CHAPTER 7
The next day, Rosemary prepared the two thermoses full of coffee, even though no one but the Spectre and Nuni had partook of it the day before. She was an optimist. She had to be. While getting ready for work, she couldn't help but feel nostalgic for the not-so-distant times of when it had just been her and her baby, Wakey Brews. She had felt happy... and fulfilled. Every time she had opened the store's doors in the morning, she had felt some of her mother's spirit in her. Now... she was writing reports for people who barely talked to her. God, she was depressing herself.
She could hear a door open upstairs, and a minute later, Balint was walking down the stairs, yawning. She wordlessly handed him a cup of dextro frappuccino. He accepted it gratefully and took a sip. He sighed blissfully at the taste. "This stuff is a work of art, Rose. You should think about opening up a coffee place again."
That would be nice, but she had to be realistic. "I can't rely on the council to keep paying the bills. I don't even know how long they'd do that for."
Balint inclined his head, conceding her point. "True. They'll only keep supporting you while Keeya is threatened."
Rosemary nodded. "Exactly. I'll still have to pay for this place. I need to make money to pay the bills, same as usual."
Balint looked around. "I see the charm, but this place is old. Old and old-fashioned. Wouldn't you rather get someplace more... modern?"
"Oh, no. I adore this place," Rosemary gushed. "Newer constructs don't smell like anything! This place smells like wood, earth, and..."
Balint laughed. "I get it, I get it. You're weird."
Rosemary wrinkled her nose. "Don't be mean."
"Not trying to be. Just stating my own observation," Balint insisted. "You know, I'd rather be babysitting YOU instead of the kids."
Rosemary was too distracted by the thought of the workday ahead of her to be flustered by that flirtatiously delivered comment. She told him what she thought of it by snorting, "Keeya's the target, not me. I'm just a measly, incompetent little human."
"Woah, where did that come from?"
One word. "Veracia."
"Ah. Haven't had to deal with him too much, but I heard he's not that fond of humans."
"I noticed," Rosemary said dryly.
"Just try not to judge all turians by his standard. I'm extremely charming, after all."
That made Rosemary grin. Balint's arrogance was adorable, in its own little way. And Veracia wasn't just a turian. He was an ass. She had never really been into butts, she thought to herself, her grin broadening. "That's not charm," Rosemary corrected Balint. "It's called sleaze. You're just trying to get into my pants."
He didn't see any reason to deny it. "Yes. Yes, I am."
Rosemary rolled her eyes and slipped into her favorite boots. Veracia hadn't noticed that they weren't standard-issue, so until he did, she would wear her favorite shoes, gosh darn it. She grabbed the thermoses. "Turians are sex on legs, but I am not some easy slut," she muttered.
Balint laughed. Rosemary reddened. Had she said that out loud? "Uh... Bye!" She hurried out the door, trying to block out the sound of Balint's laughter.
XOXOXOXO
The job was easy once you got the hang of it. Rosemary took an officer's notes, skimmed through them, and fleshed out a comprehensive, detailed report. With Nuni's guidance, Rosemary was soon breezing through her work. She was on her thirteenth report when a tired C-Sec officer stumbled through the door, bleary-eyed.
"You okay," she ventured to ask.
He didn't even look at her; he was that tired. "Yeah. Long night. Brawl in Chora's Den. This batarian almost tore off one of my mandibles."
Rosemary winced sympathetically. She poured a cup of dextro coffee, slipping in some Rannoch Spicer. She offered it to the officer.
"Oh... thanks," he said, finally looking at her. He looked startled. He still took a sip. Like everyone who had ever tried her drinks, he looked surprised. "This is good stuff. You're Rosem, right? The secretary."
"Kind of, I guess. I'm Rosemary Fletcher."
"Rynak Imperatus. Um, it was nice to meet you." He hurried away, clutching his cup.
Rosemary returned to her work. She was well into her thirtieth report when Yadai K'Mohi came in. She came straight to Rosemary's desk, poured herself a cup of regular coffee and vanilla creamer, and left just as quickly. "Hm. Not bad. Bye, Fletcher."
The rest of her day was pretty much the same. Word quietly spread among the offices about her coffees, and her thermoses were empty by midday. She was in the kitchen cleaning out mugs, when she overheard a couple of turians gossiping just outside the door.
"I have no idea what she looks like, but that Nuni is damn sexy. With those curves, and that accent..."
Rosemary smiled. Nuni would be tickled pink, hearing that she was the object of one of her fellow officer's lusty affections.
"How about V'Zher? At least you can see her face, and she's fitter than the quarian. Not really into the bulbous curve thing..." Rosemary recognized that voice. It was Rynak, from earlier.
