Ellie's morning did not start well. When Malcolm learned from Caesar that Alexander wanted to remain with the apes, he hit the ceiling. The ape king, catching Ellie's eye, and sensing that Malcolm did not know about alexander's wish and that he needed some time to absorb the situation, quickly left him and Ellie alone to talk.
Malcom paced restlessly in the space Caesar allotted to him and Ellie and Alexander while Ellie watched and worried.
"Now Malcolm, calm down," Ellie pleaded as she gripped her husband's arm firmly in both hands, and pulled him to a stop.
"I'm calm, Ellie," he said from between clenched teeth. "I am perfectly calm for a father who just found out his son wants to split up the family!"
"Okay, but if you get any calmer, Luca might be back in here and Caesar could order me to sedate you," she warned. "Besides, didn't you tell me you don't want to leave here either. You said you wanted to stay and help them. Why are you so upset that Alexander feels the same way?"
Malcolm groaned, but Ellie did not let go of him until she saw him take several deep breaths.
"Why didn't he come and talk to me about this first, Ell?"
"Well, maybe he was afraid how you'd react," she suggested very gently. Ellie had never heard Malcolm sound so bewildered and lost before, and her heart was breaking for both her husband and her stepson. "Did you always come talk to your father about everything when you were that age?"
"Oh my God, of course I didn't. But—"
Ellie waited patiently.
"But I thought things were different with me and Alexander, that's all. I mean, after everything we've been through, I just thought he would talk to me before anyone else."
Alexander's got a lot more people around here close to his own age," Ellie reminded him. "Haven't you noticed how he's taken to so many of these apes? He and Caesar's son and a few of the others are becoming fast friends. Maurice is like his beloved uncle or a grandfather. Maurice adores him. And you should see how Cornelia and the other ape women fuss over him, too," Ellie added.
"I know. I've never seen him want to interact with so many strangers before, and that's a good thing, Ellie, but-"
Ellie put her arms around Malcolm and held him tightly to her. "I know, Malcolm," she whispered against his shoulder. "I know."
"You think he has other reasons for staying, Ellie?" asked Malcolm.
"What do you mean, other reasons?" Ellie tried to sound as neutral as possible on that subject.
'it's not just the older ape women who are taken with Alexander, is it?" Malcolm asked more bluntly this time. "I've seen him hanging around that little blonde-headed ape girl and her baby an awful lot."
"So? What's wrong with that?"
A soft sound made the two humans jump and turn around. The small blonde ape girl in question was standing there with her human baby cradled in one arm.
"Excuse me," she said softly. "I was not spying. I ... I guess that Alexander is not here, then."
She started to leave, but turned back to them at the last minute, her little face aflame with either embarrassment or shame?
"If you don't want me to be friends with your son, Mr. Malcolm, just say so," the ape girl said ostensibly to them both but mostly to Malcom. "I understand why you don't want him to befriend any daughter of Koba. But what Alexander and I talk about is how it feels to lose a parent ... and how it feels to be all alone in a crowd of your own kind."
Without another word, Mary turned on her heels and walked away.
Once she was gone, Malcolm let out a long groan and covered his face with his hands.
"Oh damn! I forgot that she was Koba's daughter," he muttered, his eyes downcast.
"Is that why you don't want Alexander to spend time with her?" Ellie demanded, the slightest of edge in her normally soft-spoken, gentle voice.
"No. Of course not. I just said I forgot who her father was, Ellie. I just don't want ... I mean, Alexander is ... I mean she and Alexander aren't ... Are they?"
The man stuttered to a halt and seemed to droop even more. "Oh dammit, Ellie! I am being a total ass, right?"
"You said it, not me," Ellie told him sweetly.
"Well, you didn't have to agree so fast," Malcolm complained.
Ellie reached up and pressed a kiss on his cheek. "When you get over the shock of finding out your son wants to stay with the apes, just like his old man, and me, when you figure out exactly what it is that you want or don't want, maybe you and I and Alexander can sit down and talk about things. I'm going foraging with Cornelia and the women now. They're teaching me how to find eatable roots and stuff, not that there is much in this place. And don't worry. We're properly guarded."
Ellie turned and walked away, fast, before Malcolm could see how upset she had been by Alexander's wishes.
She also hoped to find Mary and apologize for her husband's behavior. It's the first time I've ever had to apologize to anyone on account of Malcolm, she thought and bit her lip as a few tears slid down her cheeks.
Mary did not know that Ellie would be foraging with them, and a part of her was overjoyed to see the human woman join them. She was still very fascinated, even drawn to, the gentle human woman, much the same way she had been fascinated by and drawn to Aunt Karin in the beginning, but a larger part of her was worried. If the woman's husband knew that she, Mary, was foraging with his wife, how would he react.
Trying to keep the peace, she attempted to avoid the woman at first. But Ellie obviously had other ideas.
