The Corrie family was very accommodating with six kids. I couldn't even begin to imagine finding food for all of these critters.
Nishia felt right at home, though. Her smile had never been as bright as it had been with their family. The kids were wonderful distractions for Nishia. Floria gave us fun things to do with Kimiko. Also gave Nishia and I the recipes she'll need as a baby while we prepare to board another capable ship to sail to Elyota.
The night begins with all the kids off to bed. Floria and her husband pour cups of rum.
"Talho was a god damn bastard." Floria smacks the table while laughing as she stares at me.
"But she had the biggest heart. All the crew did. Never sailed with her, but your family had lots of stories." She says, twirling her glass.
"I'd appreciate more than just the rumor mill." I say. I've heard more than plenty about my father and mother's past. It's also really hard hearing everyone's different opinions on my parents. It doesn't matter to me, but some wish for my parents' death. Then I met people who actually met my parents and said they had saved them from tyranny.
"I bet you've heard all sorts of things about their crew the Gekko." She says, slurring.
"They aren't a crew. We are family. All of us." I say, and Floria smiles.
"She never stopped talking about you. She'd cry, saying she just left her baby alone." Floria's eyes glisten with tears as she thinks of her own children.
"Kept saying it was for the greater good." Floria sips her rum.
"Fuck the greater good." I whisper.
"I don't know what she needed to do, but she saved people. Especially that day. I made it out alive, and so did the queen." Floria says as tears drip down her perfect cheeks.
"I needed my mother." I said as I stood up from the table, and Nishia stood with me to hold me and my anger.
"What do you mean about Mama too?" Nishia asks.
"We all were slaves at a facility in the west blue." She says as more tears stream down her cheeks.
"What!!" Nishia shouts as she leans forward and hugs Floria.
"Why didn't you tell me? Or mom?" She says.
"She built so much more than had three wonderful girls. She didn't need to tell you, but now she's gone, and all we have is her in our memory." Nishia sits down and stays quiet.
"Her and three other women saved us and other slaves from that facility, and when your mother was sent to the Reverie with your sister and you, your mother called Talho to escort her, hoping her former masters wouldn't recognize her." Floria was holding her husband's hand as she talked.
"I'm sorry, I'm glad you are safe now. Did my mother have any other place you know she might have gone to?" I ask, and she gave me a piece of paper.
"I've called it to tell her about the Queen's death, but it never got connected. It doesn't work anymore." She said. I hold the paper and feel more frustrated . The more I try to find them, the more it's a bigger mystery. The more I run in their direction, the more distracted they make me.
"Of course, they wouldn't have saved the number." I sigh as I drink the rest of my rum.
"She did talk about me?" I ask, and the smile Floria made lightened my heart.
"She said she wondered what you'd turn out to be. I'll say you just as pretty as her." She says.
"It's hard when I've never met her. I think I've heard more stories than actually knowing her." I say.
"You are young. There are always times in the world to get to know your loved ones, Floria says while she wipes her tears and smiles.
"Now, since it's getting late, you might want to stay the night and leave in the morning. I hope Elyota has more answers. Nishia, you know where to set up." Floria gets Nishia attention, and Nishia nods before Floria and her husband go upstairs. Nishia walks quietly to the downstairs closet and makes a bed on the floor for me like I did for her when she still had the poison in her.
We lay in the beds silently, looking up at the ceiling and letting the information we got soak in.
"Who is Marco?" Nishia's says with a little smirk.
"Not this again." I groan as I lift the blanket over my face.
"Come on, I want to know. I've never had a boyfriend." She says, and I roll my eyes.
"I told who he is, and he isn't my boyfriend. He's a friend that I miss, okay? That was the first time I felt like I was... like a family." I say softly as I stir in the blankets.
"Have you ever had a boyfriend?" She asks, and my head peaks out.
"I don't want one. I have flings and never see them again that how it's meant to be and stay." I say as the Nishia beside me snickers.
"So no..." She laughs.
"I'm not having this talk with you." I huff out a breath.
"What do you think Elyota will have?" She says as she turns on her side to look at me.
"I want answers, and hopefully, something concrete. I'm sick and tired of running after bread crumbs." I say as the candle started to drip to the end of the wick.
"Thank you for still taking me with you. You are a kind soul even if you don't find your parents." She says softly, and my eyes burn with the threat of tears.
"You can't get stronger by just sitting around." I say as I scoot closer to her.
"You may have never had a boyfriend, but I bet as a princess you had many crushes." I say before we both chuckle and stay up most of the night, giggling and swapping stories. The night ends with us sleeping next to each other excited and hopeful for the next island.
YOU ARE READING
I'm The Girl Who Can Control Everything!
AdventureI don't own anything. Only my original characters.
