It had been a long day, and Vesna and Aurora had both needed sleep. Aurora had gratefully accepted Edmund’s offer of one of his other bedrooms.
She appeared downstairs first, primped and perfectly presented.
Edmund was clearing his own breakfast things away when she came in.
“Good morning, Aurora. Did you sleep well? What would you like for breakfast?
Aurora thought for a moment, “I really enjoyed the croissants I had yesterday. If you still have some, that would be ideal. I slept well, but Vesna had dreams; I could sense them. In the end, I went and slept with her; she was, well, disturbed by them. I think she will tell you about it herself when she comes down. I don’t think she will be long.”
Edmund looked concerned. “I will put croissants in the oven to warm up for you. Is Vesna all right?”
Aurora replied, “Yes, I think she is ok now. Dreaming, I know it is sort of what human brains do as a way to file and order experiences. I don’t think any of us had realised what having them can be like.”
The croissants appeared, so did Vesna, and toast and jam were fetched for her. She ate a little and then stopped. “Edmund, did Aurora tell you I dreamt last night?” He nodded, and she continued, “I dreamt I was in Kyiv, walking down the street where my family lived. I saw the missile hit our house, I rushed over and saw my mother dead and my father dying. As if I were really there.” She paused, had a bite of toast and jam, swallowed, and continued. “When you suggested using a Ukrainian identity, you said to Eostre that it was exploiting a real tragedy, and while I know what we have done didn’t cost a Ukrainian refugee their place in the queue or anything at all, but I want us to help all of them there if we can.”
Edmund leant forward. “Yes, I agree, you will be building a substantial fortune, even a small part of that, used well, can make a big difference. I think you, all of you, need to decide what you want to do, but we can set up a foundation, a trust of some kind, if that is what you all want.”
Aurora nodded, “That would be the kind thing to do. We must do that.”
Vesna smiled at both of them, “Thank you.”
They cleared away the breakfast things together, washed up, dried everything, then Aurora and Vesna explained to Edmund that he had been keeping everything in the wrong cupboards. He, in turn, explained that he was much too old to bloody well change everything now. They all agreed to differ, especially as Vesna thought Aurora’s system was wrong and Aurora thought Vesna’s system was wrong. And it was only about plates and cups.
Ella arrived, and Shuck got very excited. She explained, “Shuck, Vesna and I are going shopping. I suppose you can come with us, but you can’t go into the shops, and there will be too many people around for you to disappear without causing a scene. How about I take you for a walk when I get back?”
Shuck turned and walked across to Aurora and rubbed up against her. She laughed, “So dog, second best will have to do? You two, have fun!”
As Ella and Vesna were walking into town, Vesna said, “I think, before we go and choose clothes, I would like to have my hair done. Who cuts yours? They seem to have done a very good job with it.”
Ella said, “Hang on, I will phone them, they are appointment only, let’s see if they have a slot.” The first answer was no, then Ella told them Vesna’s story, and they said yes, they could juggle the times of the other appointments if she could be there quickly. They ran, Ella, struggling to keep pace with Vesna, who wasn’t even breathing harder. They got to the hairdressers and slowed. Ella gasped for breath and asked, “How do you do that? You weren’t even trying, and you were faster than I can run.”
Vesna said, “Eostre made a lot of tweaks, none will show up on scans or anything, but Aurora and I are faster and stronger, better respiration systems, well, all-around upgraded, a big performance hike. In most sports, we have professional or Olympic-level physical capabilities. We don’t have the skills or experience, though, that would require us to train specifically – boxers and marathon runners require very different skills.”
They went inside, and Ella collapsed on a chair, pointed and panted out, “Hi, this is my friend Vesna… haircut.”
The hairdresser came over to Vesna and looked at her appraisingly, “Hi, I’m Alice, I usually cut that panty girl’s hair.” She waved at Ella and then said, “So, you are Ukrainian, first cut in England?” Vesna nodded, “Okay, do you have a style in mind or just want your present style refreshed?”
Vesna looked around. There were a number of photos of women with various cuts around the walls. She walked over to one. “What is this one called?”
Alice said, “That is called a micro bob. But there are different variants you can have.”
Vesna said, “I like the length and the general style, but could you make it very sharp in line, geometric?”
Alice thought for a moment, then she pulled out a large loose-leaf folder full of all sorts of styles. She flicked through it, “I think, I maybe…, yes, this one!”
She unclipped a sheet and put it on the counter. Vesna looked, “Yes, exactly that. Can you do that and dye it Guards Red?”
Alice looked at Vesna’s hair appraisingly, pointed her to a chair and examined her hair. “Oh my god, your base is PERFECT. Nearly white-blonde, virgin hair. This is going to take that red like a dream. Do you have a swatch or a colour code for it?”
Vesna said, “Yes, the hex code is #f30012, but it is a Porsche car colour too.”
There was a pc at the reception desk. Alice walked over to it and searched – Porsche Guards Red. “Oh yes! You are going to look absolutely killer! Sure, I can do it! I will use Goldwell Elumen, I reckon it is the best going. But hair is unpredictable, I can get about a 95% match the first time, and then if we need to, we can tweak with a second dying in a few days.”
