Three months. That was all it had taken. In three, short months, life had crumbled apart until it was nothing but dust and ruins. Kokoro tipped her head, taking another swig of alcohol to numb the pain. It burned. On a small table next to her, Den's letter remained unopened, as it had for several weeks. She couldn't bring herself to read his reaction.
It couldn't be real. Suffering like this couldn't exist. Kokoro would squeeze her eyes shut and when she opened them, everything would be right. Tom would laugh and grin while Franky would shout and wrestle with Iceberg. They'd be happy and well, as they should be.
Except that wasn't true. When Kokoro opened her eyes, reality ripped them away from her grasp, shattering her desperate fantasies with ease. They weren't coming back. In the face of such heartache, Kokoro could only muster enough strength to drink and isolate herself further.
From the corner of the room, a soft whining reminded her that she wasn't completely alone yet. Kokoro went to the cradle, picking up her granddaughter. Her son's visit still felt like a blur and Kokoro's new responsibilities hadn't quite registered yet. "Dear Mom," he said in his newest letter, "You haven't answered any of my calls and I'm getting worried. I hope you're alright. I realize this is sudden, but I have a huge favor to ask of you. A new job has opened in San Faldo and it's a great opportunity to expand business. The problem is, this job would require both of us to be away from home for quite some time. I realize this is asking a lot, especially with everything that's happened, but would you be willing to take care of Chimney for a while? It would mean so much to us."
Chimney continued whimpering, despite being held. "What is it?" Kokoro asked tiredly. As she rocked the infant, Kokoro's mind wandered. The small bedroom around her faded away. The waves roared and ocean spray fell across her skin like rain. She was sitting on a pile of scrap metal that had washed up onto the shore of the Water 7, gazing at the towering fountain of the city.
"Isn't it remarkable?" Tom's voice was quieter than usual, but excitement and joy radiated from him like sunlight, reassuring Kokoro that Tom was ready to tackle this new challenge.
"It certainly is! It's unlike anything I've seen." She giggled. "I don't think anyone back home will believe us when we tell them about this place."
Tom shrugged. "Well, their loss. I'm going to show this city how much gusto one man can have! You wait and see, Kokoro!"
"If anyone can do it, it's you, Tom!"
The coastal surroundings pulled away, blending into a new memory. She stood in front of a bubbling pot of stew, the steam curling around and through her hair. The workshop's kitchen wasn't in the best shape, but Kokoro had learned to ignore the rust and cracks in the appliances and floorboards. She had a job to do, after all! It wouldn't be long before Tom and Iceberg returned for lunch.
As if on cue, the door swung open, shaking the whole workshop as it always did when Tom returned. "Welcome back!" Kokoro called. "Give me a few more minutes. The stew's almost ready. Iceberg, will you set the table for me?" Instead of hearing Iceberg's reply, footsteps approached her. Kokoro turned around.
A young boy watched her carefully.
"Hello there. And who are you?" she asked.
He didn't say anything, but jumped slightly when Tom patted him on the back. Tom chuckled. "This is Cutty Flam. He'll be staying with us from now on."
"I see," Kokoro said, "Is he a new apprentice?" Tom nodded. "Well, it's nice to meet you!" Giving the stew a final stir, she ladled out some of it into a bowl. "Tell you what, since it's your first day with us, you can have the first taste. If you think it needs anything, I can fix it up however you like."
Cutty Flam took the bowl, taking a small slurp from the side. He froze immediately, eyes wide.
"What's wrong? Don't you like it?"
He swallowed quickly and gasped. "This is delicious!" he shouted. "I've never tasted anything like this!" Within seconds, the bowl was empty and being held out to Kokoro again. "More please!"
She blinked, a little stunned, but beamed. "You've got it! One helping of Kokoro's signature stew, coming right up!"
BOOM!
"Someone's using Franky's ships!"
"For the charge of building a ship for the King of the Pirates, shipbuilding engineer Tom is to be sent to Enies Lobby."
"Tom's apprentice has gone mad!"
"...Did you hear the news? They say he got hit by the sea train."
"WAAAH!" Chimney wailed. Tiny fists were clutched close to her chest, while her lungs shrieked with no concern about her volume. She let her emotions show freely.
Suddenly, the walls of denial fell apart. Kokoro's face was dampened by her own tears as sobs began to ripple through her. She fell to her knees. In one odd moment, all of her grief flooded through her, no longer buried under apathetic liquor. The memories, good and bad, sang out together.
As she cried, Kokoro cradled Chimney tightly to her. If she didn't, it felt like she would lose the last shred of normalcy and comfort she had left. The world, in its cruel justice, would take away what little she still had.
Something tugged at her shirt. Kokoro sniffled and looked down at her granddaughter. Chimney had calmed down, having found one of the buttons on Kokoro's blouse. She paused, meeting her grandmother's eyes. Her free hand loosened and her hand reached up to pat Kokoro's chin. She smiled.
Something warm resonated in Kokoro. Those curious eyes of Chimney's held the same spark that Cutty Flam's had when he first arrived, ready for adventure. Her grin promised a positive future that overflowed with life and hope. In Chimney, Kokoro saw what Tom had dreamed of.
Taking a deep breath, Kokoro felt a heavy weight begin to lift from her shoulders. It still lingered, as it would take time to move forward, but for the first time in three months, she was able to see past the tragedy.
She smiled back.