When I said my hearth, I meant it was the first hearth. It was from the first offering I ever received. They were blessed with as many children as they wanted. I watched her become a great-grandmother, so rare back in those days. Many barely saw their children leave their homes. She was later deified by her great-grandchildren, but alas, Despina never reached true goddess status.
“What’s in the box?” I wondered as I used my knife to pop it open. I closed my eyes moments after seeing the key. “This was to one of my houses,” I whispered, a tear sliding down my cheek.
The cooking fire pit burst into flames and my hair followed suit. Someone stole from me! What was worse, I had no idea that it had happened. They managed to steal from my sanctum. My trophy room. My safe room. I was going to need help.
“What?” Shawn snorted. “You’re saying that you’re the oldest human alive, and you’re over five thousand years old, right? Someone’s watched too much Highlander.”
“It wouldn’t have been a violation of my oath to lie with no man, but be with a woman,” I mumbled to myself as I narrowed my eyes at the flames in my hearth. My three-headed fire feline lept out and started to rub its heads across my calves. I petted him as I watched the logs burn.
The young man took both of Ouma’s hands in his own and kissed them. “If it weren’t for this place, I wouldn’t have made it into uni. Over there, at that table, you, Joe, Mama, and others helped me understand my math. This place…” he paused, a pained look crossing his face. “I was hoping to come back and help, but like the other places, the rich guys will push yet another neighborhood out.”
