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for their child to follow in their footsteps?”
    “How many parents are thieves?”
    “More than would admit it, Celeel.” Another pause filled the room and Tavera finished her drink, wondering how long Old Gam and Derk had known each other, that they could talk without talking. It must have been a long time indeed because the silence dragged on and Derk puffed on his pipe in an irritated way. Tavera was starting to pick up on what anger did to Derk’s face and it was there, making his eyes dark and his face tight. The little girl could feel her stomach fluttering, as if the fish had come back to life as nervousness rose in her belly. What if Old Gam was right? What if the Cup of Cream wouldn’t take her? And if Derk realized that now, what would happen to her? He had rescued her twice now but he hadn’t made any vows, had he? Tavera didn’t want to start crying, not here in this woman’s eating room. Old Gam’s opinion obviously mattered and she couldn’t have the woman thinking she was meant for swaddling clothes. So the girl just stared at
the cloth that was on the table, trying to think about something else.
    “What does Hock think about all this?”
    “Tits, so many hemming questions!” Derk shouted. He threw his hands in the air and walked to the door, grabbing his cloak.
    “Where’s you going?” Tavera asked as loudly as she could manage, a touch of panic making her sit straight up in her seat. Derk fastened his cloak about his neck and pulled the hood up, looking to Gam with a bit of ire still in his eyes.
    “Night prayers,” he said, pulling back the latch on the door. “I’ll be back before bed, don’t worry.” He gave Old Gam another look of anger before he opened the door with a yank, letting it slam behind him.
    Tavera felt her guts unravel within her as fear stuck in her throat. But Old Gam chuckled and said, “Good, he’s gone. Now it’s just us girls.” Tavera looked at her, frowning, not understanding for a moment but Old Gam winked at her. Tavera pressed her lips together, not sure what to expect from Old Gam. The woman cleared her plate and picked up her sewing, sitting in Derk’s seat and looking over the bit of needlework. “Do you know how to sew?” she asked, not bothering to look up.
    Tavera just shook her head and Old Gam shook hers and made a sound with her tongue against her teeth in disapproval. “You should learn. It’s good to know how to do many things. Besides snatch.” Now Old Gam looked at her, brown eyes looking at the little girl almost kindly. “Besides, Derk is not exceedingly handy with a needle and thread. You should take care to learn.” She stood up and dug around in the box she had been sitting on and pulled out a needle, thread and piece of fabric, taking the few steps she needed to set them before Tavera. “Maybe you can make a little pillow or something. For a doll.”
    “I ain’t got no dolls,” Tavera said, staring down at the items helplessly. Her hands were still a bit greasy and she wiped them on her skirt, Old Gam making another sound of disapproval.
    “No dolls? And how has he got you dressed? Stand up now!” Tavera huffed before she stood up, hands together and held in front of her. She could manage to hold her head up at least and she did, looking at the woman. Closer up Tavi could see freckles on Old Gam’s face. Stray curls hinted with blond and no make up made Gam’s features warm and natural. Her brown eyes looked the little girl over. There was a bit of humor in them and a bit of disapproval. “Your hair’s too short. But he found you that way, didn’t he?” Tavera nodded, not wanting to admit the reason why her hair had been shorn all those phases ago lest the woman fear for her own hair. “An ash-dyed dress. If you knew how to sew, you could have prettier clothes, like me. Like all little girls want.” Tavera just shrugged in reply. She didn’t mind the clothes she had. They were warm and they mostly fit. It was big