Day 555,

Look at that number.  It’s a good number.  Maybe not quite as wonderfully self-referential as three hundred thirty three,  but aesthetically pleasing all the same.  I still think I’d rank it below one hundred eleven  but higher than two hundred twenty two or four hundred forty four.

As planned, we had our post-solstice gathering of friends.  Our second, chosen, family.  Myself, Cass, Lin, Maiko, Vernon, and - most recently - Tiaho. 

 I’ll confess, it’s taken longer than I care to admit for me to get used to the idea of having someone that regularly works with Theo around, and even this morning I was nervous about her being here for discussions we planned to have.  But, if I’m being honest with myself, she really has come to seem like someone who’s more likely to help run interference for us than she is to go reporting back to him with our plans for poking around at things he’d rather us not.

I think Lin still thinks I’m more jealous than suspicious, but that is definitely not the case.

But anyway, Lin and Maiko arrived first with Cass (in her words) “escaping her parents” shortly thereafter.  There were pleasantries exchanged asking one another about the previous night’s activities, although I refrained from pressing about too much detail.  I’m still finding myself unsure how to talk about the topic of Lin’s mother, although Maiko must surely also be aware by now.

We’d all gotten fairly well settled in by the time Vernon and Tiaho showed up an hour or so later.  It wasn’t so much a big lunch or dinner as everyone bringing leftovers and/or food that they’d set aside in advance that we all sort of grazed on throughout the day while hanging out.  Hanging out and planning.

Once the usual funeral and birth at the end of the rainy season are done with (as well as this last week of school classes since this solstice wasn’t on a market day) we’re finally going to set out to Cloud Tower.  Hopefully the birth will follow the funeral closely enough that we’ll be able to maximize the days between mist nights.  Not that we plan to spend all that long out or ascend very high.  Just poke our heads inside to see what it’s like and then leave.  Probably.

In the meantime Maiko’s going to start setting up a cache of food and supplies at the northernmost tip of the island so that when it comes time to leave we’ll be able to just grab the boats and set out without attracting undue attention.  While we made the new boat large enough to hold three, Vernon’s ultimately decided not to join us in favor of staying back to attempt to minimize whatever backlash Theo might cook up after realizing that we’ve “gone digging for answers” again.  Cass was quick to point out how well that went for him last time, but he brushed it off saying that he doesn’t intend to do anything quite so rash this time around.  And besides, he has Tiaho with him now.

We all refrained from mentioning the “tower fear” aversion to going that doubtless played a part in his decision.

So then, it will once more be Lin, Maiko, Cass, and myself going on this expedition.  In hindsight, writing all this down is probably reckless, but then again Theo will almost certainly know what we’re up to anyway the moment we get close to the Tower. And we’re set for having our own boats, so that rules out the main way he could hinder us.  Probably. 

We also debated whether to make the (admittedly lengthy) detour to check on Iole while we’re out.  Not for investigative reasons, just to check on the old woman living by herself.  It was mostly Lin who pushed for it, and she made a good point that it would make a good “official” reason for our leaving.  Depending on how our supplies are doing and how long we end up spending in the Tower, we’ll probably head out her way afterwards. 

That’s not to say the day was all serious planning.  There was a fair bit of more lighthearted conversation and catching up as we’ve all been busy these past few weeks.  Around noon or so Lin suggested that we all go down to the beach since the weather was clear, and then afterward we went upstream to the spring to clear the salt off.  I think I’m finally getting over my aversion that I’ve had to that place ever since my disappearance.  I think seeing Tiaho in awe of that bottomless well of life for the first time helped ease some of that anxiety as well.  

The highlight of the evening though (for me at least) was finally getting to make use of the game board and rulebook that Maiko and I have been assembling in our spare time over the past few months based on her memory of her mother’s game.  Sure, it took us a while to get going with it and I think Vermon was still fuzzy on the rules at the end of the night, but after a rough first game subsequent rounds seemed to go more smoothly.  I know Maiko was nervous about it (and to be honest, I was too, at least a little) but once she hit her stride with it that was the most expressively happy I’ve seen her in some time.

I know she doesn’t have much left of her mother, and even less of whatever world her mother came from, so I’m glad she was able to connect with her in at least this small way for solstice.

Heh, it seems I am once more growing maudlin with the late hour.  Or perhaps it’s the drink that Tiaho brought with her.  Not that I indulged much myself (nor did I allow Cass to) but I have little tolerance for such beverages.  Or maybe it really is genuine sentiment.

Whatever the case, Lin and Maiko have long since retired to the guest bedroom and the others have even longer since gone home for the night.  I should follow their example.  Particularly with the last week of school for the season starting tomorrow morning.  This time I intend to be fully present for that.