Lymber craft's Arc

Chapter 58 of 70

Three days after the ambulance, Violetta stopped coming down for meals. She took a plate up when Lymber left one outside her door and brought it back empty at night. She did not speak. She did not cry where anyone could see. Lymber watched the door close each time and told herself the girl needed a day. Then two. On the fourth morning the plate came back untouched, and Lymber knew a day would not fix it. She found the twins in the kids' room. Missy was pushing a doll across the rug in her pink dress. Max sat on the floor with a truck in his lap. Jett was on the bed reading to himself. Lymber knelt and told them she needed an hour upstairs with their sister. Missy asked if Violetta was sick. Lymber said no. Max asked if Grandma was still gone. Lymber said yes. She told them to stay in this room and she would send Paul up when he got home. She climbed the stairs and knocked once. Violetta did not answer. Lymber opened the door and stepped in. The blinds were down. Violetta was on the bed facing the wall. The jacket Lymber had bought her at the mall was on the floor near the closet. Lymber sat on the edge of the mattress. She did not touch her. She said, I know you loved her. She said, I loved her too. Violetta did not move. Lymber waited. She said, I told her I did not need her. Two nights before. I want to take it back and I can't. Violetta's shoulders shook once. She turned her face into the pillow. Lymber put her hand on her daughter's back and left it there. Violetta said, into the pillow, that Polly had promised to take her school shopping. That they were supposed to go Saturday. That Violetta had been rude to her on the phone last week and had not called back. Lymber said she would take her Saturday. Violetta said it was not the same. Lymber said no, it was not. She said they could still go. She said being rude to someone did not kill them. She said she knew because she had been rude too, and it was not what killed her. Violetta turned over. Her face was wet and blotched. She sat up and Lymber pulled her in, and Violetta cried into her shoulder for a long time without stopping. When Violetta was done she asked if they could pick out something for the dance in the fall. Lymber said yes. Violetta wiped her face on her sleeve and asked if the twins had eaten. Lymber said not yet. Violetta stood up and picked the jacket off the floor and put it on the chair. Then she went downstairs to help.