Beyond A Sky So Blue -- Part VI

Meryl had a bit of a lie-in the next morning as the stress of the past couple of days finally caught up with her. She rushed through her morning routine. Her hair was still damp as she entered the kitchen in her waitress uniform.

Milly was already eating, seemingly oblivious to her surroundings. Vash, however, had noticed her presence and waved with his spatula. Fighting the urge to grin, she made her way to coffee pot.

“Morning, Meryl,” Milly greeted, seeing who Vash had waved to. “Sleep well?”

“I think I slept a little too well,” Meryl admitted. She poured herself a rather generous cup of caffeine before sitting down at the table. “How’s the new project?”

“It didn’t work out. I’m going back to my regular work today. I should be home this afternoon.”

“Any idea when you’ll be home, Meryl?” Vash asked.

The short girl blinked. She wasn’t surprised by the question, just its source. “Um, I don’t know. Depends on how busy we are.”

“Well, don’t you worry, Meryl. Vash and I can handle dinner. Can’t we, Vash?”

He forced himself to match Milly’s sunny smile. “Sure.”

Meryl noted the time and quickly finished her coffee. She carried her mug to the sink and headed toward the door.

“Hey, aren’t you going to eat?” Vash called.

“I have to leave for work.” She didn’t bother to turn around as she grabbed her cloak.

That seemed to bug him. “You have to eat, Meryl.”

She stopped, surprised for his stern tone. She walked back and snagged a piece of toast. “Happy?”

He suddenly seemed to tower over her. His blue eyes bore into her, making her want to step back from him. Then he softened. “It will do.”

“Glad you’re happy,” but her retort was weak.

“Hey, any requests for dinner?” he asked as she walked away.

“Surprise me,” she called over her shoulder.

Milly had to hide her smile. Vash shot her a look as if he guessed her thoughts. With a sigh, he sat down and began to eat his own breakfast.

* * * * *

Knives continued the silent treatment when Vash left a tray of food. Every attempt at conversation was met with stony glares. Vash tried to maintain a sunny smile as he promised to be back later.

As soon as his brother was gone, Knives began to eat. Within minutes he was done. He sat the tray aside and threw the covers back.

A quick mental search let him know that his brother was no longer in the house. Taking a deep breath, Knives stood up. He was pleased that there was none of the weakness present earlier.

His footsteps grew surer as he made his way across the room. He found his clothes in the closet. He laughed when he realized that the spiders had washed them.

Sensing that Vash was still away, he opened the door and left the bedroom. He was already thinking about the next part of his plan as he made his way downstairs. Perhaps if he had been paying attention, he wouldn’t have been surprised.

* * * * *

“Nice job today.”

Milly wiped sweat off her forehead as she turned to face the foreman. “Thanks, sir.”

“I wish the men on my payroll worked half as hard as you do, Milly.”

The tall girl giggled. “Gosh, sir, I’m just doing my job.”

“Please, call me Ben,” the foreman replied with a smile. “All this sir business makes me feel old.”

“Okay, si—I mean Ben.”

“See, it’s not so hard. Now, go ahead and take the rest of the day off.”

“But there’s so much work left to do.”

“It’ll still be here tomorrow, Milly.”

“Well, if you’re sure.”

Ben laughed. “I’m sure. Get outta here.”

“Thanks.” With a wave, she threw her shovel over her shoulder and began to head home.

* * * * *

Meryl gave the empty table a good scrub. There were few customers at the moments. Of those who were there, most were there for more than the food.

“Hey, doll, how about some refills?”

She gave the table an extra hard rub before turning to her customers. “Just a moment, sir,” she said, hoping that her smile seemed somewhat genial.

Keeping a safe distance from the customers’ hands, she set out their new drinks. She quickly gathered the empty glasses and rushed back to the kitchen. She could hear the men laughing, but she continued with her work. She had already bent two trays that day.

The manager came up to her as she cleared a newly vacant table. “Meryl, after you finish up here, why don’t you head home?”

“I still have a few hours left on my shift.”

