now she only hoped the sandy mound they were both occupying would open below her feet and swallow her whole. “ no but i can explain, i know it’s not enough but it’s all i have —... i just can’t do it here ” it was true enough. it seemed too public an arena to reveal her darkest secret to the man who had once been the ‘collector’ of her pieces, as tattered and strewn all over the place, the one she could truly depend upon, who had taken her life and filled in the greyness with such bright iridescence. feeling the weight of her revelation, ever so tangible now as her daughter, their child was in the picture, sienna couldn’t help the sweet, subdued smile as he acknowledged her safety. even after their long absence from one another, even as separate entities, his resolute, unwavering concern warmed the tender thresholds of her heart. “ i was at my mother’s, safe and sound ” came her reply, soft, tender and succinct with the possibility for expanding upon her cross-examination. though her maternal duties seemed destined to call her away as her phone lit with yet another message from her babysitter, wondering where she was and when she would be back. “ shit! ”.

[sicnnakcrlsson]

lydia kingston·:

     With a small groan, Lydia sat herself back up slowly and hugged her knees to stretch out her back a little. The woman didn’t look familiar and on an island as small as theirs, that was rare; even if she didn’t know someone, there was a flash os recognition. “Oh—” Now it made sense, she and her daughter were new. “Sorry you had come over here on such a bad note, I’m Lydia.” The woman offered a smile and pushed herself back onto her feet. “This doesn’t usually happen, I promise.” Once every decade, maybe twice, but no matter how infrequently these vigils happened, each one left a lasting impression. “Yeah, but they’ve all got a lot of love and support. It’s all you can really ask for during times like these…” And she knew, deep down, the people of Fremont needed more. They needed to leave, but Lydia’s vow of silence had been sealed by a large sum of money. “Not personally, but I know some of the families. Girlfriend of, sister of, you know…” She shrugged and looked back out to the water, “How old is your daughter?”

— a twitch of a smile sank into her features as sienna started running the fine, coarse sand through her fingers absent-mindedly. “ it’s fine, you don’t have to explain. it’s the least i could do ” she assured her new companion, a little surprised she felt the need to soften the blow especially since she was an outsider in every feeble sense of the word. she had no other reason to be among the masses except for her own naive interest in being able to ingratiate herself in this strange, new life she was crafting for herself and lena on the island. “ mhm, yeah it is. it must have taken a lot of courage to stand in front of everyone without any answers ” she took a short glance towards the crowds of grieving townspeople, hoping that they would find some comfort in seeing the amount of people who arrived to share in their more tangible emotions. “ sounds like there’s a story there ” sienna can’t help the short hum of laughter as it bubbled over her lips. coming from such a metropolitan area, she couldn’t imagine engaging in the plethora of attachments and relationships that came with living on a small island. “ is it just luck or divine intervention that everyone happens to know everyone? ” she asked, bemused and hopeful that it would work the same for her and lena before inevitably smiling as they reached her favourite subject. “ she’s four ... going on forty ”.

[sicnnakcrlsson]

freddie ozan‌:

freddie chuckled to himself as she grabbed the lantern. he flicked his lighter a few more times and tried to get the edge to catch fire. “you know, it’s always good to have a diverse set of hobbies. cycling, running, lantern-holding… all great choices.” he struggled with his lighter. “fuck, i think it’s out. do you have a light?”

— sienna nodded along with a smile. “ i thought so too. it’s just a shame i’m only an expert in one of those areas ” she shrugged a little as she positioned herself a little closer to the lantern so she wasn’t reaching too far. hearing his question, sienna plunged her spare hand in her jacket pocket. not a prolific twenty-a-day smoker by any means, she still had the equipment just in case a. she wanted to start a habit or b. someone else needed it more than she did. feeling the thick plastic base of her lighter, she gave her companion a triumphant look as she lifted up the prize. “ yeah, there you go — catch? ” sienna smirked, throwing it across to him.

[samcnthachen]

Uncle Joe had given a moving speech, there were few dry eyes on the beach and some Fremonters were openly crying. Family he said, and it was true, they were. Now, slowly but surely the lanterns were giving way and hopefully guiding their people home and if they weren’t serving their purpose, than at least it made for a beautiful night and an excited Bobbie bouncing in her arms every time a new light was lit. “Look mommy, another,” the little girl said, clapping her hands and grinning widely as a few more lanterns followed the one that was released. It was all very symbolical, and as much as she wanted to explain to her daughter what was happening, she was still too young for the concept of life and death, she wouldn’t even have any memories of this when she grew up. Sam gave touched her lips to Bobbie’s temple and watched along with her on their spot on the beach, getting a bit lost in thought, if she was being honest. “Did you have a lantern, too?” Sam raised her eyebrow and looked over to the person who had been unwillingly roped into a conversation with the little girl and mouthed sorry.

location: tortue cove – myrtle rock ( vigil & bonfire )

open starter: @elisabethstarters​​

[sicnnakcrlsson]

— the lantern-lit vigil had been an experience for sienna. with nowhere in particular to call home, she couldn’t have imagined a similar occasion in her own hometown, a warm, balmy night in late spring, set aside to hope or grieve for a group of much-loved people. watching the lanterns rise slowly into the dark, moonlit sky, she couldn’t help but feel so small and insignificant in comparison, hoping the town’s efforts in providing a safe harbour for their lost, weary sailors would reap bountiful rewards. hearing a sweet, little, inquistive voice cut through her singular train of thought, sienna couldn’t resist turning her head to its owner. “ it’s fine, i don’t mind. she reminds me of my little girl ” she assured the girl’s mother with a soft, heartening smile. it felt strangely comforting being in their presence, especially since lena was probably running rings around her babysitter as she spoke. “ i didn’t have a lantern, no but i did help light one for somebody else ” sienna kept her voice light as she slipped in a little closer to the pair. she had at least another hour to kill before said sitter needed to be relieved from their duties and this seemed like a good excuse to fill up those extra sixty minutes. “ aren’t they pretty? ” a pointed digit turned up towards the next flight of lanterns as they began invading the night’s sky in all their glory. “ did you two make one?”.