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Chapter Two: Daisy Chain - Part Four
Calla
Gemini: You’re very powerful; you can do anything you want. So be careful to want the right things.
“Wait!” Juniper called to Calla, panting as she ran.
She slowed, jogging in place and trying to be patient. Doing high-knee runs to keep her heart rate up, she watched while the woman in bright, patterned spandex and full-makeup staggered exhaustedly down the path.
Well, it wasn’t exactly Calla’s normal workout, but Juniper had been so excited about joining Calla on her morning jogs that Calla just couldn’t bring herself to tell the woman no.
Juniper had told her over dinner last night that she’d always meant to start, but just never had the motivation. So Calla had offered to jog with her. She just hadn’t realized that the ex-dancer would be so out of practice.
Calla paced herself next to Juniper who was practically walking, despite her exaggerated arm movements. Calla had tried to give the woman pointers all morning but the more she tried to tutor her the more Juniper struggled, growing more and more awkward in her stride and breathing. So Calla had stopped.
Together, in silence, only Juniper’s heavy heaving between them, they ran through the wooded landscape. Calla tried to tune out everything, just listening to her heartbeat—steady and strong—and the sound of the leaves—crisp and crackling—beneath her feet.
She’d almost succeeded when she suddenly stopped.
“What in the world,” puffed Juniper just behind her, “is that man up to now?”
Calla shook her head uncomprehendingly at the odd sight of Flax surrounded by Faceless servants, frantically shooing them away.
“He told me yesterday,” Calla said, still staring at him with a stunned expression on her face, “that he was going to make an effort to pick up the slack for Lenten.” She watched his rather pitiful progress. “You know, considering everything.”
“Really?” Juniper asked, more than a little surprised herself. “Flax? He’s helping out?” She shrugged. “Well, that’s nice of him.”
“Yeah,” Calla agreed, “it’s nice, I guess.”
They both watched Flax grab a rake from one of the Faceless, waving it about like a weapon and crying obscenities at the mob of servants.
“How long do you think it’ll last?” Juniper asked, skepticism plain in her voice.
She shrugged. “Until Lenten gets back.”
Calla frowned. Gets back. She’d made it sound as if he was away on vacation or on a sabbatical.
The man was grieving. Had been for a week now. Who knew when he’d snap back and start moving on again? Calla imagined that losing the love of your life—well, of the sort of life they led—would be hard to come back from.
“God, I hope it’s soon.” Juniper sighed and started to jog again.
Calla shook her head, leaving Flax to his promises, as she caught up to the woman, trying to keep her own.
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