𝒗𝒊. the head

                                    

                                          
❪ ﹟SIX  ❫ ࿐ྂ
━━ THE MEEK-MARTIN'S / WOODSBORO COMMUNITY HOSPITAL !



     CARINA HASN'T LEFT the twin's sides since what happened at the library. After the police took their statements and told them all not to leave town, which is fucking ridiculous but okay, whatever, the three of them went back to the Meek-Martin's. Martha was there the second the three entered the house and didn't hesitate to wrap the girl up in her arms.
     "Oh honey," she sighs, "I'm so sorry." The older woman didn't say anything else, and she didn't need to. Carina was already crying again as soon as Martha pulled her in close. 
     No one says anything for what feels like a long time. The only sound in the otherwise quiet home was Carina's harsh breaths. The smaller girl feels a hand land on her shoulder and the show of support from the people around her allows her to relax minimally. 
     "I know you might not want to talk about it hon, and that's okay. But I do want you to know that I told the police that you'd be staying with us until you're old enough and want to leave or go to school next year."
     Carina pulls back in shock, and the hand on her shoulder drops off in shock. "No, I can't impose on you guys like that."
     "We're not debating it. You'll stay with us." Martha obviously knows she wants to argue more because she gives her a look that very plainly reads that there's no way Carina is winning this one. 
     "Okay." She nods and pulls herself out of Martha's embrace. "Thank you, Martha." 
     "I'll give you three some time alone, I'm going to make some tea. You all saw things today I wish you hadn't."
      "Thanks, Mom," Mindy speaks from off to the side, and Carina turns to see that Mindy is sitting on the armrest of one of their couches still looking somewhat pale. She turns to look behind her, somewhat shocked to see that it had been Chad standing behind her with a hand on her shoulder. She smiles at him, and he must understand what she can't voice because he smiles back and nods. 
     ━━━
interlude.
     "Have you told the others yet?" 
     Dewey Riley is only thinking of one person in particular when he asks this question to the girl named Sam Carpenter in the quiet of her car. Only one person he cares about that he knows for certain cares for the Hicks boy. 
     The brunette girl must know why he asks because her answer is more telling than his question had been. "No, you should be the one to call her." 
     "I know." 
     He should, can picture the way in which the officers at the station will tell Wes's friends, with that impersonal smiles and sympathy that can't always reach their eyes. But the idea of having to deliver news as dark as this to a girl as light as she is, his heart clenches, and his gut rolls. 
     He doesn't immediately move for his phone. He waits, and waits, until finally, it feels wrong to continue keeping such news to himself.
     Only then does he pull his phone out and click on one of the three numbers in his favorites folder of his phone. It rings once, twice. 
     "Uncle Dewey," Carina Roth answers right before the third ring, and she sounds like she's been crying. Dewey frowns. "I was just about to call you."
━━━
     "Uncle Dewey," she doesn't know what urged the older man to call her, but she can't hide the surge of relief that spreads through her. No matter what was going on, Dewey always knows how to make her feel better, and she hopes that still holds true here. "I was just about to call you."