Chickadee said, “That means something.”
“I think so too. I was going to bring her home. She — she got detained when I was arrested.” Beckett ran his hands though his hair again. “She’s at the camps, but Dan hasn’t been able to see her yet.”
Roscoe raised his eyebrows. “Well now, that’s a bigger problem.”
“How? She hasn’t done anything wrong. I get why I’m in jail, she was simply standing on a dock.”
Roscoe and Chickadee exchanged a look. She explained, “The camps are overcrowded and way more complicated than anyone thought. In the beginning they were going to build settlements, but now with the water rising the political will just isn’t in settling the nomads anymore.”
“Are you saying those people are sitting there in camps waiting for nothing?”
“No one knows what to do with them.”
Beckett dropped his hands to the table in front of him, palms up, jaw dropped, dismayed. “I sent people there. I told them to go to the camps. I read them an edict, assured them they’d be safe. . .”
“They aren’t safe anymore—”
“But they should let them go — give them back their paddleboards and let them go!”
Chickadee said, “They should, dear, of course.”
Roscoe folded his hands carefully and seemed to be choosing his words. “It’s not as simple as that when you have a tiny little brain, and the bureaucrats running the Nomadic Water People Policy have very small brains. I have heard it said that the government of the American Unified Mainland can’t possibly let the Nomads go because the Administration feels responsible for them. I have also heard it said that they no longer wish to feed them. So there you go.”
Beckett looked at him incredulously. “Not feed them — I have to get Luna out of there. Can you help me?”
Roscoe nodded slowly, not in agreement but as if to acknowledge hearing the question, and that he was mulling it over.
He took so long that Beckett turned to Chickadee. “I love her. I want her to live with us. I promised her. She doesn’t have anyone — her whole family is gone, and she’s all alone. I promised her that I would give her a home.”
Chickadee’s eyes filled with tears. “Oh Beckie, is she wonderful? I mean she must be if you love her so much, but is she amazing? Is she the punchline to your life’s joke?”
Beckett nodded. “Definitely, someday, nothing feels very funny right now.”
Chickadee clapped her hands on her thighs, “That’s all I need to hear. Roscoe, let’s go get the girl.” She acted like she was jumping up from her chair.
Roscoe shook his head slowly, “Now Chickadee, it’s not going to be as easy as all that.” Chickadee rolled her eyes and slumped back down to her seat. He said, “She’s a Nomad. I’ll have to research precedence, this will require some studying.”
Chickadee said, “Well, first, I’m going to march into the camps and demand her. As her Aunt Chickadee. I’m going to demand they release her to me.”
Roscoe watched her speak, nodding slowly. “We can try that.” He stood with his briefcase.
Chickadee said, “Beckie, what’s her name?”
Beckett said, “Her real name is Luna Saturniidae. But Dan said she’s listed as Luna Stanford. And before you go crazy, no I didn’t get married without you, that’s so I can find her easily, get her released with less paperwork.”
Chickadee laughed, “I would’ve killed you, that’s true. But also, see, she’s got our last name — me and Roscoe are just going to go get her.”
Beckett blew out a big gust of air. “Chickadee, thank you.”
“If you love her, she’s family, and it’s time for her to come home.”
