(no subject)
Her room seems so empty, even though all of the furniture is still in place. She doesn't need to take any of it with her and moving it would be a hassle, anyway. She knows her mother will leave it just as it is, for the times her 'little girl' comes back to visit, but for all intents and purposes, this is no longer her room. All of her trophies, medals and ribbons are packed away in boxes in the attic, and everything she plans to take with her and isn't already at Milliways or in Tokyo is in two suitcases and a trunk that are waiting downstairs by the back door.
“So...you're really going.”
She hadn't heard Simon coming into the room, but she smiles at him and slings an arm around his shoulders.
“Yeah.” She manages not to sigh as she says it. “ I thought you had class this morning.”
“I just had to hand in my final assignment. Exam is on Friday.” He wraps an arm around her waist and gives her a small squeeze. “You sure you want to go all the way to Tokyo?”
“Simon,” She look looks at him, realizing that he really is going to miss her. “I've never been more sure of anything in my life. I'm going to have a good life there, and be happy, but it's not like it's goodbye, you know. Because of Milliways, I can come back and visit any time I want, so you'll see me all the time.”
“You know it's not the same.”
“I know. But if I was going to the Toyko in this world, I wouldn't get to come back more than once every couple of years. You and Jared are going to have to keep an eye on things, here. Take care of mom and stuff. Aunt Lucinda isn't going to be around forever, either.”
Her mother and Aunty had said their tearful not!good-byes the night before.
“Mal, we've been over this; Jared and me have it covered. I'm more worried you'll go off charging at dragons or swimming with kappas and have adventures without us.”
“You'll have adventures without me, too. That's what life is all about.” She grins and bumps her hip against his. “You'll find someone to have those adventures with, and you'll forget about wanting me or Jared along. You'll have your animal clinic that secretly caters to magical creatures, and be blissfully happy. Jared will figure out that he's brilliant at art and continue Uncle Arthur's work and need us to come and rescue him from time to time, and it will all be great. You'll see.”
Simon ducks his head and nods, looking a little embarrassed.
"What are you going to do, cry?" Jared says from the doorway.
Mallory snorts and turns to grin at her other brother. "You're saying you're not going to miss me?"
Jared pushes himself upright from where he's been leaning on the door frame, watching them. He smirks and goes to stand beside her, not really meeting her eyes. "Nope. I've been waiting for this for eighteen years."
"So, the fact that you're home, when you're supposed to be at work?" She's not buying it. He's as soft-hearted as they come, when family is involved.
"I came to take measurements for the hot tub I'm having installed in here later."
Even Simon can't hold back his laughter at this announcement, and Jared grins, slinging an arm around his sister's shoulders.
"Need any help moving anything else out to the carriage house?" Simon asks, looking around for any sign of forgotten items.
"Nope. Just the stuff in the kitchen. I've been moving things a box at a time. I'm keeping some things in my room at Milliways and taking the rest through to Tokyo.
"Yeah, well, Simon and me put together this thing for you," Jared said, going to the hall to pick up a box from the floor and bringing it to rest on the foot of her bed.
"Simon and I," she corrects automatically, curiously opening the lid. "What all this?"
Inside are several fat binders, full of papers and photographs and drawings. She picks one up and opens it to the first page.
"We copied Uncle Arthur's field guide and most of his notes for you, in case you run into something while you're in Tokyo that you need to know about." Jared explained. "Where we could, we got real specimens of the different plants and minerals and things."
Mallory could feel her eyes getting misty as she paged through the first book.
"And there's a photo album in here, too," Simon added. He pointed to a binder at the back. We took all of mom's old albums and had a guy color photo copy them and put them in page protectors. Less bulky that way."
She nods and sniffles with a smile, letting a tear roll down her cheek. "You guys are making me all mushy."
She puts the book back into the box and turns and hugs Simon and then Jared, long and hard. She pretends not to see that they are both a bit misty-eyed as she straightens and smooths out her shirt.
"Thanks, guys. I know I don't say this a lot, but you're great brothers, and I love you."
They both nod mumble the sentiment back and surreptitiously wipe their eyes. Jared picks up the box and heads for the door.
"Let's get you out of here, so I can take those measurements."
