The story of the Princess Race, Rafaela's win, and Brendan's loss, was told once more.
Brendan still felt a bit wry about that, even four years later. He suspected that he would still feel the same after a century, but Rafaela's happiness over her win offset the feeling more than he had ever expected.
Alexandria didn't press Rafaela to do any more clothes shopping, and in return, Rafaela made sure that she verbally expressed her pleasure in the variety of foods she got for her ship.
Brendan wondered if she found it strange to buy packets that didn't need the adapters that she and her mother had designed. He found it strange and yet entertaining to have to design new adapters for other supplies that would go to equipment from their home system. It made him happy to prepare the modifications himself.