Heavy Hearts | Quil Ateara [3]

vingt-neuf

Running her fingers over smooth silk, she found herself getting lost to the world around her - sleepiness hazing her mind and drawing her attention away crom everything else.

She had been waiting up for what feels like hours for Bella to return from her visit to a bedridden Jacob.

Pushing herself up, the silk of Alice's pyjamas brushed against her skin in a way that draped against her skin in a natural, lovely way.

Scurrying down the halls in a rush to reach the kitchen, the patter of her feet was painfully loud in the silent house. The present members of the Cullen family having dispersed to various rooms to pass the night.

Coming across the kitchen, she found Lynn digging around the fridge with Esme happily standing by preparing the girl any food she wanted. Having yet to go home, or call and tell the other's where she was, Andy imagined the pack must have been in some sort of state as the two of them had just disappeared in Edward's car.

From what she could discern by the sour look on her friends face, things were not going all that well with Jacob.

Alice, she imagined, must have seen something that didn't lessen her friends concern all that much.

"Hey," Andy said tentatively, stepping up to the counter with a small smile.

"Hey," Lynn grumbled around a mouthful off food.

A seedling of sadness and guilt began to blossom in her chest and Andy spared her friend a side-eye glance. To be connected to the pack, she imagined it was different for the two as Lynn could actually shift, had known all these people since she was young - even if she didn't like them all that much. Words of comfort and reassurance were lost on her, and all she could manage was a feeble squeeze on the arm and a side hug that spread a glow of renewing warmth through the pair that muted the sadness.

"What have you been eating so far?" Andy changed the looming subject quickly, waving a hand at the various plates and foods laid around the counter.

Esme laughed. "Just about everything."

"Well it's not everyday that someone is willing to feed me all their food," the Quileute girl was quick to defend herself.

"It's quite alright. It's nice to cook for someone," Esme admit, looking at the pair with a motherly, loving smile that had Andy beaming at the woman. "As much as I get the opportunity with Andy, she doesn't eat much."

"I'm a tiny person," she mumbled, pursing her lips. "I don't eat very much."

"It's alright." Esme came around the table and pressed a kiss to the crown of her head. "You eat more than enough."

She leaned into the touch, breathing a sigh of relief before she felt it disappear as Esme moved from the kitchen and towards the front entrance.

The words couldn't be heard as conversation ensued, but she would bet that Carlisle and Edward have returned -or Carlisle at the very least.

At her side Lynn visibly relaxed, though she didn't say anything as she continued to eat.

"Esme's lovely, isn't she?" She whispered despite knowing very well everyone could hear her. "I wish I had met her sooner."

"Yeah, me too," Lynn breathed, eyes darting back to where she could hear what Andy couldn't. "She's a lot nicer than most people I've met. I wish Jared wasn't such an ass all the time, he would love her too."

Andy nodded sagely. "I guess everyone has there prejudices about one thing or another. Some people can't get over them, and some people can."

The other girl huffed, a snort coming from her nose. "I hate when you get all smart like that, it makes everything so serious."