Chapter 61: Chapter 61 - Visit to Ester’s Home
Iyisha reached the hospital just as the sun began to bleed faint light. Inside, the warmth wrapped around her, and the quiet shuffle of early movement had begun with the sounds of blankets being folded, supplies sorted, water heating for the day.
She greeted all early workers and they smiled back.
She spotted Mary near the storage room, counting gauze rolls.
"I hope the supplies are all there," Iyisha said lightly, trying for a smile.
Mary chuckled without looking up. "Yeah, they are. Can’t trust anyone out here now, so I count twice."
"There’s something I need to tell you," Iyisha said smiling.
Mary looked up at expectant.
"I saw Clara out by the east fence. She said she was smoking, but she was moving like she didn’t want anyone to notice her."
Mary’s hand stilled over the stack of gauze. A frown creased her face. "Clara," she muttered. "I’ll have the guards keep an eye on that side of the fence."
Relief tugged at Iyisha’s chest. "Thank you. I just... it didn’t feel right."
Mary gave a short nod. "You were right to say something. Better we watch her now than regret it later."
Later that morning, Mary suggested they stop by Ester’s quarters.
"She asked if we could check on his leg again," she said. "Old pain’s acting up."
Their boots echoed down the hallway, the path to the residential quarters noticeably warmer, quieter. A softer kind of hush lived there. When they reached the door, it was already slightly ajar.
Ester greeted them with a light smile, her hair still damp from a recent wash. She looked fresh, even comfortable.
"Come in," she said. "He’s in the back, already grumbling."
Iyisha stepped inside, taking in the neatness of the room, the small comforts most others didn’t have—a rug by the bed, thicker blankets, the scent of soap still lingering in the air.
Her thoughts flickered. Perks of being the leader’s mistress, she mused lightly. Late shifts, quiet mornings, real warmth in winter. Not everyone had that.
But then again, Ester was a good friend. And Iyisha wouldn’t trade places with her, not for all the comfort in the settlement.
They passed through the curtain and into the smaller space where her husband lay stretched out on the bed. One leg was bent under the blanket. The other ended in a healed stump, the skin smooth but the pain far from gone.
He looked up as they entered. "Still alive," he grunted. "Barely."
Mary snorted. "Let’s see how barely."
She sat beside him and began inspecting his remaining foot. "Swelling’s worse."
"It burns when I walk too long," he muttered.
Iyisha crouched beside the bed, checking the ankle for heat. "You’re leaning on it too much. The muscles are tired. Use the cane."
He grimaced. "Makes me feel like a damned old man."
Ester, standing by the wall, called out lightly, "Better than falling on your face."
He huffed but didn’t argue.
Mary repacked her kit. "We’ll bring something stronger later."
"Thanks," Ester said, giving them both a grateful glance.
As they stepped back out into the corridor, Iyisha felt the warmth fade behind her. She hugged her coat tighter.
She didn’t resent Ester’s little comforts. In fact, she was glad someone got to have them.
Iyisha glanced at Mary. "You ever fallen in love?"
Mary rolled her eyes. "Those things are only for people who can afford not to be selfish. I can’t stay with just one man if it means risking myself. Survival comes first." She hesitated, then added, "Malcolm’s a good guy though."
Iyisha gave a small nod. "He’s not the kind of man to fall in love." The words left her lips steady, but inside she felt the ache of them. He had saved her, yes, but she knew the truth of him. If he ever decided she was better off gone, he would not hesitate. That certainty cut deeper than she wanted to admit.
Mary looked down at the snow crunching under their footsteps. "How about you?" she asked.
Iyisha faced forward, her eyes tracing the pale stretch of ground ahead. "Never had. And I hope I won’t." She let out a breath that misted in the cold. "That man is cruel. He won’t think twice to break my heart."
The laugh that slipped from her throat was thin, more a shield than real humor. She pressed her lips together, but the heaviness in her chest clung stubbornly.
She blew out a breath and smirked. "Well... at least his body is enough to make up for everything else."
Mary barked a laugh, shaking her head. "Now that’s true. The man takes off his coat and half the women here nearly forget how cold it is."
Iyisha’s cheeks warmed despite herself. "Guess that’s his only real weapon then."
Mary grinned. "Don’t pretend you mind."
Iyisha laughed for real this time, the sound breaking the weight between them as their boots crunched on through the snow.
Mary smirked. "Well, if you get tired of Malcolm’s coldness, there’s always Michael."
Iyisha smiled and shook her head. "Can’t do. I already told him to stop. He’s too sweet for my tastes."
Mary gave a long, dramatic sigh. "Oooh, and here I thought you’d settle down with someone who’d treat you like a queen. Guess you like your men rough around the edges."
Iyisha chuckled. "Guess I do." Her laughter faded as her eyes caught movement in the distance. A hooded figure walked close to the wall, moving slow, almost casual. Iyisha elbowed Mary. "Look."
Both of them turned their heads, following Clara’s path along the fence line. She walked with her hands in her pockets, eyes lowered, like she was trying to look like she belonged there. But to Iyisha, the image stuck out like a thorn.
"That’s the second time today," Iyisha muttered under her breath. "What is she even doing out here?" She narrowed her eyes. "Where is she stationed again?"
"The barns," Mary replied after a moment. "Well, maybe she’s heading to the hall for lunch," she said, though her voice carried little conviction.
Their gaze never left Clara. She noticed how Clara paused once, looking back over her shoulder before adjusting her hood and continuing down the path.
"Still," Iyisha went on, "she’s too close to the walls, too often. Doesn’t feel right."
Mary folded her arms, watching until Clara disappeared from sight. "Could be nothing. Could be something."
"It won’t be too suspicious if we happened to visit the barns later, would it?" Iyisha asked, her tone carefully casual. "I haven’t been there in a while."
Mary turned her head slowly toward her, one eyebrow raised. The corner of her mouth lifted. "Sure. A friendly visit."
Iyisha met her gaze, lips pressing into a thin smile. They both knew it would not be a friendly visit.
"After afternoon rounds then," Mary said, resuming her walk. "No sense in drawing eyes now."
Iyisha nodded, but her mind lingered on the image of Clara hugging the wall, moving like someone with a purpose she did not want noticed. Whatever Clara was up to, Iyisha would find out soon enough.
