Ruby paced restlessly in the kitchen. She checked the contents of the pantry for the tenth time, just to keep her hands busy, legs moving and anything else to keep her mind off the scene. The small timer on the kitchen isnd beeped once, dispying eleven o’clock. Almost close to midnight. Her own bed would have made a cosy invitation, except sleep eluded her. Prudent would have been the option to just erase everything she witnessed in Mom’s bedroom and command her mind to rex. The day had been phenomenally wonderful because Mom was mom. Finally. Not the imperious and domineering witch who demanded submission, rather one who was all attentive and gentle, like she knew Ruby’s needs.

  Except, all her memories became tainted. Each time she recalled Mom, she now pictured her sitting naked, her body pressed against Sage’s.

  She chomped on her inner cheeks, and once again examined the open pantry. With sleep denied, only a few options remained. Cleaning her own room or reading in Mom’s study, both presented as viable options. But neither would help her with that creative urge she carried. Impossible to concentrate on words when the way Mom’s fingers massaged Sage’s ass bombarded her mind with every turn of the page. The notion of cleaning her room came out redundant since she barely settled. So cooking to distract herself seemed very appropriate, especially after the praise from Kelly.

  Soon, colrd greens, kidney beans, red pepper fkes, still fresh carrots were arranged in front. She set about the mindless task of peeling and chopping carrots and greens to smaller cuts, a task that occupied her hands, kept her mind busy from roaming towards the events in Mom’s bedroom. So she continued, diverting her attention to cooking. As the pot steamed, the timer beeped midnight, and her anxiety still remained where it was, she picked audible footsteps. Her hands gripped the dle tightly while she continued stirring the minestrone soup.

  “Oh darling, you could have helped yourself to one of my apron. I bet you would have looked adorable.” Mom halted by the doors. Sage trailed behind. “Don’t feel shy about taking your mother’s things.” Her fingertips slowly pyed on the naked skin behind Sage’s ear, but her sultry smile that filled her carefully allowed pause was aimed at Ruby. “For what belongs to your mothers, is there for you indulge.”

  Ruby made a conscious effort not to stare at Sage then. She would rather not know what expression invaded the girl’s face. Mom’s words, like always, carried multiple yers subjected to scandalous interpretation.

  When mom sauntered closer, capturing Ruby’s chin in her fingertips, Ruby saw the smile held by hints of smugness on Mom. Tiny droplet, like dancing sublime and translucent pearls, still clung to Mom’s hair. With each turn of her head, one or two droplets tumbled down. They rolled like diamonds from her dark crown scintilting over the fabric of her night gown.

  Sage’s hair carried traces of wetness, too. Next came the mingled aroma of jasmine, rose, yng-yng with a subtle trace of sweet-clove from Mom... and Sage.

  Possible expnation; they showered together. No. Ruby was certain now.

  She forcefully liberated her chin from Mom’s hold and returned to stirring minestrone because consistency could only be achieved by stirring. Other thoughts were not inexpedient. Besides, Mom can read every emotion like an open book on her forehead.

  “Jealous darling?” Mom leaned on the kitchen isnd. The smug smile never left her face. “We were both sweaty, so we shared the shower. The little kitten was rather very exploring. Who would have thought such a demure creature would be so curious?”

  Ruby continued stirring the minestrone. Not even a small hitch, a break in speed or motion. She stirred with the same mechanical efficiency.

  “Oh dear, darling. Don’t sulk. I can assure you, there are special things between us that I will never share.” Her words came smooth and silky. Her voice was low, lethally sultry. Then her fingertips brushed against Ruby’s shoulder. “You are truly special. Very special. Your mother knows not to give it to others.”

  “Stop distracting. The food will burn,” hissed Ruby. She hunched slightly while trying to ignore the sensation of Mom’s digits on her skin, or the way they slithered up and down. Fingertips danced, the caress upon her shoulders crept downwards, till those calcuted strokes were against her vertebrae.

