+ KITTY
WHEN: February 3, 2021, Wednesday, afternoon WHERE: The Fem Fam treehouse on the grounds of the Femenias estate WITH: @kittym
( ♬ )
On the Femenias estate, it always felt like summer. Light snow had fallen and thawed upon the banks of the Thames just the night before, but away from the scene of last night’s carnage, today nearly felt like any other day. And as Jessica gazed up at her family’s little treehouse, one of the places that she considered home, it felt like her childhood days had come upon her again, breezy and bright and sweet.
Full of unconditional love and support, Jessica’s and Kitty’s parents had quickly descended upon the house the night before to make sure that they could be of use as Rafael Senior recovered. And while Jessica had sunk deep into her parents’, and Marcus’, embrace as soon as they saw each other, the manor’s busy atmosphere meant that it was difficult for her to get anywhere without bumping into someone who wanted to hug her, or comfort her, or ask if she was all right. And after the umpteenth hug, even Jessica, Queen of Hugs, needed a break.
Half an hour ago, Jessica had texted Kitty a photo she’d taken in her childhood guest room: a framed photograph of the two of them on the wooden swings of their treehouse, the hem of Jessica’s frilly pink and white dress, and her white shoes, brown from the lush earth. Underneath it, she’d typed, let’s play? (and talk a little, maybe, love u), along with one little pink heart emoji.
Now, with an old backpack stuffed with snacks and drinks slung over her shoulder, the youngest Femenias made her way up the treehouse’s wooden stairs and makeshift ladders, testing each rung before hauling herself up. While it was much more difficult than it used to be to avoid overgrown branches that tried to tangle themselves in her hair, or to stay calm when a cobweb appeared right in front of her face, soon childhood habits reacquainted themselves, and the Famine Power made her way down the creaking passageway leading to the treehouse itself, crouching and jiggling the dusty little doorknob until the door creaked open.
Jessica bent low as she made her way into the wooden treehouse, opening the windows. Gentle beams of winter sunlight and clean, crisp air filtered in, illuminating motes of dust and a place she knew like the back of her hand. There were little boxes that, in a sudden spark of genius, the cousins had decided to keep toys and books in, and Jessica couldn’t help giggling as she pulled out some items she recognized: a Nancy Drew book with a few pages torn out (a casualty of a not-at-all serious argument, maybe?), plastic binoculars, and a red retro View-Master with a reel featuring scenes from Jurassic Park. All things considered, the interior wasn’t as dusty as she had thought it would be—a little bit of Femenias estate magic, perhaps.
Minutes passed with Jessica giggling out loud, feeling lucky that she had decided to wear the most casual (and least stylish) ensemble she’d worn in ages on this little adventure: a round-neck white shirt from her teen days (now nearly a crop top, with a rainbow on it, of course), supplemented by some denim on denim realness (Britney Spears who?). Then her spidey senses tingled, and she rose up on her knees to look through the window and saw her cousin approaching.
“Kitty! Up here!” Jessica waved out the little window, her eyes bright. “Come join me before—“ And here her hand reached out of the little window to wave a very familiar-looking, very jumbo bag of pick n’ mix at her cousin. “—I finish all your candy. And I got your favourites!”