Chapter 18
The next day, Beka tries to find Rommie about a dress she must wear to the dinner with the Karachuran that evening. She finally finds her strolling the halls, checking the systems as she goes.
"Rommie," Beka says. "Hey, listen, I've been looking everywhere for you. About this dress…"
She holds it up. It's a dark navy blue, very sleek in design and looks somewhat movable to be in.
"What about it?" Rommie replies.
"I can't wear this."
"Beka you have to wear—"
"A dress, I know, but would it matter if I wore my regular clothes? I mean, really, it's not like it would matter anyway, right? They wouldn't care. I bet they won't even dress up."
"Why don't you like to wear dresses?" Rommie asks.
Beka ponders the question a second.
"Well…it's not that I don't like to wear them, I just prefer not to if I can. It makes me look…I don't know…like I'm just some vulnerable girl that's just an object to look at. I don't know."
"I would like you to wear the dress, but you don't have to if you don't want to."
There was a pause, and Rommie notices Beka staring at the floor.
"Is something wrong," she asks Beka.
"Me? No. Just, thinking about things."
"Somehow I get the impression you didn't come to me to talk about a dress."
Beka looks up, and replies, "What if I said yes?"
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"I've already talked about it."
"Okay. Well, then, unless there's anything else…"
"Wait," Beka says. "I'm sorry. I just, I'm kind-of still a little—I feel a little weird about saying anything, to other people."
"I'm a pretty good listener, if you'll let me."
Beka nods and says, "Alright. Alright, let's talk."
They walk down the corridors to the officers' lounge and makes sure the door is locked so no one can intrude on the conversation. Beka confessed everything to Rommie, everything from Christopher to the miscarriage. Rommie listened; she listened like a friend, which was something Beka needed more of. By the end, Rommie gave her some advice and some comforting words for the future. She asked if she could tell Dylan, and Beka said it was fine. She decided she shouldn't leave it a secret anymore. They should know why she's been acting the way she has the past few days. And so the next few days were smoother and life was a little better with the support of her family.
The next day, Beka tries to find Rommie about a dress she must wear to the dinner with the Karachuran that evening. She finally finds her strolling the halls, checking the systems as she goes.
"Rommie," Beka says. "Hey, listen, I've been looking everywhere for you. About this dress…"
She holds it up. It's a dark navy blue, very sleek in design and looks somewhat movable to be in.
"What about it?" Rommie replies.
"I can't wear this."
"Beka you have to wear—"
"A dress, I know, but would it matter if I wore my regular clothes? I mean, really, it's not like it would matter anyway, right? They wouldn't care. I bet they won't even dress up."
"Why don't you like to wear dresses?" Rommie asks.
Beka ponders the question a second.
"Well…it's not that I don't like to wear them, I just prefer not to if I can. It makes me look…I don't know…like I'm just some vulnerable girl that's just an object to look at. I don't know."
"I would like you to wear the dress, but you don't have to if you don't want to."
There was a pause, and Rommie notices Beka staring at the floor.
"Is something wrong," she asks Beka.
"Me? No. Just, thinking about things."
"Somehow I get the impression you didn't come to me to talk about a dress."
Beka looks up, and replies, "What if I said yes?"
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"I've already talked about it."
"Okay. Well, then, unless there's anything else…"
"Wait," Beka says. "I'm sorry. I just, I'm kind-of still a little—I feel a little weird about saying anything, to other people."
"I'm a pretty good listener, if you'll let me."
Beka nods and says, "Alright. Alright, let's talk."
They walk down the corridors to the officers' lounge and makes sure the door is locked so no one can intrude on the conversation. Beka confessed everything to Rommie, everything from Christopher to the miscarriage. Rommie listened; she listened like a friend, which was something Beka needed more of. By the end, Rommie gave her some advice and some comforting words for the future. She asked if she could tell Dylan, and Beka said it was fine. She decided she shouldn't leave it a secret anymore. They should know why she's been acting the way she has the past few days. And so the next few days were smoother and life was a little better with the support of her family.