Silence

Chapter 29

Mey-Rin was a bit disappointed since she had such an unrequited crush on Sebastian ever since he had hired her, but it was impossible for her to be mad. Sebastian had opened Adalina up again and got her to smile and speak once more. How could she possibly be angry at something like that?

Finnian also found himself a little disappointed, having developed a very small crush on Adalina in the more recent months. However, since his crush was far from the level of Mey-Rin's infatuation, it didn't take him long to get over it, especially when he saw how happy Adalina was with Sebastian.

After getting Ciel's permission to leave the manor for an hour, only after she had told him where she was going, Adalina headed to a place she had not been to in many years.

Her home.

She watched for a few moments as a mother and father played with their young child outside. Her eyes watered as she remembered when that girl used to be her before the rest of her childhood had been ripped away from her forever.

The family soon walked down the street leaving the house empty. Taking a shaky breath, Adalina approached the side of the house and placed a small rose from the Phantomhive garden against it.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered as she knelt down. "I know it took me far too long to come back. You'll be pleased to know that I went on to live a good life. It took a long time...and I didn't talk for a while. But now...I have so many people who care about me. I work hard as a head maid for a young earl who solves cases in London's underworld for the Queen. He's a very good master to me. I don't think I could ask for anyone better. He tries to give off the impression that he is unfeeling, but deep down, I know that he cares. He helped me get justice for you both. And...I found someone to love. You would both like him. Eventually. We would probably have to leave out a few details here and there. I don't think you would approve of his history. But he will protect me with his life, and I will protect him. That's what you really wanted for me."

Several tears ran down her face as she stood up again.

"I love you both. I always will."

She walked away from the house to return to the manor, finally getting closure about everything that had happened to her.

Sebastian was busy that night and still attempting to adjust to doing things as a human, so Adalina was the one to help Ciel prepare for bed.

The butler was slowly beginning to adjust his new life, but Adalina had seen him frustrated more times in the past few days than in her whole employment as a Phantomhive servant. She knew it was difficult for him to operate on the same level as the rest of them, but he would eventually get used to it. She would be there to help him.

"Sir?" she said quietly as she helped Ciel undress. "There's something I need to tell you."

"Is it anything like the last thing you had to tell me?"

Adalina smiled a little. "No. Um...when I got my memories back, I remembered some things that I had long since forgotten. I...I think I met your father before."

Ciel froze and looked at her in disbelief.

"It was winter," she recalled. "I had been living on the streets for a few months by then. Most people didn't look my way, especially nobles. I can count on one hand the number of nobles who even glanced at me."

Ciel felt a small pang of guilt, recalling that he had been one of those nobles who had dismissed her.

"But...one day in December...this man knelt down in front of me. He had the warmest voice and the kindest smile I had ever seen. He took off his coat and gave it to me to shield me from the cold since...well, you know, I didn't have proper attire. Then he gave me some food. It was the most I had eaten in a long time. He promised me that he would later find someone who could help me. I waited for days, but I never saw him again."