Vesna looked worried, “#f30012 is the code. Yes, I had assumed a close match, not perfection, first time around, but ‘Killer’? Is that good or bad?”
Alice laughed, “Killer? For me, it’s as good as it gets! You are going to need to dress for it, though, all black, white, maybe. Something strong to set off the red.”
Vesna smiled, “Panty girl brought shopping bags.”
Ella had more or less got her breath back, “Stop it, you two, you are being rude. Bring me the picture, I am not ready to stand up yet.”
She looked at the picture, “Wow, that is radical. Alice, Levi’s maybe? Black, with a black or a white t-shirt?”
Alice nodded approvingly, Vesna smiled, “Make me killer!”
Time passed, other customers came and went, Ella watched and chatted, and Alice worked her magic. Finally, Vesna stood in front of the long mirror at the end of the salon, turned, inspected, and then smiled. “Alice, that is wonderful! Just what I wanted, thank you!”
Grinning, she turned to Ella, “Clothes, you are right, Levi’s, black t-shirt, let’s start with that. Let’s go!”
Some time, some lunch and several shops later, they headed back to Vesna’s home. With full shopping bags. Their route took them past Ella’s home. Her father’s car was parked outside. Ella’s arms told her they needed a rest from carrying the heavy bags. “Vesna, my dad is home. I told him about you, how you are a refugee and are now living with Edmund. Would you like to meet him? I am sure he would like to meet my new friend.”
Vesna looked thoughtful, “Yes, and can I visit Eostre too? I would enjoy a tourist trip to the site of the ancient birthplace of my species.”
They both laughed and headed for the house.
“Dad? I’m home. I am back, I have Vesna with me.” Ella called out as they walked in.
He called back, “I am in the garden. Come through both of you.”
He was sitting at the garden table, in the shade of a large umbrella, his laptop in front of him and stood up as they approached. “Hi, Vesna, lovely to meet you. Ella told me a bit about you last night. Welcome to England.”
Vesna reached out, they shook hands, and all sat down at the table. Peter asked, “How did the shopping trip go?”
Ella smiled, “Well, we started with a haircut, I phoned Alice, and she shuffled times and squeezed Vesna in. We had to hurry to get there, and Vesna nearly ran me to death on the way there; she is so fast. Vesna’s hair was blonde before, but that cut and colour looks amazing.”
Peter looked at Vesna appraisingly, the striking, dramatic hairstyle, close-fitting black t-shirt, Levi’s, and white trainers. Her arms bare, and he could see honed muscle, as ballet dancers have it, strong, not bulked up, wasteful mass for its own sake. “Vesna, you look fabulous! I do hope you are pleased with it, and the outfit is an excellent choice with it. Tell me, Ella says, you run fast, you are an athlete, or it crossed my mind to think, a dancer maybe?”
Vesna smiled, “Thank you, the hair, my choice, the clothes, Alice and Ella decided for me. In Kyiv, my school, they wanted me to do all sports, yes, I am strong and fast, but I think I like to dance more.”
Peter nodded, “Yes, dancer, I thought so. Are you staying for dinner? You will be very welcome?”
Vesna shook her head, “Thank you, but I think I must get my bags home and tell Edmund how much damage I have done to his credit card. I would love to come another time?”
Peter nodded, “Yes, please do come. Ella, arrange, please.”
They chatted a while longer, then Ella said, “I think we probably need to go soon, and I promised to show Vesna my room.”
The pair of them headed off upstairs. Peter grimaced and got back to his work. He was working from home to avoid the office politics. A bad sign, me doing that, he thought.
Vesna followed Ella into her room and deliberately stood out of the viewing angle of the PC camera. “Hi Eostre.”
“I can’t see you, Vesna. Come into the room properly.” Eostre said irritably.
Vesna stepped out in front of the screen. “Ooh! You do look sweet on that little screen. It is like having an Eostre doll.”
Eostre’s avatar moved right up close, just eyes, nose and mouth. “What have you done to your hair!”
“Guards Red. It is killer, don’t you think?”
There was a tiny pause, Eostre checked slang dictionaries. “It is very red. And Ella, why is she dressed all in black? The last time I tried that, you told me no?”
Ella giggled, “Different context. Black can be something to suit a funeral, or as now on Vesna, seriously cool.”
Eostre humphed. Ella and Vesna collapsed laughing onto Ella’s bed. Ella said, “I have never heard you do that before.”
“Do what?”
“Humph!” They both shouted. More laughter followed.
When they calmed down, they apologised to Eostre for the teasing, and Ella showed Vesna round the room, the shelves stuffed with mythology books and the drawings she was working on.
Vesna picked up a charcoal of Shuck walking along a path under a dark sky. “This is lovely!”
Eostre said, “I have told her she is very talented.”
Ella replied, “You said I was inefficient.”
“Yes, inefficient, but beautiful.”
Ella was rather touched by this; it was actually the first direct compliment she had had on her drawing from Eostre: “Thank you, Eostre.” Then to Vesna, “Would you like that drawing? You could have it in your bedroom?”
Vesna nodded, “Oh, that would be lovely!”
