Page 207 of Seven Oars
“Gro, do you think they’re still there? Fawn and Anske? Phex?” Rosamma asked. It was the first time she’d mentioned them in a long while.
Gro frowned, staring into her teacup as if it were a crystal ball.
“I don’t know. I think about them sometimes too. Seven Oars was such a strange place. Bad, but also strange. A reverse Wonderland. We were lucky to get out, but we’ll never be the same. It left a piece of itself in us, I suppose.”
“It’s hard to pretend it didn’t leave its mark,” Rosamma agreed.
“Did a number on Phex, for sure. Lost his marbles.”
Rosamma wondered if Phex would ever recover what he’d lost. He used to be so shiny, like a sun. But she supposed they had all been a whole lot shinier before they entered that space station.
Gro fiddled with the delicate teaspoon Rosamma got as a hand-me-down from a woman who had lived in this room before her.
“What I’m trying to say, Rosamma, is you should keep up hope. The best is yet to come.”
Rosamma looked up and met Gro’s eyes. They were clear gray, like the sky on Priss, only deeper. Gro had become such a meaningful part of Rosamma’s life.
“I’m not unhappy on Priss,” she allowed.“My brother’s here. I am healthy and I keep busy. It’s a good life.”
Gro shook her head, gray hair swishing at her temples. She had nice, thick hair, Gro. The gray added character, not age, to her lined face.“It’s not the life you want.”
Rosamma smiled faintly.“Paloma says I don’t know what life I want. She says that here and now is as good as it gets. We’re free and accepted.”
“Of course she’d say that! She chose this place for herself.” Gro put down the spoon.“Methinks Paloma has beer goggles on when it comes to Priss. It’s such a trash place. We got robbed again at the orangery.”
“Oh, no. Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”
Gro waved her off.“They stole a half-bottle of cleaning solution.”
Rosamma huffed a laugh.“Why?”
“Probably to get drunk on. And the cookie tin where Lars kept leftover fertilizer.Bon appétit. But they broke the glass, and that’s annoying.”
Rosamma offered help in whatever way Gro needed, but her son seemed to have things under control.
“I’m so happy he came, Gro. Happy for both of you.”
“Me too.”
“And Gro? Thank you.”
“For what? I didn’t do anything, silly girl.”
Gro laughed, and Rosamma laughed with her.
But when Gro left, she cried.
It was hard to keep up hope.
*****
A tentative knock on the door broke Rosamma’s concentration on the research materials she’d picked up from the post office.
Pulling her slipping shawl back in place, she unlocked the door to let Paloma in.
“Hey.” Paloma blew curly hair from her eyes, which were full of shadows.“How are you?”
“I’m well, thank you. Everything’s fine. And you?”
