Yoma looked away and Layela’s stomach somersaulted. She could feel her sister slipping out of her grasp. She struggled silently for the right words to bring her back, but Yoma answered before she could find them.
“I love them because you do,” Yoma said, her voice picking up speed. “But they aren’t me. You’re finally taken care of. Maybe it’s time I take care of myself, now.”
“What in the forty bloody Solarian Stars do you mean I’m finally taken care of?” Layela’s voice echoed across the empty buildings. “We take care of each other — it’s always been that way. And this,” she said, wildly pointing at the shop, “is the result of that! What do you bloody think we’ve been working so hard to achieve?”
She paused, fighting hard to regain control of her seething anger. Yoma had pulled stupid stunts before and had always been too stubborn for her own good, but the twins had always supported each other and stuck together. That was how they had survived since they were orphans living on the streets. What game was Yoma playing at now?
“You’re right, Layela. We do always take care of each other.” Layela released a breath she didn’t realize she was holding.
Layela grinned at Yoma — her sister was coming to her senses. She walked towards the door and opened it, but when she turned around, Yoma was gone, her thief’s steps too silent for even her sister to hear.
i
The bell chimed as some customers walked out, and Layela couldn’t help but look at the door, in case her sister also happened to wander in at the same time. She sighed when no one else walked in, and focused back on her young customer and the exotic bloom she now held. She began to sing, wishing her heart didn’t feel so heavy.
Rise gentle flower, rise with the rain,
Rise my love, dare to bloom again,
Shine like the sun, like the light of day,
Shine, shine forever, always with me stay.
The Lacile flower’s petals bowed and opened, responding to Layela’s gentle urgings. She whispered the final words, the girl’s look of wonder more beautiful to her than any light produced by the Lacile. She remembered the look of wonder on Yoma’s face, years ago, when she had shown her twin the hidden beauty of the Lacile. Where was Yoma? She needed — no, she just wanted her sister by her side. This was their accomplishment, and she should be here to see it take flight!
“Does it always do that?” the young girl whispered, as if afraid of frightening the flower into hiding.
Layela knelt beside her, lowering the flower so that the child could fully see it.
“It only blooms once, but it lasts for a long time, if you take care of it and sing to it often.”
Gently the girl touched the petals, a bit of the glowing pollen clinging to her fingers. She looked up at her mother, her small face imploring. Layela struggled back to her feet, still feeling sluggish from the lack of sleep.
“We’ll take it,” the mother said briskly, her foot tapping on the floor.
Layela nodded and carefully wrapped the flower in dark fabrics to preserve its glow. Even the weak sun of this planet could be enough to harm the Lacile, unlike the rest of her flowers. If not for strong lights in the growing rooms and special fertilizers to help promote photosynthesis, she doubted any of her flowers would live.
“Thank you,” Layela said to the last two customers of the day as they left. She smiled as she stood behind the counter, looking at her already depleted stocks. It was a beautiful sight. She had been right, after all. Flowers were needed to brighten up the dark, bleak landscape of Collar.
As she looked around and found herself alone with her remaining blooms, her sense of elation was quickly crushed. The twins argued fairly regularly, but Yoma had never before left for so long without first warning Layela. Would Yoma really endanger all of their hard work for the adrenaline rush of thieving? Could she be in trouble?
She locked the shop, closing time having come and gone. Worry and anger strained her every breath. This was supposed to be for both of them. This was their work, years of planning, of sacrificing what little they had gained, and now Yoma decided she didn’t want it anymore? Granted, Yoma had always been more reckless, but this was ridiculous.
She forced a deep breath into her lungs. Yoma would be fine, and would come back. Layela was only letting worry get the best of her because she was tired from last night’s vision. She released the breath, her anger dissipating and numbness clutching her limbs.
She took another deep breath, trying to coax the more recent vision to her mind, but, as usual, she remembered nothing. Not this vision, nor older ones. She remembered very little about the visions imposed on her years ago, but she did remember how she had felt at the time, afraid and alone. Not fulfilled and secured like she felt now.
“I’m so happy for you, Layl,” the voice came from behind her, and Layela quickly turned around, her mind racing to identify the familiar voice, disappointed it was not her sister’s.
“Josmere,” she said as she spotted the Berganda leaning against a wall, her skin and hair blending in with the surroundings. Her physique was human, but her skin was green, her hair revealed long curled leaves when examined closely enough, and her veins were filled with chlorophyll, not blood. By her simple travelling clothes, brown pants and loose beige shirt, Layela guessed she had just recently returned to Collar.
The day that Yoma left, her best friend happened to show up, after an absence of almost a year? Layela had never believed in coincidences, and this deepened her disbelief. At least Josmere’s appearance proved two things
