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across the sky, the brightest array of colors, each blending seamlessly into the other. Laura and John had never missed one, right up until the evening the storm had begun.
    It amazed her, so many combinations of color, some she’d never imagined could share the same canvas. Then to see a mirror image of it all repainted on the face of the sea, especially on the Pacific side, where the sea had been calm every evening. Every ten minutes or so, the colors would shift and a new version would emerge, equally dazzling. She and John would stand there together, taking it in. Sometimes holding hands. When there was a breeze, he’d stand behind her and wrap his arms around her shoulders.
    Tonight, it was as if the sky was on fire. Without a doubt, the most beautiful sunset thus far. How could the Lord, she wondered— why would the Lord—who could create such astounding images, why would he mar these same images by forcing her to view them alone?
    She looked to her left. The rails along the western edge of the ship were lined with women, all captivated by the same humbling scene.
    And like her, they too were alone.
    Remembering.

9
     
    “My, my, ain’t that a sight to see.”
    Laura turned and saw Micah over her right shoulder, his face beaming, eyes wide and bright.
    “Don’t get to see many sunsets. Usually down in the galley cleaning up after supper. They all disappear ’fore I finish. Expect I have you to thank for that, ma’am.”
    “Me?”
    “You started helpin’, then the other ladies joined in. Next thing, we’s all done and I got nothin’ left to do. Figured with so many, I’d be cleaning till morning. Cap’n say I can come up here a spell.”
    “Well, I’m glad I could help. But you don’t have to thank me, Micah. I was raised to help when there’s work to be done, especially if I had a part in making the mess.”
    Micah smiled, still staring at the sky. “Be nice if more folks thought that way.”
    “Where’s Crabby?”
    “Well, she gonna sleep well tonight, her belly all full up. Lot a’ ladies didn’t finish their supper—can’t say as I blame ’em—but Crabby, she ain’t picky. She eat like a goat, so she a happy goat ’bout now.” He pointed at the sunset and said, “Gonna be a nice mornin’ for us.”
    “How do you know?”
    “The sky say so. All red and lit up like that. Ever hear the sayin’, red sky at night, sailor’s delight; red sky at mornin’, sailor take warnin’? Don’t always turn out that way, but the three years I been out here, works most of the time.”
    “You’ve only been at sea three years? What did you do before that?”
    “That . . . well it’s a long story, most not worth tellin’.”
    His face grew serious. Laura felt bad for asking. She should have realized how hard his life had been compared to hers, or any free person for that matter.
    “Tell you one thing, though,” he said, smiling again. “I never eaten fancy food, but on land I sho’ ate better than this gruel we get out here. Don’t seem like the Lord meant people to eat such as that.”
    Laura smiled. “I don’t know how you do it.”
    “Keep askin’ myself the same thing, every spoonful. Then I say, Micah, man’s gotta eat. And I remind myself, each day passes gets me closer to that banquet Jesus promises in the Bible. I ’spect I’ll be eating mighty fine every day after that.”
    “Do you have a Bible?”
    “No. Couldn’t read it if I did. But my son Eli reads. Reads right well, like he been to a fine white school. Used to read me from the Bible every night back in Fredericksburg.”
    “Where is Eli now?”
    “They come took him away.”
    “I’m so sorry.”
    He sighed heavily. “Readin’s what did it. Got caught teachin’ some black folk by a fire in the woods. Somebody in the big house saw flames through the trees, thought the woods was on fire. Lord knows where he is now.”
    She couldn’t begin to fathom such a thing. “It is so wrong . . . what’s