Chapter 9

Rhett

Finding a full-time job when you had no higher education and lived in a small town was difficult. I didn't have a car or license to drive one, either, and despite Jakob offering to help, he did have a full-time job. Hansel relied on friends to get to and from school, and that was already a commute.

Helga was growing impatient.

"Why can't you understand?" Helga hurled at me, starting the fight we'd been having almost daily for a week. "Your father's funeral wasn't free, and money doesn't grow on trees."

The snarky reply was on the tip of my tongue—money was made from paper, which did grow on trees—but I held back. She got meaner the more you replied.

"Did you hear me, Rhettel?"

"I could work at my school," Hansel offered.

While he'd brought it up before, it would mean moving out and living closer to campus. He didn't want to leave me, and I didn't want to live in a city. But staying with Helga in the house my parents made a home was becoming more and more oppressive.

"No, I'll figure it out." I sighed, going through the motions of my daily life by making them breakfast.

Helga made enough coffee for us as well, and ate without complaint for once. Her abrupt change in demeanor made me too anxious to eat my toast, though I was able to swallow down some of the bitter coffee. When she finished and took her own plate and cup to the sink, I couldn't help being suspicious.

"I think we need to work on being closer as a family," Helga announced.

Silence followed.

Looking back, Helga had said similar things and tried to ingratiate herself with us when she was first dating and married to our father, but not since he started getting sick. A small kernel of hope had me wanting to believe her, but a bigger part told me to be wary.

"What did you have in mind?" Hansel asked, looking up from his phone after scarfing down the last of his buttered toast with a gulp of coffee.

He wanted to believe Helga could have good intentions, too.

"You both love the forest," Helga started, and turned to wash her plate and knife from spreading jam.

If I thought pigs were flying from her noticing something we liked, her voluntarily doing a household chore was even more shocking. I leaned against the counter, trying to gauge her expression, but it remained impassive.

"We do."

"We could go for a hike on a trail up the road." Helga set her plate on the drying rack and reached for mine. "Get out of the house for a few hours."

Alright, this was as if Christmas and Easter were on the same day, and not because her presence was a treat.

"Why?" I asked without thinking.

A flash of anger crossed her face but it was gone so fast I thought I might have imagined it.

"Because we need to get along if we're going to keep living together. It's not like the company would let you stay if I didn't work for them."

Hansel and I met eyes across the table and I could tell he felt the same as I did. Whether she was genuinely trying to be kind, or passive-aggressively threatening to kick us out on the street, I saw how we couldn't say no.

"When do you want to go?"

"I'm off work today, and it's not too warm out, or raining," Helga replied, still not looking at me.

Hansel was grieving and rarely out of his depressed state, so I did feel getting outside and moving our bodies would be good for him. No matter how odd her suggestion felt, he would enjoy the time.

We put on suitable clothing, and I was surprised to see Helga owned running shoes. They were in the trunk of the car, her car now, and I saw she had a lot of clothes and things in there before she closed it quickly. With a water bottle each, we piled in and let Helga lead the way.

After a few miles up the main highway, Helga exited and followed a narrow road to a trailhead. I was pretty sure we'd been there before as children, but it had been a while. We had the forest as our backyard.

Hansel was messaging friends, but barely looked up when we left the car. I nudged his shoulder. "Hey, you should take some pictures."

He gave me a crooked smile, holding his phone up to take a picture of me. "Yeah, alright."

"Brat," I teased, happy to see Hansel engaging.

My mind wandered to the stolen moments I'd had with Jakob, though they were mostly quiet and focused on cutting wood. I was too sad about my father to engage in much conversation, but I had learned about his family. Jakob lit up talking about his nieces and nephews, and I let his deep, soothing voice wash over me.

We'd been more cautious since the funeral, only meeting up for him to train me, stealing kisses between Jakob arriving home and Helga following shortly after. I was addicted to his touch already, the only bright spot in my world.

Jakob was quickly becoming my reason to get up in the morning, and I wasn't sure if I should be worried about the fact.

We walked along the trail for almost an hour, with Hansel snapping pictures of birds and interesting trees. Helga mostly ignored us, but I was glad to see she had a map on her phone so we didn't get lost. She hadn't said a negative word or raised my hackles the whole hike, until I suggested turning back.

Our stepmother had a different suggestion.

"I know a shortcut from hiking here in my teens." Her words seemed cryptic until she pointed out a lesser-worn path, "This way."

Further and further, we walked into the forest, while Hansel and I grew tired. We weren't used to hiking. Neither was Helga, but she seemed to have a destination in mind.

"Helga, we're getting hungry." I finally spoke up after a branch smacked me in the face for the umpteenth time.

"Shoot." Helga paused, and I saw we were at a clearing. "I had meant to surprise you with a picnic, but I left the basket in the car."

"You did?" Hansel asked without looking up from the flower he was getting in frame.

"Yes, and we're almost back to the car," Helga insisted. "This field of flowers would make the perfect spot. Why don't I go retrieve the food and meet you back here?"

"Or we could come with you and eat in the car park?" I suggested.

"No, no. You two need a break. I'll be back in fifteen minutes, thirty tops."

Hansel sat down with a sigh with relief. He needed a break, my book-smart brother. I felt stronger since I'd been training a bit with Jakob.

"See." Helga gestured to Hansel, who was chugging water and sitting on a rock just under the shade at the edge of the clearing. "I'll bring more water and lunch. You rest."

Helga made sure I was sitting as well before making her way across the clearing and disappearing into the trees on the far side. My stomach felt off, but I hadn't eaten much for breakfast, and that was hours before.

"What do you think she packed us?" Hansel asked, his stomach a bottomless pit.

"Don't know, why don't you text her and ask?"

"Can't, no service." Hansel held up his phone to show a social blank media page where images and posts would have been.

"I hope she got something non-perishable at the store," I mused, reaching for a yellow flower to pluck the petals, one at a time. He loves me, he loves me not…

Damn, I had it bad.

"Me too," Hansel commented before throwing himself onto a bed of tall grasses to lie down and stare up at the clouds floating overhead. "Her cooking is terrible."

Chuckling, I had to agree. "Well, at least we're not walking for a bit. Her shortcut sucked."

Hansel only gave a hmmm in response, so I lay down with my head beside his. This was nice. I could close my eyes and just relax in nature for a few minutes.