"Bulbous? Damn, that's harsh. At least Nuni's curves aren't as... overly generous as that new girl's. What's her name, Rynak? Rosemary, right?"
Rynak was in agreement with Nuni's admirer. "I'm not attracted to humans, myself. Humans are too... soft. Fatty. The females have those fat... globs on their chest." Rosemary could hear his subharmonics shudder with revulsion. "Rosemary's globs are bigger than most, but... she's a nice person. At least she's got that going for her. She makes good coffee, too."
"Coffee, you say? Hm."
Rosemary was mortified. She quietly exited the kitchen through the other door, and shuffled back to her desk. As she got back to work, she tried to cheer herself up. At least my coffee's good.
XOXOXOXO
Rosemary spent the rest of the day sighing – bored and depressed. And feeling very fat. She may have bought one too many chocolates during break. She was munching her third bar of chocolate when everyone's omni-tool pinged.
"Attention. Attention." Rosemary immediately recognized the synthetic voice belonging to the Presidium's VI, AVINA. "The Citadel will be returning to the Widow system in exactly one hour. Please remain indoors until we have reached our destination. It is also recommended that everyone brace themselves for what may be a turbulent ride. Thank you for your cooperation."
Everyone got up, grabbed their things, and started to leave the offices in droves. Captain Veracia stopped the last four officers from leaving. "Don't be idiots. Who will watch the cells? You four, stay. You're not leaving either, Fletcher."
"But..."
"Continue with your work. We are the Citadel Security. At no given time should the Citadel Security offices be vacant of all personnel," he said harshly.
"But sir, my family..."
"That's what the omni-tool's for, secretary. I will see you five after the move."
The five of them stared after Captain Veracia long after he had exited the offices.
"What an ass," grumbled an asari officer.
They shared a laugh before going to their posts. Resigned to the situation, Rosemary called Balint while she put her paperwork in drawers – just to be safe.
"Fortem."
"This is Rosemary. Veracia's keeping me at work. Is everyone home?"
Balint's voice sounded strangely strained. "Everyone's fine. They're all in the living area – and holding on to something. Rosemary?"
"Yeah?"
Balint's voice was low now. "When you get back, we need to talk about your father."
Rosemary frowned. "Is he okay?"
"I'll talk to you later."
Rosemary stared at her omni-tool. Talk about abrupt! "Fine, fine..." She cut off the call, wondering what exactly Balint was talking about. Ever since their move, ever since her father had finished his job on the Citadel, as part of the plumbing crew, he had been... fine. He was never really okay, but he spent his days going to Apollo's Cafe, playing chess with a volus friend he had found. At least that was what he had been telling her...
The Citadel shifted in a loud groan of metal, glass, and concrete. Rosemary grabbed her desk for balance. The floor beneath her feet was vibrating, and the ceiling was shaking. Suddenly feeling very nervous, Rosemary crept under her desk. She felt silly, bunkering down here, but the desk was anchored to the floor. It made her feel safer, and that's what mattered.
Above the shrieking of the Citadel's bones, she thought she heard someone coming into the offices.
Tap. Tap. Tap. Hm. The person was wearing heels. She couldn't explain the feeling, but something told her not to get up, or make a sound. After a few moments, the person left. Rosemary closed her eyes, feeling like an idiot. Why had she hidden? She hoped it hadn't been anyone important. God, she was getting paranoid in her old age.
XOXOXOXO
The move to the Citadel only took a couple of hours. As monumentous the task had been, the powers that be had planned it well. Once they were through the mass relay and back in the Widow system, AVINA came back online to inform the Citadel's citizens that everything had proceeded as planned, and that they were free to go about their business.
Rosemary couldn't get out of C-Sec fast enough. She washed out her thermoses, bid goodbye to the officers watching the cells, and hightailed it out of there. Everyone was outside, staring at the artificial sky.
"We're finally home," a nearby batarian breathed.
Rosemary looked up. It didn't look any different to her. Then again, this was her first time out of the Sol system. Maybe it felt different? Shrugging, she turned the corner and caught sight of Imitha, across from a Rapid Transit station.
"Imitha!"
"Rosemary!" Imitha looked relieved to see her. Rosemary jogged over to her side, well, as well as one could jog in clunky heels, and saw that Imitha was standing next to an empty storefront, looking disgruntled, to say the least.
"What's... going on?"
Imitha sighed. "My Dad."
"Been there. Still there, actually."
"No, I mean... Dad... bought me a store."
Rosemary looked at the storefront again, impressed. "That was nice of him."
Imitha didn't think so, apparently. "It's all Garrus' fault! You know me, I've never really fit in, well, anywhere. I did crazy bad in the military. It was all Dad could do to keep me from being dishonorably discharged."
