Chapter 5: Standing Up Part Two
She was relatively quiet at dinner hardly touching her plate. She listened to Jack telling about his day to the other settlement with her father and laughed at part when Jack accidently fell into the mud when the foal had gotten spooked by a rabbit and bolted. They all laughed when Jack told how he tried to catch both rabbit and foal.
"Pippa? What did you do today to get yourself so muddy?" Asked her mother when Jack had finished his story.
All eyes turned to her and Pippa felt butterflies in her stomach. She couldn't tell them what had happened to her. She just couldn't she afraid to, but she couldn't lie.
"Um… I played dolls with Anna today and we played tag with Devon and we fell into the mud," Pippa said partly telling the truth.
"Well," said her mother giving her daughter a soft smile. "You two better wash yourselves before going into bed. I just washed your blanket and I don't want two muddy children to make it dirty again."
She tickled Pippa and stood up collecting the plates.
"Say good night to your father and wash up."
"Yes mother," said Pippa.
She got up and walked to her father who scooped her up into his lap.
"Good night Father," She giggled as she kissed her father's cheek.
"Good night my little bumble bee." Her father said and planted a kiss on her forehead. "Why do you have your hair coving your face today?"
"Um… the mud is weighing it down that I can't hold it back, Father."
"Good night Father," Jack said as he kissed his father on the other cheek, saving Pippa from a questionable look.
"Good night son."
"Good night Mother," said Pippa as she walked over to her mother giving her a hug and a kiss on her cheek.
"Good night my dearest," said her mother squeezing her tight and kissed the top of her head.
"Good night Mother," said Jack as he joined the hug and kissed her on the cheek.
"Good night my boy," said his mother giving him a kiss on the forehead.
"Come on Pippa, we better wash up."
He took her hand and they walked out into the night. He grabbed the water bucket with a few rags and headed for the lake. The moon was full, lighting the dirt road and the sky was clear, filled with tiny stars.
"Do I have to undress Jack? I don't like to undress at the lake," Pippa asked.
He chuckled. "No I'll just pour water over your head all right?"
She smiled at him and began to sway their hands as she skipped. Jack grinned as he looked down at her. He loved his sister's innocence and tried to protect it for as long as he could. As they reached the split path to the woods and the bakery Pippa saw a tall muscular figure coming out of the shadows of the path to the bakery.
At first she innocently thought the figure was Brady, but stopped skipping when she realized who it was.
"Hey what's wrong?"
Terrified her eyes grew wide as she shyly hid behind Jack, clutching his hand a little tighter. She could feel her heart beat a little faster as the figure stepped into the moonlight.
"Hey, hey what's wrong?" Jack asked gently. "You aren't afraid of the dark? You haven't been afraid of the dark since you were little and I would chase it away with a candle."
He chuckled softly to himself as he remembered the memory. She looked up at him with her frightened wide eyes as he tried to give her a reassuring smile then she looked to the figure. He followed her gaze and his soft expression turned serious as he recognized the figure.
"Everything is going to be fine. I won't let him lay a finger on you," Jack promised as he kneeled to her eye level and rubbed his noise against hers trying to fight away her fears.
The figure moved towards the siblings and Jack stood up, placing himself in front of her. He squeezed her hand affectionately making sure she knew that he was with her. As the figure passed the two he sneered at the small girl who hid behind her brother.
"Leave her, Jake."
Jake said nothing, but smiled wickedly when he noticed that Pippa had hidden her right eye behind her hair as she tried to hide further behind Jack.
"I have nothing to say, but you missed a fun day," He mocked and continued up the path into the settlement.
Jack glared at him until he was out of sight, puzzled by what he had said as Pippa peeked out a little behind her brother.
"Lets go wash up before it gets to late," said Jack gently smiling down at her then led silently down the forest path.
