Laura was startled in her sleep as she heard a lot of noises from the door. She sat up to look as she rubbed her eyes. She was shocked to see Arthur rushing in followed by the woman she had seen take Craig away.
Their faces were in shock and he wondered if they had seen her try to escape earlier. She had decided to come back because she could not dispute the fact that they had welcomed her into their home. She perceived them to be nice people so she only had to buy time. It was worth a try.
"Did we wake you up?" Arthur asked realizing how tired her eyes looked. He could not tell if it was from sleeping or crying too much but either way, she understood. Both Ariana and Arthur went to sit beside her each on either sides of the bed.
Ariana held her hands. She could feel a little cold in them and she confirmed Arthur suspicion. She nodded towards Arthur's side who did nothing but walk out of the room. Ariana looked at Laura and she didn't see her as the sneaky type.
Arthur had always doubted his decisions because he believed in perfection but he never wanted to doubt his choice to save the girl. He closed the door behind him and held on to the rails to look down at the luncheon room downstairs.
It was Craig's birthday in three days and they wanted to make it memorable. His 8th birthday to them was special but how could he handle it when his head had not yet found a way to clear the mess.
He stared deep into the room but his thoughts were way deeper. He flinched and clenched his fist. He headed downstairs to their room and he had made a decision. He had to send Laura away as early as the following morning before everything collapses on them. He had to think of the welfare of his people.
Ariana stared deep into Laura's eyes. She could see the fear in her and she understood why.
"We are sorry we woke you up. We were just worried about you," she said bluntly. She was void of expressions Laura was trying to search. Her voice was neither pitiful nor caring. Ariana knew how well to approach the matter.
Laura did not speak for lack of the right words to say. That night she was at peace and she was happy that her inner self was not in turmoil as the previous night. Ariana saw that maybe she had gotten over her parents death but she also saw that something had changed in her. She was not just physically cold but her heart was slowly freezing because the tragedy. She had made her own cocoon and now she was lying silently in wait. In wait for something.
They were sitting in silence each of them contemplating on what to say or waiting for the other to speak. Ariana did not know the right words to speak in but she had to reassure her.
"Hey, I'm Ariana. I'm Craig's mother and Arthur's wife," she stretched her right hands to Laura's.
Laura hesitantly stretched her hand to greet her and while muttering a hi. She assumed she knew her and she didn't feel like talking much.
"Nice to meet you," Ariana added as she widened her smile. Laura only looked at her. She felt her gesture was heart-warming and was tempted to smile but quickly held herself back.
"Come on," Ariana said as she gestured her to come and sit on her laps. She was hesitant at first but when she saw her still stretching her hands, she went on and sat on her laps as Ariana held her like a small baby.
"I know we did not meet on a good patch but I hope you'll give me a chance. We are your family now and we want you to feel like you're part of us. You can talk to me about anything anytime. I won't force you to do anything or say anything. Just at your own pace. I can be like your aunt," she said so warmly that Laura's lips moved slightly in an effort to smile.
His uncle was like that too. He treated her so nicely but ended up killing her parents who treated her as family. She was not ready to accept anyone as her family so he just nodded. She could remember her mother's words clearly and trusting anyone was not part of her bucket list at the moment so she just nodded.
"You can take Craig as your brother. You'll be playing with him when he's free, okay." She added. She hoped he could get her to talk but still she didn't utter a word. She understood her pain. She was still young and losing her parents was the last blow. She had lost her life so she understood that she needed time. Time heals all wounds she believed but he didn't know that Laura's wounds had dug deeper into her heart and made a home there.
"Now let's put you to bed," she said sweetly as she got her back to bed and covered her up.
"Would you like a bedtime story?" She asked but quickly gave up when she saw her peacefully asleep. She was tired and her nerves had been trying so hard to help her stay awake but now that sleep had found her. Ariana was glad.
She was better than the previous nights. She switched off the bedside lamp and decided to leave the main lights if the room on as she locked the door behind him. She leaned on the door tilting her head as if to look at the sky and sighed when she realized it was just the ceiling.
She had to talk to Arthur in whichever case. She had to give the girl a chance as she felt she was not as bad he thought. She hoped they could be friends with Craig. Maybe that would cheer her up. She also wanted Craig to have a friend in the house rather than spending all his time training.
She walked down the stairs her thoughts far from her. She was trying to figure out a way to convince Arthur to change his mind but she knew it wouldn't be hard but if he started considering the safety of the Guna people, then it would be a hard nut.
She got into their room, her steps futile as she locked the door behind her careful not to be loud. She looked over to Arthur's desk but did not see him as she expected. Her eyes swayed towards the bed as she saw him curled up into the duvet like a little child. She walked to her side and knelt on the floor next to him. She caressed his hair as she combed those lying on his forehead to the back of his head with his fingers. He had lines on his forehead and she could not help but worry about him.
Arthur was not one to talk about his feelings. That much she knew but she could not help but hope everyday that he could find it in him to see her as a confidant. That he could trust her with matters that heavied his heart.
She went on to the other side of the bed and curled herself in the duvet as she switched of the bedside lamp. She stretched her hand sneaking it to his chest as she moved closer to her. She placed one leg on to his and cuddle him as she waited for sleep. Her wolf was awakened but she had learnt to restrain and control it at times like this. She closed her eyes easing herself to sleep.
This time, sleep found her faster than it did earlier. She didn't struggle much as she embraced it and let go of her worries. She placed it on her bucket list to wake up early so he could have a talk with Arthur about Laura.
***
Laura was woken up my movements and noises in her room. She had not slept much and her eyes were still heavy but she still managed to hold herself up. She rubbed her eyes trying to see what was happening. She saw Arthur standing by the door. She was following the sound of the noise when she saw Paula packing up clothes from the wardrobe to a travel bag.
"What's happening?" She managed to utter her voice still rough from sleep.
"You're awake?" Arthur said as she heard her voice.
"What's going on? Why is Nanny packing?" She asked again this time her tears threatening to spill.
Arthur did not know how well to break the new to her but he decided that he had to tell he. He knew she would find out anyway so he had to prepare her. He was afraid though. He wondered how he would take it.
"I'm taking you to live with the humans," he uttered.