Have you ever been in love? Has the person you loved ever gone away for a while? Remember that pain, that ache? You wished they would come back. Well, times that by one million, and then you'll understand what Quil was feeling. It was a sadness so heavy that it weighed down his whole body. It had only been two days, and Emily was keeping him from her. "You can't go yet! Bridgette will think you're some sort of child molester. You're going to have to wait at least a week to see her."
So Quil waited, sulking quietly by himself, to see Claire. He didn't eat, and slept through whole days. His gravity was gone, and he didn't see the point to live without her anymore.
But then finally, the seven-mark period came. He woke up on Saturday with a shrill scream, and immediately began to prepare. He shaved and showered; brushed his teeth twice over; didn't bother to eat breakfast, and was in the car by eight o'clock. Emily slid into the car with him, smiling, and off they went.
When they were finally at Bridgette's, Emily smiled. "We just can't get enough of you! Really, Quil loves Claire. Can't bare to be away from her for more than a week."
"Oh." Bridgette didn't smile her usual broad grin. "Listen, Emily, we need to talk."
Quil barely noticed the grim undertone to Bridgette's statement. He tried to hide the breathlessness he felt at seeing Claire again. He ran to her, sweeping her up in his arms. "Brother! I mish you!" she cried, wrapping her arms around his neck.
He stuck a flower behind her ear and said, "Oh, you don't understand how I missed you, sweetie. Want to take a walk?"
It was like nothing had changed. They walked around the quiet, comfortable suburban neighborhood for a while, and then went to the nearby park. There, they played on the swingset. Quil helped her slide down the slide, and bought her a Popsicle.
Before he knew what had happened, six hours had passed. He sadly shuffled back to the house, knowing Bridgette would be confused at his obvious obsession with Claire. "Out six hours?" she'd ask. "You seem to be very fond of my Claire…"
But when he got back to the house, he didn't meet confused and angry stares. Instead, he saw Emily, alone, leaning against the wall. Tears flowed down her cheeks, and she grabbed onto thin air for support.
Quil leaned down to Claire, gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, and said, "Go to your room, hon. I'll be there in a second." Claire scampered away, sensing the obvious tension. Quil turned back to Emily. "Emily?" he whispered awkwardly, sliding down next to her.
"She's gone." Emily gasped for air, pulling at the tips of her hair. "Bridgette left."
"Left? What do you mean, left?"
"I mean, she's gone. Left. Something about the law…she's in trouble. She left, Quil."
Emily's sobs were shocking, so loud that it felt like the small kitchen couldn't hold them. "What am I supposed to do? Just take them in? I can't be a mother, Quil. I'm barely adjusting to being a wife. A mother! God. But these girls… and my sister! Oh god, my sister…" She burst into fresh tears.
"No. Don't take them in." Quil held himself up strong and tall. "I will."
"Both of them. Sure. You. A father. Quil…"
"I'll take Claire."
"You can't split them up."
"I'll take both. If Claire wants her sister to be there, then I do, too. Whatever Claire wants, I do for her. C'mon, Emily. Who I am without Claire is different than who I am with her."
Emily shook her head, although her tears were beginning to subside. "You can't support a family, Quil. You're not human."
"Not-humans can support families," whispered Quil. "I can support Claire. I can support Ivy if Claire wants me to. Claire is my gravity, Emily."
Emily shook her head, biting her lip. "I know I'll regret this."