“Did you know about the other plot of land across the street?”
Corinthia did not.
“There’s another section that was set aside but never managed.If it was added on, it could expand the Refuge by half over.”
Corinthia laid down her fork.“I did not know that.”There were so many things she had not known.For so long, she had let her domain be the library, and the library alone.She had always thought, in a way, that the Refuge was Stevie’s purview.But no more: Corinthia vowed to herself to steward books and nature, nature and books, as if the two had never been separate at all.
The light from the north-facing windows lay coolly on Rosemary like a wedding veil, soft and blue-white.“You’re staring at me,” Rosemary said, not unamused.
“Sorry,” Corinthia said, looking down and fumbling her knife at the same time, sending a chunk of egg tumbling to the floor.
Beaufort lunged at the speed of delight and quickly slurped the egg bit, leaving the tile floor licked clean.Clean for a dog, that is.
Before long, Beaufort settled down for an after-breakfast nap and Stevie was knocking at the front door.The three of them went down to the end of the driveway, and luckily, the street was completely empty of cars.
“Who wants to go first?”Stevie said, maneuvering the electric scooter into position.
“Me!”Rosemary said.She reached eagerly for the handles.
“You don’t think the distance will bother you?”Corinthia asked.
Rosemary eyed the street, calculating something only she could perceive.“Your street runs right alongside the Refuge.I should be fine as long as I don’t turn on a side street.”
There was a bit of a shuffle as Rosemary removed her jeweled combs and put them in her pockets, and Stevie helped her put on, buckle, and tighten the helmet.In almost no time at all, Rosemary stood with helmet on, one foot on the scooter, one foot on the ground, posture straight as a dancer.
Stevie explained the controls one last time and stepped back.
With a whir of the motor, Rosemary took off, buzzing down the street, her borrowed shirt flapping in the wind.“Woo-hoo!”she cried, the sound rapidly fading as she sped away.
“She’s got a knack,” Stevie said.
Rosemary had zoomed out of sight.
“Stevie,” Corinthia said.“I don’t know what to do.”
“About riding a scooter?”
“Abouther.”
“Tell old bestie Stevie about it.”
“Ilikeher.”
“Of course you do.She’s very likeable.”
“You know what I mean.”
“You mean,likelike.As if we were in middle school.”
“You’re no help at all.”The scooter buzzed in the distance and Corinthia acutely felt the passage of time before Rosemary would be standing in front of her again.“I don’t know how to tell her properly.”
“The twelve-hour dates and sleepovers weren’t communicating it?Chocolate delivery and breakfast at your place not getting the message across?”
“I don’t want her to feel obligated—”
“Obligated!”
“Yes, obligated!Just because she seems to have some affection for me and I seem to be the first human she’s really gotten to know, doesn’t mean she has to fall in love with me.I don’t want to put her in the position of feeling like she owes me anything.”