With a watery laugh, Mallory follows the boys down the stairs and out the back door, grabbing two suit cases and leaving the trunk for Simon to drag out. At the carriage house, she opens the door, shoves in her luggage and takes the box from Jared with a smile.
"See you soon."
She steps into the Milliways and lets the door shut behind her. It's officially time to start her new life.
“So...you're really going.”
She hadn't heard Simon coming into the room, but she smiles at him and slings an arm around his shoulders.
“Yeah.” She manages not to sigh as she says it. “ I thought you had class this morning.”
“I just had to hand in my final assignment. Exam is on Friday.” He wraps an arm around her waist and gives her a small squeeze. “You sure you want to go all the way to Tokyo?”
“Simon,” She look looks at him, realizing that he really is going to miss her. “I've never been more sure of anything in my life. I'm going to have a good life there, and be happy, but it's not like it's goodbye, you know. Because of Milliways, I can come back and visit any time I want, so you'll see me all the time.”
“You know it's not the same.”
“I know. But if I was going to the Toyko in this world, I wouldn't get to come back more than once every couple of years. You and Jared are going to have to keep an eye on things, here. Take care of mom and stuff. Aunt Lucinda isn't going to be around forever, either.”
Her mother and Aunty had said their tearful not!good-byes the night before.
“Mal, we've been over this; Jared and me have it covered. I'm more worried you'll go off charging at dragons or swimming with kappas and have adventures without us.”
“You'll have adventures without me, too. That's what life is all about.” She grins and bumps her hip against his. “You'll find someone to have those adventures with, and you'll forget about wanting me or Jared along. You'll have your animal clinic that secretly caters to magical creatures, and be blissfully happy. Jared will figure out that he's brilliant at art and continue Uncle Arthur's work and need us to come and rescue him from time to time, and it will all be great. You'll see.”
Simon ducks his head and nods, looking a little embarrassed.
"What are you going to do, cry?" Jared says from the doorway.
Mallory snorts and turns to grin at her other brother. "You're saying you're not going to miss me?"
Jared pushes himself upright from where he's been leaning on the door frame, watching them. He smirks and goes to stand beside her, not really meeting her eyes. "Nope. I've been waiting for this for eighteen years."
"So, the fact that you're home, when you're supposed to be at work?" She's not buying it. He's as soft-hearted as they come, when family is involved.
"I came to take measurements for the hot tub I'm having installed in here later."
Even Simon can't hold back his laughter at this announcement, and Jared grins, slinging an arm around his sister's shoulders.
"Need any help moving anything else out to the carriage house?" Simon asks, looking around for any sign of forgotten items.
"Nope. Just the stuff in the kitchen. I've been moving things a box at a time. I'm keeping some things in my room at Milliways and taking the rest through to Tokyo.
"Yeah, well, Simon and me put together this thing for you," Jared said, going to the hall to pick up a box from the floor and bringing it to rest on the foot of her bed.
"Simon and I," she corrects automatically, curiously opening the lid. "What all this?"
Inside are several fat binders, full of papers and photographs and drawings. She picks one up and opens it to the first page.
"We copied Uncle Arthur's field guide and most of his notes for you, in case you run into something while you're in Tokyo that you need to know about." Jared explained. "Where we could, we got real specimens of the different plants and minerals and things."
Mallory could feel her eyes getting misty as she paged through the first book.
"And there's a photo album in here, too," Simon added. He pointed to a binder at the back. We took all of mom's old albums and had a guy color photo copy them and put them in page protectors. Less bulky that way."
She nods and sniffles with a smile, letting a tear roll down her cheek. "You guys are making me all mushy."
She puts the book back into the box and turns and hugs Simon and then Jared, long and hard. She pretends not to see that they are both a bit misty-eyed as she straightens and smooths out her shirt.
"Thanks, guys. I know I don't say this a lot, but you're great brothers, and I love you."
They both nod mumble the sentiment back and surreptitiously wipe their eyes. Jared picks up the box and heads for the door.
"Let's get you out of here, so I can take those measurements."
With a watery laugh, Mallory follows the boys down the stairs and out the back door, grabbing two suit cases and leaving the trunk for Simon to drag out. At the carriage house, she opens the door, shoves in her luggage and takes the box from Jared with a smile.
"See you soon."
She steps into the Milliways and lets the door shut behind her. It's officially time to start her new life.