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chapter 55
It was the new moon, and the moon only briefly appeared at dawn before vanishing with the sunrise. Hearing that Katrin had come out to see the moonrise, Lynette couldn’t hold back a laugh.
To think she’d be waiting like this and still allowed to spend the night out.
“Well, it’s because you said you’d be a little late, miss. If you had said you’d be staying out all night, I wouldn’t have waited at all,” Katrin said, shrugging under the pitch-black night sky where the new moon was invisible, a sly smile on her face.
Taking Katrin’s hand, Lynette had to eat a second meal at home. Even though she had eaten at Sian’s house, Katrin had prepared something and was waiting, and Lynette felt it would be rude not to eat.
Fearing she might overeat and get sick, she hastily downed some digestive medicine. Unable to fall asleep until late, Lynette looked at the teddy bear beside her bed.
She remembered how her grandmother, skilled with her hands, had easily made the bear for her.
“Phew… I didn’t even need to bring this,” she muttered.
She had intended to leave it at the Countess Fruina’s house, but Katrin had packed it, leaving it on the bed like a decoration. Lynette stared at the bear for a while, unable to sleep until that new moon rose that night.
❅
“I wonder if it’ll rain today. The weather’s really bad.”
“Yes, make sure to take an umbrella with you,” Katrin said, glancing at the sky while doing house chores and handing an umbrella to Lynette, who was about to leave for work. Holding her umbrella and a basket of sandwiches, Lynette noticed Cheese, who wanted to follow her.
“Not today. When you were little, I’d take you along, but now you’re a cat, so I can’t carry you.”
Meow.
Cheese rubbed his head repeatedly against her legs. It seemed Katrin had been feeding him very well. Lynette never imagined that the skinny Cheese could become a chubby cat. Before heading to Katrin, she gave a warning.
“If you want Cheese to live long, don’t give him too much food. He’ll get so fat he won’t even be able to move.”
“But he keeps looking at me with those pitiful eyes…”
“No means no. Reflect back those looks. Cheese! You need to go on a diet. Until you lose weight, you’re not coming with me.”
Cheese’s ears drooped at Lynette’s warning. His moist eyes looked up at her, but she shook her head and hurried to put on her shoes, leaving Cheese in Katrin’s care.
“Ah! Katrin, I’m staying out tonight.”
Lately, Lynette often visited Sian’s house. She would say she’d be staying out, but Katrin would always come out to wait, so she knew she’d end up spending the night. Time flew while eating the food Sian made and drinking the coffee she prepared herself.
Still, since starting her relationship with Sian, Lynette hadn’t actually spent the night out. She would say she’d stay late but always go home eventually, seeing Katrin sleeping peacefully.
“Oh my, burning youth. How wonderful. Tomorrow’s a day off, so rest well there. Shall I grant you a two-night pass?”
“Do as you please. I’ll be off now.”
After briefly cuddling and acting spoiled in Katrin’s arms, Lynette headed to Attraction.
Arriving earlier than usual, Lynette noticed someone loitering in front of the shop. As soon as they sensed her, they ran off. Wearing a deep-hooded robe, it was hard to tell who it was, but their slender frame suggested a woman.
Curious, Lynette entered Attraction and immediately lit the fireplace. The dreary weather made the air feel unusually chilly.
Soon after, Angela arrived.
“Ah! I wanted to come first, but I’m a bit late.”
“Late? You’re thirty minutes early! You keep arriving early, and I end up having to pay you more. Please come on time.”
Angela, smiling brightly in the uniform Lynette had recently adjusted for her, put on an apron and got to work. She checked her appearance several times, clearly pleased with the uniform.
Shortly after putting up the “Open” sign, customers began to pour in. As usual, Attraction became hectic. Though she thought the gloomy weather would keep people away, surprisingly many showed up.
Once the rush subsided, Angela began cleaning the empty tables, and Lynette prepared refreshments for her.
Sipping coffee to fill her hungry stomach, Lynette recalled the person she had noticed outside that morning. They had likely wanted to enter but couldn’t because the door was closed. Or perhaps they were a thief.
Thinking she might alert the guards if someone loitered again, Lynette glanced at the brooding sky.
“Angela, did you bring an umbrella?”
