Chapter Text
The Carmine residence had never been this quiet, nor this cold, at least not to Carmilla.
Their family meeting had been a week ago, and yet Odette would barely speak a word to her, and Clara, ever loyal to her older sister, followed suit. However, Carmilla could get her to mediate a question or two at times; it was stiff and awkward, so Carmilla stopped pushing. Instead, she now chose to give them the space they clearly desired. In fact, they had gone to visit Rosie, whom they considered an aunt, for the time being.
Carmilla trusted Rosie; she had been a great help to her when she first arrived in Hell, and her girls had taken a quick liking to her. However, now Carmilla could not help but feel jealous. She bit the inside of her cheek as she recalled the memory of Odette informing her that she and Clara would be going away for a bit.
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Carmilla tried not to hasten her pace at all, but she was slightly giddy. The girls had requested that she join them for dinner, which they had not done since that painful conversation several days ago. Instead, they had been eating in their rooms, leaving Zestial and her to the large dining table themselves, and while Zestial tried to distract her from it, she could not help it when her eyes would wander to the other two chairs that sat vacant at the table. Perhaps they’re finally starting to forgive me. Carmilla could not help but let the hopeful thought fill her heart and soul as she rounded the corner to the dining room.
Unfortunately, Zestial would be unable to attend as he had been away from his territory for a bit longer than what was recommended and had to return to ensure everything was still running smoothly, especially after everything that had happened. Carmilla had understood this, although she wished he would return soon.
“Mis hijas, you wanted to talk?” Carmilla asked as she entered the dining room with a cautious smile on her face. However, she had deflated quickly, noticing the duffel bags each of the girls held.
Odette was frowning with a furrowed brow. Clara also had a furrowed brow, but was giving her a small smile in return before clearing her throat.
“Dette and I are going to be staying with Aunt Rosie for a bit… We uh—already asked her ahead of time.”
“Oh,” Carmilla replied dumbly as her hands fell limp at her sides.
“—But we made food!” Clara was quick to add, pointing to the table where she saw a plate of tamales alongside bowls of rice and beans. “I was thinking we could eat together before we were gone for a bit…”
Carmilla did not miss her daughter’s use of the word ‘I’ as her gaze shifted to Odette, who was no longer looking at her.
“I… Okay.” Carmilla finally said, and Clara smiled a bit more at that, while Odette remained indifferent.
Carmilla sat in her usual seat, and the girls moved to their seats as well, dropping their bags on the floor.
Carmilla stared at the food her girls had made and noted the smell that made her mouth water. However, she quickly winced as a sharp pain was felt in her stomach, making her eye twitch. A clear sign that she had not been eating properly since her girls had started avoiding her. Zestial had noticed. Though he did not say so out loud, she noticed how he would stare at her as she picked over her food and would only take small bites to appease him. He had also started bringing her an extra scone with her afternoon tea. He would frown when he noticed that the scones would remain, though the tea had been drunk. Carmilla had felt horrible for this but had insisted she was simply not hungry when she noticed his lingering stare.
Carmilla shook the thought off as she watched Clara grab a tamale and serve herself a healthy portion of rice and a smaller scoop of beans. She then smiled at Odette before handing her the scoop. Odette followed her sister’s lead, though she did not get quite as large a scoop as her sister did. Carmilla noted this with a frown, as she had not even moved to grab a tamale. Had Odette not been eating properly as well? Clara also seemed to frown at her sisters' measly portion sizes as she was once more handed the scoop and turned to hand it to Carmilla.
“Here you go, Mo—er, here.” Clara awkwardly stuttered with a furrowed brow and eyes full of uncertainty.
“Thank you, mija,” Carmilla said with a smile and had to fight the urge to fill up Odette’s plate more, knowing the action would not be appreciated. She also fought the urge not to let the disappointment show on her face as Clara clearly fumbled over her words to avoid referring to her as their mother.
Carmilla scooped some rice onto her plate and grabbed a tamale as well.
The rest of dinner had been a quiet affair with both her and Odette picking at their food while Clara was the only one who actually ate.
However, when it came to bidding the girls goodbye, Carmilla found she suddenly had many things to say to prolong their leaving her.
“Are you sure you have to leave right this second? What about dessert?” She winced at that, knowing full well she and Odette had eaten nothing off their plates. “Or what about a movie night? We haven’t done one of those in forever…”
Clara opened her mouth to respond, but remained silent as Odette placed a hand on her shoulder before stepping forward. “I think we need some time to think,” Odette said slowly. “Away. Away from… here.”
Carmilla did not miss her slight pause or the narrowing of her eyes. Away from you is what she wants to say. Carmilla could not help the bitter thought from entering her mind. “I understand.” Carmilla chose to say, her face becoming unreadable. She needed to remain strong in front of them. She would not break down here and add to the thoughts weighing on them. She would remain the strong figure that she had always been to them and show them that nothing had changed.
