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--donation bonus (day #24, post 5/5)--
The King looked at Mrs. Edith. “Have you met Helen before?”

“Oh, no,” she said. “I only meant according to her reputation. She’s always struck me as a very serious woman.”

“Mom loves the Queen,” added Melanie. “She’s a super royalist.”

Mrs. Edith glared at the girl, which only made her giggle.

“Is that so?” said William, smiling.

“Oh yeah,” agreed Mr. Edith. “You should’ve seen her after she found out that Lynnette had been accepted into the Queen’s Guard.”

“Jacob, please--”

“She was so happy that it was actually kind of scary. Abnormal-like, y’know? Just freaky.”

Mrs. Edith could only sigh.

“That is very sweet,” said William. “I am sure Helen would be pleased.”

Lynn and the King had both begun to look a little healthier. They were oddly similar--one who’d lost an eye, and one who’d lost an arm. Both had been through the wringer, and both ended up recounting their tales to everyone. It was difficult for Hector then. Their stories reminded him of all the things he’d lost as well, reminded him that his own pain hadn’t really gone away, only been buried.

Perhaps everyone could sense that he didn’t want to talk about himself, because they never asked. Maybe they already knew enough from the news. Or maybe they were talking about him behind his back. Strange, to realize he would’ve preferred that. Garovel probably knew for certain, but Hector avoided asking about it. He didn’t really want to know.

Hector’s mother, however, looked no better than when she’d arrived. She still had the same gaunt, hollow-eyed stare as before.

Occasionally, Gina would try to engage her. “So what do you do for a living, Mrs. Goffe?”

“I was a stage director,” she said.

“Stage director? You mean like for plays and musicals?”

“Yes.”

“Wow, that’s cool!”

“It was. Before... everything.”

Gina frowned. “Of course. I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine.”

“You know, I bet I could help you find new work after this is all over. I’m pretty good at finding things.”

“No, thank you.”