Chapter Text
“You’re just like Abe.”
Those words hit me like a mallet to the face.
Was I really like him?
I didn’t want to be.
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Flashback–
“Jacob?”
I was sitting beside a tree when I heard my name being called. I look up to see nothing. For a moment I was puzzled. Sometimes I could hear my name being called by absolutely no one, perhaps it was one of those moments. But, when I looked back down, there were foot imprints in the grass. That’s when I realized-
Millard.
“Jacob? Are you alright?” He asked again, and I could hear him bending down to sit in front of me. “You look gloomy.”
I simply smiled at the nothing-ness in front of me, and shook my head.
“I’m fine. Just… thinking.” I responded.
“What’s on your mind?” Millard asked.
“Well, it’s just-”
“Let me guess. Emma?”
My jaw dropped. “How’d you know?”
“Lucky guess.” He replied.
I chuckled and shook my head. “I didn’t think it would be so obvious.”
“When she held that knife to your side, you looked at her with awe.” Millard shuffled around, and I guess he moved to sit beside me instead of in front. “Kept staring at her during supper, too.”
I groaned in embarrassment.
“Hm. It is true.” He started. I looked up at him with a raised brow. “You do look a lot like your grandfather. It’s quite astonishing.”
I could feel his eyes on me, looking me up and down. I’m not sure how. It made me feel slightly uncomfortable. Was this meant to be a compliment or an insult?
“How close were you all with him?” I asked. Millard stayed quiet for a moment, perhaps debating on answering or not. “Emma was close with him. Loved him dearly. She was so heart broken when he left.” He started.
“Abraham was one of my best friends. It hurt for me when he left as well, but not as much as Emma.” Millard sighed. I turned to look away from Millard’s general direction. I had a feeling this was going to be deep.
“When he left, he took all of our hearts with him,” he continued. “Horace said he’d never forgive him. We all know Horace, though. Too much of a softy.” I heard a chuckle come from him, and I grinned with him. “Enough of that. Why don’t you go talk to her. I’m sure she would LOVE that.” He nudged me with his elbow.
“I dunno… I don’t think she’d like me very much. I’m like my grandpa’s… doppelganger from when he was younger. You don’t think that would freak her out?”
“Nonsense. Besides, it’s not like you act like him or…” he trailed off, thinking. “Have his peculiarity or anything.”
I nodded agreeingly. Wait- Peculiarity?
“Wait- Mill- what do you mean by that?” But the only response I got from him was the sounds of him running off.
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