Chapter Text
I will always remember as if it was yesterday: the day that my daughter's life changed within the blink of an eye. It was late afternoon on a mild but sunny Saturday, I just came home from doing the grocery shopping after work and my daughter Cindy was upstairs in her room listening to some old folk albums of mine in a ridiculously high volume, so that I barely heard the door bell.
When I opened the door a girl about 15 years old – so Cindy’s age, but a little taller and slenderer – stood in front of me. She had dark hair at shoulder length, warm blue eyes and almost aristocratic features. The headphones that hung around her neck, her slightly red cheeks and sportswear including a heart rate monitor watch told me she had been jogging.
“Hi”, she said a little out of breath and nibbling at her lip. “I’m Florence. My parents just moved to this neighbourhood. We will be living down the street”, she said in a very polite and cultured manner, pointing at the big mansion that had been empty for two years now – probably due to its price.
“Hello Florence, nice to meet you. I’m Jannice. Where are your parents now?”
“They are at work but I thought I should say ‘Hi’ on their behalf.”
I noticed her eyes darting around behind me as if in search for something. “That’s very considerate of you.”
“Well, I hoped, you might -” She stopped herself, rose to her toes to look over my shoulder and suddenly beamed.
I turned around and found Cindy standing on the stairs mirroring our visitors expression. “Hi, I’m Cindy”, she stated, her voice slightly wavering, and tripped over her feet as she descended the rest of the stairs and stepped up to my side. I could almost see a light radiating from both of them.
“I’m Florence. I’m new to this neighbourhood. Would you mind showing me around?” I saw Florence breathe much heavier than before and her cheeks redden even more. My daughter reacted just the same and back then I had no clue on what was happening.
“I’d love to”, Cindy replied.
“Great!” Florence took her hand and tugged her outside. Both seemed to have forgotten about me completely.
“Be back on time for dinner!”, I shouted after them unsure whether they even heard me. They were off within seconds, running down the street holding hands, giggling. Since my daughter never gave me reasons to worry before, I just shook my head, turned off the music and went back inside to put away the groceries, clean the kitchen and prepare the meal.
Less than two hours later and just on point for dinner, I saw the two girls from the kitchen window strolling back towards our door, walking the street close to each other like a couple with their fingers intertwined. I had never seen my Cindy in love before, but I immediately recognised that she was then.
Concerned, I opened the window just enough to eavesdrop as I watched them step up to the door, wrap their arms around each other and kiss. That was when I really started to worry because it seemed much too mature for children at their age – and not by the deepness of their kisses but by the intensity of feelings that their every gesture displayed. After all they just met.
“Dine with us”, Cindy asked but Florence shook her head.
“I should help my parents.”
“With what? You said they don’t want you to interfere.” The girl only sighed sadly. “Come on, please! I beg you.”
Florence chuckled running a hand through my daughter’s hair with the most affectionate look on her face. “I could never deny you a wish.” Cindy grinned from ear to ear, while Florence continued “But you should at least ask your mother!”
“Don’t worry about her. She’ll love you – just like me.” Dear child, you don’t know what you’re talking about! I already began to think of reasons, why Florence could not stay with us.
“I hope, that’s not true”, she replied teasingly with raised eyebrows.
“You know what I mean!”
“I love you, too.” I did not believe my ears. They kissed again and I averted my eyes this time, filling two plates with mashed potatoes, chicken nuggets and some greens. What shall I do?! Cindy was obviously happier than ever in her life and Florence seemed strangely genuine in her words.
When they finally entered the kitchen – acting more like best friends now than like lovers – I still had not decided on what to do, but when Cindy asked “Mum, can Florence stay for dinner, please?” I did not have the heart to shatter her joy.
“Sure. If her parents agree.”
“They’ll call me if they miss me”, the girl answered, her expression adding silently “which won’t happen”.
At the dinner table I tried to at least find out more about my daughter’s crush. “Where do you come from?”
