They came back shortly after Paisley and Poppy had fallen to sleep. They had pillow cases filled with fruits. I didn't want to wake the girls, but they must be terribly hungry.
"Paisley, Poppy, girls wake up!"
"Kweagan, what's going on?" asked Poppy
"They're back! The adults are back, with food!"
"Keagan, I am so happy! May I please have something to eat?" asked Paisley
I picked up Poppy and Paisley. Paisley got dibs on my arms, and I put poor sick Poppy on my back. I kissed Paisley on the cheek. She smiled back at me, and then reached her hand back to touch Poppy.
"Her heads still hot Keagan."
"I know, I know. She's sick, poor girl." I said
"MOM!" yelled Paisley
"Oh my little prodigy!" my mom exclaimed
Here we go again. The little prodigy fidgeted her way out of my arms to run to mom. I took Poppy of my back and let her into my arms. I rocked her back and forth, very very slowly
"Hey, mom I'm going to take Poppy to Lina and Mrs. Murdo."
"Hurry back Keagan!" she replied
"Yea!" I yelled back pretending to listen
I must have walked for a full half hour until I found Lina and Mrs. Murdo. Each minute that I walked, I mad sure Poppy was comfortable.
"Wel—well Poppy wanted to come see you guys. She was asleep for 10 minutes, and she should probably get some more shut eye. We have to get up early tomorrow."
"Why are we getting up early?" Mrs. Murdo asked
"Oh, well were going, uh well, to see if we can find other people, Poppy needs medicine." Replied Lina
"Lina, you didn't tell me that Poppy was sick."
"I'm sorry; she didn't get sick until after you left with the other adults. I wasn't thinking about her when you guys arrived. Let's not dwell on the past."
"Well we must get to sleep, and make sure Poppy is okay. Thank you Keagan! " Mrs. Murdo insisted
"It was nothing, really." I smiled
As I walked back to my mother, I looked around. This place was even better than Lina could have drawn. It was indescribable, it was amazing.
"Mom," I looked at my mom
"Why do you always refer to Paisley as the 'prodigy child' or 'little prodigy'? Mom, it hurts, you never called me anything like that. Why is Paisley different just because she started talking when she was 2 months old? Why, Why, WHY?"
"Keagan, hunny—"
"I am not your 'hunny'."
"Okay, Keagan, listen, she is lonely. She needs to know that I still love her."
"Oh, and I don't need to be reminded that you still love me?"
"You knew that I always loved your dad. You know that he died from that cough. I don't think that Paisley quite understands that."
"Mom, she could talk in full sentences when she was 2 months old, how could she not understand? Is that the only reason why you call her that? To me that isn't much of a reason."
"Okay, I'm sorry. Baby if you had just told me I could have fixed something. I guess you're right, I don't really have a reason for calling her that."
"Yea, yea."
I single tear fell from my blue eye. I stood there awkwardly, just looking at my mom.
"I'm going to bed, mom."
I ran away from her. The farther away I got the more the tears streamed. I was sobbing so hard I woke up Paisley. I looked at her, she was the reason for my tears, but could I really blame her?
"Keagan's crying."
"I know baby. Come here. You know that mom loved dad right?"
"Of course! Daddy died from a cough, why wouldn't mom love him?"
I wanted to run and tell my mom "I told you so!"
"No reason, I just wanted to know that you knew that."
I nestled Paisley back into the shirts, which had finally dried. Once she fell asleep, I knew I could go to sleep, too. In only a few hours we would be off searching the immense and vast landscape for some clues of society. I was excited and tired.