“No, someone left one at our shop before… Oh, right, someone borrowed one and hasn’t returned it yet.”
Angela recalled Maria, from the fabric store, who had borrowed an umbrella during sudden rain. Looking sullen, Angela listened as Lynette advised her to retrieve it.
Sometimes, customers would return borrowed umbrellas immediately; other times, they said they’d bring them next visit. Lynette had lost track of how many she’d lent out.
“Maybe we should take a deposit next time,” she muttered, shaking her head.
Uncharacteristically, she focused on welcoming the sudden influx of customers. Although it was approaching evening, Attraction remained crowded.
With Angela gone early, Lynette handled coffee, serving, and cleaning almost single-handedly, barely keeping her sanity until closing time. Looking at the chaotic tables, she sighed.
“Sian said he couldn’t come today.”
Sian usually worked late but had daytime errands today, so he wouldn’t help with cleaning.
Even wishing she could borrow cat-like agility, Lynette had no time to sigh and hurriedly started tidying the tables.
The rain began pounding the roof, and she frowned. Why now, just before leaving?
Ding-dang-ding.
“Sian? Oh, I’m sorry.”
The bell rang, and Lynette assumed Sian had arrived late. Seeing a stranger, she felt awkward.
A figure wrapped in a black, wet robe caught her attention.
“I… I came for coffee…”
A frail voice came from an equally frail figure.
“What should I do? We’re closed for the day.”
It was getting dark. Lynette shook her head.
“C-can I just have one cup?”
The woman, covering her mouth, handed over coins, bowing her head low. Her long fingers were scarred and rough. Seeing the coins, Lynette bit her lip gently.
“Sit over there in the corner. Others might scold you if they see me serving after closing.”
Lynette indicated the farthest corner. As the woman sat, she closed the curtains to hide her from outside view, then slowly prepared the coffee. Even after closing, Lynette crafted latte art, blending espresso with milk and syrup.
“Here’s your latte. Enjoy it slowly.”
The woman flinched at the cup, holding it with both hands, staring at it in awe. Her trembling hands suggested the latte’s bear design seemed ready to jump out at her.
Lynette returned to her station, not pressuring the woman to drink. She merely added a few more logs to the fireplace.
Boom! Crash!
Suddenly, a massive sound shook the room. Thunder and lightning accompanied the rain, making Lynette flinch.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes… I wasn’t before, but now I am.”
Her faint voice was almost drowned by the storm. Lynette responded flatly. The woman resumed staring at her latte, and the thunder continued. Each flash made Lynette clench her fists.
After sipping the cooled latte, the woman remained silent. Once the storm subsided, leaving only rain, she rose.
Having only tasted the latte once, she bowed toward Lynette.
“Thank you… it was good.”
As she prepared to leave, Lynette spoke.
“Wait. I want to ask you something.”
“….”
“What do you do for work?”
Lynette rarely asked customers personal questions, but now she asked the woman directly.
“I… I do piecework sewing.”
“Does your sewing support your children?”
“….”
“Did you abandon your children?”
A clear liquid touched the woman’s hand as she held the door—tears.
Lynette stepped forward.
“Was it easier to abandon them?”
“….”
“Didn’t you wonder how they lived? Were you happy, leaving them to live your own life?”
“…I-I’m sorry. Truly… I’m sorry.”
Apologizing repeatedly, the woman left without an umbrella. Lynette followed into the pouring rain.
“I haven’t finished talking! Stop! I said stop!”
The woman ran through the muddy streets. Lynette caught her arm and turned her around, removing the deep hood. Lightning illuminated her face.
Her short red hair was in disarray, her green eyes lifeless. Lynette gripped her tightly.
“I asked you! Why won’t you answer?!”
“Sob…”
“Don’t cry. Did leaving us make you happy? Answer me!”
The woman cried, tears or rain blurring her vision. Lynette stared fiercely, shouting louder than thunder.
“Did leaving us make you happy? Why can’t you answer? Why?!”
“L-Lynette…”
It was Masha, the Countess Fruina who had run away with her lover. After fifteen years, she appeared before Lynette, unsure what to do.
“Why are you here? Why! To see this sight? You could have just sent a letter saying you were alive. Who comes all the way here looking for you? Are you crazy?!”
