âThatâs actually the most absurd thing of this all, you have neither the ORGANIZATIONAL skills nor the ambition to be an important member â or even member â of a drug ring. You being scrawny is really only part of the reason why, definitely not the whole reason.â Rosamonde said this confidently, without teasing, as if veâd been asked this question as part of a job interview. As part of something serious. Of course, ve recognized the melancholic tone of Glendaâs âjokesâ, the way sheâd been keeping the textbook in front of her even though she wasnât studying. Ros wasnât in the habit of pitying anyone or doing them favors, but, veâd known Glenda for over six years â it wouldâve been cruel to let her be alone during a time like this.Â
Not that Ros wasnât capable of being casually cruel, but, how could ve be in this situation? Glenda was rendered an orphan, her little sister subjected to the same fate, Ros knew what it was like to worry about younger siblings â being more PROTECTIVE of Capucine than ve liked to admit for fear that someone would use it against ver ( it was a true weakness, but not one ve was ashamed of ). Lily had asked ver to keep an eye on Glenda, stay with her when ve could, so she did.Â
Despite the fact that Glenda wasnât ver best friend ( hard for anyone to be a close friend when everyone was kept at more than an arms length distance ) Ros also noticed Glendaâs absence in almost everything ve did. That was one of the reasons it was so easy for ve to agree to keep Glenda company, they spent many days together, even if not on purpose, being in the same year and house. Plus, they shared a mutual love of music. âThey interviewed Capucine as well, not me though, yet. I expect to be called in but itâs quite SUSPICIOUS that the majority of people theyâve interviewed have been people of color, isnât it? And by suspicious I mean racist.â
Glenda was dumbfounded at Rosamondeâs reply for a moment. Not in a BAD way, per se --- she just genuinely didnât know what to say, and that didnât happen to her often. âWow, thanks,â she said eventually, sitting up a little. She wasnât offended, far from it actually, she was just glad that someone wasnât sugarcoating something, that they shared something so matter-of-factly. It felt like a breath of fresh air, and Glenda needed that. She had a gigantic need for things to seem normal, and for Rosamonde to answer her self-pitying words this way? It was funny, even.
âI mean, youâre absolutely right. Iâd probably accidentally share a TON of important secrets after two days of being part of it. Iâm too much of a blabbermouth.â Glenda found herself relaxing a little as a chuckle slipped past her lips. âBesides, Iâd probably end up smoking up my own supply.â The situation was ridiculous, in all honesty. Her father dying was strange on its own, as was the fact that the world kept moving when she seemed to be standing still. And then there were the suspicions towards her, which were almost laughable. It wasnât funny at all, but the ridiculousness of the situation, and how quick and sudden it had hit her, left her laughing either way. Hands covered her face, laughter slipping past her lips. âFucking hell.â
She stopped laughing after a while, both because Ros was bringing up the racist ways the ministry was operating and because she was done laughing. The situation was ridiculous, yes, but also angering and disgusting and fucking hopeless. There was very little anger in Glendaâs body though --- the place where it usually sat was an empty hole, filled with fatigue and lost hope and emptiness. âOf fucking course,â she said, head shaking, words bitter. âJesus. Theyâre not even tryinâ to hide it, not even going to ... pretend that theyâre not bigoted fucks. Not that thatâs any better, but they seem damn proud of it. Fuck.â Glenda put out her cigarette. âIâm so done with these assholes, Ros.â