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Yeah… nothing's changed at all. Carmilla thought with a sour expression on her face as she jotted some notes down on the latest line of Carmine product that was to be sent out. She glanced at the digital clock on her computer and groaned, realizing that only five minutes had gone by since she had last checked. At least Zestial will be returning tomorrow night…
Ring! Ring!
Carmilla jumped slightly as she heard the familiar ringtone of the phone that Clara and Odette had insisted on getting her. They had tried giving one to Zestial as well; however, it had not lasted long. Carmilla smirked at the memory, and she answered her phone despite her sour mood.
“Hello—”
“Millie!”
Carmilla pulled the phone back from her ear slightly at the high-pitched greeting before cautiously bringing it closer, having lowered the volume. “Rosie? Is everything all right?”
“I should be the one asking you that!” Rosie said, “Your girls won’t say a word to me about what’s going on between you three, and I know it’s not my place to pry, Mills, but I’m worried about you.”
Carmilla smiled slightly at the kind words before sighing, “I’m sorry for worrying you, Rosie, with our family drama. If I had it my way, this would have all gone over much smoother… However, I understand why they are upset. I—I am doing fine.”
“Millie. You and I both know you're lying.”
Carmilla was silent.
“What’s going on, Millie?”
Carmilla sighed. As much as she trusted Rosie, this was not something that she could simply go around telling people. Thus, a half-truth. “I—I told the girls that I am not their biological mother.”
“Oh.”
Carmilla could hear the surprised lilt to Rosie’s voice and could imagine her eyes widening.
“And I’m sure you are coming to realize… they did not take it well…” Carmilla sighed, letting her forehead fall onto the open palm of her free hand, brushing her bangs back while doing so. “I just don’t know what to do, Rosie. I know they need time and space, but… my girls hate me. They haven’t even referred to me as their mother since I told them, and I know I should have told them sooner, but it just never seemed like the right time.”
There was another moment of silence before Rosie replied, “Millie… I know that there is more to this than what you have told me…” Carmilla bit her lip nervously. “However, I understand that for whatever reason you believe that you are unable to tell me, whether that be for your safety, the girls’, or my own. I will do what I can to get them to realize this, but as you said, it will take time… Your girls don’t hate you, Mills; they just feel betrayed. They're hurt knowing that the person they look up to the most isn’t actually their own blood in the way they always believed you were. They’ll realize that you still love them the same, perhaps realize how much greater that love is than they thought. And when they do, I know you’ll be there to greet them with open arms.”
“Thank you for the comforting words, Rosie. I will be sure to keep this in mind as I wait.” Carmilla said, and she meant it.
“Any time, Mills… Oh, and Zestial has informed me you have not been eating properly. I’ve gotten Odette to eat more, so don’t think I won’t come over to that large factory of yours armed with Cannibal Town’s finest cuisine.”
Carmilla’s face scrunched up at the grotesque image that made her empty stomach turn before hearing some laughter come through on her phone.
“I’m kidding, of course, Dear, but seriously, Mills, if you don’t start eating properly, I will be coming over there and ensuring you do.”
“Noted.” Carmilla said, before adding with a sigh, “And remind me to tell Zestial to stop teaming up with you when it comes to these things.”
An amused hum could be heard through Carmilla’s phone before Rosie’s voice came through once more, “Not a chance, Mills. That man cares about you far too much to let you waste away out of guilt. And frankly, so do I.”
Carmilla felt her throat tighten slightly at the words, “I don’t deserve either of you.”
“Oh, stop that,” Rosie chided gently. “You deserve people who care about you, Millie. Now, I have to go—Clara is insisting on helping me in the Emporium today, and you know how that girl gets when she gets her mind set on something. After all, she gets it from her mother.”
Carmilla laughed slightly at that, despite everything.
“I expect you to eat a proper meal tonight. Am I clear?”
“Crystal,” Carmilla replied as a small smile began to form on her lips.
“Good. Take care of yourself, Mills. Your girls will be back before you know it, and they won’t want to see their mom suffering. Goodbye for now, Millie.
“Goodbye, Rosie, and thank you.”
The line went dead after a moment, and Carmilla set her phone screen down on her desk with a heavy sigh. She leaned back into her chair as she side-eyed the stack of papers sitting in front of her, then to the digital clock of her computer once more. The numbers seemed to taunt her as if refusing to change while she stared; no matter how long she stared, they would never change while she was watching. Still hours until evening. Hours of continuing to sit alone in her office and an empty home.
Carmilla stood abruptly, deciding that drowning herself in work at the factory would be better than sitting here and wallowing any longer. At least there, she could focus on something productive, and despite them not being her family, she would be surrounded by others. Perhaps the company would do her good. Carmilla quickly packed her blueprints and a few papers in her bag as she made her way through her home to the front door. However, she paused as she passed the kitchen and eyed the fruit bowl that sat there.
I expect you to eat a proper meal tonight. Am I clear? Rosie’s voice rang in her head.
Carmilla sighed as she walked towards the bowl and plucked an apple from it. She owed Rosie this much. She took a few bites as she exited her home, having already called her driver the moment she had decided to head to her factory.