Haven 4 AVOW - Sandra R Neeley Page 0,56

be able to see him for a few moments before he reported for duty. He’d been spending every available moment with his family, and squeezing in any hours he could to repay those covering his shifts when his family was most available.

Sighing dispassionately, she kicked the covers to the foot of the bed and sat up. The thought of getting up and dressed seemed like a monumental task, but it had to be done. She had to get up and ready to face the day, then go to the commissary to meet Mee'ta and Ph’eel for a brunch visit, before her afternoon appointment with Doc. Synclare shuffled into the galley in search of litah, or better yet, coffee, to get her going, but as she searched her small pantry, she remembered she’d used the last of it and since her in-laws’ arrival had not had an opportunity to replenish her supplies.

Grumbling she headed to the cleansing chamber. “Quick shower then coffee at the commissary,” she said aloud. Then a little bit of her grumpiness crumbled when she noticed a small handwritten note on the counter top beside the sink. She and Lo'San left each other little handwritten love notes. She’d started to do it just so he’d know she’d been thinking about him each time he came across one, and he’d responded by doing the same. His were almost elementary in the block handwriting he used when writing in the English language, and sometimes the words were out of order, but the fact that he even understood the emotional value, and made the effort to leave notes for her meant the world. She’d treasured and kept every single one of them. She looked down at the one she’d just found and smiled. “You are my happiness,” he’d written and drawn little hearts around the words. Synclare smoothed her fingers over the words and left the cleansing chamber to add it to the ones she kept with her nightgowns in her dresser drawer. She placed her hand over her heart and smiled as she returned to the cleansing chamber. Though she felt a little lighter, she still needed coffee — badly.

~~~

Vivian and Kitty sat at her usual table in the back corner of the commissary enjoying their breakfast. Out of habit she watched the door each time anyone came in. She liked to greet everyone personally if they happened to glance her way. It made them feel ‘seen’ by her, and to her, it made all the difference in the world to know you mattered, especially to those you felt didn’t even know your name. She watched as Synclare walked through the doors, her eyes glued to the station just before the serving line that offered all forms of drinks.

Vivian smiled to herself when Synclare poured herself a cup of coffee, added a splash of cream, and sipped heartily from the cup. Synclare topped it off, turned to walk away, then faced the drink station again. She appeared to be examining the large, silver decanters of drinks, and satisfied with whatever she’d found, lifted one of them and carried it with her as she walked toward the vicinity where she usually sat, looking for an available table. The commissary was filled almost to capacity and there weren’t a lot of spaces available this morning.

“Synclare!” Vivian called.

Synclare raised her gaze and finally noticed Vivian sitting with Kitty.

“Come join me,” Vivian invited.

Synclare nodded and made her way over. She pulled out a chair opposite Vivian and plopped down in it, then settled her entire decanter of coffee on the table in front of her.

“You good?” Vivian asked.

Synclare nodded. “Yeah. I’m just so… I don’t know. I’m on the verge of tears all the time. I’m exhausted. No matter what I do I feel like it’s not enough. My emotions are just all over the place,” Synclare confided.

“Anything I can do?” Vivian asked.

Synclare shook her head.

“I’ve got strong shoulders if you want to unload,” Vivian offered with a smile. “Is it Lo'San’s family?”

“You know, I thought it might have been, and I’m sure the stress of getting to where we are now hasn’t helped, but we really seem to have found some common ground. His mother is even calling me her bond-daughter.”

“That’s wonderful!” Vivian exclaimed.

“It is,” Synclare agreed, gulping her coffee and reaching for the decanter to serve herself more.

“How are the treatments going?” Vivian ventured.

Synclare shrugged her shoulders. “They make me so sick I almost wish I’d just go ahead and die until