Catch-all; Sieghart

[momming]

Comments

[momming]

Do you think she won't talk to anyone about it?

[ercnerd]

It's not that I don't think she won't . . .

[But our habits are the same.]

I just wonder if she's letting them sit long enough.

[momming]

... Do you sort of feel as though you're kindred spirits, in a way?

[ercnerd]

. . . Not quite.

She said that I reminded her of her sister.

[momming]

Her sister?

[ ...

He doesn't really seem to have a sisterly aura, but maybe a similar personality...? ]

[ercnerd]

Mm, that's right.

[But she passed away.]

Even then, she was reluctant to tell me anything.

[momming]

There are some things we don't necessarily want to speak about. For a variety of reasons.

[ If people hadn't seen Koharu, I wonder if I would have stayed silent too... ]

[ercnerd]

. . . What about you? Who's the lucky patient you'll be talking about today?

[momming]

...

Did you know Lucretia paints?

[ercnerd]

Oh, that's right. She sent me a drawing of everyone from our dorm. Is that what she's up to when she isn't wrangling the kids?

[momming]

I think so! When the art room opened up last week, she was practically living there. She was actually working on a portrait of everyone-- the people living, the people here.

I think that's incredible, honestly. The more I learned about her, the more in awe I was.

[ercnerd]

She has an eye for detail. And she doesn't seem like someone who'd forget people easily . . .

[momming]

[ she-- winces, a little. ]

Not without outside "assistance", at least.

[ercnerd]

That's something we're all at the risk of.

[He leans back in his seat.]

So, are the two of you friends?

[momming]

I'd like to think so! She let me call her Lucy before she-- er, forgot me. And from that, I could figure out she wasn't very fond of people she didn't know calling her nicknames.

[ercnerd]

Is that right?

[Has she heard Moon Granny yet?]

She didn't even tell us her name when we first introduced ourselves.

[momming]

[ Moon Granny?? ]

How long did it take you to start calling her by her name?

[ercnerd]

Me? I just call her Director.

[momming]

Still?

[ Well. It's not like they've had many opportunities to talk, huh. She just shakes her head. ]

I suppose she's used to that.

[ercnerd]

It's what she preferred at the time. She hasn't said otherwise . . . though, come to think of it, she signed that letter with her name.

[momming]

[ She taps her chin, a little thoughtfully. ]

Why not try it, then? The next time you write to her, unless you get an opportunity to speak before then.

[ercnerd]

[ . . . How soon is that going to be . . . ?]

. . . Ah, maybe.

[momming]

Well, it's no good if it's a "maybe". Anything I can do to make that a definitely?

[ercnerd]

I'll figure something out, so don't worry about it.

[momming]

Oh, I'm not.

She deserves that much, after all.