for Karolina ;; dated June 28th

[loveasthouwilt]

Since I'd found Zozie's recipe book it had occurred to me that perhaps there might be more to discover on her computer, which still sat among the bag in which I kept most of her things. I could still scarcely bring myself to go through them, but I was beginning to think that I needed to force myself to do so, to rid myself of the lingering grief

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[kaleidoscopeyed]

Through the door she hears Phedre tell her to come in, so Karolina let's herself in, and has a smile for Phedre as soon as she's through the door. "Hey," she says. She gazes around the room at those things of Zozie's that Phedre had hung onto after the two of them had gone through her things. Books, some clothes, and her computer. It looks similar to the assortment of things Karolina herself has, save one.

[loveasthouwilt]

"Perfect timing," I told her as the kettle began to whistle. "Please, sit, I'll bring it." I gestured to the pile of pillows that served as our seating; very Caerdicci for D'Angelines, but we found reclining suited us as well as sitting, and the pillows were terribly comfortable.

I brought over a tray with the tea set and settled myself across from her, Zozie's books and computer in easy reach. "I must confess to being rather excited about this," I said as I poured the water. "I think it would please her, too, to know her things went to good use."

[kaleidoscopeyed]

"Me too. I'm glad it isn't just going to sit around. She was always so active. I don't think I ever saw her when she wasn't doing something. Making something," she adds.

Karolina comes to sit down cross-legged next to Phedre. She doesn't say as much, doesn't have to maybe, but Phedre like Zozie is unlike anyone she's ever met. She feels very relaxed in her company, and engaged too, which is maybe why they're here to do this in the first place.

[loveasthouwilt]

I nodded, pulling the stack of books toward me, musing. "She did so much work, so much research... her recipes are so complex." I looked up with a grin, nodding at the computer. "Perhaps you ought to handle that. I fear I'm not cut out for such machines."

[kaleidoscopeyed]

Karolina shakes her head in admiration. "I wasn't ever very good at that stuff in school. I guess I liked doing stuff better," she says off-hand and pulls the laptop toward her, opening the lid and booting it up. She smiles at the familiar windows logo.

She taps the keyboard of the Viao impatiently and glances at Phedre. "Found a lot of neat stuff in her books?"

[loveasthouwilt]

I nodded, pulling one out of the stack and onto my lap, flipping it open carefully. "Indeed-- there's so much here I scarce know where to begin. Even aside from recipes, there are notes and poems and things I've not even begun to decipher. She was a mystery-- still is, I think," I said with a smile only half regretting, "wherever she is now. She will be sad to miss this party, though," I added with a broader smile. "We shall have to be twice as merry in her name."

[kaleidoscopeyed]

"I think that might involve chocolate and lots of it," Karolina says and catches Phedre's eye. "That would be a treat wouldn't it?" She sighs a little, thinking of the chocolate that Zozie had made with her in mind. She hadn't told her what was in the recipe, but Karolina suspected it was in the book somewhere.

Clicking through a few of the menus, she finally brings up a folder full of word documents, but Karolina looks disappointed. "I was hoping she'd have pictures."

[loveasthouwilt]

"Now that would be something special," I mused, my hands stilling on the pages. "There's been chocolate but rarely here, and to have some for midsummer...." I trailed off as my mind followed that train of thought to its end. "We should do it," I said decisively. "There must be a hundred recipes here-- let us find a special one, one that will not require too much in the way of artistry since neither of us are nearly as skilled as she was," I said with a smile. "But together I think we could put together something lovely."

[kaleidoscopeyed]

Karolina nods and grins. "Yes! Let's do it. You know, I bet she has some stuff in there that she made especially for lots of people, for parties and stuff. Those must be easy right? If you're supposed to make them in large batches?"

Karolina shifts so that she is sitting where she can see both the pages of the book Phedre is searching through as well as the screen of the laptop.