  And Ruby continued stirring.

  “I know, darling, exactly where it gets sensitive.” Another caress. Firm stroke added with a light squeeze.

  The most expected salvation came from the unexpected. In the form of Sage. She barged in and stood close to Ruby with extreme familiarity.

  Ruby felt the softness of Sage press against her elbow. She wished not to feel any softness of the girl. An irrational jealousy, but Ruby could live with it.

  “Here Ruby, let me help.” Sage was all contended smiles and dreamy-eyes. “Or would you rather that I arrange the ptes? We could, like... um, have a te night dinner. All together.”

  “Hush... Little kitten, your enthusiasm is almost infectious. But this is a family dinner. A time between mother and daughter.” Mom uttered with the deliberate slowness of a melting gcier. “You should leave soon. The chauffeur service I ordered for you should be arriving soon.”

  Through their shared contact, Ruby felt the silent sobs in Sage.

  “What? Don’t give me those eyes. Pretty kitten, you were invited for a dinner. Don’t try to stay for breakfast. You knew what you were getting into.” Mom forcefully tilted Sage to face her. “Now be grateful for my gift. The service will drop you anywhere you want. Its all paid. Can’t have a tender and vulnerable thing like you walking alone at night.”

  Ruby forced herself to sneak a gnce at Sage. Those eyes — that were dreamy and hazy moment ago — now were veiled by a limpid pool. Ruby wondered how much willpower Sage must posses to not let those tears fall, or the silent sobs to escape.

  “Here.” Mom thrust a few crumpled notes in Sage’s palm and pressed it to close tight. “Get yourself something nice and filling along the way.”

  When Sage darted out, Ruby thought she heard a sob, but the girl was fast.

  “You know, it wouldn’t hurt to offer that girl a pte.” Ruby gred at Mom. She drank in the way Mom stood, all unbothered stance and smugness coated in excess, and the way she, slowly and with calcuted pace, arched one perfectly defined eyebrow. At that instant, Ruby realised that she hated her mother’s perfect beauty. “That poor girl liked you, you know. Like, really liked you. And you just tossed her out. And don’t you dare get me started on with what your deal is with ordering a taxi and throwing your money at her.”

  Mom actually smiled, a very disturbing and unnerving expression.

  “You weren’t doing her any gracious favour by ordering a taxi or pressing some cash in her hand.” Ruby seethed while holding the dle, her knuckles bnched. “You just said in action. ‘Here, I am done fucking you. Now take some money and leave.’ She didn’t deserve that.”

  “I saw her getting chummy with you...”

  “So what?” Ruby snapped.

  “... With ulterior motives.” Mom pursed her lips with a definite press. The hard squint in her eyes belonged to another face. “I cannot allow anyone trying to get to me through my daughter.”

  In the intervening pause that followed, Ruby could swear that there was more to what Mom said. The context was tuned to Sage, but the procmation in Mom’s words was not. There was more to it.

  “She should have known her limitations.” The smugness receded, giving way for restrained temper to reside. “So what have we learned from this, darling?”

  Ruby blinked, unable to grasp the sudden change in questioning. Her thoughts were still clouded with poor Sage and her unshed tears.

  “Apparently, Marcel has forgotten to impart...” She made a pause to swallow whatever further words she conjured. “What I mean is, living with your Dad, you have not learned certain survival abilities, Ruby. There are many who would seek favours through association. Be wary not to become a stepping stone. Learn to spot the difference between a reciprocal and transactional retionships. I cannot tolerate someone taking advantage of my daughter’s overtly bleeding heart nature.”

  “You did all this... broke Sage’s heart. Tossed her like a hooker your picked on the street. All to teach me a lesson?”

  “Darling, learn it soon. And learn it well. Learn from what your mother taught you now. Take what they bring. Take everything you can. Give them back only what they came for.” Colours bled away while Mom spoke and in the poignancy of her words, vipers slithered in the empty air. “To gracefully sp someone is an art. Learn it, well.”

