Until Father leaves, the card is propped up on the fireplace, where anyone and everyone can admire Heidi's handiwork. We all spend the evening feeling happy, in spite of our situation.

As I climb into bed, I think about our shortened time with Father. My throat grows tight and threatens to close completely, so I tell a story to Heidi, coaxing out each word until I am so engrossed that my emotions transfer to the characters. Tonight, I weave a tale of brave knights battling fearsome dragons, and fair damsels weeping for someone to rescue them. Heidi is mesmerized until I say "... and they all lived happily ever after." Then her breathing slows and becomes increasingly more rhythmic, and I can tell that she is asleep. I decide to follow suit.

As the sun peeks through my bedroom window, casting delicate golden rays across my quilt, I yawn and stretch out my stiff arms. Yet another school day awaits. Father is already at work, and Mother is cooking, as usual, so I wake up Heidi.

"Rise and shine! We have school today."

She groans quietly and covers her head with her pillow. I grab my own pillow and start whacking her playfully, and soon she is up and rather hyper, too.

Ansell is cranky, and won't let anyone but Mother hold him. I tried to convince him to let me snuggle with him, but he starts screaming like I'm trying to kidnap him, so I have to be content to wave at him before we start out for school.

I don't see Caroline on the road. Since she lives closer to the school, I think maybe she hasn't left yet. Walking with my sister is alright, though. She can spread her infectious joy to anyone, and so far this morning, I've caught it.

Once we reach her building, I continue on solo. "Goodbye, Heidi. I'll see you at three," I call to her. She waves in response.

When I walk into the schoolyard, no red hair strikes my eye. Caroline must be sick, I think. Instead of chatting with my best friend, I walk over to the main steps and sit down, alone. After a few minutes, Hazen comes up to me. She smiles, hikes her skirt up a bit, and takes a seat beside me.

"How are you, Evelyn?" she asks.

I think for a minute before answering. "I'm alright. How are you?"

"Very well, thanks." Hazen points to a group of giggling girls, and in the center I catch a glimpse of Christoffer. "My brother is over there if you want to say hi."

I shake my head. "If I go over there, everyone is going to think I've joined his group of admirers!"

As Hazen laughs, the bell rings. A deep, reverberating clanging spreads through the yard.

"I guess I'll see you in class?" I raise my eyebrows questioningly.

"Yes."

After school, I ask Hazen if she wants to join Heidi and I walking to Band of German Maidens. Readily, she accepts, and runs over to tell Christoffer that she won't be needing his escort. At first he looks hurt, but when he sees me and Heidi, his face lights up, and he tells Hazen he will meet her there.
Nothing unusual happens during BDM (actually it's incredibly boring), and so I am a little excited when Heidi tells me that Christoffer and Hazen will walk home with us. Usually, I don't socialize after school, but today I feel like it. I go outside to wait for Hazen, who is held up talking.

Christoffer is sitting beneath a tree when I walk over.

"I hear you're accompanying us home," I say.

He looks up at me and crosses his arms in mock anger. "Is there anything wrong with that?"

"No."

Raising one thick eyebrow he says, "You're not going to take the longer way to avoid me?"

"Not this time," I reply, trying not to laugh.

He smiles and pushes himself up from the grass. His shirt sleeves are rolled up, and I glimpse his arms, which are more muscular than I somehow expected. I flush, ashamed of myself for noticing something like that. "Then let's get going," he says, not paying attention to me it seems. "Hazen's out."

We all walk next to each other on the way home, Heidi skipping between Christoffer and I and going on and on about classes. Finally, when she stops chattering and runs ahead after a wren, Hazen turns to me.

"What's makes you only 'alright'?"
I start a little, wondering if she had been thinking about that all day.

"Well," I hesitate, because I know that if I open up, I'll have to talk about it, which risks tears. "My father has to leave."

"Leave for where?" Hazen asks. "And for how long?"

Christoffer watches his feet move along the road and kicks severely at a pebble. "Where else would he be going, Hazen, if not to fight?"

Hazen stops walking and puts a hand to her mouth with a little gasp. "Oh no," she whispers.

I nod, and stare ahead at my sister to keep from crying, knowing that if I make eye contact the tears will all spill out.

Hazen pulls me into a hug, while Christoffer stands in the street awkwardly. When Hazen releases me and continues walking, I start to follow, but Christoffer puts a hand on my shoulder. I turn to face him, when his eyes meet mine, I see they are full of concern.

"I'm sorry," he says.

Somehow, the warmth from his touch calms me down, so I don't pull away. After a moment I gently shrug him off and say, "Me, too."

Then I step quickly after my new friend.