UNDERNEATH OUR BAD BLOOD

Something In The Orange

Something In The Orange

Kit hesitated before knocking on Tess's bedroom door, involuntarily glancing down at the folded up piece of weatherstained parchment in his hand, feeling like it was a stick of dynamite he was carrying. Earlier, when Daisy had distractedly handed him the envelope marked with his name in bright green ink, he hadn't expected its contents to contain this. Michonne had urged him to wait until the morning, but Kit knew he wouldn't be able to sleep, not with this weighing upon his mind. Going on his customary evening jog outwith the walls hadn't steadied him like it usually did, not even when he'd headed further out to exhaust himself. He was still just as keyed up as he was before he'd left. At hearing Tess tiredly calling 'come in', he took a deep breath before pushing open the door, heart sinking at the bombshell he was about to drop on his niece.

Upon seeing her uncle's sombre face, a confused Tess slowly put down her knitting on the bed, where she had been sitting crosslegged for the past couple of hours, sporadically working on a blanket for Judith inbetween studying the anatomy and function of the ear canal. On reflex, she pushed her old plush unicorn, Sparkles, further underneath the pillows, even as her uncle already knew she still slept with it. But Kit didn't even notice, looking dead on his feet, the sight quelling her repressed resentment at being disturbed. It struck her afresh at how old and tired he seemed lately, losing his characteristic boyishness. His silver beard was bordering on unruly; dark circles etched under his grey eyes, Imogen's eyes. Kit was nearly fifty now, even as he carried himself like a much younger man, his dark curls becoming increasingly flecked with white, much to the detriment of his secret vanity.

After Kit had finished mending Cassidy's wardrobe door, Tess had gone out to call Carl in case he'd already arrived at the Commonwealth, but the temperamental radio had thrown another fit, forcing her to give up. Parts were scarce and in great demand, as were those who had experience in the maintenance of communication equipment. The Commonwealth was unable to help for once, leaving Alexandria to make do in the meantime, and sending for Eugene wasn't really an option right now. Aaron had then come over from Kit's with Gracie and the girls, allowing Tess to escape upstairs. Having time to herself was rare and it was something she struggled to prioritize. Even when the opportunity arose, she didn't always take it.

Since Daryl's departure, she'd managed to maintain the schedule of sorts that allowed her to haphazardly balance her medical studies and personal responsibilities, her aunt and uncle intensifying their assistance. The fact their help was probably the reason why she could cope was something Tess didn't want to face. Out of habit, Tess still consulted with Carl on occasion, and he more or less deferred to her decision-making - or at least appeared to despite being the elder, Tess knowing he was probably just humouring her. Sometimes she just suspected though he couldn't be bothered with the boring minutiae of their lives and as long his sisters were safe, he didn't want to know.

But her aunt and uncle were different, always checking in and keeping tabs on Tess, wanting her to run everything past them first. The issue of Cassidy's broken wardrobe was a case in point, Tess feeling Kit didn't think she had been capable of fixing it properly in the first place. Finding freedom from such scrutiny was part of why moving to the Commonwealth was so appealing. Yet it didn't occur to Tess she would come under the same kind of stricture from Ezekiel and Carol, Tess blindly believing they would be more liberal.

When it first became apparent Imogen's absence had spiralled into something else, the community had swiftly rallied around with words of support and casseroles left on the doorstep. They still didn't know the real reason why she was gone, believing the lie she was leading a diplomatic legation regarding concerns of the Commonwealth, an extended mission that gone unexpectedly awry. Before Imogen had departed, he neighbours had sprung a surprise party to celebrate her new job, Imogen having remained resolutely behind Alexandria's walls for so long now, seeing it as a fresh start for her. Tess would always tense at the memory; how they'd had to pretend to be happy their mother was leaving. Then Imogen's calls came less often, with letters taking longer to arrive before coming to a stop altogether. As time passed, the community's concern had faded into pitying looks and awkward silences, nobody daring to say what they were all thinking. In the end, life had gone on, and Tess felt it all came down to her to keep everything ticking over.