Chapter 9

It was the weekend, and the whole family was present. Erika wanted to bake an apple pie for them. Worried about the heavy tasks that might exhaust her, Elaine knocked on Elena's door and asked her to help Erika. 

Elena said nothing and obeyed. 

"Ellie. Sorry about this. I told Mom I don't need help but she's just too stubborn," Erika said apologetically. She handed the apron to Elena and added, "You create the crust, I'll take care of the filling, okay?"

"Sure," Elena replied.

The kitchen smelled of flour and butter, and the scent of it mixed with the fragrance of the fresh apples Erika began slicing.

Not long after, the island counter was a mess—apple peels curled like ribbons, a light dusting of flour on the wooden surface, and a few eggshells forgotten near the mixing bowl. 

Elena worked in silence, rolling out the dough with steady hands. She didn't mind the quiet, nor did she feel the need to fill the space with unnecessary words. Erika, on the other hand, chattered like a songbird, her voice was sweet and lively, yet something about it felt rehearsed. Elena pretended like she did not notice, but her silence only added to the awkward atmosphere. 

Suddenly, Elena recalled what she heard the other night. She paused and looked at Erika carefully. Erika noticed her gaze. She smiled brightly while tossing another slice of apple into the sugar mixture. 

"This is fun. I always imagine us cooking together, Ellie," Erika said. 

Elena hummed in response, pressing the rolling pin down. The dough stretched under her touch, even and smooth. Then, hesitantly, she brought out the topic. "Are you…seeing someone, Erika?"

Erika flinched. Elena caught that subtle change in her expression, but she pretended like she saw nothing. Erika then forced a smile, "No… but there is someone I like, Ellie," she answered in a lowered voice as if she was sharing a grand secret. She bit her lower lip and let out a nervous giggle, the kind that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Ellie, what do you think I should do to… make him mine?"

Elena glanced at her but didn't say anything. It felt like Erika threw her a challenging question, and she couldn't understand why her guard went up. Quietly, she reached for the chilled butter, cutting it into small cubes before handing them to Erika. 

"Mix it in," she murmured. "Gently." She went back to smoothing the dough. Adding after a while, "Just be honest."

Erika tilted her head, watching Elena's reaction, and then she gave another blinding grin. "Okay, I'll do that!" she chirped, though her movements were a little too eager, a little too careless. 

The bowl clattered against the counter as she mixed. A puff of flour escaped into the air, making Erika cough and wave her hand dramatically. "Oops," she laughed. "Sorry, I'll make sure to clean it later."

Elena simply handed her a towel. "It's fine."

For a moment, Erika stilled, her smile faltering just slightly. Elena continued working, focused and calm, which somehow irked Erika a bit. 

How clueless can she be? Erika thought inwardly as she wiped the table aggressively. 

Silence reigned between them after that. When the pie was finally in the oven, Erika leaned against the counter with an exaggerated sigh. "Whew! That was hard work. You're really good at this, you know that, Ellie? I'm a bit jealous. I should be the one good at this, taking care of my family, I mean. I'm grateful you've done well until now."

Elena's body stiffened. Erika was smiling widely at her, eyes sparkling with innocence and gratitude, unaware that her words cut deep through Elena's heart. 

"Right. I invited Nathan to come over. So, I'd better hurry and get changed," Erika added, running off to the stairs. Before she went up, she turned to Elena and shouted merrily, "Don't burn the pie, Ellie!"

Elena was left stunned. Her eyes roamed at the mess Erika created, but her mind was occupied with something else. The words she heard that night kept repeating in her head. Could it be that the man Erika likes is—

"Elena!

Elena's thoughts were interrupted when Elaine's voice called out to her again. She peeked through the window and saw her mother unloading groceries from the car. Elaine called out again, asking for some help. 

Elena rushed to help her, but as she carried one heavy bag, she felt pain in her stomach. Unintentionally, she let go of the bag and clutched her stomach. A quiet groan escaped from her mouth. 

Elaine heard it. She stopped on her way to the door and looked back. "What is it again, Elena? Those aren't heavy at all." 

"My stomach hurts, Mom…" Elena replied with a grimace while massaging her tummy. 

Elaine sighed. "Did you eat something? Drink some meds for stomach ache." She entered the house, leaving two full bags for Elena to carry. 

Elena inhaled deeply. Thankfully, the ache subsided after a few deep breaths. So, she carried the bags one by one after that. However, after she placed the last bag on the table, a sharp searing pain tore through her stomach, so sudden and intense that her breath hitched. 

Her fingers slipped from the bag, gripping the edge of the table instead. The room tilted for a moment. Her knees buckled, and she staggered back, pressing a hand against her abdomen. It felt as if something inside her had twisted, squeezed too tight, like a cramp but worse. 

"Ellie, is the pie done baking?" Erika's voice came from the stairs, the sound of her footsteps followed, but everything registered vaguely to Elena's ears. 

She sucked in a sharp breath, biting down on her lip to keep from making a sound. However, another wave of pain rippled through her, leaving her dizzy. Her vision blurred at the edges, and for a terrifying second, she thought she might collapse. 

"Oh, my God, Elena, are you okay?!" 

Elena could still hear Erika yelling, but when she shut her eyes tightly to steady her vision, her body inclined, and before she knew it she was falling. Along with the pitched sound of the oven timer was the sound of her body hitting the floor. 

Then, everything turned dark.