Morningside Fall(102)

“This’ll be perfect, Lil,” Cass said. “Thank you.”

Gamble quickly designated rooms for everyone, keeping Cass, Wren, and Painter in the middle rooms, with her team members on either side.

“I’ll give you time to get settled,” Lil said. “When you’re ready, come get me and I’ll show you around and make introductions. My room is there, at the end of the hall.” She gave a little nod and turned to go.

“One sec, Miss Lil,” Mouse said. He ducked into his room for a few moments and then came back out with his medical kit in hand. “I’d like to go ahead and take a look at your injured, if that’s alright.”

Lil seemed surprised. “Um, certainly,” she said. “Of course. If you feel up to it.”

“I do.”

“Alright. Come with me, I’ll take you to them.”

She took Mouse back down the hall, and the rest of the team went to their rooms to get their gear settled. Cass and Wren had the room on the left of the hall, across from Painter’s. Gamble had given him his own room, but Wren guessed somebody would be keeping a close eye on it.

“I’m gonna dump my stuff,” said Finn. “Then I’ll go make sure Swoop and Wick know where we are.”

“Yeah, check,” Gamble said. Wren thought, they sure did say check a lot.

“Come on, baby,” Cass said. “Let’s get changed into something dry.”

They went together into their room and closed the door. There wasn’t a whole lot to it. Two metal beds, one on each side of the room. But they had been made with simple blankets and pillows that looked clean. Wren remembered those blankets from the time he’d spent at the village before: light and a little scratchy, but warm. There was also a small table in the corner, but no chair. The room was lit by a single light that shone orange-yellow and sat recessed into the ceiling.

Wren dropped his pack on the bed and started taking off his coat. Cass made a little clucking sound with her tongue and walked over to grab his pack.

“That’s going to get your bed all wet,” she said, running her hand back and forth over the blanket. She took the pack and put it down on the table in the corner.

“I wasn’t going to leave it there,” Wren said.

Cass opened his pack and dug out a change of clothes for him. Wren put his coat on the table, collected his clothes, and took them back to the bed. He slipped his boots off, thankful that they’d kept the rain out. Wet socks were the worst. His shirt was mostly dry, but his pants were soaked, starting from about midway down his thigh. They were hard to take off. He sat down on the bed to wrestle with them.

“Here, hold on, hold on,” Cass said, walking towards him.

“I can do it,” Wren said. His mama reached down to grab one of the pant legs anyway. “I said I can do it!” he said again, snatching his leg away from her. She looked at him sharply, but after a moment she held up her hands and then went back to their packs.

Wren fought his feet out of the clinging pants. It was frustrating when Mama treated him like he was just a kid. Sometimes it was like she completely forgot how old he was. He wasn’t seven anymore. With a flurry, Wren kicked his feet free and his pants flopped to the ground with a wet slap. He slid into his dry pair and then put his boots back on. Cass was laying her own clothes out. Wren went to the door.

“Where are you going?” she asked.

“To see Lil,” he said. Wren put his hand on the door, but didn’t open it. He shouldn’t have to ask for permission.

“OK,” she said. “Don’t go far.”

Wren slid the door open and went out into the hall, and then shut the door behind him. He wasn’t really mad at Mama. It was just… well, he didn’t really know. Wren felt out of sorts and wasn’t sure why. But after all they’d been through, Mama didn’t have to treat him like he couldn’t change his own pants.

He padded down the hall towards Lil’s room. The door was partially shut, but cracked. Wren raised his hand to knock and then caught himself. He was nervous. Maybe he should just wait for everyone else. It’d been such a long time. He had so many questions, but standing here now he wasn’t sure if it was the right time to ask them.

It didn’t matter. The door swung open and Lil gave a little start when she saw him there.

“Oh, Wren,” she said. “Is everything OK?”

Wren nodded. He wasn’t sure what to say. She’d changed her clothes, removed her sword and cloak. Now Lil looked much more like he remembered her. But more serious than before; her eyes didn’t have the same spark of life that they’d once had.