Ley’s report was long, and whoever was on the other end of the radio took his time replying. Then there was the problem of finding a dress. She didn’t have much time to look for one, so she went back to the shop with the black dress Otavia had drooled over. The shopkeeper raised her eyebrows when Gracie asked to try it on, as if she doubted Gracie’s ability to pay or didn’t want to sell such a beautiful dress to someone with such an ugly birthmark. In the end, the dress fit, Captain Ley’s money was sufficient to pay for it, and the shopkeeper cracked a smile. Gracie had wanted to take a nap before attending the all-night party, but when she got back to her apartment, she barely had time to change and wash up. As she tried to make her water ration stretch, she was tempted to borrow Ley’s shower again, but there wasn’t enough time for that either. At least the bathroom was empty so she could use the mirror without waiting. It wasn’t a real mirror, just a piece of polished metal, and scratches on its surface made her face look like it was crisscrossed with scars.