They all chatted a while more, but it was getting late, and Vesna and Ella needed to unload at Edmund’s, and then Ella was due back at home for dinner with Dad. “Eostre, see you at Edmund’s?”
“Ella, would you mind if I came with you?”
Ella nodded. Immediately in her head.
“That’s better. Don’t tell Vesna, but I adore her hair; she looks marvellous.”
“You should tell her.”
“I will, just not yet. Getting her back for teasing me.”
As they left, Ella called out to Peter, “Dad, helping Vesna get her shopping home, I’ll be back for dinner.”
They walked down the road towards Edmund’s, and a large dog joined them from the hedge. “Hi, Shuck.” He was rewarded with pats and strokes.
They scrunched up Edmund’s path and then went inside. Edmund was sitting in the conservatory with a cup of tea and a book. He looked up as they came in.
“Oh!” He said, “Your hair looks wonderful, Vesna. Dramatic. You will turn heads. Looks good with the black outfit.”
Ella laughed, “I did notice a couple of guys who drove past us in town doing a bit of a double-take.”
Vesna looked puzzled, “Turn heads? I don’t understand?”
Edmund said, “You are a very attractive young woman with a striking hairstyle. Young men’s attention may be drawn to you.”
Ella said, “She’s hot.”
Edmund nodded, “Exactly so. How was the shopping?”
Ella said, “It was good, I would say. We got a decent variety of clothes, some nice mix and match outfits, underwear, a difficult one, you see something you like, and then when you wear it, you hate it, so we got a few different things. We didn’t forget bras; Vesna wouldn’t wear one with the t-shirt, she said it would spoil the line. I hope we have not spent too much of your money.”
Edmund smiled, “It will be fine, Vesna has said she will reimburse me anyway, as the trading builds up. But I am far from short of cash, I am grateful to say.”
Ella asked, “What are you reading, Edmund?”
He lifted the book, “Orbitsville, which features a Dyson Sphere and is by Bob Shaw, one of my favourite authors. His short story, Light Of Other Days, is brilliant.”
Vesna looked thoughtful, “I think I might try reading an actual book. When you mentioned Light Of Other Days, I found it online, and I liked it. But I think there is possibly something special about the physical experience?”
Edmund nodded, “Yes, I think so, I tried using a Kindle, great if you are travelling, but a book, I like that more.”
Aurora walked in from the garden, “Nice hair, Vesna.” She walked around her. “I like the precision of the cutting, very fine craftsmanship.”
Vesna said, “The colour is Guards Red, it is a Porsche car colour, I am going to ask Edmund for a Porsche for my seventeenth birthday so I can learn to drive.”
“No.” Said Edmund, “Look up Fiat 500.”
A redhead and a white blonde head tilted slightly to the right. “Hmm,” said Aurora, “Small, pretty to look at, rather stylish. I might get a couple and build a bit of road on Avalon for them. You can learn to drive with me there, Vesna. Ella, you too, if you like?”
Ella said, “Yes, that would be fun. Driving on real roads, that is a bit different though, lots of rules, other cars and people.”
Aurora said, “Yes, I can work on that too. Could be fun.”
Eostre shimmered out of Ella’s head onto the seat beside her. “I want to drive too.”
There was buzzing. Edmund reached for his phone. More buzzing. Ella reached for hers.
Edmund looked at Aurora. “My friend who has the piece of land with the bunker on it. He says he will sell. Also, interestingly, he says he let the site to a man who ran a car repair shop there. He put up a big shed, which is dilapidated, but a power line and a phone line were put in and most importantly, he got the site rezoned as industrial, so you should be able to put a small data centre there without too many planning problems.”
Aurora smiled, “That sounds good. You gave Eostre the location, I will get Shuck to go and look round.”
Ella was busily poking away, writing a text message. “Vesna, fancy a night out clubbing? Alice has texted, she wants to show you off to her friends. I think she a) liked you b) thinks your hairstyle is her masterpiece.”
Aurora said, “I agree with b). I think I may go and explore the haircutting thing. May I have Alice’s details, please?”
Ella said, “Sure, I will text it to you. What is your number?”
Aurora looked a bit put out. “Vesna, I think we both need phones. We could use esims without them, but that could look very weird. Also, you would be expected to have one.”
Vesna said, “Pixel 10 in Berry, it will go well with my hair.”
Aurora laughed, “Right, just a fashion accessory then?”
“Yep.”
Aurora paused, “Ok, I have chosen what I want, Amazon will deliver here tomorrow.”
Ella looked up from her phone, “Vesna, clubbing?”
Vesna looked at Edmund, “I would like to. Dad?”
Edmund said, “You are both a bit young, aren’t you?”
Ella said, “Alice says she knows the guy who runs the door, it will be Ok. And we could take Duncan, if that makes you feel better, but as far as safety is concerned, this thing is always around, isn’t he?” She patted Shuck.
Edmund smiled, “Yes, Shuck takes care of us. OK, you can go. Ella, you’ll need to talk to your father, though?”
Ella nodded, “Yes, I think he will be ok, if he knows Duncan is there. I do need to be going, dinner calls. See you all tomorrow.”