“I know, but you’ve been working hard these past few days. I appreciate your willingness to cover for Anne. This is my way of thanking you.”

Meryl hesitated. It was tempting to go home. But they needed money and she wouldn’t get paid if she didn’t work. “Thank you, but I’ll finish out my shift.”

“Meryl, I’m going to pay for the entire shift. Now, please, go home. Consider it an order if you must.”

There was no way she was going to argue with that. She thanked the manager. She was actually smiling as she carried the dirty dishes to the kitchen.

* * * * *

Vash was actually whistling a happy tune as he headed home from the store. As soon as he had left the house, his spirits had lifted. The outing was just what he needed to help clear his head.

But the trip had another purpose. With Milly and Meryl working long hours, the girls had no time to shop. He realized that dinner was going to be an interesting proposition unless somebody bought groceries.

He bought enough to last them a few days. He would talk to Meryl about taking over the responsibility. It was the least he could do to help out.

His happy mood evaporated when he noticed the door of the house was ajar. Meryl suddenly cried out from inside, turning his blood to ice. He dropped the groceries on the porch as he raced inside.

He found Meryl in the kitchen. She was cradling Milly’s head. The towel she had pressed against the tall girl’s temple was slowly turning red.

Tears were welling in Meryl’s violet eyes as she raised her head to face him. “Vash,” she managed in a broken whisper.

“What happened?”

Meryl shook her head. “I don’t know. I just found her like this.”

“Knives,” Vash growled. He ignored Meryl’s call as he raced up the stairs. He threw the door open and stormed into his brother’s room. He wasn’t surprised to find it empty.

He quickly made his way back to the kitchen. Meryl seemed more composed. Any hints of tears were gone.

“She needs a doctor, Vash,” Meryl said.

Vash glanced from the women to the door. “I have to go after him, Meryl.”

“I know.” She took a deep breath before looking at him again. “Just ask the doctor to come before you leave town.”

“I’m sorry.”

“This isn’t your fault, Vash. Just come back.” The tears threatened again. “Please.”

“I’ll try, Meryl.”

And then he was gone.


