Prompt: 9. Months

About two months later, as the summer is truly waning, Lillia hikes to the cider mill in the cool of the morning and finds he father waiting for her. He is standing at the foot of the path, the bank of the millstream a few feet behind him. He is in the orchard for once, properly inside instead of on the fringe.

“You shouldn’t come down here anymore,” he says without even a greeting first. “The winter is coming in harsh- the stream gets dangerous when it ices up.

“I’ll stay out of the stream, them,” she answers, the frustration that has been building in her since they last spoke making her snap, “Or you could come up to the house.”

He smiles at her soft and sad. “No I can’t.” Then he repeats his warning- “The stream is dangerous- ask your Mama- she’ll tell you.” Then he turns and walks down the bank to a place where the lowness of the stream allows for easy crossing and disappears into the woods on the far side.

Word Count: 176

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