“I’m telling you, it would be good for me to come with you!” Sethe pleaded.
Octavia laughed. “I don’t even know if we’re going. Josiah doesn’t want to.”
“This is my chance to see the world! I love studying all this, and to see Rome would be amazing!”
“It’s not as great as you think.” Octavia grimaced.
“It’s a chance for me to see something other than old Shem Hadar. Something to begin the long journey of me seeing the world!” Sethe said.
Octavia sighed. “All that’s in Rome is the flailing of old men who think they can fulfill their power and money hungry desires.” She choked up, and ran out of Sethe’s house.
Sethe sighed. She knew it wasn’t a dream location, but if she could begin to see the world, it could start her off somewhere. Maybe then she could travel the world, like she had always dreamed of. Oh well, it doesn’t look like Octavia is emotionally ready to go back to Rome. And who can blame her? It’s the place where her family, friends, and herself almost got killed. Not to mention her husband. Sethe thought. Wait, Josiah might be able to help me!
~ ~ ~
Kaila stared out onto the window. Adrian had been gone for a long time, and he wasn’t telling her where he was going. She sighed. He’s a busy senator, she thought. He can’t always be talking to me and holding me.
“Oh, I see you’re the new girl.” A woman said. Kaila spun around to see the woman who was talking to her.
“Uh, the new girl?” Kaila said, confused.
“Ah, nothing. My name is Lucida. I’m Adrian’s sister, or at least we act like it.”
Kaila was still very confused.
“I live here.”
Kaila frowned.
Lucida laughed. “Adrian’s father rescued me off of the streets when we were younger. I’ve been like a part of their family ever since. I’m semi-blind, so it’s just easier for me to be in here.”
Kaila smiled. “Sorry, for a while there I thought you were someone who was affiliated with Adrian in a romantic way.”
Lucida looked at the floor. “Yeah, no, he’s just my brother. Well, you know-”
Kaila frowned, slightly.
“Anyways, I better go back to my studies. Oh, what’s your name?”
“My name is Kaila.”
Lucida smiled. “I’ll see you around.”
Kaila waved goodbye, but her mind didn’t rest. What if he’s with other girls? She thought. Who else lives in this house that I don’t know of? Is Lucida lying to me? Is she a girlfriend of Adrian?
Just then Adrian came in the door, followed by a servant. “Hello, lovely.”
Kaila wasn’t affected by his charms. “I met Lucida today.”
“Oh, my almost sister. She’s a dear isn’t she?” Adrian smiled.
“Who else lives in this house that I don’t know of?” Kaila said suspiciously.
“No one, only some servants.” Adrian said confidently.
“You have no secrets to hide, correct?” Kaila said, boldly.
Adrian began to get irritated. “Kaila, please act as what you are. You are beneath me, and I don’t want you to get too comfortable talking to me like that. However, of course I have secrets. I’m a senator, you wouldn’t even understand half the things I deal with.”
Kaila felt slapped, but she took it with humility. “I’m sorry to bother you…” And she went to her room.
~ ~ ~
“I really don’t want to if Octavia is so uncomfortable with the idea. I know you know, but it was very hard for both of us to be in Rome. She lost both of her parents in one day, not to mention that she had a friend named Rebecca who needed Octavia, but Octavia had to escape. It’s always given Octavia a lot of sadness thinking about Rebecca. Rebecca’s family wasn’t in that cell for some reason, and her friend named… I believe it was, Kina? Anyways, her friend burned incense. She was all alone, but Octavia comforted her. That is, until Octavia and I escaped. No, I think Octavia is still really hurting from all of that.”
Sethe was stunned after taking all that in. How could all that happen to a young girl. “How old was Rebecca?”
“I believe 13 or 14 years old.”
Sethe bit her lip. “That’s terrible!” She finally said.
“I know. Sometimes Octavia awakes with nightmares. It’s really hard on her.” Josiah said sadly.
“I still think it’s a good idea to go to Rome, to see her best friend! Well I mean, besides me.”
Josiah just looked at Sethe.
“I mean, I think I’m one of her best friends-”
“I’m sure you are, but I really think this is Octavia and my decision. I really admire you passion, but you’re going to have to be patient with us. It’s been three years since we were in that cell, but it feels like it was yesterday.” Josiah said, gravely.
Sethe smiled sadly. “Thanks anyways.”
~
Josiah walked back to his (and of course Octavia’s) house. There he saw Octavia, getting a blanket out.
“Are you ok, honey?”
Octavia turned to look at him with a smile. “I’m packing.”
“WHAT?” Josiah said, shocked.
“I think it’s time for us to go back!”
Josiah was silenced for a few moments. “But what about Sethe?”
“She can come with us.”
“But – how, where…”
Octavia put her finger on Josiah’s lips and shushed him. “We will go on the next ship. It’s leaving in a week.”
“What about the house?”
“Remember the young Christian couple who’s come here from Greece? Let’s give it to them.”
“For free?”