“Mom?” I ask.
“Yes, honey?”
“I miss Uncle Mantu.”
She hugs me. “Me too, Rosie. Me too.”
Uncle Mantu was my Dad’s brother. He was always so funny and nice and lifted the mood wherever he went. Unlike Uncle Rye who doesn’t want anything to do with our family.
“Where’s Cinna?” I ask her.
“Probably at the bakery with Grandpa Mel and your father.”
“Well, I’m gonna go see him. He seems a little off lately.”
“Alright,” she kisses me on the forehead, “Be safe.” She’s always saying that, as if I’ll ever forget. I go outside and start walking the 5 block trip. It takes me 10 মিনিট to get there since I stopped to say hi to my cousin Clarissia. She’s almost 5 years older than me but we are very close. She’s my Mom’s cousin Gale’s & his wife Kaylaen’s daughter. Since my Mom and Gale look similar, for some reason Clary and I look similar, too. We both have dark hair and gray eyes. Also, Clary has a sister and a brother: Libbi and Cassian. However, they take আরো after Kaylaen with ginger hair and hazel eyes.
I enter the bakery like it’s a সেকেন্ড home, which it is, to me. I see Grandpa Mel kneading রুটি behind the counter. For a 75 বছর old, he’s still really active.
“Ah!” Grandpa Mellark says, “My darling Primrose! It’s been so long since I’ve seen you!”
“Grandpa Mel, it’s only been a week,” I reply as he hugs me, the smell of flour surrounding me.
“Is that so? Every দিন away from আপনি feels like a year, Rosie.” I smile.
“Thanks, Grandpa. Anyways, I’m here to see Cinna.”
“Oh, Cinna. He’s in the back.”
“Ok…doing what?”
“Well…um…I don’t really think he wants to be disturbed…”
“Grandpa Mel,” I say sternly, “Bring me to him.”
He sighs, “Alright Primrose. But you’re not going to like it.”
His words surprise me. What is my brother doing that is so bad?
We walk to the back of the bakery and to a room I haven’t noticed before. Grandpa opens the door….and the room’s empty.
“Where did he go?” asks Grandpa to nobody unparticular. “He was just here a moment ago!”
I swear silently and Grandpa swears loudly. We both know where he is. He’s at the Ruins.