dawn of a new beginning {vera series}
Dec 27, 2022 1:19:17 GMT -5
Post by knuckles on Dec 27, 2022 1:19:17 GMT -5
Vera Rhodes
Vera paces around the room of a tiny little house listening to words someone shouts from behind the door. Rosa is inside, and Vera knows she's getting closer, and that she's in good hands, yet it does nothing to ease her frantic heart. Each beat echoes through her mind like a mallet hammering against her skull.
Rosa is her closest friend. They met when Vera got hired on at the bakery just after escaping the years of the reaping. It was an odd sort of start to a friendship. Rosa talked way too much for Vera's liking, but soon Vera realized it's just her personality. She wants to make friends with everyone even if that means asking questions that should wait until they've at least gotten the chance to get to know one another. They've been through a lot together over the last year, and Vera is thankful that she's gotten the opportunity to know her.
Oren isn't helping anything either. Oren works at the same bakery as they do, and he takes it upon himself to try to fix anything that's broken, but his words never help anyone. Vera has learned to ignore him, to try to make the best of any given situation with him. It just seems impossible right now. Oren has spent most of the day trying to guess when someone will walk through the bedroom door with good news, but so far nobody has said anything. They haven't even given them an update.
But Vera has to give him credit, Oren has done his best to really pick it up over the last couple of months and has helped Rosa more than anyone else has these last couple of months when Rosa needed it the most.
It feels as though just the other day she was getting the wonderful news from her friend, and now she hopes everything is going according to plan, and that both Rosa and her baby will be okay.
"Come on, Rosa, you're almost there!" It's the first words Vera has heard from the other room in over an hour, and it's one that brings a sense of relief. So much can go wrong with the easiest of procedures, but hearing those words calm her bouncing nerves. She's going to be okay.
Oren walks over and sits in front of the door, and it's the first time he's stopped moving all day. "Hey, Vera, do you think everything is going okay? They've been in there for hours."
"I think everything is going okay. This type of thing takes time. I don't know how much time, but she's in good hands." She feels as though she's lying to Oren, but she has to do something to keep the hope up. Rosa's pregnancy hasn't been easy on her, yet Vera hopes it's a smooth ride now that it's almost to an end. The last two months have been particularly rough for her. Rosa had to take those two months off work and basically lie in bed without really moving any.
Maybe that's why both Oren and Vera are pacing around anxiously.
"I don't know, Vera, I can't hear much of what they're saying in there."
"No news is good news."
Oren nods his head and starts bouncing up and down and looking through the window complementing the sunset while Vera sits in a chair staring at the door hoping for any sort of good news. This child is more than just a child of a friend.
It's also her godchild.
Rosa is her closest friend. They met when Vera got hired on at the bakery just after escaping the years of the reaping. It was an odd sort of start to a friendship. Rosa talked way too much for Vera's liking, but soon Vera realized it's just her personality. She wants to make friends with everyone even if that means asking questions that should wait until they've at least gotten the chance to get to know one another. They've been through a lot together over the last year, and Vera is thankful that she's gotten the opportunity to know her.
Oren isn't helping anything either. Oren works at the same bakery as they do, and he takes it upon himself to try to fix anything that's broken, but his words never help anyone. Vera has learned to ignore him, to try to make the best of any given situation with him. It just seems impossible right now. Oren has spent most of the day trying to guess when someone will walk through the bedroom door with good news, but so far nobody has said anything. They haven't even given them an update.
But Vera has to give him credit, Oren has done his best to really pick it up over the last couple of months and has helped Rosa more than anyone else has these last couple of months when Rosa needed it the most.
It feels as though just the other day she was getting the wonderful news from her friend, and now she hopes everything is going according to plan, and that both Rosa and her baby will be okay.
Seven Months Ago
Vera walks into the bakery holding some of her favorite brownies in her hands, and as she walks through the door, Rosa is staring at her with a grin on her face. It's a grin that Vera has only seen once before, and it was announcing that her and Asher had moved in together. Rosa and Asher had been together for three years leading up to that point, and Vera was happy for them. Seeing the smile, she couldn't wait to ask what was going on, and why Rosa seemed so happy.
"Rosa, what's up?" She asks while sitting the basket of brownies down on the counter. "The last time I saw you smile this big, you told me that you and Asher were moving in together."
"Vera, I'm going to be a mom." The smile on Rosa's face made everything better, and Vera couldn't help but smile from ear to ear. It's some of the best news she's hear all day.
"Oh my goodness! I'm so happy for you!" Pure joy flowed through her veins, and she wanted nothing more than to run over and give Rosa a hug. "Rosa, this is huge! I know how much this means to you!"
"Yeah, Asher and I are both very excited, and I couldn't wait to tell you!"
The excitement of the news helped both of them make it through a busy day.
Vera walks into the bakery holding some of her favorite brownies in her hands, and as she walks through the door, Rosa is staring at her with a grin on her face. It's a grin that Vera has only seen once before, and it was announcing that her and Asher had moved in together. Rosa and Asher had been together for three years leading up to that point, and Vera was happy for them. Seeing the smile, she couldn't wait to ask what was going on, and why Rosa seemed so happy.
