Blacklake-Book4-1 Three Cousins

Chapter 56
~

Wasn’t fair Tizir got to go back to be with Ezra. And it wasn’t just because she had a new skirt and smock for Ezra to put on. I coulda carried that in there.

I gave Uncle Erut a glare. Like it was his fault.

He mumbled, “She’ll be out in no time. Ya can wait a few more minutes.”

Few more minutes. Clocks stinkin’ stop in the hospital. Been in one waitin’ room most of the day. Now I’m sittin’ in another. For my most favorite ogre in the world.

If that bull wasn’t already mashed to smithereens, I’d be breakin’ into the Constables Station and tearin’ him to pieces with my bare hands.

“Ya got more anger on yar face, than is due,” Uncle said. “Bull was an ignernt fool thinkin’ he could take on an ogre hen. Good thing Ezra has the sweetest heart than any other hen in the world, or they coulda collected that bull in buckets.”

That generated a disgustin’ image. “Ya seem awfully calm,” I mumbled.

“My baby is safe. Took care of herself like a good ogre. Proud of her. Pride crampin’ my spine.”

Crampin’ his spine. That sounded odd in my brain.

“I’m—”

“Angry,” Uncle supplied. “I know.”

~ Ezra ~

Mama sat beside me on my bed, holdin’ my hand like I’m a wee youngling, actually sang in a whisper, an epic troll lullaby. I knew Mama spoke Trollish, but couldn’t remember ever hearin’ her speak it much.

She wiped tears off her cheek a couple times. Mama’s not much for sharin’ emotion, so this was shockin’ me. The hen who had to get my aunt to tell me about the bees and butterflies.

Lullaby complete, she sighed softly, patted my hand, picked up the ice bag she’d been treatin’ my back with. Leaned forward to rise.

“I love ya too,” I said softly.

She gushed-empty her high air I think. Coughed for a moment, huggin’ herself.

“I know ya aren’t comfortable sayin’ it,” I said. “It’s okay. I’ve always known ya love me though. None of us ogres are good at, ya know, bein’ soft.”

She half-giggled. A soft rumble deep down, and mixed it with a groan. After another sigh, she turned off my night light on my side stand. “Yet ya’ve always worn yar heart like a neon sign on yar collar.”

My sorta chapped lips formed a smile. “Maybe from bein’ around Kriz so much, accommodatin’ his inability to emote.”

She vibrated a bit with a soundless chuckle. Sighed, again. “Yar papa won’t say anything—”

I waited.

“But this scared him to his core.”

I snorted.

“No. Really. Erut is about as emotionally shut down as Kriz. Maybe yar papa is on the spectrum too, just never impacted enough to be—tested. Measured.”

Hmm. That made sense. “Ya really do think he is, doncha ya?”

She let out yet another sigh. Mama’s not a big sigher, usually. “Ya ever noticed, at clan gatherings and hoedowns, while Ike is draggin’ ya from one clump of folk to another, Kriz and yar papa will be sittin’ near each other, away from the crowd?”

I thought back to the last, minor hoedown we had in West Hamlet. Couldn’t remember. I always escape as soon as I can get away with it, and Kriz normally hangs off my hip when I do.

~