"You cannot go on like this... " Celeste said as she touched her niece's hand, worried about the apparent changes in her niece's usually sunny disposition.
"How can I not, tante*? Zoraida asked, feeling slightly frustrated at her apparent black and white view of things, "If I don't Tomas will continue to hurt people. Hurt you, hurt Shale, hurt those around me. I can't even -... " here she shut up suddenly, not wanting to admit her magic was unreliable. Afraid somebody might overhear them and tell her brother...
"You can't, what?" Celeste asked softly, worried now for her little Zori.
"Nothing, it's nothing..." she told her aunt giving her a smile, not wanting to worry her more than she was. "I just can't stand the uncertainty. Even coming home at night, I'm afraid there will be somebody waiting in the shadows. I know, it's just paranoia, and I know I have security around me at all times," she said as her gaze unconsciously strayed to the room around her, like she was looking for someone, "But the edge is still there... the fear is still there," she admitted quietly to her aunt, slightly ashamed to admit that. Fear was a new constant in her life, and one she was not well-equipped at dealing with sometimes.
Nodding as she listened quietly, "My lovely Zori..." Celeste said very gently, "You feel unsafe because you've never had somebody just pop into your house and threaten you before, or send you threatening mail. It's natural that you feel that way." Celeste said.
"I know, you can look after yourself... but maybe, a small suggestion, an idea perhaps, would be to learn another way to defend yourself.... just so you feel safer?" Celeste suggested to her niece, "And it would also be a way to release tension, maybe even just a way to clear your mind for a bit?"
"I don't know..." Zora said unconvinced at the idea.
"Well, do think about it, my love... I'm afraid I need to run. I have to pick Shale up at 3, and it's 2:45 now." she said as she stood and pecked her niece on the cheek, caressing it gently as she added, "Take care of yourself, please. Your brother is dangerous, remember that."
Nodding, Zora just sat back down in her seat, toying with a cup of semi-cold coffee as she watched her aunt leave.
@Sarrain
*aunt
"How can I not, tante*? Zoraida asked, feeling slightly frustrated at her apparent black and white view of things, "If I don't Tomas will continue to hurt people. Hurt you, hurt Shale, hurt those around me. I can't even -... " here she shut up suddenly, not wanting to admit her magic was unreliable. Afraid somebody might overhear them and tell her brother...
"You can't, what?" Celeste asked softly, worried now for her little Zori.
"Nothing, it's nothing..." she told her aunt giving her a smile, not wanting to worry her more than she was. "I just can't stand the uncertainty. Even coming home at night, I'm afraid there will be somebody waiting in the shadows. I know, it's just paranoia, and I know I have security around me at all times," she said as her gaze unconsciously strayed to the room around her, like she was looking for someone, "But the edge is still there... the fear is still there," she admitted quietly to her aunt, slightly ashamed to admit that. Fear was a new constant in her life, and one she was not well-equipped at dealing with sometimes.
Nodding as she listened quietly, "My lovely Zori..." Celeste said very gently, "You feel unsafe because you've never had somebody just pop into your house and threaten you before, or send you threatening mail. It's natural that you feel that way." Celeste said.
"I know, you can look after yourself... but maybe, a small suggestion, an idea perhaps, would be to learn another way to defend yourself.... just so you feel safer?" Celeste suggested to her niece, "And it would also be a way to release tension, maybe even just a way to clear your mind for a bit?"
"I don't know..." Zora said unconvinced at the idea.
"Well, do think about it, my love... I'm afraid I need to run. I have to pick Shale up at 3, and it's 2:45 now." she said as she stood and pecked her niece on the cheek, caressing it gently as she added, "Take care of yourself, please. Your brother is dangerous, remember that."
Nodding, Zora just sat back down in her seat, toying with a cup of semi-cold coffee as she watched her aunt leave.
@Sarrain
*aunt
It was the name 'Shale' that queued Rory into the conversation. She knew a Shale, how common of a name was that around here? It could have been a coincidence, sure, but as a general rule, Lorelai didn't believe in those.