✦✦✦Idle Asides, No. 2: The Cause of the Delay — from Cercis’ Perspective✦✦✦

The day after Viola returned to her parents’ house for the first time since we got married:

“How’s Viola!?” I asked in a panic as I burst through the front door. Only Rohtas, as per usual, was there to greet me. How can he be making that calm face at a time like this?

“Madam is still at her parents’ home,” he replied simply.

Her parents’ home? I know she went back to her parents’ house yesterday; did the changes to the house cause her more mental strain? Oh, wait.

Rohtas said, “still.” There’s something off, though, about his response to what I said.

“But you said she was in the hospital.”

“I said no such thing. Take a closer look, it says ‘she’s at the Euphorbia residence,’” Rohtas said, pointing to the paper clenched in my hand. It was thoroughly crumpled, me having all but sprinted home with it in hand.

It read, ‘MADAM AT ER [STOP] COME HOME PROMPTLY [STOP]’

Apparently, I had panicked when I’d received the message and misread it.

Damn. I suppose I overreacted. This is humiliating, though, so I’m going to pretend nothing happened.

“Ahem—so, then, Viola has come home, has she?”

“No, Master. As I said a moment ago, she is still at her parents’ residence.”

“What?” You’re the one who wrote this message! It says ‘MADAM AT ER COME HOME PROMPTLY.’ I’m not misreading it now.

I read over the message once more before looking back at Rohtas in confusion.

“It clearly indicates that you should stop at the Euphorbia house on your way home to collect her,” Rohtas said with an air of innocence.

“What should I do now?”

“Well, you ought not intrude on them while they are eating, and dinner is almost ready here, as well.”

“Can’t I just eat there?”

“I’m not certain that their financial situation allows for another—”

“What if I paid them for the food...?”

“What did I tell you about memories and physical objects, Master?”

I stared at Rohtas half in surprise, half embarrassment.

“...That memories are priceless.”

Rohtas stared back at me with one elegantly arched eyebrow.

“Well then, the first course should be ready about now. Go and change for dinner, please.”

“...I’ll be down shortly.”