“I was born in Crestine but my parents originate from Lavia. They moved often due to their jobs at the foreign ministry. It’s actually the first time I see their home country”, she recounted light-hearted but I saw the melancholy in her eyes.
“Sounds like a tough life for a child, always changing countries, languages, schools, friends…” She immediately reacted like I hit a tender spot on her heart.
“Well, I really hope we can stay here, now”, she replied, exchanging a meaningful glance with Cindy and grasped her hand under the table.
In the course of the conversation I found out, that Florence was to attend the same school as my daughter and the same class, starting on Monday. In the years before she had been educated by private teachers. “Then at least you have a friend already”, I stated after we finished the meal closely observing their face. They seemed to have decided to hide their infatuation from me.
“Yes, I’m really grateful for that.”
“Let’s go! I wanna show you my room”, Cindy said jumping up and tapped Florence’s shoulder.
“May we?”, the girl asked me and I could not help grimacing for the mixed emotions in my chest.
“Alright but keep the door open!”
My daughter furrowed her brows. “What?!”
“You heard me and you know why”, I command although I did not feel nearly as convinced as I sounded.
She shot her crush a confused look, responded “Okay, if you insist” and ran up the stairs with Florence following her after she thanked me for the dinner. And what now? I felt uncomfortable when I sneaked upstairs behind them. I never intruded my daughter’s privacy before, but I just could not leave it at that.
Through the open door I watched them in the mirror on Cindy’s wardrobe. They lay on her bed, cuddled close and caressing each other. I simultaneously marvelled at and disapproved of the intimacy they already shared. “I think, your mother knows.” Yes, she does!
“No one ever really knows.” Huh?
“True.”
They paused and I was just about to sneak away, when my daughter asked “What’s going on in your beautiful mind?”
“Not much, actually. I’m just grateful that we found each other again.” I stumbled over the wording. What’s that supposed to mean?!
“We’ll always find each other, cupcake.”
“Since when are you the optimist?” She has been quite an optimist her whole life, girl.
“You made me this.” Pardon?!
“Do I have to apologise for that?” I made her this!
“No, it’s great.” Can’t believe it.
“You know, it feels like things could go well this time.”
“No walls, no riots or civil wars, no twisted experiments on the horizon… yeah, it seems like this could be our lucky shot.” That was when my brain stopped processing their words properly. Wars, walls, experiments, what the…?!
“A well-deserved rest after everything we had to deal with... Some peace at last.” Florence voice sounded confusingly exhausted. Girls, you’re only 15! Things might not have gone smooth all the time, but…
“You consider school peaceful?”
“By comparison: yes!”
“Just you wait, honey. This won’t be anything like your private lessons or school back in Piltover.” Back where?!
“I hope so because this time, I’ll have you by my side.”
They fell silent again for longer this time and I compelled myself to finally give them some privacy.
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It was around bedtime, that Florence left because her parents unexpectedly called her. Cindy obliged her to show up the next day. “As soon as possible”, Florence promised as desired, shot me an appraising glance and then placed a quick kiss on my daughter’s cheek.
“See you”, I said with the friendliest tone I could manage.
After I closed the door, I turned towards Cindy. “Is there something, you wanna tell me?” She blanched, her eyes grew wide. “For example that you two are more than just friends?”, I continued struggling for a soft voice to help her share her feelings with me.
“I-uhm… We…”, she gulped loudly, then took a deep breath. Within a heartbeat her entire posture and expression changed from my sweet little girl to a fierce, self-confident teenager. She changed the positioning of her feet and straightened up almost like taking up a stance. Her look was daring and provocative. I could clearly see the red line I should better not cross. “Okay, yes, we’re in love. So?”
“I just wanted to know. You shouldn’t have to hide.” Her face softened instantly and her body relaxed.
“Thanks.”
I hesitated, internally debating whether I could or should ask her about their strange conversation. But then I’d have to admit I eavesdropped and that might crush her trust in me. My heart felt heavy at this thought, so I decided to just add “Anything else?” Slowly I saw her expression shift once more – this time to the smile of a grown woman whose kid just posed a cute but very naive question like “Can I drive you home when you’re too tired?”
