Soulmates

Chapter 21: Roommates

For the next week, Eric and Tris work practically around the clock. Tobias, in between shifts in the Control Room, delivers meals to his soulmates in their offices, keeps the shared apartment clean, and even does a few loads of laundry. 

Their other friends pitch in as well. Uriah and Marlene are the first to show up at the leadership offices, willing to move home with their parents for as long as needed. Lynn also shows up in a timely manner and agrees to move home, though she’s less enthusiastic thanks to the pesty younger brother who adores her. Zeke and Shauna decide to move in together when Shauna’s roommate offers to move home in spite of being over eighteen.

Christina and Will are moved in with transfer initiates from the year before them. Christina finds a kindred spirit in her new roommate, an Amity transfer named Zoe. Will and his new roommate, Tyson, get along well enough, though they both hope to be reunited with their former roommates eventually.

Max told Eric when he and Four moved in with Tris that he wanted non-leadership living in the leadership wing to be among the first moved back home. Tris gives Eric’s apartment to a couple with two young girls. They will be moved back to their apartment quickly, so Max is happy with that. She gives Tobias’ apartment to one of the longest-term needs, hoping Max won’t notice, and that they can continue sharing an apartment.

When they're not working overtime, life is pretty normal for the soulmate trio, except now when Tris kisses "her boys" goodnight, they retire to their bedrooms instead of their apartments.

Home alone for the first time since Eric and Tobias moved in, Tris is startled out of a much-needed Saturday afternoon nap by a knock on the apartment door. She finds her new neighbor, Catrina, and her two young daughters in the hall.

"Tris!" says Catrina. "I'm so glad you're home! Can Taylor use your bathroom?" She gestures to the smaller of her girls, whom Tris guesses is about three years old.

"Of course," says Tris, opening the door. "It's the first door on the right."

"I'm so sorry about this," Catrina says as she rushes the little girl into the bathroom, her older daughter trailing behind them. "I forgot my keys in the apartment, and Zack is working for another hour. The girls and I were just going to kill some time, but Tay said she had to go, and she doesn't give me any warning!"

Tris chuckles as the frazzled mother tells her story through the open bathroom door.

"You're welcome to hang out here," Tris says as she hears the toilet flush and the water in the sink run. "The guys are both working, so it's just me here. We could turn on a movie for the girls or something."

"That would be great!" Catrina says brightly as she and her daughters walk out of the bathroom. "Taylor, what do you say to Miss Tris?"

"Thank you fo' potty, Miss Tiss!" the little girl says cheerfully, dancing around her mother's legs.

"You're welcome, Taylor," Tris replies. 

Tris tries to remember the shier, older daughter's name. Brandi? Brittany? Bradi! she remembers.

"You're Bradi, right?" Tris asks, and the older girl smiles and nods.

"How old are you?" Tris questions, trying to break the ice with the older girl.

"I'm five," Bradi says quietly, holding up five fingers.

"Wow," Tris says. "You're tall for five. Do you go to school?"

The girl nods. "I go to kindergarten," she says. "My teacher is Ms. Coulter."

Tris can't help but smile warmly. She didn't have Eric's mom for a teacher when she was little, but she has heard good things about her, both from Eric, whom she raised alone after Eric's dad left them, and from Dauntless families with young kids.

"I go to daycare!" Taylor interjects. It's obvious the more outgoing sister is feeling left out of the conversation. Tris plays along, asking Taylor about her teachers at the Dauntless daycare.

The two girls select a movie from the streaming library, and Tris turns it on. Taylor begs Tris to sit with them on the couch, and she happily complies. An hour later, Taylor is asleep on Tris' lap and Bradi is curled up beside her when Zack arrives.

Tris offers to keep the girls so they can finish the movie and Taylor can finish her nap. Zack and Catrina accept, and head home. A few minutes later, Eric returns home and laughs when he finds Tris covered in little girls and watching an animated movie.

"Well hello," he says.

Bradi buries her face in Tris' shoulder. "Bradi," Tris says gently, "this is Eric. Eric, this is our neighbor, Bradi. The sleeping one is Taylor. Bradi is a kindergartener in Ms. Coulter's class."

"Really?" Eric asks, his face brightening at the mention of his mom. "I know Ms. Coulter. She's my mom."

Bradi glances assessingly at Eric, as if he might be teasing her. "Teachers are Erudite," the little girl says.

"I used to be Erudite," Eric says. "I chose Dauntless at my choosing ceremony."

Bradi still looks skeptical. "Talyor is going to choose Amity," she says.

"Why do you say that?" Tris asks curiously.

"She has a soulmark," the older sister explains. "It's red. It says something about picking flowers, so my dad says she's going to pick Amity when she grows up. That's why she's so happy and she talks all the time."

Eric chuckles as they hear a knock on the door. He opens it to see that Zack has returned. 

"Is the movie over?" Zack asks his daughter. Bradi nods and hops off the couch, running to her father.

"Guess what, Daddy!" she says excitedly, clearly less shy now that her father has arrived. "Ms. Coulter is Mr. Eric's mom! He used to be a Erudite, but he picked Dauntless just like Taylor is gonna pick Amity!"

"Is that so?" Zack asks, humoring his daughter.

He picks up the little girl, tossing her above his head before catching her easily. Bradi giggles, waking Taylor.

"Hi Miss Tiss!" the little girl says brightly as she rubs the sleep from her eyes.

"Wow, you even wake up happy!" Tris says, smiling at the little girl on her lap.

"I happy," Taylor confirms. Spying Eric, she asks Tris, "Who dat?"

"That's Mr. Eric," Bradi tells her little sister. "He lives here with Miss Tris and Mr. Four. And, Mr. Eric's mom is my teacher!"

The younger girl probably doesn't understand half of what her sister said, but she smiles and reaches for Eric. He's surprised, but takes the toddler from Tris. As Taylor hugs Eric and pats his face, Tris and Zack laugh.

"This one doesn't believe in strangers," the proud father says. "In her world there's only old friends and new friends."