  “Then I thank you for this very eborate lesson.” Ruby grabbed a microwaveable box with a lid, the first one in her reach. She filled it to the brim with minestrone. “But unlike you, I have not forgotten how to be a decent human being.” Then she left the kitchen to seek Sage.

  Ruby found Sage at the foyer. She sat, hugging her knees, facing staring straight ahead. Ruby came close and sat beside her. Their shoulders rubbed.

  Sage looked at her, finally. Tears mangled her eyeshes. The pink puffiness around swelled raw and painful.

  “Mom has a bit of migraine,” said Ruby. “She gets cranky like this. You shoul...”

  “I was there.” Sage spoke in a monotonous timbre. “I took a moment to catch myself and I was outside. I heard it all.” Sage stood up. “I think my ride has arrived. I should go.”

  “Would you like a hug?” asked Ruby. Despite the dearth of affirmation, Ruby lurched to pull Sage into a hug because the girl seemed like she could use one. “I am sorry... for everything. You should take my minestrone.” Ruby thrust the box in the girl’s hand. “I was thinking about the two of you when I cooked it.”

  A lie, but Ruby didn’t mind. Sage needed that assurance.

  Sage took a few steps towards the door and heavy shadows dragged behind her. She stopped short before the door to look at Ruby with rueful eyes. “Between the two of you, I now don’t know who the mother is and who the daughter is.”

  Then Sage left, leaving Ruby alone.

  Since it was early morning, Ruby expected Or’s office would be under assault from the usual hustle and bustle of arriving employees. Early morning suits smelling of cologne and coffee filled the elevators. Ruby considered loitering around the reception till the din died out. At the moment, just waiting it out seemed a prudent option. What could she tell Or?

  After the events of the previous night, staying at Mom’s pce was akin to wading through thick mosses. Both Mom and Or had openly decred their marriage as an arrangement of convenience, but equally true was the fact that deep inside, Or held the fmes for Mom. Even Ruby could see that, and if she could infer, then definitely Mom knew too. Yet, Mom took Sage to her bed. Even before, she shared her bed with Dad.

  Was Or even aware? Perhaps they had an open retionship. She recalled the way Or cared for her, almost akin to Dad. That realisation only made Mom’s callous and yet calcuted actions come out very wrong. Not just towards Sage, but towards Or, too.

  Her hands clutched the lunch box containing the rest of the minestrone tightly. Might be te for breakfast, but Or may be coaxed for a lunch of minestrone soup that she cooked. That notion made a smile bloom. If she could, she wished time would freeze when she fed Or.

  With every passing moment, the rabble of employees increased that outside the elevators a queue formed, and that was when Ruby met the receptionist’s smile from across the lobby. The woman, the same one who Mom almost flirted, waved at Ruby.

  “Here for your mama, right?” That actually felt nice, being referred to Or that way. “Take the private elevator. She is up with an early meeting. Want me to inform her?”

  “No... I mean, I will wait by her office.” No matter how hard she tried, Ruby failed to suppress the blush drenching her.

  When she stepped inside the elevator, only thoughts of Or, of their lunch, perhaps even dinner at Or’s pce, lingered. She could cook a sumptuous meal. A dinner by candle light or one in which both of them cuddle on a couch under a single comforter, both seemed appealing. Her mind was too consumed for her to ignore the doors closing halfway and opening again.

  Jochen Rosenkranz stood in his pristinely tailored suit with a dearth of creases. Light blue shirt paired with a dark blue tie and a smile that Ruby found unsettling sat on his countenance. With him came the strong scent of woody undertone, cedar, rosewood mixed with patchouli. The briefcase he carried seemed carefully picked to complete his image, like making a statement, than out of necessity. When he stepped in, Ruby pulled back to a corner.

  With each floor they climbed, her heart beat thudded. No words or greetings were exchanged between them. Ruby would give anything for him to not lean and engage. Then she would be forced to respond. Entertaining him was not on the top of her priority list, nor should it be.

