A WORK OF ART-132
The walk back to Alexandria was tense between the girls and Daryl. After Cassie had gone inside the house, her aunt and dad had some kind of argument. She was still hurt by her father even after he had apologized.
Cassie walked in front of the adults with Dog by her side, ignoring the conversation that was happening behind her and kept her attention of the dog.
"Cas, drink," Aunt Carol said, handing her the canteen.
She took a sip before handing it back and continued walking. She watched as her boots smash on thing that was on the ground before she kicked a few rock, seeing them a few inches in front of her. She continued to do this until they were to the divided path and stopped.
"Hey, Cas, do you want to come—" Daryl asked but was cut off.
Cassie shook her head. "No."
She started to down the opposite path with Carol following her. Her dad went the other way, alone because Dog had choose to follow her instead.
"Good boy, Doggy." She murmured, petting the dog's head.
Back at Alexandria, Cassie immediately split from her aunt, gone into her house and went to her big brother's room. She took off her quiver, bow, and backpack, dropping them on the ground before walking over to the loose floorboard and sat down.
She stuck her knife underneath it, pulling it up, revealing her mother's shoebox. A wave of sadness washed over as she picked it up and placed the box in front of her. Flicking open the lid, Cassie started to shuffle through the items.
Her uncles unopened letters, a few random objects like old discolored coins, a tiny jar of baby teeth labeled 'Cassie's baby teeth' (Max had saved the few that she had lost), three painted pinecone (which Jude made when she was little), a few more art pieces that Jude had made when she was little.
Shuffling the rest of the stuff, she picked up a old firefly hairpin. It was a bit rusted and the colors were faded, but maybe she could clean it and wear it so she could be closer with her mom. Cassie put everything back in the box, closed the floorboard and hurried to the bathroom.
She cleaned it the best she could, the rust hadn't came off fully but it didn't matter as long as she was closer to her mom. Cassie fixed her ponytail her dad messed up and tried clipping the pin in her hair above the elastic tie.
"I was wondering when you would find it." The voice of her big brother spoke from the doorway of the bathroom.
Cassie looked through the mirror at her brother. "What do you mean?"
Max stepped forwards, taking the pin from her and pinning it in her hair. "Mom found it while they were building back the bridge. Said it was for you when you were older. Okay, why are you so down in the dumps? What happened out there?"
"Nothing—fine." She sighed when she received a look from Max, before explaining everything that happened back to the house. She told him about the story, about Leah, about the note, and about everything. "That's why I'm 'down in the dumps', Max."
Max didn't say anything for a minute or two, but his face said it all. The same hurt expression she had when she found out was written in his scarred face.
"Max?" Cassie asked when he didn't say anything. "You okay?"
The twenty year old cleared his throat, nodding. "Yeah...yeah, I'm fine. I...just, I always thought that I wouldn't care if it was only me if he actually left. But I was wrong, I do care because he's the only dad that ever really gave a shit about me who loved me. I always convinced myself I wouldn't but I only cared because of you. But now I realize I would've hurt me too if he actually did leave."
"What were your parents like before mom and dad?" She asked, knowing her brother wasn't her biological brother. But she didn't care if he wasn't blood related, he still her brother in everything but blood.
"My mom was kind. She put my needs before hers. My dreams before hers. I was her everything, and she was mine. She taught me how to read, how to draw, how do everything by myself. Before the world went to shit, she had cancer. She dead when I was seven."
"What was her name?"
"Bonnie." Max smiled, remembering his biological mother smiling face.
"And your dad?"
The smile faded from his face. "He wasn't the nicest. He left my mom because she couldn't have anyone kids after me. So, he left to find someone who did, but it backfire because he married mom's mom. She didn't want any kids. Then the world went to shit, he died a few months in, I was stuck with Maria, in Woodbury before mom found me and took in as her own."
"Maria's my grandma, right? And what's was your dad's name?"
"Maria isn't your grandma, Lori was. She was mom's stepmom, but her mom nonetheless." Max says, knowing Maria was dead and will never deserve the title of 'Grandma' but Lori did. Even if she was a bit of piece of shit like his mom told him. "Kellen was my dad's name."
Cassie turned to her brother and wrapped her arms around him. "I'm glad you're my brother, Maxie, and glad that mom took you in as her own."
"Me too, Luciole," He smiled, returning the hug. (Firefly)
As they pulled away, two pairs of footstep come up the stairs and Carl barreled into the bathroom, lunching himself on to his sister. Alice was leaning against the doorframe, her arms crossed over her chest. Max smiled at the sight of her, reaching out and untwined their fingers.
"Hi, C." Cassie giggled as her baby brother hugged her.
"Play with me, Cassie?" He asked, looking up at her.
"Sure. What do you want play?"
"Soccer." Carl replied as they walked out of the bathroom, down the stairs and out of the house.
Cassie picked up the soccer ball, instructing her brother to move back a bit, which he didn't hear her at first. She frowned, before sighing it which he understood and moved back. The sister and brother played soccer for a bit until Carl didn't want to play anymore.
The ball rolled past him as he found something on the ground that was more interesting than the ball. Cassidy called out for him a couple of times, telling him to go get the ball but he didn't even hear or knowledge her.
She went to get the ball and put it on the porch before she went over to Carl. She cautiously tapped on his shoulder, causing him to look up at her.
"Do you want to color?" Cassie asked, which he nodded a 'yes'. "C'mon on then."
Taking him by the hand, she lead him into the house and over to the table. She gathered all of the old arts and crafts supplies, setting it on the table. Cassie gave her brother some supplies, watching as he immediately started drawing.
After they draw for a bit, Cassie looked over his drawings and found one that was really good for a five year old. "C, this is really cool. It's a work of art."
Carl looked up, his hazel eyes lingered on the picture before he went back to his drawing. "Thanks."
It was just colorful scribbles, random lines over crossing each other in a circle. But to Cassie it was a work of art. She slid off the chair, hurrying up the stairs and into hers and Judith's bedroom. Climbing onto her bed, she stood facing the wall and hang up the picture, admiring it.
"A work of art."