The warm water soothed her body, and eased her restless mind. After four tireless days spent in Holloway, dealing with ruthless, crazed women that terrorized other women in the facility when let out for daily exercise or during breakfast and dinner times; it felt good to relax in the privacy of Shay’s bathroom. She found herself smiling at his words, of how he didn’t mean any offense, except that he could turn the valves better. Sinking into the water, with her ears barely above the surface, Vera thought she was mistaken at first, for she thought she heard Shay talking to someone else. As she shifted to rise her body up, she soon understood that it was actually Shay singing. While she did not know the song, she assumed that like the Black Velvet Band, the song was of Irish origin. Nevertheless, she closed her eyes and listened to the sound of his voice. In truth, she wondered if anyone else knew of this side of him, that he could actually sing, or that he even possessed an inkling for singing. Finishing up with her bath, Vera managed to wash away every speck of dirt, from in between her toes, under the pits of her arms, and even behind her ears, just as mother had taught her. With skin rosy-pink from all the scrubbing, Vera’s attitude flourished. A hot bath always improved her mood. 

	Digging into the brown sack full of clothes she purchased, containing a new pair of flannel pajamas, while most older women strayed away from the idea of wearing pants altogether, the younger women growing up in this day and age were becoming more accustomed to the idea of pajama pants instead of wearing the traditional nightgowns to bed. Of course, negligées were still popular amongst the female society, but since it was the end of January, and she was a guest in Shay’s house for the time being, Vera opted to pick up a pair of modest, red flannel pajamas. The seams were straight, giving no thought to the body that inhabited the outfit beneath, while the flannel blouse buttoned down the front with opalescent buttons, the thought of slipping back into her clothes from earlier that day made her grimace. With the feeling of a fresh change of clothes now donned, Vera ventured over to the foggy mirror over the sink vanity, and wiped away the accrued steam with the ball of her hand. Taking the time to comb out her tangled locks, Vera poked and tugged at her face before uttering a sigh.

	Departing from the tiny bathroom, her old clothes placed inside the brown paper sack, she poked her head around the door in time to see Shay sitting at the table, lost in contemplation as his eyes gazed out the window. “I had no idea you could sing as well, Mr. Alden.” Vera teased playfully as she stepped away from the door, leaving it cracked open so that the steam would escape from the room, and avoid the chance for mold to grow. She set the sack down by the couch, and joined him at the table.
“And why, look at this,” She exclaimed, a smile splitting her face, “your apartment hasn’t been consumed in holy hellfire!” Placing her hands atop the back of the opposing chair, Vera’s smile softened one that emitted gratitude and respect.

“Thank you Shay. For being so hospitable to me.” Here, Vera pulled her chair out to join him now at the table, and settled into the seat as she scooted her chair in. Steaming, as it just came off the stovetop, Vera could smell the stew, almost taste it even. With lingering eyes, she studied Shay closely, lips pursed into a thin, tight line before reaching for her spoon and lifted it to her lips, blowing upon the hot morsel so as not to burn her mouth. She found the stew, when safe to eat, satisfying and full of flavor, feeling a swell of pride blossom in her chest.

“Tell me Shay, because I’m curious to know. Nettie Parish is your cousin, and so are the Wallis’, this much I know. Yet, your last name is Alden… so how is it, that you are kin to them?” This had always confused her, and she never worked up the nerve to ask Nettie, or any of the Wallis’ how Shay figured into the mix. Samuel never mentioned either, not that he would, how Shay was their cousin. Vera knew that some folks claimed others to be their cousins, for example, if their family had done something considerably nice for another family. More importantly, she wanted to know how Shay, as an Irishman could be a cousin to the Wallis, who were English folk.