“No. Nothing else. If it’s okay, I’ll just go to bed now.”
“Sure, sweetie. Good night.” She wished me the same and ran up the stairs. “Love you!” I shouted after her and she froze, then turned around looking almost like my Cindy again.
“Love you, too, mum.”
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On the next day, half an hour after breakfast, the door bell rang and Cindy stormed down the stairs, tripping again but able to catch herself with an impressively acrobatic move that looked stunningly professional. She had never been much of an athlete – until the day before at least.
She yanked the door open, threw her arms around Florence and kissed her impetuously. The girl next door pulled away aghast. “It’s okay, I told her”, Cindy immediately soothed her and pulled her over the door step. I stood beside the stairway watching the scene still worried about how my daughter fell so quickly. Florence raised an eyebrow and Cindy hurried to clarify “about us being a couple.”
The girl gave me an insecure look over Cindy’s shoulder and I tried to assure her with a friendly smile. She’s a nice girl at least and it will only make things worse if I obstruct this relationship. She returned my smile relieved. “Oh, great.”
“Let’s go upstairs.”
“Don’t forget to leave the door open”, I reminded Cindy when she turned towards the stairs.
Sudden anger darkened her expression. “What, are you afraid I could get pregnant?!” I was taken aback by the fierceness of her accuse and even Florence coughed. Yes, what am I afraid of?
“No need to argue, baby. We’ll leave it open, Jannice. Come on!” Florence declared and went ahead to tug Cindy upstairs.
I waited until they settled in my daughter’s room, then I followed them quietly. One more time, just to be sure.
“I want to hear you play. I bet you wrote some songs of your own, my poet.” Nope, girl, my daughter only plugs the strings randomly.
“Don’t call me that. I’m not much of a poet anymore.” Anymore?
“Nonsense! I know for a fact, that you remember Daria very well” – Who?! - “and she wrote such beautiful poetry. Please, Violet.” Is that her pet name? Why?
“I hate when you do that.” My heart twitched.
“Liar. You love when I say your full name.” But you didn’t…
“I meant I hate when you make me do things I don’t want to do.” What did she make you do, baby-girl?!
I almost intervened, but than Florence laughed and I saw her laying down on the floor, hands behind her head, looking up to Cindy which supposedly sat on her desk chair with her guitar in her hands. “I’m just encouraging you to show me your soft, vulnerable side. You should know by now: I’d never force you.” You only know each other for less than a day!
Cindy produced a half-grumpy, half-amused sound, then began to tune her instrument and played and sang a song I never heard from her.
I know one day,
I’ll be laying in your arms again
I know one day,
we’ll be back on the road and then
Life will be worth the while ’cause when
I’m with you it makes sense, I ran
up the mountain, through the storm,
against the current to break the norm
With you I’m whole, my heart is free
it’ll always be: you and me.
Hearing this, tears welled up in my eyes. Why didn’t I know about this? I saw Florence regarding Cindy with love and admiration. When the last chord faded, the girl stood up and leaned over to where the door frame blocked my view. I should probably go now.
“It almost slipped my memory that you can do that”, my daughter stated so quietly that I needed to strain to catch it.
“Kiss you?”
“Make me forget everything, even breathing.” Uhm, dramatic much?! I heard them chuckle.
“I love you, my ever so poetic Violet.”
“I love you, too, my ever so inspiring Cait.” Cait? Maybe I misheard and she said “cat”?
“Did you dream again this time?”
“No. But I carved some things.”
“Really? What?”
“Well, you, obviously, and your gauntlets” – What gauntlets?! Who has gauntlets?! Does Cindy have gauntlets of which I know nothing? - “my rifle, my parents, Jayce, Fasmer, Red, Milia…” All that within one night? Wait, did she say “my rifle”?! That’s highly illegal!
“Damn, you need to show me!”
“I will, when all the unpacking is done.”
I refrained from listening further because it would only make my headache worse.