4

// \\

Water needed Aurora. Pol, too, but he was away, Inside one of his secret environments where no one was allowed -- except Pol.

We know the first people he reached out to after he discovered the truth were Pol and Aurora. Pol was gone. Aurora was home. 

They were exclusively Outside friends. More than friends. People who never knew them gossiped that maybe they were lovers. That is absurd. They were not. Thank Annie. They were too alike, and Aurora, Annie bless her, loved Pol. 

Water loved them both. Their friendship was a rare thing, deep and kind and full of laughter. Pol and Aurora were not part of the Nine, mostly because Water wanted to protect them from... what could have and should have happened to them all. 

Water would sometimes introduce them as, “This is my wife and this is my husband.” He took every opportunity to use archaic terms like those. He thought that was hilarious. His audience often had only a vague understanding of what “husband” or “wife” meant, the terms were so old-fashioned... and Water always laughed at his own joke. The people he told them to had no idea why, or even that it was a joke at all. 

Water’s initial reaction to his first, great discovery was to call a sally to Aurora and Pol’s house. On his way there, he processed me a message. “Heading to Rora’s. Have news to share with you later.”

News. Yeah. 

I often imagine that visit of Water’s to their house. Pol wasn’t home. I imagine Water looking at Aurora and not saying anything and how she would let him. Her patience for Water’s long pauses knew no limits. I don’t have to imagine her beautiful smile back at him because I had been the recipient of it so many times myself. Yes, I admit some jealousy of their friendship but only if you others who knew them do as well. 

I imagine she realized quickly something was different. Something was very... off. 

Then when he told her, told her everything we thought we knew was wrong, I imagine she cried. I imagined then they held each other, probably for a very long time.