The door clicked quietly behind her as she returned home. Outside, the blizzard howled and she knew the noise would be keeping her mother up. She sighed and put a pot of water on the stove to boil, and she sat down at the small table to wait, watching the snow and wind combine into a savage storm.
"Madge?"
She groaned, mentally. "Mama? What are you still doing up?" Madge whispered, in case her mother was experiencing one of her migraines. Guiltily, she thought about the morphling she had taken to the Everdeens' home, without her mother's permission, though she had told the family otherwise.
"I couldn't sleep. What with the cold and the noise... and then I got one of my headaches and couldn't find my morphling."
Madge bit her lip in guilt. "I can explain, Mama."
Her mother held up a hand. "No need. I all ready know."
She lowers her head in shame. "I'm sorry. I should have asked."
Marigold Undersee gave her daughter a long, considering look. "He must be very special to you."
Madge blushed, glancing up at her mother to reveal a stricken look. "Mama..."
"Don't worry about it," her mother told her gently. "I'll just put in an application for another case."
Marigold walked out of the tiny kitchen and her light tread slowly disappeared up the stairs. Madge released a sigh of relief, of fatigue, and lowered her head onto the table. Soon enough, soft snores fill the room.
The forgotten pot of water boiled over and onto the floor, dripping and steaming.
