Ruediger shooed Lariette to bed half an hour later, telling her not to worry about him. She put the pea bag inside the freezer again, intending to use it tomorrow if he still needed it.
Based on what the dic had told them, Ruediger’s bruise might fade entirely within a week.
"Aunt l told us to have breakfast with her and Uncle Paul," Lariette said as she and Ruediger left the living room, "If you feel sick, I’ll bring your food back."
"I’ll go with you," Ruediger lightly shook his head, smiling softly at the concerned Lariette, "I won’t say no to free food. Oh, when should we go to your Grandma?"
Lariette paused walking, tilting her chin up. Her eyes collided with Ruediger’s as he was also staring at her. The lights from above cast faint shadows on his face.
Curling her lips, Lariette replied, her voice soft, "After our breakfast. Grandma’s grave is ten minutes’ walk from here. I gonna bring so fresh flowers from her favorite garden."
Mrs. Evans was buried at the village’s graveyard, surrounded by the scenic view of rolling hills and fields of wildflowers.
During Mrs. Evans’ funeral a few years ago, a few of their old neighbors from Amberwood ca to pay her the last respect. Sadly, the sweet old lady’s one and only daughter didn’t show up even after several attempts of contact.
Ruediger nodded, the smile on his lips softening, "Your grandma will surely love that. We’ll pick the freshest flowers for her."
Lariette couldn’t help but widen her smile. Ruediger’s words were simple but enough to elevate her joy about going to her grandmother’s grave. She couldn’t wait to bring him to visit her tomorrow.
"Good night, Eddy. Be careful of your back when sleeping."
Lariette reminded Ruediger once again about his bruised back as she opened the door of her bedroom. The man had also reached the one he occupied. The shadows of his towering figure spilled onto the floor.
"I will. Thank you for your help, Lettie," Ruediger waved one hand. Laughing, he added, "The pea bag, I an."
"It’s nothing."
Lariette let out giggles, shaking her head in helplessness. After returning Ruediger’s hand wave, she quickly stepped inside the bedroom.
Click.
The door was closed with a simple thud, followed by a click. Laritte switched on the lamp. In an instant, the bright lights chased the darkness away.
’I’m tired.’
Raising her arms, Lariette did a couple of stretches. She imdiately headed to the washroom, feeling all sweaty from walking around the festival grounds.
The clock barely pointed to a quarter to ten when Lariette erged from the washroom, only wearing a towel. The cool water helped to dispel the lingering heat.
Lariette couldn’t help but think so many things had happened tonight. Ruediger’s words from before echoed in her mind.
"Haa... I guess they’ve started dancing around the bonfire, huh?"
"I don’t particularly like to dance, but I want to dance with you."
Ruediger sounded disappointed. Lariette initially thought only she felt that way. The way his face bead when she suggested they make up for it stirred sothing in her heart.
Lariette tried not to think too much about it, but the way Ruediger behaved today—from morning to night—seed more flirtatious than usual.
Was he really flirting with her, or... did she misinterpret his actions? After all, they had beco more comfortable with each other now.
’Nah. He’s just being friendlier with .’
Lariette laughed at herself, thinking how conceited she suddenly was. She hoped she wouldn’t mistake Ruediger’s nice gestures as him flirting with her.
After changing into a nightgown, Lariette settled on the bed. She smiled as her eyes wandered to Mrs. Evans’ frad photos on the bedside table.
’Grandma, I’ll introduce him to you tomorrow.’
Lariette picked up one of the photos. She fondly looked at the familiar smile on Mrs. Evans’ kindhearted face, sothing she truly missed from her past.
Mrs. Evans had been raising Lariette since infancy because Alyssa, the forr’s daughter, always disappeared for weeks to months before returning for a short ti.
Alyssa, the biological mother of Stephanie. Once Alyssa Evans, Lariette later heard she got married to a foreigner surnad Pursell before moving to his country permanently—without telling anyone.
Mrs. Evans tried contacting Alyssa, but all of her attempts were futile. Picking up the pieces of her broken heart, she focused on making the most of her life with Lariette.
Years went by until the Elsher and Delaney family discovered Lariette’s existence. She believed Alyssa didn’t know anything about the surprising changes in the Evans.
When Mrs. Evans was bedridden, nearing her death, Chairman Delaney’s people tried looking for Alyssa. Unfortunately, she rejected their attempt to reconnect her with Mrs. Evans.
Alyssa even claid that she wouldn’t ever return even if Mrs. Evans was dying.
"Grandma, should I ask my grandfather to contact M...Mom again?"
Once, Lariette asked Mrs. Evans about finding Alyssa after Chairman Delaney’s previous attempts failed.
But, Mrs. Evans vehently refused, telling Lariette not to look for the daughter who had abandoned her. She was heartbroken by Alyssa’s continuous rejections.
"When I die... don’t tell her. She... has made the choice. Please promise your grandma, Lettie."
Lariette had no choice but to honor Mrs. Evans’ wish. She also didn’t bother to find anything about Alyssa anymore, even just for the sake of knowing.
’I just hope that... If she ever returns in the future, she won’t bring trouble.’
Pursing her lips, Lariette tried to recall the little bits of information she rembered about Alyssa. The woman vanished completely after they moved to Moonville.
Alyssa was a free-spirited woman. She claid having a child would just hinder her. She disappeared for months until she returned one day, forcing Mrs. Evans and Lariette to move out of Amberwood.
’It’s weird, but... I don’t know what happened until now.’
Lariette was too young to understand the situation. Her mory during that ti was unclear, stopping her from recalling more important details.
As far as Lariette knew, Alyssa claid she bought a cottage in Moonville to replace the old one they had been living in Amberwood. The cottage was both under Alyssa and Mrs. Evans’ nas.
’I’ve thought how weird it was, but... no one knew the details too.’
Frowning, Lariette recalled when she was older and began to question things. She believed Alyssa didn’t have much money from the odd jobs she had.
Thus, Lariette couldn’t help but be skeptical about Alyssa buying a cottage, even though it was sold below the market price. Unfortunately, Mrs. Evans also didn’t have the answer.
Paul and lissa claid this cottage was abandoned for a few years before Alyssa suddenly bought it. The previous owner moved out of the country for a better career.
’...I should stop thinking about this. It’s not worth my ti.’
Lariette shook her head, persuading herself to drop this subject. This issue had been a mystery for almost two decades, even before Mrs. Evans’ health deteriorated.
Returning the frad photo to the bedside table, Lariette went to switch off the lights. The cottage was quiet. She believed Ruediger might have been asleep.
Lying on the old mattress that belonged to her dear grandmother before, Lariette closed her eyes. She wished for a better dream to accompany her night.
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