  “Have you decided?” He eventually asked. “About your name change.”

  “I am considering it.” Ruby lied through her teeth.

  “That’s good.” Jochen Rosenkranz stood two people apart.

  “Why are you doing all this?”

  “It’s my job.” Jochen tried his best impersonation of Mom’s smile. "Have you thought about attending university? From our st conversation, I gather that you have been accepted into an engineering program."

  “Oh... Yes... I am.” The elevator dinged.

  When she stepped out, he followed close. Almost too close for her liking. The idea of Jochen Rosenkranz accompanying her gave rise to uncomfortable squirming inside her stomach. His stench suffocated her. Across the gss panelled room, she saw Or engaged with a bunch of important looking people, all expensive Armani suits and ptinum jewellery. That meant waiting on one of the lounges with Jochen.

  When Ruby tried veering, he followed close, maintaining their proximity. Each step he took, he pced it carefully, never appearing imposing, never giving her space. And that freaked her. Then a flutter of blue head crossed his vision and Jochen stiffened.

  “Meisje, nice to see you here.” Cybele, in her rather streetwise outfit — and that was a good way of putting it — seemed very out of pce in the perfectly arranged scene of Or’s waiting lounge. She then fluttered her gaze to Jochen. “Mogguh.”

  He ignored her, giving her the same attention reserved for a rambling homeless guy on a subway.

  “Mogguh, mogguh.” Cybele continued, undeterred. She still carried her garbage-looking satchel bag with her. It screamed she did not belong here too.

  “I don’t speak dutch.” His grip on his briefcase tightened hard enough for his knuckles to bnch. “What are you doing here any way, Cybele?”

  “Thuiswerfen.”

  His expression said he exactly understood what she said, but would rather not acknowledge. “That’s some uncanny company you keep,” he said to Ruby. “She is another person with all those untapped potentials wasted.”

  “You know I am still here, right, Jochen?” Cybele waddled her arms like shooing an annoying squirrel at a public park.

  Jochen, despite his attempts, could not mask his irritation. “Just leave her alone, Cybele. Is it the third or the fourth semester? You should be attending lectures, not enjoy a hobo life.”

  Cybele took those insults like a champ. So unlike Ruby. For a moment, she wondered if anything could even perturb her demeanour.

  “Look Jochen, what’s the point?” Cybele nudged closer to Ruby, dragging her satchel with her. “I mean, you in your custom-tailored suits and me in my own thrift store style. In the end, we both standing in the same pce. Aren’t we? You are waiting for Orith, too.” She gave her snort-ugh. That somehow pierced his controlled exterior.

  In an uncomfortable silence, Ruby sat sandwiched between Jochen and Cybele.

  “Meisje, it smells nice.”

  “Yeah, it’s minestrone.”

  “Oh cool. Does it taste good?”

  “I believe so. I made it for Or.” Ruby hoped Cybele would take the hint.

  “So meisje you like cooking minestrone, huh?”

  Jochen almost gave a sigh that sounded like a groan.

  “So why did you decide on minestrone?”

  “I was feeling a bit low and Mom’s pantry had some vegetables.” Ruby really wanted to share the dish with Or.

  “Ah, feeling low. So your cooked minestrone to soup-ort you.” Cybele gave another snort-ugh. “I like your attitude, meisje. When life gives you vegetables, you make minestrone out of it.”

  Now, Jochen visibly shifted in his seat.

  “Hey meisje, I got another one for you. Why did the minestrone lose its job? It got canned. Now, listen, this one is good. What did the minestrone do at the family reunion? Met its broth-ers.”

  Jochen stood, walked over to the opposite lounge, and reclined there. Ruby wished she could do the same. There were only so much bad puns one can tolerate before the brain cooks into a gazpacho.

