I hadn't dreamt of Gus since that first winter in Eastwindsor, where I'd believed Roman to have heard my message. To avoid the quiet moments when this absence left me anxious, purposeless, full of regrets, and lonely despite all the friends I had down the road, I kept myself busy. At night I'd even stay up working away at poultices, sewing, embroidery, or even extra cleaning so that when I finally fell into bed, I hadn't the energy to keep my eyes open. I could say, with a level of chagrin, that I had learned to manage my insomnia, even if it was in a forceful, angry sort of way.
Needless to say, my little home was always pristine and well equipped.
But, for once, when I got home after that talk of Dulcet's feelings with Granny Bella, I let myself sit in the quiet, staring into the littl