"Hi," Ellie greeted Mary brightly as she came to walk beside her. "Cornelia says that you are one of the best foragers. She says that you can show me the ropes?"
"We don't use any ropes," Mary replied. "What do we need them for?"
Ellie gave her a soft smile. 'Oh no, I'm sorry honey. We don't need ropes. I mean, you can teach me all about foraging then?"
"I'd love to, but not here," Mary muttered darkly. "I told Aunt Cornelia last night I think trying to forage in this terrible human place is useless."
It must be very frightening for you, being in the ruins of this human city," Ellie remarked, putting a gentle hand on Mary's shoulder. "Have you ever seen a human city before?"
Mary shook her head. "I've heard stories about them, not good stories," But before they could begin a
discussion about which was better, dead human cities or fresh open wilderness villages, Aunt Karin came hurtling up to Cornelia with a small group of gorilla guards at her back. She brought an urgent message from Caesar, and the foraging trip was abruptly canceled. The females were all ushered back to the large building where they were doing their best to make temporary homes for their families.
"It was a waste of time foraging here anyway, Cedar and some of the females grumbled disconsolately. Outraged, Mary stepped up and glared at Cedar for challenging Cornelia's decisions. She opened her mouth, about to say something harsh to Cedar, but the ape queen put one hand on the girl's shoulder to restrain her. For once, Cornelia agreed with the other female, and it was impossible to gauge who was more shocked, Mary, or Cedar herself.
Why is she following me, Mary thought as Ellie came and stayed by her side.
"Mary, listen," the human began. "I'm so sorry about Malcolm's behavior. He didn't mean to be so rude. Caesar surprised us with some news, that's all, and Malcolm isn't taking it very well."
"That Alexander wants to stay with us?"
"You knew? Did he tell you? Alexander I mean?"
Mary shook her head. "He told blue Eyes, and Blue Eyes told me. Will Caesar let him stay?"
"You'd know better than me," Ellie shrugged.
Mary shook her head. There was a time, not so long ago, when she knew exactly what Caesar might do. But everything was different now.
"No, I wouldn't, not anymore," Mary said in a small voice. "Please excuse me, Ellie. I need to go find Lake and Aunt Karin. One of them has my baby, somewhere."
Mary lost herself in the crowd of females and young. She wished for nothing more than to find a nice deserted corner where she could be alone and think, but it was not going to happen in this overly crowded den. It was so strange that Alexander was so desperate to stay while Mary felt equally as desperate to leave.
A hand gripped her shoulder. Mary spun around, hackles raised, and teeth bared. But the expression melted away as she saw who it was – none other than Tinker. Ash's mother, her no longer future mother-in-law. Mary looked away. She could not look this female in the eye after what her father had done. Before Koba's betrayal, Tinker was like a second mother to her, only slightly behind Cornelia.
"Where are you going?" Tinker signed.
Mary swallowed hard. 'I-I was looking for Lake or Aunt Karin and my baby," she answered with uncharacteristic timidity, still looking anywhere and at anything other than Tinker's eyes.
Lake is with Cornelia," Tinker explained. "And you're going the wrong way. Cornelia is resting in the back with other nursing mothers while she feeds your baby and little Cornelius. Walk with me and I'll take you to them."
Wrapping one arm around her, Tinker guided her to the back of the large building. Mary offered no resistance, but she felt like throwing herself at Tinker's feet and begging her forgiveness for what happened to Ash. Tinker's only child died because she, Mary, daughter of Koba, loved him. Her father would never admit to killing Ash for that reason, but in her heart, the girl knew it was true. So how could she ever face Tinker again?
No, that was not true. What Mary really wanted was to be with Ash once more, and if it was not for the baby, she might even ...
No! What's wrong with me? What am I thinking!
"I meant what I said yesterday," Tinker signed, drawing the young ape girl from her dark reverie. "Rocket and I are so worried about you. We do want you to come stay with us. We know you have other choices, and we'll understand if you choose to live with Maurice and Karin or even with Luca or old Percy. But if you won't stay with Cornelia, please think about it, honey?"
Mary noticed how Tinker called Hope your baby, and not the baby or that human child. She loved the older female for that.
Mary was so tired. She found herself leaning on tinker, who was the only adult female close to Mary's tiny size.
"Tinker, I ... I—" Mary started to say, but she never finished. Her legs felt weak, and the world swam dizzily around her. The last thing she felt was Tinker's strong arms around her, keeping her upright. The last thing she heard was a distraught Tinker screeching for help.
Why does she sound so far away. They all sound far away, was Mary's last conscious thought as the sweet darkness drew her into its comforting embrace.
A/N:
Hello to you all, my lovely patient readers. I hope everyone enjoyed this little tidbit. I wanted to get this out before Christmas but couldn't quite make it.
Welcome back to all long-time readers, and huge welcoming hugs for any new people who just dropped by.
As always, any feedback is greatly appreciated.
And, a happy new year to everyone. May it bring us all good tidings, and good reading.
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