Re: Queens: Evie/Wren/Luke
[Luke agreed about Evie not needing to pretend, and his smile was real. Small, but real, and Wren knew the difference between his real smiles and his polite ones. She thought it was good, telling Evie she could say anything, and that it would be okay. She thought that was positive, but maybe she was wrong, because Evie tugged at her collar like it was too warm, and it really wasn't too warm, not really.
Daisy squirmed, and Wren almost reached for the paci before it went into the lemonade the first time, but Evie beat her to it. It was all okay for a second. For just a second.
And then Daisy screamed.
Wren startled easily, but she didn't scream or jump or run from the room; it wasn't like that. She maybe almost let Lia slide off her lap, but she even managed to keep that from happening at the very last second. Evie was breathing and smiling, and Wren thought maybe there were sounds too. Maybe the dogs, or maybe Lia sympathy crying, or maybe something to accompany whatever Gus was whispering into Luke's ear. Sounds, maybe, but Wren didn't hear any of those. Not any, and all she heard was Daisy's screams.
Wide grey eyes, and she thought she heard her maman, those nurses, and the man with the blade that shrieked along the floor. Just like Daisy, and she stared at the little girl like she wasn't seeing her at all, and mostly she wasn't.
Evie was saying something, and Wren just looked over at Luke with equal parts confusion and desperation, help, and she knew he would take over the conversation. She couldn't, non, she just served the food, one arm around the baby's tummy, and her other hand on the serving spoon. She counted the scoops without making a sound, her lips moving, and maybe she was supposed to be saying something, but she couldn't.
There was something in the lemonade, but she didn't ask what, and when had Evie stood? Her friend was pacing, and Wren bit her lip and looked at Luke helplessly.]