[sylvanSpider]

Just because Yoruba was occupied with her activities did not make her oblivious to the conversations going on around her. Pre-Reckoning days, she let herself get completely absorbed in her work, music blaring. Now, however, she worked hyperaware of every noise that went on about her, including the conversations. She worked quickly, having formulated a brief mental plan and wrote out some of the more complicated bits, complete with a diagram and measurements.

Emily tried to muster a smile, “I didn't really give him much of a choice. After I found out he had Max, I was going to leave so he might as well get used to my presence. The rest is...was...history.” Again, she could feel that too familiar lump forming in her throat and she bowed her head. “Truth was, I was lonely. Sure, I was surviving traveling the east coast wastelands, but I wasn't living. I needed a friend and then I found Victor...”

Yoruba swallowed, pausing what she was doing for a moment. She should have been more kind to Victor. But what was done was done. Victor was gone, and she, like Emily, would need to move on. Before the other two ladies could tell that she was eavesdropping, she resumed, her mind busy with the project at hand and the parts of Emily's life that she hadn't been there for. How different would things be if she hadn't fucked up so royally with Payali?

Emily looked down at the plate and sighed, “You're right. Won't last a day in Denver if we're not properly fed.” She cut off a piece with her pocket knife and took the bite, willing herself to chew. “Yoruba, you finding anything?” she mustered, doing her absolute best to stay on a neutral subject that wouldn't bring her to tears again.

“I've got layouts of a couple new things made up. But I don't think we'll be ready to go into Denver tomorrow. I'll need at least one more day. Tomorrow, if you'd be willing, could you and Anna see if you could catch anything? We'll need to overstock on food because we don't know what we'll be up against when we get in there. Also, some of the cars along the freeway will probably have guns or ammo. We'll need to do a thorough search if Anna hasn't already.”