  Damn! Ruby halted the thought from veering any further. Cybele and her cringe-filled enthusiasm were very infectious. Her further struggles with bad puns were cut short, saved by the arrival of Or.

  One look, one deep and seemingly short look, was all that Or required to know. “Sweetie, you want my time, right? Is it urgent?”

  “I... No, not really.” Ruby faltered. Her hands fiddled on the rim of the lunch box. Or’s time may seem infinite, Jochen’s patience, however, may prove otherwise, and Cybele’s was non-existent.

  “You sure, sweetie? I can spare you five minutes.” Or took Ruby’s face in her palms. Her light grey scks matched with her vest might have given the impression of an unrelenting CEO type woman, a dragon dy, but holding Ruby’s cheek and her attention, she became more. “Did Morgane do something wrong?”

  Ruby swallowed hard. “Can... we have lunch... together? I cooked minestrone st night and thought... I want to share it with you.”

  “Oh, sweetie, that’s wonderful. My favourite, actually.” Or took hold of the lunch box. The moment seemed very surreal, a coalescing of all her yearnings.

  Or may appear different today. Her attire may carry authority, power, status. But her attention towards her remained steadfast, and unchanged. Her fingers touched her forehead, nguidly pushing stray locks to reveal her clear face. Ruby could melt into those sensations.

  “Hopefully, you didn’t cook it in Kelly’s kitchen.” Cybele knew exactly how to break a defining moment. “Because that would be fun. Imagine your shenanigans with Zoey at ‘The Elysian’ and yours truly jumping in at the st minute to save the day, scaring that low budget knock-off of Craven Enders.”

  A very suppressed and knowing gnce passed between Or and Jochen, one that Ruby ignored because she desperately hoped Cybele would not blurt out whatever happened between her and Zoey. Especially not before Jochen, and definitely not to Or.

  “Please tell me you didn’t antagonise any stray packs.” Jochen moved to cut Cybele’s escape route, not that Cybele would. The girl had no sense of threat or danger.

  Cybele moved closer to Or, too close for Ruby to get a glimpse of the green-eyed monster.

  “Aww... are you worried about me? Don’t worry. I am awesome on my own rights. Mess with this witch, be prepared to get exspelled. Ex-spelled. You get it.”

  “Cybele, let me remind this.” Ruby could see his control fying around the edges. Good to know Cybele has that effect on everyone. “You were ex-spelled from your own family coven.”

  “Who cares? All those old witches, grandma and aunts backstabbing each other. It’s all game of thrones there. Oh wait. Actually, it is a game of crones there.”

  Before the mud-slinging contest began, Or intervened.

  “Come on. It will be fun.” Cybele pulled her mobile, unlocked the screen and pyed the video.

  The screen dispyed a dimly lit room, a lone cot with its battered inhabitant chained, and two figures moved around. Then candles were lit and religious texts were uttered with fervent vigour. As seconds slipped, the inhuman screams and howls from the chained form became blood-curdling. The captive on the bed levitated.

  An exorcism!

  “Imagine this.” Cybele paused the video. “If we could put one of these demons into a fork lift.”

  “The answer is still no,” replied Or, without a trace of annoyance. She carried the conversation with the same graceful confidence that she dispyed usually at work. “I can’t allow a possessed Optimus Prime at my construction site.”

  “Anyway, how did you get past the reception?” asked Jochen.

  “Reception? Oh, you mean the pretty dy downstairs... Yeah, about that.” Cybele gave nervous ughter, one born out of necessity. “She looked so busy, so I saved her the trouble of fixing an appointment for me.”

  Or extracted Ruby aside, one palm gently falling on Ruby’s back as she assured her. An unwanted gesture, because Ruby would have willingly followed Or anywhere.

  “Can I ask you a favour, sweetie? Cybele is not a bad person, but she can be abrasive with authority figures. I think what she needs is a peer-guidance. She cks impulse control and does things that seemed appropriate at the given moment. While You, on the contrary, think through the feelings of anyone around. You look everywhere, consider everything before you leap. I must say sometimes, this attitude of yours comes out as frustratingly passive, but I sense you can provide a good counter bance to her life.”

