(2) Descendants

Riley jolted awake a few hours later and it took a moment to find her bearings. She stood at the top of the stairs listening to the sounds of Victoria’s wake as it continued. It could go on like that for days as people from the region learned of Victoria’s passing. With a great heaving sigh Riley turned around and went back to the childhood bedroom she had shared with Carter.

Like she was a teenager again Riley climbed out the window instead of dealing with the drama downstairs. The roof over the kitchen was a single story so she was able to step onto it and tip tap her way quietly across. There was a tree planted off the side. Its branches were more spread out than they had been in Riley’s youth but she managed to shimmy her way down safely enough if not totally unscathed.

It was the deepest cold that only happened late at night, long after the sun’s warmth had been drained away. The snow was falling in thick sheets that coated Riley’s dark hair. Her long hair framed her pale and haggard face. She had briefly considered stealing one of Carter’s jackets but chose instead to throw a couple of blankets out the window.

She was swathed in the layers that heaped her frame and even then, she still shivered. She looked more like the ghost of a young Victoria casually haunting the evening than herself. She wandered through the night for a while. Whether by chance or choice she found herself back at the spot where her mother had fallen.

Someone had laid a sheet over it. Riley moved it but there was no blood. No sign of the violence that had occurred. Riley put it back the way she found it, and then sat on some nearby stairs.

After a while Mrs. Willis came out and put a coat around Riley’s shoulders. Riley tried to be stoic but it didn’t last long. She shrugged off the blankets and put the coat on, zipping it all the way up. And then she burst into tears.

“I know dear. I know.”

Mrs. Willis pulled Riley in close and held her. It was more than any of the siblings had done for each other.

After a while Riley pulled away and gave Mrs. Willis a curious look.

“You noticed that we hadn’t gotten home yet? I didn’t know you stayed up to watch us.”

She said it playfully, teasing the older woman. Saint and Riley had rented an apartment above Mrs. Willis’s bakery for over three years. To Victoria freedom was getting to live five buildings over.

“Yes, well. I don’t. I try to let you children have your independence and I do have a life after all.”

Riley let out a weak smile and Mrs. Willis seemed relieved to see it.

“You will forgive I did think tonight was a good exception.” She gave Riley an extra squeeze, and then leaned back to take her in. “My turn. Why do you look like you got into a fight with a wild animal?”

Riley grabbed a handful of the tattered dress she had borrowed from Carter’s closet. The scratches on her arms and legs visible in the moonlight. “I snuck out the window of mom’s house and climbed down the tree.”

Mrs. Willis nodded. “Very mature.”

“I thought so, too.” She pointed to the sheet. “Did you do this?”

Mrs. Willis shook her head, no. “News to me.”

“Is that all it would have taken to save her? A sheet?”

The older woman didn’t respond. Age hadn’t given her every answer. She looked at Riley deeply for a moment. “How are you doing?”

“Like I am so angry that tomorrow the world is going to wake up and continue on without her.” She shook her head. “Like I need a cigarette.”

Mrs. Willis tried to play along. “Why don’t you go down to the stable then?”

Riley didn’t blink, “I’m thinking about it.”

“I was joking.”

They sat for a moment, watching as the sheet and the world and themselves were covered in the falling snow. As more ice grew in the cracks and crevices around them.

“Really.” Mrs. Willis asked again. “How are you?”

“Like they know even less what to do with me than mom did.”

She wasn’t having any of Riley’s pity party. “That’s certainly one perspective.”

“I can’t even say they don’t like me because they have no idea who I am.”

Mrs. Willis took a deep breath but she didn’t fight back. There was a level of truth to what Riley said. It was hard to tell if it was from the cold or stress that her shoulders were ratcheted into her ears. The entire system was absurd and complicated. Morbid. Predetermined. Mrs. Willis took Riley’s hands and tried to rub some warmth into them.

Riley looked at the older woman who had quietly seen it all. Riley when she was younger, so excited about the family business. She held Mrs. Willis’s hands tight back, hanging on. Victoria had discouraged Riley’s excitement. It had always seemed to go to Saint instead.

Mrs. Willis was gently massaging Riley’s fingers, and Riley tried to relax and flex with her. She managed to drag a spot on her wrist that had gotten scraped on the tree. Nothing major, just a rub.

Even when Riley had found something she loved. Truly loved. That didn’t threaten anyone else’s precious position. Horse riding had unlocked her heart. But there was always a rub. There was no position available in the stable that was acceptable to Victoria. Freedom to Victoria meant doing what you wanted after considering what she wanted. Riley was given a horse and constantly dissuaded from riding. Turned out she was too important to have fun but not important enough to be involved.

Then Carter had Violet and Riley wasn’t even on the bench anymore.

Riley started to cry again and asked, “What is stopping me? From going down the stable and just riding away from this place that doesn’t want me?”

Mrs. Willis got serious and Riley looked worried like she had crossed a line. “I don’t think that’s true. I think we need you here.”

Riley cried even harder. She managed to choke out a distorted, “eWhy-uh?”

“Oh darling, I know it’s scary.” She took Riley into her arms again, gently rocking her. “If that’s what you want then I wish you the best. I hope you get on Lady and ride off into the sunrise.”

Riley’s breath was ragged but she seemed more in control. “Yeah?”

“Yes. Of course. I will always love you, Riley, dear.”

Riley leaned into Mrs. Willis. “I love you too.” She took a deep breath. “Fine I won’t leave just yet. But I am still going to go smoke with the stable boys.”

“Riley Bonner, you are terrible. Irredeemable.”

Riley sat up with a wry smile. She wiped her face, and got up. She draped herself with her snow and leaf covered blankets as her royal cloak and gave Mrs. Willis a deep and proper curtsy. “Thank you so much.”

“Terrible.”