"You are so lucky you're alive, Marriane!" Ethan gasps once his sister makes it home from the hospital, tears in her eyes as she holds her father's hand.
"Yes, she is. Oh my goodness, you two, stop getting into so much trouble. These hospital bills are nothing to laugh at." Mrs. Pinwick sighs in despair as she looks at the medical bill brought home along with her daughter.
"Marriane, go to your room young lady. Remember, a week. No puzzles or board games or having friends over." Their father says sternly and Marriane hangs her head as she heads for the stairs.
She pauses and whips her head around. "Oh, father, please rethink—"
"Go, Marriane." His tone leaves no room for discussion and she sighs before stomping up the stairs, her door is heard being closed shortly after.
"Poor thing, but she knew better than to go to that river. Oh, I don't know what to do. She's acting so rebellious and I don't know why." Ethan's mother buries her face in her hands as she ponders her child's behavior.
"She acts like Ethan, when he was about six as well. Never listening, always causing such a heap of trouble." Mr. Pinwick reminisces, taking off his scarf and hanging it up on the hat rack.
"But you and I both know she won't turn out the way our boy did. Not even Ethan was that bad." Mrs. Pinwick responds as her husband comes over and pecks the side of her head.
Ethan felt uncomfortable as his parents talked about how bad of a boy he was in front of him. I mean, who wouldn't?
"Father, mother, can I go out today? To visit some friends." He requests as he sits on the burgundy couch, looking between the two of them.
His mother raises her head and smiles weakly. "Sure, just make sure you don't break another bone. Or jump into a river. Or anything illegal."
He raises an eyebrow at her answer, "got it." He mumbles in response before making his way upstairs.
As he walks past Marriane's room, he hears her call out for him.
"Psst. Psst…!" He turns his head and sees her beckoning him over through a crack in her door. He sighs softly and makes his way over.
"What? You're going to get me in trouble." He whispers and she pokes her head out the door.
She grins, "can you give this to Arlo Farce for me? You've seen him before and I took you to where he resides. Just give him this for me." Marriane hands over a letter and he stares at it.
"Marriane, I hope you're in your room." Their father's voice calls from downstairs and she trembles.
"Uh, I'm just going to the bathroom!"
"Make it quick!" He calls back and Marriane looks up at her brother with pleading puppy eyes.
"How exactly am I supposed to give that to him with my broken arms?" Marriane inflates her cheeks and places it on top of his cast which laid in a sling.
"There, now shoo before we both get in trouble!" She ushers and closes her room door on his face.
He sighs heavily before going to get his book he borrowed from the school library, getting assistance from his mother in putting it in the satchel that sat on his desk chair.
"Please be careful, especially with your arms. No playing around hills." Mrs. Pinwick chides before sliding the satchel over his head and around his neck to allow it to hang limply at his side.
Ethan smiles, "wouldn't dream of it. I will be sure to be careful." He tries to appease her worries before going downstairs to have his mother help him put on his shoes.
…The three of them walked down the road, Jack ranting and rambling about his latest game as he always did. It felt nice to chatter with his childhood friends once in a while.
"Pris, want to come to my next game?" Jack offers with a smile as he walks beside her, who twirled her blonde hair around her finger absentmindedly.
"Sure, I will see if I have time I suppose." She responds to his smile with a small one in return as Ethan walks next to them silently.
"Oh, did you invite Irene again to our picnic?" Priscilla asks quietly as she looks down at the red blanket that carries many white polka dots. Ethan tilts his head upwards towards the blue sky that had a slight grey tint due to the weather.
"I thought I did. However, it is her choice whether she decides to join us. Why, does it bother you that she wishes to spend time with us?" Ethan questions innocently and watches with curious green eyes as she lights up red.
"Oh, no! That is not the case, I differ, I differ! You stupid, stupid boys!" She shakes her head quickly before walking ten times faster ahead of them.
"Geez, not cool, Pinwick. Not cool." Jack shakes his head in disappointment, causing Ethan to raise an eyebrow.
"What? What did I do?" He asks innocently, his gaze flickering between Jack and Priscilla, who decided she would walk ahead of them.
"Tsk, tsk."
They reach the ol' abandoned park that was hidden nicely behind some trees who were shading the park nicely, but did not help with the cold that was brought upon with the fall.
Irene was spotted sitting past the giant woodchip area, where they last had a noon snack and on the green grass that was sure to be moist.
What caught Ethan's eye is her brown hair, that was today out in the wind. There were no usual braids of hers and that caught his waxed and shined green apple eyes.
Irene seems to hear their approach as she gets up from her spot and moves so Priscilla can lay down the picnic blanket.
"Good day, Irene." Jack greets with his usual grin and she does a simple nod of acknowledgement and sits next to Ethan on the blanket.