  Or’s lips lingered close, her breath tickled against Ruby’s ears. Her scent, a distinct fvour or vender, citrus and rose, invaded her nostrils. Her palms were suddenly cmmy and throat choked with an invisible lump. Ruby found her palms were now perched on Or’s waist. And her closeness. So close, Ruby’s nose nuzzled her cheek. Her mouth slightly open and words fell unregistered. She saw only Or’s lips moving.

  How easy it will be... her thoughts whispered, to lean forward, tilt and press her lips against...

  “Will you do it, sweetie?” asked Or, breaking the spell of the moment.

  “Sure.” Ruby mumbled. What she agreed upon, she has absolutely has no idea.

  And Or kissed Ruby, a quick peck when no one looked in their direction. A fleeting brush, nothing else, left warmth hovering over her cheek. Then, her lips pursed tight, and everything else fell silent.

  Ruby blinked. Once. Twice.

  For a kiss, it may seem chaste and gentle. But it also sang and made Ruby’s soul scream.

  “We can have lunch together and I take it that you want to spend the night at my pce?” asked Or.

  If Ruby could, she would have fisted the empty air with her cheers. Instead, she reeled in her failing composure. “That would be great.”

  “Then we can watch a movie. Your pick, that is, if movie night is your thing. If not, I am open to whatever you suggest.”

  Ruby silently trailed behind Or, back to where Cybele and Jochen stood, while her mind roamed through what she heard. Compared to Mom, Or was a lot genuine and easy. Mom pnned the date, picked the venue and choice of events and casually tossed the pn, offering her an illusion of a choice. Or, on the contrary, when she offered choices, she really offered them.

  “And before I forget, I just received the e-mail.” Or paused where Jochen and Cybele stood. “It is your witches ball invitation, sweetie. Morgane might forward it to you soon.”

  “An e-mail invitation?” asked Ruby. “I expected... something... a more traditional means for the invitation.”

  Or chuckled, a carefree and soothing sound. “What did you expect? Owls bringing letters?”

  “Meisje, we are witches, not Luddites.” Cybele tched onto Or again, much to Ruby’s chagrin. “Though I did put forward a very unconventional solution. A perfect marriage of tradition and technology. Have drones bring the invitation.”

  “Let me remind you again, Cybele.” Jochen was all warnings and low on patience. “You were forbidden from ever addressing the council.”

  “Forbidden for a single suggestion? That seems like an overkill,” uttered Ruby. Even as those words slipped, part of her wondered if Cybele and her intrinsic notion of weirdness, like a demon powered construction equipment, were wholly faultless.

  “It wasn’t just the drones. It is the second functionality she added that gave her the ban.” Jochen tilted his feet in the direction of Or’s office, all ready to abandon them both at the first sign. “After delivering the invitation, she wanted the drone to say, ‘This message will self-destruct in five seconds.’ and explode.”

  As if on cue, Cybele hummed Mission Impossible theme.

  When Or ushered Jochen towards her office, Ruby gred at Cybele. “Alright, out with it. I saw you getting extremely clingy with my mama.” Strenuous concentrated efforts were spent to not blush when she mentioned the st two words.

  “You are very perceptive, Meisje.” Cybele pulled an instrument, as miss-matched an assortment as she was. “Custom made RFID cloner. I made it myself.”

  Ruby pnted her hands on her hips, unamazed. “You cloned her ID?”

  “Works only at near distance.”

  “But... if my understanding of the technology is not incorrect, then shouldn’t the tags be encrypted and the private key be hard-coded inside the chip design? So even if you get the signals, it should be impossible. I mean, Or wouldn’t have invested in a faulty technology when it comes to security.” When Ruby finished, she found Cybele staring at her, eyes brimming with thick pools of appreciation.

  “Meisje, I love you. Please, marry me.”

