Finn had been spooked by Victoria's response of hiding from the other orphans, but also unnerved by the boys themselves. She wondered anew what had happened to these children to make them so inexplicably... joyless.
She continued wondering about it the next morning as she cared for the little plant. Perhaps today she would finally be able to go see Jimmy and show him the little thing's progress. Almost all the leaves were lifted now, and a richer green than they had been before. The central flower was blooming more brightly.
"Mayra, what would you think about paying Jimmy a visit today?" She asked over her shoulder as the younger woman dressed.
"I'm sure he'll be happy to see us," Mayra responded, "I don't think he gets enough company."
Finn chuckled. Mayra certainly had a unique view of the mysterious little man. Everyone else who knew him seemed extremely wary if not outright disdainful of him.
The girls had their breakfast and asked nicely to borrow the horses they had taken last time. With a heavy sigh, Mrs. Sherman agreed to let the girls go again, against her better judgment. With things getting stranger all the time, perhaps a strange man's solutions would be needed to solve them. Soon, the girls were on their way, with Mayra packing her saddle bag with a few baked items for Jimmy, as well as snacks for themselves, and Finn carefully securing the little potted plant, lest it be jostled and damaged in the journey.
They stopped at the recruitment office to check for mail, and to Finn's surprise, she had a letter from both Roland and Riley. She tucked them into her bag to read later, away from Mayra's prying eyes. They left through the city gate and trudged toward Jimmy's boulder.
Though the day was hot, the breeze off of the lake was pleasant.
"How are you doing? I mean, really?" Mayra asked suddenly.
"I'm... slowly coping. What about you?" Finn returned the question. She should be checking in on Mayra more often. After all, the younger woman had lost just as much as Finn.
"I'm struggling," She admitted, "It is a lot, not knowing. I'm trying to be optimistic." Mayra tried on her usually cheerful smile, but it rang a little hollow.
"It's all right to have feelings, and I'm here if you need to share them." Finn offered. Maybe by helping Mayra process some of her tumultuous emotions, she would struggle less with her own. Mayra sighed
"I miss Mama, and my brothers. And your brother, and your father. And everyone else. I have nightmares, sometimes. They're being torn to pieces or having their throats cut or burned to death in fire. I can never get back to sleep."
"Is that why you're almost always up before me lately?" Finn was used to being the earliest riser. She thought it was the city atmosphere that had changed her and Mayra's habits, but this alternate explanation saddened her.
Mayra nodded. "I can't shake them. The images stick in my mind. Every time I close my eyes I see them."
Finn winced. Absorbed in her own struggles, she had failed to care properly for her closest friend, or even notice how difficult things were for Mayra.
"I'm sorry. You can wake me when you have them. I've never needed much sleep anyway." This was true. Gabe had been a colicky baby and Finn eventually got used to functioning on very little rest.
"That seems unkind to you. There's nothing to do in the middle of the night, and I'd be waking you for nothing at all." That seemed to be Mayra's only objection to the prospect. Not that she didn't need it or want company, just that it would inconvenience Finn.
A mischievous gleam appeared in Finn's eyes. "We could write letters."
Mayra latched onto the new subject. "Letters, hm? And would you finally be leaving these letters unsealed long enough for me to steal them and read them before you send them off??"
Finn laughed. "Found my hiding place, did you? Little snoop."
"There's only so many places to hide things in our room. Their letters are unsealed once you read them, but you seal yours as soon as you write them. I'm dying to see how you're responding to their overtures. But I'm not here to interfere! Only to observe." She grinned unrepentantly.
"So you have no opinions whatsoever on the topic of their letters?" Finn couldn't believe that.
"I have expansive quantities of opinions on the topic, but alas, I have vowed to stop my interference and am limited to observation only." Came the response with a lofty and academic air.
"But you still have questions, I suppose?" Finn really did want the younger girl's insight. Even if she was something of a busybody, her perceptions were often keen and helpful. The questions Mayra asked would likely give clues into Mayra's current thoughts.
"I have a lot of questions." Mayra admitted sheepishly.
Finn eyed the younger girl in contemplation, "Well, here's your chance. Ask away."
"What do you like best about each of them?" The first question was uncharacteristically diplomatic, and Finn tilted her head as she considered.
"Roland is kind and selfless. Though his life hasn't been easy, he doesn't dwell on it, but pushes forward to help others. Riley... it's difficult to say, because he's changing. A month or two ago I just would have said he's dependable, because he takes care of your family so consistently. Lately he's become more steady, insightful, and... humble, I suppose, although that's never a word I would have applied to him before."
Mayra said nothing as she took in this information, then asked her next question.
