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Chapter 25 - Quibble before the Dream

Chapter 25 - Quibble before the Dream

Clicking her tongue in frustration, Rose shook her head and marched toward the small figure curled up on the couch. She leaned down and gently jostled the girl awake. “Dahlia, how many times do I have to tell you? Don’t wait for me,” she said, Her words came out harsher than she meant, the weariness and frustration of the day spilling out of her lips. “You’re a growing child. Go back to bed, now.”

Dahlia startled awake, her wide, sleepy eyes darting toward Rose. For a fleeting moment, she looked uncertain, lost. But the expression quickly melted into a bright, innocent smile that made Rose’s heart clench with guilt. And annoyance.

“Auntie Rose!” Dahlia cried joyfully, scrambling off the chair. She grabbed something from the table as she ran to Rose, holding out a small pouch with both hands. “Look what I got!” she exclaimed, her voice bubbling with excitement.

Rose pinched the bridge of her nose, the dull throbbing headache starting again. “What do you mean, ‘look what you got?’” she muttered, snatching the pouch from Dahlia’s outstretched hands. She felt its weight shift, accompanied by the faint clink of metal. A sense of unease settled over her.

She emptied the pouch into her palm, and her stomach turned when tin coins spilled out, glinting dully in the flickering candlelight. Rose quickly counted them, her brows knitting together. One, Two…Five. Her heart skipped a beat. Five coins.

Her gaze snapped to Dahlia, her voice sharp. “Where did you get this?” she demanded. “Did you steal it? Tell me you didn’t steal this!”

Dahlia’s expression crumpled, panic flickering in her wide eyes. Her small hands fidgeted nervously, twisting the hem of her oversized shirt. “No, no, no! I earned it!” she stammered, a hesitant smile tugging at her lips, as if trying to reassure Rose.

“Earned it?” Rose echoed, her voice rising, disbelief threading through her words. She scratched at her head, the ache pulsating hard, faster. She needed to dig it out, but couldn't quite get enough force behind her fingers. “Earned it?”

Dahlia stepped back, her smile faltering. “Well,” she started hesitantly, her voice shrinking with every word, suddenly the girl seemed to be inaudible to look her aunt in the eye. “I may not be going to school anymore…”

Rose froze, her body going rigid. The words hit her like a blow. “What do you mean, you’re not going to school anymore?” she demanded, her voice trembling with anger and disbelief. The coins slipped from her hand, falling to the floor in a harsh, metallic clatter. “What the hell have I been paying for, then?” she closed her eyes, using both hands to scrape at her throbbing head.

Opening them to find Dahila’s wide, innocent blue eyes, brimmed back at her with worry. Rose could feel the frustration boiling. For a fleeting moment, she was filled with an urge to lash out, to claw those oversized eyes from Dahlia’s face.

The thought hit her like a slap, leaving her breathless. Rose gasped, horrified at herself. Her knees buckled, and she sank onto the couch, burying her face in her hands. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.

Taking a shaky breath, she lowered her hands, her fingers trembling as she dragged them down her face. It felt as if everything was draining from her. Leaving a numbing realization. “Dahlia,” she began, her voice unsteady but softer now, “did you steal the coins?”

Dahlia shook her head quickly, her small frame trembling. “No,” she said softly, her voice barely a whisper. “I told you, I earned them.”

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Rose stared at Dahlia, an ache of weariness made it difficult for her to focus, but it's not like she didn't know the little girl. Even without reading the book she knew Dahlia was a pure child who knew right and wrong and would never steal. She felt foolish for worrying about it.

Her jaw tightened as she drew a slow breath through her nose. When she opened her lips to apologize, she found she couldn't do it. “How long?” she finally asked, her tone low. “How long have you not been going to school?”

Dahlia’s lips parted as if to answer, but hesitation stopped her. She shifted her weight uncomfortably, her small hands twisting the hem of her oversized shirt as her gaze dropped to her feet. The silence stretched thin between them, broken only by the faint crackle of the candle on the table. Finally, Dahlia whispered, “I was kicked out… for cheating.”

The confession hit Rose like a cold wind. She blinked, her brows knitting together in surprise. “Cheating?” she repeated, the sharp edge in her voice dulling into confusion. Dahlia… cheated?

“I didn’t cheat,” the child said quickly, her voice trembling with urgency. The words spilled out in a frantic rush, “another kid got the same answers I did. The teacher said it happened on every test last year, too... but I didn’t cheat.” Her voice cracked, and tears brimmed in her wide, fearful eyes. “The teacher said it was obviously me because of my low-born status. Théo, the boy who got the same answers as me, was born in the city, so the teacher said he would never cheat.” Her voice rose, desperation thick in every syllable. “But I didn’t cheat!”

The silence that followed wrapped around them like a heavy shroud. Rose’s mind spun, of course she didn't fare any better than her, did she? How could she just think everything would be fine if she went to school. They were both two useless pieces, not even given a chance to move before they would be thrown away. Rose couldn't help but lose a few more tiny snickers.

Dahlia shuffled closer, her small hands clutching at the fabric of Rose’s dress. Tears spilled down her cheeks. Her voice cracked as she repeated, “I didn’t cheat.”

Rose opened her mouth, she softened her voice. “I believe you.”

Dahlia fell on Rose, hugging her legs and repeated, “I didn't cheat.”

“I believe you.” Rose repeated gently rubbing the girl's head.

“I didn’t,” Dahlia whispered again, her tone quieter but no less desperate.

“I know,” Rose said softly

For a long while, they sat there in the stillness of the dim room. Rose let Dahlia cry, releasing the frustration and fear that had built up inside her. She didn’t rush the girl, didn’t try to fill the silence with empty words. Instead, she simply waited, stroking the girl's head.

Eventually, the sobs subsided, and Dahlia sniffled as she pulled away, wiping at her puffy eyes with the back of her sleeve. She scrambled up to sit beside Rose, leaning against her with a small, tired sigh. “You’re cold,” Dahlia said, her voice soft and hoarse from crying.

“I was just outside,” Rose replied, wrapping an arm around the girl’s shoulders. A faint smile tugged at her lips. “You’re very warm.”

She hugged Dahlia tightly, eliciting a small laugh from the girl.

Rose exhaled a quiet sigh, the sadness in her chest pooling into her voice. “Next time, tell me sooner,” she said gently. “Maybe I could’ve done something about it…”

Her voice faltered, the words bitter on her tongue. But what could I really do for us? The thought settled heavily in her chest, cold and unyielding. She pushed it aside. Dahlia didn’t need to hear that, not now. What Dahlia needed was to see her with strength, even if she didn't have any, she could pretend for her.

But that could wait for tomorrow. What happened at school, the coins. Even her job could wait. For now the sat together, the both of them had suffered quite a lot today but everything would be better tomorrow. And if not, then the next day, or the next. For now,

They sat like that for a long time, the only sounds in the room the crackling of candle flames and the gradually softening breaths.

Her body grew heavier and the tension seeped away quickly. Almost, she thought faintly, her mind drifting. We’ll figure it out. Just a little bit longer…

Soon.