Rosetta

10

"No"

Scarlet huffed. "Look, I handled the farm by myself years before I met you Wolf, I am completely capable of doing it!"

"No! Look Scarlet, I'm not just gonna sit here watching you work and do nothing. Again," he replied.

Scarlet walked over to her bedroom curtains and opened them. She squinted her eyes from the light of the bright morning sun. She heard shuffling from behind her, and turned to see Wolf's knee bobbing up and down above the covers. She sighed and sat on the edge of the bed next to him.

"Wolf," she said, placing one hand on his knee. It stopped moving. He looked at her hand. When he looked up again, Scarlet was prepared. "I'm not gonna let you hurt yourself by working today."

He tilted his head back into the bed board and groaned. "Scarlet, I've been like this the whole week-"

She patted his cheek. "So what's one more day?"

He leaned his head into her hand. "You promise this is the last day?"

"Let's see." She shoved the cover away and looked at his ankle. It was bandaged up well and the swelling had stopped. The bruise-looking mark had vanished and it was clearly alright.

"Last day. Plus, you won't exactly be getting the day off, you know."

She walked over to the door and opened it. Juliette was there, holding her pretend doctor case and trying to flatten her hair to look more presentable.

"Maman, can I see Papa?" She asked, swaying from side to side.

She gestured to him on the bed. "He's there, firefly. But don't get too close- he's grumpy this morning."

Wolf scowled at her and looked at Juliette. "Morning Jules. Oh no, I think I've got a cough." He started to pretend to cough. "I need some of that medicine you gave me yesterday, Dr Juliette."

Scarlet, standing in the corner, suddenly became alarmed. "Medicine? What medicine? Where did-"

Wolf pressed his fingers to his lips and nodded his head for her to look. Juliette opened her case and revealed a jar of sweets. She picked up a blue one and popped it in Wolf's mouth.

Scarlet drew her hands down her face and groaned. So that's where her sweets had gone. Juliette cuddled next to Wolf and they pulled the cover on top of them.

She paced around the room. "Where is Papa? Where is my firefly?" A giggle erupted from the bed, followed by a shush.

Scarlet leaned forwards, but suddenly Wolf drew the covers himself and sat up.

"What did you just say?" He asked Juliette.

Scarlet sat next to them. "What's wrong?"

"Jules just asked me something. Say it again."

Her small cheeks flushed with embarrassment, and she shook her head.

"What did she say?" Scarlet asked.

"She asked why we sound different." Now his own cheeks turned red.

Scarlet laughed. "Ohh, Wolf! I thought she cursed or something."

"Why does Papa and Maman sound not same?" Juliette asked again. "And I sound same Maman!"

"I am French. You sound like me because we all live in France, but your daddy..." Scarlet looked at Wolf, not sure on what to say.

Wolf sighed and slumped down. "I knew she'd ask this eventually."

Scarlet thought for a while before standing up and saying, "Your daddy is from a planet surrounded by beautiful stars, which are just like him." She spread her hands out to represent space. The way Wolf looked at her reminded her of when he had first seen a tomato- mesmerised, but she wasn't finished yet. "Where Papa is from, you don't see the sun often but when you do, it is one of the most beautiful things you could have seen. Papa is from the moon, and the stars, and the dark night sky!"