"So, what high school are you guys thinking of attending?" Jack breaks the silence as he unpacks the picnic basket filled with nice treats.
Of course, a piece of strawberry shortcake was saved for Priscilla as he sat it down on the saucer in front of her.
"Me? Where else are we to go? There aren't many schools for miles. Of course, Buckingbrim." Priscilla answers as she takes a small bite out of the shortcake with the fork provided to her.
Ethan stares at the cookies given to him by his good friend Jack that he is oh, not able to eat due to his arms.
Then Irene picks up the soft chocolate cookie and pushes it against his lips, causing not only his eyes to widen in surprise, but also his friends.
"Here, eat." She grumbles before Ethan takes a bite out of the cookie accordingly.
"Woah, woah! Not in public, guys." Jack giggles and sips a bit of his water. Priscilla stops short and stares after the scene in shock before she speaks up.
"I… I'll feed him. It would be kind of weird since you're not as close to him and me and Ethan have been friends since toddler days. So let me." She blurts out, scooting close to Ethan and taking the cookie from Irene.
"No, it's alright, Priscilla. I don't mind or care who feeds—" Ethan's mouth is stuffed with a cookie, silencing him from protesting. Jack shakes his head at the scene and looks over to Irene, who is eating the pastries he provided silently.
"So, what school are you going to for high school?" He questions, leaning over to her slightly as he watches her take a bite out of a yellow frosted sugar cookie.
She looks up at him with dull brown eyes before looking back down and continueing to nibble on her cookie. "Doesn't matter." She mutters under her breath, causing Jack to blink at her blunt rudeness.
"Well, I was just asking. No need to get so defensive." He inflates his cheeks a bit before sighing and leaning back to his spot as he watches Ethan and Priscilla interact.
Soon, it was time for the four to disperse. With Priscilla folding up the picnic blanket and holding it against her chest and the sun deciding to set and signal the end of the day.
"I can walk home with you," Priscilla offers kindly while looking up at Ethan but he shakes his head in reply.
"I apologize, but my sister asked me to give a letter to a friend of hers so I will go alone." He smiles and speaks his friends goodbye before heading down the opposite way on the dirt road.
Arlo Farce, his sister said. He vaguely remembers seeing the boy but from what he could recall, his mother was a rich lady and Arlo was the most apathetic person he has ever seen. Nothing fazes that boy, no matter what he'd say.
But Ethan remembers the boy's talent, he was well versed in mathematics for his age.
After walking for a good fifteen to twenty minutes, he comes across a nice white house. Flowerbeds aligned the porch with beautiful bloomed wood lilies and a great oak hung proud in the yard.
He walked up the stone path and onto the white wooden porch. He knocks on the door and waits patiently.
The door opens and a woman answers. Her hair was in an elegant bun, decorated nicely with pins that had golden designs on them. Her dress was long, black, and flowy, making sure to catch curves.
Her hair was a nice rich blonde color and her eyes were a sharp blue. She looked Ethan up and down critically before speaking in an elegant monotone. "Who may you be and what is your business here?" She asks.
Ethan smiles, "I'm Ethan Pinwick and I'd like to see Arlo. May I, ma'am?" He introduces, feeling the urge to shake her hand but he shouldn't move his broken arms.
She blinks in surprise and she lets a small smirk play on her lips. "Oh, are you Oliver's boy?" She hums in questioning, inspecting his face.
"Yes, I am. I'm sure my sister comes frequently, does she not? She wanted me to give Arlo something." He further explains, glancing down at the blue bag that laid at his hip.
"Yes, she does come here. Please, I insist for you to come in. Then you can give Arlo something." She says politely and moves so Ethan can come into the house.
Ethan wipes his feet at the door mat and looks around the lavish living space. The couch looked plush and full and the white beams decorated the house nicely. The wallpaper was elegant, yet simple and the decorations looked deathly expensive.
"Sit, sit. Make yourself at home." She invites warmly, moving the pillow over from the plush couch to the carpet under it. To not be rude, he accepts the invitation and sits down on the soft velvety couch that in all honesty, makes him sleepy from how comfortable it was.
"Oh, dear! Whatever happened to your arms?" She asks in concern as she sits next to him, looking at his arms with furrowed brows.
"I got into an accident, it's fine, really." He assures and gives her a small smile, which the lady returns.
"Well, if you say. How rude, I forgot to introduce myself to you. I am Arlo's mother and you can just call me Ms. Farce." She begins leaning of of the couch and picking up a glass of wine that sat on the coffee table in front of the plush couch.
"I think I recall seeing you once or twice if my memory serves me right. I'm an old friend of your father's, Oliver and I go way back. But, alas, he does not enjoy the pleasantries of speaking to me anymore as he used to." She sighs at the recollection.
