Page 32 of Echoes

“I know. But I’m trying to make you happy, and it’s making meunhappy.”

“You’re unhappy? How unhappy?”

“I don’t want to teach. At least, not full-time, Ami.”

“You want to go?”

“They’ve asked me to examine a wreck in South America next month. I was going to turn it down, but I think I should go.”

Ami nodded, as if nodding was all she could do, and asked, “How long?”

“Twenty days on the water and probably a week in the lab after. Maybe two.”

“So, a month, then?”

“Possibly.”

“Can I go with you? I’ll stay out of your way and work while I’m on the ship.”

“You just complained about how bad the connection is sometimes when we’re in deep water. You’d need the internet to do your job.”

“And you don’t want me there,” Ami stated, nodding yet again.

“I think we could both use a little time.”

“We’ve only been married for two years. We shouldn’t be having these problems yet. God, Rosie, we haven’t had sex in over a month. Closer to two now, I think. What are we even doing here?”

Rosie leaned over, took her wife’s hand into hers, and said, “I think we take the month and figure out what we both want.”

“I wantyou,Rosie.”

“I wanttime, Ami,” she replied.

One Month Later

“Doc, I can get that for you,” the tech offered as she boarded the ship.

“It’s okay. I’ve got it.” Rosie held on to the case and carried it through the tight hall that would lead to the lower decks, where she’d find her room.

She wasn’t even sure why she’d brought it with her, but she’d done so on every trip. It had been four years since she’d accidentally pressed that button. Every now and then, the scientist in her grew curious, and she’d pull it out of a closet that she knew Ami never went into. She’d open the case and stare down at the thing without ever removing it, not wanting to risk accidentally pressing the button again. She’d ruined her relationship with Felicity because of it.

‘Ruined’ might be a strong word, but weeks after that day in her kitchen, Ami had stopped by the office and brought her a cup of coffee. She’d also kissed Rosie right in front of Felicity, and it had been then that Rosie had realized that Felicitydidhave feelings for her and that the vision she’d seen had been something else entirely. It hadn’t come from Rosie’s mind. They’d talked after Ami had left, and she’d told Felicity that she was back with Ami. Felicity hadn’t confessed anything about her own feelings, but then months later, she’d earned her Ph.D and took a job in a museum in Portugal.

They’d messaged here and there in the beginning and mostly about work. Felicity would have a question. Rosie would answer it and ask how she was doing. It was small talk and not at all how they’d once been able to talk to one another, so it saddened Rosie, but she didn’t want to hurt the woman any more than she’d already had. Felicity also seemed to have been doing well in Portugal, and it sounded like she liked it there. Even if Rosie wasn’t falling back in love with Ami at the time, she couldn’t ask Felicity to come back just for her.

Rosie slipped the case under the bottom bunk in the cabin and sat on the bed. It was unusual for her to have a bunk bed in her room, but every ship was different, and it was just a place to lay her head at night, so it wouldn’t matter much. She had had a long flight and then a drive to get to the dock, where she’d had to take a smaller boat to get to the ship, so she was exhausted and felt filthy. As soon as the rest of her luggage was placed in her room and she was left alone,she decided to take a quick shower to clean up and cool down from the heat. When she then got out of the cramped bathroom, though, she saw a woman standing by the bunk beds, tossing a bag onto the top one.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know I was bunking–”

The woman turned around, and Rosie nearly dropped the towel she’d had pressed to her naked body.

“Hi, Rosie,” Felicity said with a shy smile. “I guess we’re roommates.”

“Felicity?”

“Hi,” she repeated. “Um…” She pointed at Rosie, who was only wearing a towel.

“Oh, sorry. Yeah, I wasn’t expecting anyone to be in here. I–” Rosie stopped. “My clothes are in my bag. I’ll just change in the bathroom.”