Surprise Meryl had a bit of a lie-in the next morning as the stress of the past couple of days finally caught up with her. She rushed through her morning routine. Her hair was still damp as she entered the kitchen in her waitress uniform. Milly was already eating, seemingly oblivious to her surroundings. Vash, however, had noticed her presence and waved with his spatula. Fighting the urge to grin, she made her way to coffee pot. “Morning, Meryl,” Milly greeted, seeing who Vash had waved to. “Sleep well?” “I think I slept a little too well,” Meryl admitted. She poured herself a rather generous cup of caffeine before sitting down at the table. “How’s the new project?” “It didn’t work out. I’m going back to my regular work today. I should be home this afternoon.” “Any idea when you’ll be home, Meryl?” Vash asked. The short girl blinked. She wasn’t surprised by the question, just its source. “Um, I don’t know. Depends on how busy we are.” “Well, don’t you worry, Meryl. Vash and I can handle dinner. Can’t we, Vash?” He forced himself to match Milly’s sunny smile. “Sure.” Meryl noted the time and quickly finished her coffee. She carried her mug to the sink and headed toward the door. “Hey, aren’t you going to eat?” Vash called. “I have to leave for work.” She didn’t bother to turn around as she grabbed her cloak. That seemed to bug him. “You have to eat, Meryl.” She stopped, surprised for his stern tone. She walked back and snagged a piece of toast. “Happy?” He suddenly seemed to tower over her. His blue eyes bore into her, making her want to step back from him. Then he softened. “It will do.” “Glad you’re happy,” but her retort was weak. “Hey, any requests for dinner?” he asked as she walked away. “Surprise me,” she called over her shoulder. Milly had to hide her smile. Vash shot her a look as if he guessed her thoughts. With a sigh, he sat down and began to eat his own breakfast. * * * * * Knives continued the silent treatment when Vash left a tray of food. Every attempt at conversation was met with stony glares. Vash tried to maintain a sunny smile as he promised to be back later. As soon as his brother was gone, Knives began to eat. Within minutes he was done. He sat the tray aside and threw the covers back. A quick mental search let him know that his brother was no longer in the house. Taking a deep breath, Knives stood up. He was pleased that there was none of the weakness present earlier. His footsteps grew surer as he made his way across the room. He found his clothes in the closet. He laughed when he realized that the spiders had washed them. Sensing that Vash was still away, he opened the door and left the bedroom. He was already thinking about the next part of his plan as he made his way downstairs. Perhaps if he had been paying attention, he wouldn’t have been surprised. * * * * * “Nice job today.” Milly wiped sweat off her forehead as she turned to face the foreman. “Thanks, sir.” “I wish the men on my payroll worked half as hard as you do, Milly.” The tall girl giggled. “Gosh, sir, I’m just doing my job.” “Please, call me Ben,” the foreman replied with a smile. “All this sir business makes me feel old.” “Okay, si—I mean Ben.” “See, it’s not so hard. Now, go ahead and take the rest of the day off.” “But there’s so much work left to do.” “It’ll still be here tomorrow, Milly.” “Well, if you’re sure.” Ben laughed. “I’m sure. Get outta here.” “Thanks.” With a wave, she threw her shovel over her shoulder and began to head home. * * * * * Meryl gave the empty table a good scrub. There were few customers at the moments. Of those who were there, most were there for more than the food. “Hey, doll, how about some refills?” She gave the table an extra hard rub before turning to her customers. “Just a moment, sir,” she said, hoping that her smile seemed somewhat genial. Keeping a safe distance from the customers’ hands, she set out their new drinks. She quickly gathered the empty glasses and rushed back to the kitchen. She could hear the men laughing, but she continued with her work. She had already bent two trays that day. The manager came up to her as she cleared a newly vacant table. “Meryl, after you finish up here, why don’t you head home?” “I still have a few hours left on my shift.” “I know, but you’ve been working hard these past few days. I appreciate your willingness to cover for Anne. This is my way of thanking you.” Meryl hesitated. It was tempting to go home. But they needed money and she wouldn’t get paid if she didn’t work. “Thank you, but I’ll finish out my shift.” “Meryl, I’m going to pay for the entire shift. Now, please, go home. Consider it an order if you must.” There was no way she was going to argue with that. She thanked the manager. She was actually smiling as she carried the dirty dishes to the kitchen. * * * * * Vash was actually whistling a happy tune as he headed home from the store. As soon as he had left the house, his spirits had lifted. The outing was just what he needed to help clear his head. But the trip had another purpose. With Milly and Meryl working long hours, the girls had no time to shop. He realized that dinner was going to be an interesting proposition unless somebody bought groceries. He bought enough to last them a few days. He would talk to Meryl about taking over the responsibility. It was the least he could do to help out. His happy mood evaporated when he noticed the door of the house was ajar. Meryl suddenly cried out from inside, turning his blood to ice. He dropped the groceries on the porch as he raced inside. He found Meryl in the kitchen. She was cradling Milly’s head. The towel she had pressed against the tall girl’s temple was slowly turning red. Tears were welling in Meryl’s violet eyes as she raised her head to face him. “Vash,” she managed in a broken whisper. “What happened?” Meryl shook her head. “I don’t know. I just found her like this.” “Knives,” Vash growled. He ignored Meryl’s call as he raced up the stairs. He threw the door open and stormed into his brother’s room. He wasn’t surprised to find it empty. He quickly made his way back to the kitchen. Meryl seemed more composed. Any hints of tears were gone. “She needs a doctor, Vash,” Meryl said. Vash glanced from the women to the door. “I have to go after him, Meryl.” “I know.” She took a deep breath before looking at him again. “Just ask the doctor to come before you leave town.” “I’m sorry.” “This isn’t your fault, Vash. Just come back.” The tears threatened again. “Please.” “I’ll try, Meryl.” And then he was gone.


Part VII: Tribulation Back