Ethan tilts his head at this new revelation, his father did not much speak about his past or anything personal so Ethan was invested.
"Did you know my mother as well?" He asks, sitting up and giving Ms. Farce his full attention.
Ms. Farce grimances at his words but in the end puts on a smile. "Yes, of course. In fact, Maraline and I used to be the best of friends until junior high. I do not favor her daughter too much as she reminds me of your mother. However, Arlo seems to care so much for the girl so I put my own petty grudges aside." She explains, pausing briefly between each sentence for a sip of red wine.
"He cares for her?" He asks himself aloud, catching her attention.
She giggles and sits up as well. "Yes, the two are quite the cute kids together. No doubt my boy's gifted, but he is quite the apathetic thing. He does not care for much but reading, even when he was four. Then when we moved back here and he started going to school, all he spoke of was a girl named Marriane." She paused with a soft sigh and a sip of wine.
"When that girl got in trouble at the river, he wrote to her to make sure she was okay. Not something my boy would do, for sure. Amazing he knows how to write cursive at his age, hm?" Ms. Farce grins while speaking of her child which is obvious she is quite fond of.
"Impressive indeed. May I go see him now? Then, I need to head back for supper." He responds and stands up, prompting her to do the same.
"Yes, yes. His room is upstairs, down the hall with the vases in front of the door." She instructs, moving to the marble kitchen island as Ethan goes upstairs. He heads down the hall as instructed and pauses at a door with two pillars on either side that hold vases with wood lilies in them.
Unable to knock, he calls out instead. "Hello? May you let me in?" He calls through the door and he hears some shuffling before the door opens.
He looks down to see a boy with blonde curly hair that frames a nice looking face. His eyes were grey and sharp, just like Ms. Farce. Arlo moves aside and allows Ethan to come into the room, once Ethan is in, Arlo closes the door.
"Is Marianne okay?" The boy asks in the softest voice Ethan has ever heard.
Ethan smiles, "yes, she's fine. Grounded though rightfully. She wanted me to give you a letter personally because well, she's six and she doesn't know how to address a letter properly and father won't let her out of her room for a week." Ethan explains as he watches Arlo walk across his room to a couch that was against the wall, where the younger boy would sit.
Arlo's room was nicely decorated, an equally plush couch to the one downstairs was in his room against the wall and next to a balcony. The white curtains laid limp and the balcony overlooked the backyard that had flower beds of wood lilies and sunflowers.
Books were scattered all over the boy's room, on his lavish bed, his desk, and around the floor. What amazed Ethan really was his giant bookcase that was against one of the walls. It appeared to hold all sorts of literature, of old and new.
"Oh, um, Marriane wrote a letter for you. Unfortunately, I am unable to get it so if you could get it out of the front pocket of my bag…" Ethan trails off and Arlo nods, getting up and moving over to Ethan before opening up the front flap of his bag, successfully taking the letter out.
Arlo quickly rips open the letter and silently reads it.
He glances up at Ethan for a second before speaking. "Thank you, you may leave now." Ethan nods and smiles kindly before exiting the room and going down the marble stairs that lead into the lavish living room.
"Oh, are you leaving, Pinwick boy? Give this to your father for me." Ms. Farce rummages through some drawers in the kitchen before going over to Ethan and handing him a bag.
Ethan nods, "if you wish." He allows Ms. Farce to put the bag in his blue leather one before he sets off for home.
Once he gets home and opens the front door, his mother pipes up.
"Oh, you made it just in time, I was starting to get worried. Here, let me help you." His mother gets up from the couch and moves over to Ethan to help him take off his coat and scarf.
"Father, Ms. Farce wanted me to give you something." He says as he goes over to his father who sat on the couch, reading a book. The name makes his head snap up and his eyebrows furrow.
"Celine? Why were you over at her house?" He asks pointedly, his green eyes boring into his son's.
Ethan shrugs a bit, but was not going to give his sister away like that. "I was walking by her house and she said she recognized me." He lies a pretty good tale and nods towards his bag where the gift bag sat in.
"Right. Whatever she gave me, throw it away." He grumbles before turning back to his book. Ethan takes on an expression of surprise at his father's behavior. Had he not been one to express but he was never rude or cruel.
"Oh, don't be like that, Oliver. It was years ago, forgive and forget. After all, our little girl is deathly in love with her boy." Her mother speaks softly, sitting beside her husband and placing a hand over his.
"I supppose. But I do not want her gifts. Throw it away." He speaks with finality, leaving no room for Ethan or his wife to intervene in his way of thinking. So Ethan does what's asked of him, although reluctantly. Ms. Farce seemed kind to him and he did not care to understand their drama.
"Prepare for supper, Ethan!" His mother calls with a smile as he heads upstairs.