To My Dearest Roseanne

Chapter 28

Roseanne switched on the electric kettle and rushed to the pharmacy on the corner of the street. There were no metamizole pills at home, and she wanted to get some for Cho. It was the only over-the-counter medication that helped to alleviate headaches in Roseanne's family.

Unfortunately, there was a long queue when she got inside. It took her a good 20 minutes of standing in line with elderly people and listening to their rambling about the state of healthcare in the Land of Po until she reached the till. A pharmacist already knew her and expected a prescription from her to prepare meds for Liz, but Roseanne informed him she only needed medication for a headache.

"Move it, or I'll smack you with my cane!" some fat blob with warts shouted.

"Shut up, you cripple or I'm gonna break that cane!" Roseanne shouted back.

At home, she gave Cho one pill to swallow and prepared chamomile tea. Cho claimed repeatedly she's feeling alright, trying to be cheerful. Yet, her skin was as pale as if a vampire sucked all the blood out of her.

"Listen," Roseanne started, "It's clear something weird happened to you today. I'm afraid it's got to do something with those damn electric poles. They're gone, destroyed. All we can do is throw barbeque out there! How are you going to get back now?"

Cho didn't speak for a while. She looked at shelves filled with books. A blanket tightly encompassed her body and the warm puff of tea caressed her face.

"What if I don't want to go back?" asked Cho.

"You mean you want to stay here?"

"Would it be okay with you? If I'm a nuisance just tell me."

Roseanne sat next to Cho and put her arm over the alternate self.

"Did you have any life back in Korea?"

Cho did not respond. She kept staring at the books, too embarrassed to look at Roseanne.

"I'm sorry I asked. Without you, I would have broken down, my dad would have found out about my mom's illness, and he would have lost his job. Not to mention me getting kicked out of school. Rose Anne Cho, my lasergirl from the heavens, you are the best thing that has ever happened to me. You can stay with me if you want to."

"Really?" Cho's eyes sparkled in the evening light.

"Forever ever, my older sister."

"Why older?"

"Because you know so much more than me."

"Not true. I still know nothing about the military."

The two girls hugged each other tightly. The grip of their bodies was so firm that they could feel their heartbeats. Roseanne's was measured, but Cho's elevated. A rush of adrenaline overcame Cho. She couldn't help it, but she felt complete for the first time in her life.

"I don't know how we're gonna play this, but I'll introduce you to mom the moment she comes back home," Roseanne said.

The two continued in their hug. The silence was interrupted only by the ticking of the clock in the corridor. Roseanne loosened up a bit, but Cho didn't let go. Abruptly, the hard ringing of the entry phone made Roseanne jump on the door.

"Don't go. It's nothing good at this hour," said Cho.

"You still don't know this country well. It can be a courier with electricity bills."

"Let him be. He can leave the bills in the mailbox, right?"

"Yeah, as long as these are not raises in rent payment. You need to collect these at the post office."

"Bydgoszcz PD, open up bitch! You left your phone at school!"

Roseanne and Cho recognised a familiar voice outside and rushed to the window. Before they realised what they had done, it was too late.

"Hi there!" Emily shouted from the front yard of the building. She was immediately startled upon seeing both girls at once, but she didn't lose her grip on reality like Aunt Lydia. "Roseanne, you could have told me you have a twin sister! But... which one of you is Rosie anyway? You look identical. I'm so confused."

"Tell me about it," Roseanne said and invited her friend upstairs.