If she and Heath weren't related, but her father and Heath were… Wouldn't that mean she wasn't her father's daughter? If she wasn't her father's daughter, then wouldn't that mean her mother had been unfaithful?
But her father said her hair was just like his when his hair wasn't dyed. She also had his eyes. How could she not be his daughter? She didn't normally like to admit she picked favorites, but her dad was her favorite parent. He was easier to talk to. If she wasn't her father's daughter, then could she still talk to him like before?
But if her mother really cheated on her father could she talk to her the same way again?
The adult world was too weird. In ten years she would be an adult, this was not a long time in the grand scheme of things. Did adult problems have to find her so quickly?
She sighed. She would deal with all of this once she had the results. Until then, she didn't want to think of it.
She had to think of something else.
Heath was injured, and probably going to be in bed for a while. She had already started gathering parts. Her father had set out requests with other technicians for parts as well earlier in the year. A lot of the parts should start coming in now. This was what she could focus on til she got her answers. She said she would build a rocket for Heath. Now she can finally get started.
She knew she couldn't keep Heath in the dark about the rocket for long, but she would keep him from figuring out what she was building for as long as she could. She began drifting the plans in her mind, the same way she had done with Araminty.
…
…
As the weeks went by and Heath slowly healed, Violetta noticed Heath was looking sadder each day. He sat there silently and played with an ivory tusk that had animal carvings on it. She didn't know where it came from. But she knew it was not something that they had in the house before.
It wasn't until her mother was hesitating to leave on a new expedition that she realized… she hadn't seen Heath's mother at all lately. Even her own mother didn't want to leave an injured boy alone. Laura's protective instincts had taken over when he had gotten injured. So why had Heath's mother not shown up?
Had she just been busy and only visited at night when she and Heath had already fallen asleep?
She decided to ask her father. He would know.
Violetta decided to sneak around once again. Sometimes her father didn't answer her too honestly. She was not like her mother in waiting for him to be honest with her either. But the couple's business was their own. And she was not going to interfere in their business by telling their secret relationship to the king. It seemed her father had his own reasons for not telling her mother. She couldn;t tell her mother until she found out what those reasons were. Her father definitely wasn;t going to tell her what those reasons were...
So she had to sneak.
…
…
"Amistad just Tell me already," Laura pleaded. "Have you not seen the boy?"
"His name is Heath," Amistad replied.
"I know his name Amistad!" Laura looked at her husband exasperated.
"Then you should keep using it," Amistad said matter of factly.
Laura sighed. "I just want to know where she is so I can talk to her," Laura explained. "She can come back and work for us, we can give her a raise. She doesn't even have to work for us again if she doesn't want to, she can live here as your sister. Just as long as she comes back and visits her son!"
Amistad let out a deep breath, "I wish I knew where she was. She didn't tell me anything. She didn't even take her belongings! I'm honestly worried my brother may have found her."
…
…
Violetta drew in a sharp breath.
Amistad and Laura found her right away.
"Violetta…" Laura started, not knowing where to begin, or how to explain.
"What all did you hear?" Amistad asked.
"Heath's mom has been found by my evil uncle," Violetta replied, tears starting to develop in her big green eyes.
"She knows?" Laura looked at Amistad accusingly. How did Violetta know about Amistad's brother? How much did she know? Laura was angry, but she held it in for the time being.
Amistad looked at his daughter with mixed feelings, how was he going to explain this to his wife. He told his daughter about her lineage to keep her aware and vigilant of those surrounding her. Living among the nobility was safe only because the King would mainly look among the commoners, or think that he had fled abroad. She wasn't supposed to let Laura know that she knew what she knew.
"I heard you talking about it the night Heath got hurt," Violetta explained. "I hid in that same spot." Well... she wasn't lying. She did hear her father tell Laura about it.
"Lil Spig," her father called her, making her feel like she was a small child again, "You can't tell anyone about my brother. Or that Heath is his son. Ok? It's so that way we can continue to live safely."
Violetta nodded. "I understand. I won't tell anyone. But did he take away Heath's mom?" This was what she really wanted to know.
"I don't think he did," Amistad kneeled down and held her on his knee. "I don't know where she went, but I think she got scared because Heath got hurt. She might not come back anytime soon. But she left Heath here where she knows he'll be safe."
Violetta nodded. This was just one more reason to dislike that Meiri woman. Sure she didn't like her, and she even wanted her to leave the house. ...But not like this. To just abandon her son!? What kind of mother could do that? Even if her mother had to leave her to go to a dig. Or examine something that got found… She always said goodbye, and left Violetta in her father's care. She made sure Violetta knew how long she would be gone, and when she would be back. Heath hadn't asked for his mother. Did she maybe tell him she left? What if Meiri left because she knew Violetta didn't like her?
"Is it my fault she left?" Violetta asked.
"No," Her mother said right away, "no, no. Sweetheart what would even make you think that?"
"She knew I didn't like her," Violetta explained, tears beginning to pool more into her eyes. She refused to let them fall. "I only tolerated her because she's Heath's mom. What if Heath doesn't like me anymore because his mom went away?"
"Oh my baby," Laura said. "This is not your fault. You don't have to worry about that. Heath will still be your friend." Laura looked at Amistad for help as Violetta hugged her. How could she explain the world of grownups to her baby? She saw the way Meiri had treated her own son. It was like he was air most of the time. Even when the boy's father died, Meiri didn't spend any time comforting her son. Violetta comforted Heath.
"Violetta," Amistad called. She looked up at her father. "We don't know where Heath's mom went. But we can be here for him. We can keep him safe, and be his friend. His mom will come back. I'm sure of it." Violetta nodded.
"No she won't," a horse voice called from the doorway. He had Come down when he realized Violetta wasn't by his side anymore. "She gave me this. He held the carved tusk in his hands up just a bit for them to see. "It means she's not coming back." He looked up at them with a blank face. "Will you send me away?" He thought that now that they knew his mother had abandoned him for good, they didn't have any obligation to keep him. He knew too much of the world, and people's selfishness to assume they would just keep him.
"Send you away?" Laura looked at Heath confused and concerned.
"Nonsense," Amistad went to the boy. "You are my nephew. Who better to take care of you than me?" Heath looked at Amistad surprised. He didn't expect him to say that. He looked at Laura. This was still her house. Even if Amistad wanted him… Laura most likely didn't.
"Heath?" Laura called, "will you stay with us?"
The tears that had been threatening to fall from violetta's eyes finally fell as Heath nodded. A choked "yes" fell from his mouth, and the family joined together. Hurting for this still young boy who had no one else but them.
Laura decided then and there that if she ever saw Meiri again she was going to punch her in the throat for this.