Never Give Up

Chapter 23

POV: Y/N

It had been two weeks since Quazar and Jeny had come to stay with you. At first, you were mildly annoyed as you hadn't had roommates in decades, but you didn't have the energy to even express it. You still couldn't seem to develop any strong emotions outside of your dreams. You knew Jeny was worried about you and you really wanted to ease her mind, so you were willing to put up with this disruption to your regular life.

Quazar's treatments seemed to consist of talking with you like a close aunt and serving you tea. Thankfully, you liked tea, so it wasn't a hardship. Sometimes she would ask you about your time in Korea, which you found difficult to talk about, but usually the conversation would just be about your life, current and past. As you continued to talk to her, the emotional fog seemed to lessen just a bit. This helped you realize how numb you'd become, so you were grateful for her... whatever she was doing.

This morning was another session. You were sitting on your balcony, enjoying your time and tea with Quazar. You really hadn't had much actual conversation when you suddenly looked at her with a shocking thought. "Quazar, you're here all the time. Don't you have other clients?"

The older woman gave a tinkling laugh. That laugh always made you smile. "I do, but you don't have to worry about that!" She waved her hand as if it was nothing.

"How could I not?" you demanded softly. "You aren't even letting me pay you! You keep saying that 'letting you stay here is payment enough'. How can you make any money that way?" You were feeling some mild annoyance and concern on her behalf.

She patted your knee consolingly. You'd brought this up before and you wondered if she would actually tell you this time. Her half answers and avoidance had been bothering you all week. "Most of my clients are those looking for the soulmate medication. That's something that can be handed out by your garden variety pharmacist. It also doesn't pay a lot of dividends so that has never been an issue."

You were really curious. She had such a mysterious personality. "The medication isn't that expensive?" You thought it was odd how it was a required medication yet people still had to pay for it as it wasn't covered by most insurances as not "medically necessary". You'd never tried to find out the price before for obvious reasons, but that always seemed like a rip-off by the government.

"It isn't cheap, of course." She shrugged. "I like to think the extra cost weeds out those that aren't sincere. However, I derive most of my satisfaction by helping special cases like you."

"Wait. Isn't it a required medication... like vaccines? Why should people have to pay for something they're required to take?" This question had bothered you for a while. Maybe as someone who dispensed the medication, she might have an answer.

Quazar sighed and took a sip of her tea. "You are correct that it's required. I've heard the government's reasons for that; however, I still feel that people should think before they take it."

"Do you think the age restriction is appropriate?" It had been bothering you since you returned. You didn't want to make a big thing about it, but it didn't feel fair. That restriction made it feel like the world was telling only older women that they were somehow unworthy.

"Love is love," she said simply, shrugging her shoulders. Not really an answer, but sort of what you expected from her.

You could tell she was rather done with this line of questioning. Plus, she still hadn't really answered your original question. "Okay, but still... Don't you want to go home? I'm sure it can't be comfortable here."

She looked at you seriously. You maintained eye contact and tried desperately not to fidget. She was coming to mean a lot to you, but if you were just a job... "Hmmm... I've been really enjoying this time with you and Jeny." She held her hand up as you would have interrupted and continued. "I knew from the moment I saw you that you needed my help... desperately."