  “No.”

  Cybele rummaged through her satchel and took out a solenoid coil. “If I go down on one foot, will you accept this as a repcement for a ring?”

  “No.”

  “I mean, it is not diamond, but aluminium is good too.”

  “Eh... no. First, I am not marrying you. Second, that is not aluminum. To be precise, that’s duralumin. I am not even certain how you managed to get a duralumin coil of that dimension.”

  “I have never known a girl who knows her metal well.”

  “Dad is a mechanical engineer with a focus on material science and fabrication. So...” Ruby trailed, leaving the sentence hanging.

  “So, you picked those from your Dad?”

  “Yes, he taught me stuffs. Actually, I was supposed to attend university. Metallurgy and material science.”

  “Supposed to?” Cybele’s intuitiveness worked at the wrong times.

  Ruby shrugged. “I mean, the acceptance letter was for my... You know what, forget it. Besides, I don’t know if metallurgy is a field for girls.”

  “I get it.” Cybele’s tone became unexpectedly soft. “I enrolled in electronic engineering, but after a few semesters found IT interesting, but that didn’t st long.”

  “Do you want to talk about it?”

  “Naah... Just felt like I won’t be a fit.” Cybele hoisted her satchel-bag above her shoulders. “You would think someone like me would be a fit with the engineering or IT crowd, but turns out, I am barely tolerated even there. They didn’t find me cool. You know, because apparently, my jokes are me. Like, ‘Why can’t you trust atoms? Because they make everything up.’”

  Ruby chuckled. That was actually kind of funny, not the joke itself, but Cybele’s manner of delivery made it adorable. “Come on, you have a very quirky charm about you. Haven’t you found anyone on the same wavelength?”

  “Everyone leaves, eventually. They get bored and find me annoying.” Cybele shifted her weight from one foot to another. Her worn-out doc martens now seemed like balls of lead manacling her. “I met this woman at a hacking conference. There was this workshop, coding for girls, and she was a mentor. Most found her sense of humour annoying, I thought she was awesome. But eventually, we drifted apart.”

  Cybele, the techno witch, and also hacker extraordinaire probably, now — bereft of her nihilistic armour — looked naked and exposed. All Ruby noticed was a girl struggling to maintain even a basic mentor-mentee retionship.

  “Shouldn’t be too difficult. Send regur emails on occasions with small greetings. Share memes through text.”

  “Easy for you to say, meisje. Have your seen yourself? You transitioned not long ago, but anyone could see you are so comfortable in your skin. You already have friends. Kelly lets you inside her house, trusts you with her kids. You are allowed inside her kitchen. Even stubborn and silver-cane-up-her-ass Raisa likes you enough.” Cybele’s tone lowered to an almost suppressed sob. “I am cis and I can’t even socialise with other women. Most people consider me the st choice for anything.”

  “When have you st written to this mentor of yours?” asked Ruby.

  “Like I said, sort of lost touch.” Cybele rubbed her sweaty palms on the torn fabric of her jeans. “I don’t know what to write her. What if I come out too intense? What if she adds me to her bcklist for level-5 clingers?”

  “You are overthinking.”

  “No, I think she ignores me. Like I sent two emails a while and have not received any response back.” Cybele chewed her bottom lip, while she cleansed imaginary grime in her palms furiously. “You know I even held a seance, fearing that she died. Spoiler alert she did not. I think she is ignoring me.”

  “Okay Cybele. She is not dead. Can you think of any other reason or situation in which she could not reply to your email?”

  Cybele scratched the shaved side of her head while furrows danced like waves on her forehead. “Maybe she got kidnapped...”

  Well, that’s better than death. Ruby smiled.

  “... by aliens...”

  “Huh?”

  “... and dropped on an alien world where she is chosen as a hero to save their world.”

  Ruby slumped on the lounge. She let her frame fall with a heavy thud giving up on everything. Cybele cannot be helped.

  ElenaV