Do You Have a Family?

Before heading back to the library, Jo took Gemma to the pharmacy and bought her a bandage and medicine to treat Gemma’s wound. Gemma’s hand was still bleeding when she entered the library. Purity frowned, then quickly got up from the chair, circled the book rental desk, and walked over to Gemma.

“What happened?” she asked. Purity wasn’t good with expressions, so her face was expressionless when she asked. But Gemma knew Purity was worried about Gemma’s condition.

“Fighting… as usual,” Gemma replied with a shrug.

It was late afternoon when Gemma came home and the library was about to close, so there was no one here but Purity and Gemma. Gemma sat at the book return table, ignoring Purity’s buzz of protest, and spilled the contents of the plastic bag onto the table. She sat cross-legged and cleaned the wound in her right hand.

Purity understands Gemma well enough not to offer her help because Gem