Page 34 of Rogue’s Mark

"The dad thing," I confirm. "And Fischer and his spy, and everything we found yesterday. And—" I stop. "It’s a lot."

She nods. She doesn't try to fix anything or talk me out of my angst, which is one of the things I love most about her. She knows when to just listen.

We sit in the food court for a while. It's a strange space these days, the ghost of a place we hung out in when we were tweens, ogling cute boys and scraping up enough money for a smoothie that we’d split between us. These days, the food vendors’ menu boards have half their letters missing, and the soda fountain machines have been raided for parts. On the other hand, the branded tiles on the floor are intact, although faded, and a napkin dispenser on one of the tables somehow still has napkins in it that say Rothwell Galleria.

It’s crazy, the stuff that manages to hang on despite everything going on around it.

"Tell me about Kade," I say.

Mara's eyebrows rise. "What about him?"

"Mara."

"He's just, he's very competent," she says with a hint of a blush.

My ass. We’re not talking about competence here.

I try not to laugh. "Uh-huh. Competence. What every girl wants. Soooo sexy."

She rolls her eyes. "Okay, fine. Here’s his bio, if that’s what you want. He grew up near here. He watched this place close. He said it was the first time he understood that things could just die. That something that seemed permanent could disappear."

"That's a lot to share with someone you just met."

"Well." Mara looks at her coffee. "I didn’t just meet him. We've talked a few times."

"A few times."

"Several times."

"Mara."

"Don't make it a thing, Vi, it's not a thing."

It absolutely is a thing. But I tuck it away with the satisfaction that Mara’s got a dude, and I move on because I am a good friend. She can be coy all she wants, but I’ll eventually get the whole story out of her.

"Hey, what’s up with your mom?" I ask. "Have you heard from her?"

She purses her lips and shakes her head. Maybe I shouldn’t have brought it up.

"No. Don't expect to."

I look off into the distance, remembering the falafel vendor that used to be in the far corner. "That’s too bad⁠—"

“Hey, she made her choice," Mara says in her most practical tone. "Vi, when your father was accused and everyone started pulling away, she told me to do the same. That we couldn’t be associated with the ‘likes of your family’ as she put it. So I did. At first. And then I was like fuck this. I made my own decision and came looking for you.” She shrugs.

I don't say I'm sorry because Mara hates that and besides, I’m glad she came looking for me. Sure, I have the guys here in the Rot, but life is so much better with my bestie. Even if she has a new guy she’s being all tight-lipped about.

So I put a hand over hers and she grasps mine back.

"Your mom believed them," I say finally. "About my father."

"Most people did. It was easier," she says, squeezing my hand.

"You believed it too."

"Well, at first, I guess because everyone else did. But then, when I finally started to think for my own damn self, I realized I needed more information. I could say you showed me the light,” she adds with a weak, self-conscious laugh.

“It’s all good, Mar.” She needs to know she’s been forgiven.