"Rosa, what's up?" She asks while sitting the basket of brownies down on the counter. "The last time I saw you smile this big, you told me that you and Asher were moving in together."
"Vera, I'm going to be a mom." The smile on Rosa's face made everything better, and Vera couldn't help but smile from ear to ear. It's some of the best news she's hear all day.
"Oh my goodness! I'm so happy for you!" Pure joy flowed through her veins, and she wanted nothing more than to run over and give Rosa a hug. "Rosa, this is huge! I know how much this means to you!"
"Yeah, Asher and I are both very excited, and I couldn't wait to tell you!"
The excitement of the news helped both of them make it through a busy day.
"Come on, Rosa, you're almost there!" It's the first words Vera has heard from the other room in over an hour, and it's one that brings a sense of relief. So much can go wrong with the easiest of procedures, but hearing those words calm her bouncing nerves. She's going to be okay.
Oren walks over and sits in front of the door, and it's the first time he's stopped moving all day. "Hey, Vera, do you think everything is going okay? They've been in there for hours."
"I think everything is going okay. This type of thing takes time. I don't know how much time, but she's in good hands." She feels as though she's lying to Oren, but she has to do something to keep the hope up. Rosa's pregnancy hasn't been easy on her, yet Vera hopes it's a smooth ride now that it's almost to an end. The last two months have been particularly rough for her. Rosa had to take those two months off work and basically lie in bed without really moving any.
Maybe that's why both Oren and Vera are pacing around anxiously.
"I don't know, Vera, I can't hear much of what they're saying in there."
"No news is good news."
Oren nods his head and starts bouncing up and down and looking through the window complementing the sunset while Vera sits in a chair staring at the door hoping for any sort of good news. This child is more than just a child of a friend.
It's also her godchild.
Four Months Ago
Vera stands in the kitchen of the bakery with her hands covered in flour when Rosa walks in with her eyes fixed on the ground. Her cheeks are red and puffy, her eyes are bloodshot and swollen. Vera can tell she's been crying hard for quite some time. But not wanting to say anything, she gets back to work mixing together the dough for the cake she's spent the last few days perfecting.
"Morning, Vera."
"Morning, Rosa."
And then they say nothing for the rest of the day. Time goes by so slow, and all Vera feels like doing is striking up some sort of conversation with her. As soon as the doors lock, she grabs her stuff and is preparing to leave when Rosa places her hand on Vera's shoulder.
"Are you okay, Rosa?" Vera finally asks. "You haven't said much of anything all day."
"I know. I had a terrible morning."
"What's going on?"
"Asher broke up with me. He said he's not ready to be a father. He told me never to come back."
Her heart sinks into the pit of her stomach, and Vera remembers how excited Rosa was when she moved out of the orphanage into Asher's house once she turned eighteen. She doesn't have any family, and Asher was the closest thing to a home and family she ever had.
"I gave up so much for him. I was excited for our little family. I don't know what to do anymore."
"I'll help you, Rosa. I'll help you anyway I can."
Vera embraces Rosa in a hug letting her friend sob uncontrollably. It's never easy watching a friend cry, but it's even harder knowing there's nothing she can do to help her. Nothing will heal the pain of a broken heart.
"There is one way." Rosa says between sobs. "It would be asking a lot of you though."
"What's that, Rosa?"
"Would you be my child's godmother and help me raise them?"
Vera doesn't even need a moment to think. Rosa is in need, more than Vera could've ever imagined.
"Yes, Rosa. It'll be an honor."
Vera stands in the kitchen of the bakery with her hands covered in flour when Rosa walks in with her eyes fixed on the ground. Her cheeks are red and puffy, her eyes are bloodshot and swollen. Vera can tell she's been crying hard for quite some time. But not wanting to say anything, she gets back to work mixing together the dough for the cake she's spent the last few days perfecting.
"Morning, Vera."
"Morning, Rosa."
And then they say nothing for the rest of the day. Time goes by so slow, and all Vera feels like doing is striking up some sort of conversation with her. As soon as the doors lock, she grabs her stuff and is preparing to leave when Rosa places her hand on Vera's shoulder.
"Are you okay, Rosa?" Vera finally asks. "You haven't said much of anything all day."
"I know. I had a terrible morning."
"What's going on?"
"Asher broke up with me. He said he's not ready to be a father. He told me never to come back."
Her heart sinks into the pit of her stomach, and Vera remembers how excited Rosa was when she moved out of the orphanage into Asher's house once she turned eighteen. She doesn't have any family, and Asher was the closest thing to a home and family she ever had.
"I gave up so much for him. I was excited for our little family. I don't know what to do anymore."
"I'll help you, Rosa. I'll help you anyway I can."
Vera embraces Rosa in a hug letting her friend sob uncontrollably. It's never easy watching a friend cry, but it's even harder knowing there's nothing she can do to help her. Nothing will heal the pain of a broken heart.
"There is one way." Rosa says between sobs. "It would be asking a lot of you though."
"What's that, Rosa?"
"Would you be my child's godmother and help me raise them?"
Vera doesn't even need a moment to think. Rosa is in need, more than Vera could've ever imagined.
"Yes, Rosa. It'll be an honor."
District Eleven | Nineteen
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