"Have you chosen one yet?" There was an ever so slight emphasis on the word 'chosen' that Mayra couldn't mask, despite her best effort.
Finn grimaced. "I feel so guilty even having the choice presented, let alone making it. It seems ludicrously unfair to both of them."
"That didn't answer the question," Mayra said thoughtfully.
"You're correct, it didn't. Toward Riley, I feel something more than friendship, but less than passionate love."
"And Roland?" Mayra pressed.
"I feel so much it scares me. I ran away from him. And then I think he had to get away from me." Finn was uncertain of how to take his brief goodbye to her after their kiss. The first words out of his mouth were that he 'needed to get away for a moment' and that it was 'overwhelming'. Those statements could be positive or negative. In her heightened emotion of the moment, she didn't trust her perception. He'd also said he wasn't sorry for it, though. Surely that was a good thing?
"Get away from you?" Mayra was indignant on her friend's behalf.
"Right after he kissed me. He said it was overwhelming." Finn's ears turned the shade of a tomato.
"WELL WE HAVE A WINNER DON'T WE?" Mayra almost fell out of her saddle as her horse shied in response to her sudden volume. She shushed the creature and patted its neck in apology. "I'm sorry. I'm not here to make judgments. But... that sounds a lot like a decision, doesn't it? Letting him kiss you?"
Finn's face burned even hotter, "I suppose you're right."
"So what will you do? What will you say?" Mayra inquired. She loved her brother dearly and didn't want him crushed.
"Nothing, for the time being. They're leaving on patrol, so even if I write to them both, it may be weeks or months before they come back to a place they could receive them."
Mayra nodded, "That makes sense. Well, thank you for all this, Finn. It's a wonderful distraction from wallowing in my own feelings."
Finn laughed, "I'm glad my interpersonal difficulties and intrigues are such an entertainment for you."
"They really are. You have no idea." Mayra confided.
They finally drew close to the boulder where Jimmy usually appeared. Dismounting, they both prepared for a wait, but the little man and his boat came into view before long at all.
"Hi Jimmy! We brought you some cake!" Mayra exclaimed.
"Mighty chipper there, as usual," Grumbled Jimmy, taking the treat from her hands anyway. He turned to Finn. "How's my flower?"
Finn had gotten the plant down from the saddle and held the pot out for Jimmy's inspection. The leaves were a brighter green, the dead ones removed, the flower nearly blooming, and overall, it had a perkiness about it that was severely lacking before.
"Hmph." Jimmy said, taking the pot and inspecting the thing, "It ain't perfect, but it's better."
"Do I get the lessons now?" Asked Finn tentatively.
"The work you've done will earn you... one recipe and two questions." The old man decided, and spat on the ground. Finn nodded, trying to think of the best possible questions.
"If you would, please give me the recipe first. I might have a question or two about it." Jimmy eyed her and reached into his pocket, producing a single slip of paper.
At the top was written 'Tea.' A list of common herbs and quantities were listed, surprisingly, all of which she recognized and thought she would be able to buy in town. There were also specific instructions about how long to steep it and what temperature the water should be. She looked at it all for several moments and admitted she had to ask the obvious question.
"What does the tea do?" She finally sighed, looking up from the paper to stare at Jimmy.
"Heals. Figure you need that, helping Doc and all. You got one more question."
Finn pulled a face and chanced the best question she could think of, "What are the three most important things for me to know about herbs, their magical uses, or magic in general?" She hoped he would be willing to answer despite the multifaceted nature of the question.
Jimmy looked half-annoyed and half-impressed by the question. He leaned closely and spoke quietly.
"One. Better herb quality, better spell.
Two. Don't trust non-humans unless you got no other choice. Most of em's no good.
Three. All kinds of power can change people for the worse, this ain't an exception."
"I see. This next thing isn't really a question, I guess, so much as a request. Is there anything else I can help you with?" Finn hoped another task would earn her more questions and recipes. She was slowly absorbing his answer. It had birthed many more questions, but she knew he wouldn't give any more information today.
Jimmy squinted into her eyes as if trying to read something there. "You keep a garden?"
"I help with Mrs. Sherman's." Finn said.
Jimmy handed the plant back to her. "Take this, plant it in the middle of the garden, and take care of it. Once it's in full bloom, bring me the pollen."
Finn blinked at him. "All right." The task seemed mundane and a little perplexing. Most plants had their medicinal qualities in their leaves or roots, sometimes in their stems. He was seemingly going to abandon all those parts in favor of whatever pollen she collected.
"Thank you for your help Jimmy!" Mayra chimed in. "Do you have a favorite flavor of cake for next time we come?"
The man grunted at her and went back to his boat. They wouldn't receive an answer today.