Chapter 4 Marie
When Marie came home, she saw Ella sleeping in a chair. Ella looked so peaceful that Marie hated to wake her up, but she had to because being woken up by Marie was better than being woken by her mother. She would be home in just a little while and she couldn't see Ella like this. Ella would definitely get a beating.
Marie shook her gently. "Ella, get up.", she said. "It's time to get up." Ella stirred slightly. "What?", she said groggily. "You fell asleep," Marie told her. "Mother's going to be home soon so I had to wake you." Ella didn't hear that, because she had fallen back asleep. She must really be tired. Marie thought. After two more tries and 1 cup of cold water, Ella was finally awake. "You didn't have to dump it on me.", she said. Marie replied, "I didn't dump the whole thing on you. You drank most of it. Besides, you wouldn't have woken up otherwise." Ella nodded sleepily.
This was not good. Ella would have yelled at her for the water if she wasn't so tired. "You can barely function.", Marie told her. "Go to bed and I'll take care of dinner." Ella went without an argument, which surprised and worried Marie. Ella almost always argued about Marie doing her work. She must have been exhausted. More exhausted than usual. Though Marie was the youngest, she looked after her older sisters. She wished that she didn't have to. Ella was always so exhausted and busy and Anna so quiet and sad. Marie was the only one who didn't really act the same way all the time.
She was also the only one who didn't have something she was good at. Anastasia was great at anything involving yarn or thread. Ella could sing like nobody's business. Marie couldn't do any of that. Marie went to the kitchen and started preparing dinner. She had just put it on plates and set the table, when Anna and her mother came home.
"Something smells good!", Anna said. "Roast beef.", Marie replied. "Made it myself!" Her mother looked confused. "I did it because I need to practice my cooking.", Marie said before her mother could say anything. "Where is Ella?", she asked. "In her room.", Marie replied. "She finished all her chores." It was not the first time Marie had lied for Ella. Marie would get in less trouble for lying than Ella would not doing chores.
They all went down to the kitchen and ate. Both her mother and Anna agreed that this was the best meal they'd ever eaten. Marie felt proud. Finally, she had found something she was good at.