Tomorrow and Tomorrow

Chapter 2: Potatoes

Alcott lost track of time staring at the measuring spoon in her hand. The baking powder was sitting out; all she had to do was follow the recipe. Instead, she placed the spoon back on the counter and put the bowl of flour and sugar back in the refrigerator.

It had taken her a week to get the bowl out and measure the flour and sugar. The rest of her life couldn't be as hard as making one batch of muffins on her own. She felt a small kick, which brought a smile to her face. Alcott placed both hands on her stomach, wondering what her little one was thinking. She had an appointment tomorrow to find out the gender, but she was about to cancel on Madison. She didn't need to know.

Someone knocked on the door, making Alcott jump. She pushed back her braids and opened it. Levi stood with a faint grin on his face. She couldn't help but glance down at his braces and crutches, but then she returned the smile.

"Come over," he said. "We're having potatoes."

She wanted to say no, but Levi was hard to refuse. He would lean in the doorway with his boyish grin until she relented. So she nodded and followed him into the hallway.

"We got the piano," he told her. "I have to talk to Ibsen about creating some sort of tuner, but it's finally on the base."

"Tuner?" she inquired.

"The piano used small hammers to hit a series of strings," he explained. "But the strings aren't the right frequencies so the notes don't sound right. It's been a century since anyone from Earth could have fixed it." He shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe there's a pianist in cryo."

Alcott snorted. "Maybe," she allowed. "There have been stranger people. You, for instance."

"Ouch," he laughed.

They met Lully and Esperanza in the hall outside Levi's berth. Levi punched in the code to let them in.

"Dylan?" he called.

There was no answer. A pained expression crossed his face, but then he shook it off, heading to the refrigerator to pull out lunch. Potatoes, cheese, green onions, bacon, broccoli. Alcott wondered if he spent all his credits on food. Not that anyone could tell, Levi was as thin as the day they had pulled him from cryo.

"Potatoes," he said with a happy sigh. "If I get out the wedge of cheese, will someone slice it up?"

"Oh, pick me," Esperanza laughed. "Lully will eat it all."

"Will not," Lully protested. "Petal, why do you insist on telling lies?"

Someone knocked and Alcott answered the door for Harper and Cameron. Cameron was holding up a jug. It was an odd light green color.

"Alcohol?" Alcott questioned.

Cameron shook her blonde hair. Harper had been the first person to convince her to grow it out and the longer hair made her not look quite as severe. She still wore a partial uniform, but usually with a printed shirt. Harper had been good for her.

"Iced green tea. Levi said it was delicious so we made it and now we can all try it."

She set it on the table. Levi scrubbed the potatoes and set them in the oven. Alcott helped chop the onion and broccoli to use as toppings.

"While we're all here, we can talk about the dance party?" Esperanza hinted. "Cameron, you seem to be the hold up."

Cameron groaned, pushing her hair out of her eyes. "I am not opposed to parties," she said. "But you can have them without me."

"But then we can never get anyone organized, and Lully and Levi eat everything," Esperanza complained. "And the Canary crew never respond to my invites."