Rosemary's mouth quirked in a smile. "Imitha... you dyed your squad's uniform purple, and stitched their names on them in pink thread."
Imitha's mandibles twitched guiltily. "Not purple, wine-colored. I wanted periwinkle, but I think my male peers would have killed me. … And it wasn't pink. It was crepe."
"My bad." Now Rosemary was full-out grinning. "You were just being... fashionable?"
"Exactly! I was doing my part to better the military, keeping with my skills... and they were mad! It was most upsetting."
Rosemary loved Imitha, but she was the girliest turian she knew. Rosemary liked wearing the occasional skirt and blouse, but Imitha lived and breathed femininity. Rosemary had only had contact with the turians on Earth, but she was willing to bet that Imitha's tastes were still very... unique among her own kind. "So why did your dad buy you a store?"
"Like I said, it's all Garrus' fault! He has to be a freakin' hero. He's the pride of the Vakarian name. And I'm... unmarried, jobless, and just... useless. While Garrus is doing the hero bit, Dad's taken it into his mind that I need to do something with my life. I mentioned, one time, in passing, that I could see myself owning a fashion boutique... so..."
"So he bought you a store. Nice of him. Really freakin' nice."
"But I like buying clothes! I don't have a lick of business sense... It would just be so much work..." Imitha started and really looked at her friend. Rosemary was looking at the building, a wistful light in her eyes. An idea took root in her mind...
"Rosemary?"
"Would you... be interested in bringing back Wakey Brews?"
Rosemary stared. Of course she would be interested! Her eyes narrowed. "I'm not taking your store." She'd had enough charity. Sure, the Council had given her a house and a job... but those had been ridiculous measures to keep Keeya safe. She was not going to live her life dependent on the whims of others. That would be risky, and incredibly selfish. Her mother had taught her better. Enough was enough. She was going to earn her way as much as she could. "I'm not taking your store, Imitha," she repeated, her voice firm.
Imitha crossed her arms. "Don't be so dramatic, Rosemary. Just hear me out, okay?"
Rosemary glared back at her friend, equally stubborn. "I don't think so."
Imitha blocked Rosemary from walking away. "I said, hear me out! I just thought of this now, but what if you turn this place into Wakey Brews? It's not your mom's store, but you could make it like it. You were good at your job, Rosemary."
"Exactly. I already have a job. I am a C-Sec secretary. … Kind of."
"Exactly," Imitha exclaimed. "The day's not even half over! You work like, what... a seven-hour shift? You could have two jobs!"
Rosemary stared. "You want me to work myself to the bone? I'm exhausted. I can't do the job I have and manage a store at the same time. It's a nice thought, Imitha, but it won't work."
Imitha wouldn't give up. She walked behind Rosemary, determined to have her friend hear her out. "I can help! I mean... Dad wants me to do something, and this would count! We can be co-owners."
"No. No more charity. And what can you do to help out at a coffee store?"
"I can bake."
Rosemary froze in her tracks. She turned around to look at Imitha, eyes wide. "Seriously?"
Imitha looked embarrassed. She shifted in her heels, looking very uncomfortable. "I... learned to bake shortly after meeting you. I loved your drinks, but I couldn't... eat... your pastries. If you could call them that."
Rosemary wasn't offended. She had been at peace with her nonexistent baking skills for a long time. Even her mother hadn't been shy about pointing out how horrible a baker she was. "You can't, not really. Mom said they tasted like sugar-coated rocks. With crumbly, poison-filled centers."
Imitha chuckled, relaxing. "Yeah, so I decided to try my own hand at... baking. I studied up on it, and I... kind of got obsessed. Whenever me and Dad went to Wakey Brews, I brought some with me... in my purse. Slipped some to Dad, too. He actually thinks you're a good baker."
Rosemary stared. Again. "You didn't tell him?"
"That his daughter likes baking? I don't think he could have handled the shame. Pure military family, remember? I'm a big enough disappointment as is."
"Imitha..."
"No... the more I think about it, the more I like the idea. When we thought Garrus was dead, me and Dad found comfort in Wakey Brews. You were always so nice... and my dad is fine with humans now. He didn't used to be. The First Contact War left a bad impression..."
Rosemary had never known that. She looked back to where the building was, and felt the smallest kindling of hope. To have Wakey Brews again, to have her mother's plaque hanging behind the counter once again... Oh, it was a tempting thought. She closed her eyes, and mused.
It would be a ridiculous amount of work. But if she taught Imitha how to work the store while she worked her C-Sec job... Balint could bring Keeya and Oliver there, out of the house. With Wakey Brews, she'd be... home. Before she lost her nerve, she opened her eyes to look at Imitha.
"Let's do this."
