Chapter 7

In the end, I accepted the lift. According to the Major, Mai’Ri and An’Ri were eligible for military aid because they had moved to a zone without fully rebuilt infrastructure, so he packed a box with food I didn’t recognise. I had no idea how to cook and had probably never seen what he packed in its unprepared form, so it didn’t surprise me. At least I could ask them to fill out the correct forms for the aid that he tasked me with. Once he was done, I helped him fill his old Toyota with similar boxes, before we were finally ready to go.

Only then did I realise he was delivering food as part of some ridiculous unity initiative he’d got involved in. At least it gave him something to do, so I didn’t blame him, but to be honest, it was as ridiculous as all the other civis ideas. If someone was hungry enough to need the aid, they could move their lazy ass and get it by themselves.

I sighed and got into the passenger seat.

“I can help with the delivery”, I offered.

At least it gave me something to do, so I didn’t mind helping him with the loading. Despite his good form, he wasn’t the youngest any more.

“Thank you.”

He smiled, but something told me he had expected it from the moment he saw me in the warehouse. Had he even waited for me for that exact reason? He turned the ignition, and the engine came to life, filling the cabin with a noticeable vibration that felt like a chopper suffering critical engine failure.

“Ready?”

He glanced at me and began to drive without waiting for my response.

The first delivery was to a woman older than the Major, so fair enough, she probably couldn't pick it up by herself. The second one was to a young woman with too many kids, so yeah… They all seemed to know him well, and I was sure they would have invited us for tea if the Major had let them. I guess he only refrained from it for my sake.

The last two boxes went to a big Ta’al family. Yeah, the Major did call them by their proper name. They were terrified seeing me, glancing at my face covered with military tattoos. They knew what they meant. By contrast, they were totally at ease with him, even doing this weird forehead-touching as a greeting. To everyone’s relief, we didn’t stay long, and after that, the Major dropped me off next to my block.

I took the box and headed to the flats. After spending the whole afternoon carrying boxes up and down the stairs, it felt heavy. I must be tired. I paused in front of their door and hesitated for a moment before ringing the bell. It was Mai’Ri who opened, and she gave me a surprised look, and for a moment, my mind went blank, and I had no clue what to say before my instinct kicked in.

“You are eligible for military aid”, I announced and shuffled the box towards her.

She took it with an even more confused look, and I put the forms the Major had given me on top.

“You need to fill those, but you can do it later.”

She blinked, and her ears perked up. I almost saluted her as a way to finish the conversation when An’Ri popped her head through the door.

“Fu’Ri!”

She smiled and stood on her toes, trying to reach me, her tail wagging from side to side with excitement. I must have smiled involuntarily, and she must have taken it as a yes because in an instant, she leapt up and levitated in front of me, pressing her forehead against mine, and a soft warmth filled my body.

“You want to come in?”, Mai’Ri asked, but I shook my head.

“I need a shower and to get changed”

“Come later!”, An’Ri chirped and waved me goodbye as I turned and went into my flat.

I dropped my backpack in the hallway and went straight for a shower. Why had it got so weird with her out of nowhere? At least we didn’t fight, but still…

I stayed long, letting the hot water relax my body, a luxury I rarely allowed myself. After changing into my usual t-shirt and sweatpants, I walked to my room. I guess I should eat something. It had been a while since I felt really hungry. I glanced towards the balcony door, only to see An’Ri leaning against the balustrade, glancing back at me. I froze for a moment, it was so unexpected, before walking to the sliding door and opening it.

She leapt over the gate and peered into my flat, her ears pricked.

“Come in if you want”, I said.

I remembered the bag of sweets the press team had given me, and for some reason, she was easier to deal with than the older one. She stepped inside and looked around as I went to retrieve my backpack from the hallway.

“It looks almost the same”, she said with disappointment.

“All of them do.”

Soviet-style design combined with Ikea-style assembly meant that whole cities could be rebuilt in months, but it came at a price. I didn’t mind it. At least the Security Council delivered what it promised.

“I got these at work, but I don’t eat them, so if you want…”

She peered into the bag and then up at me, her eyes wide and her tail madly wagging from side to side. She leapt into the air and pressed her forehead against mine, but rather than letting go, she stayed, making me feel lost. What was I supposed to do…?

“Hold me. I cannot stay like this for too long, or I will get burnt”, she said.

Hesitantly, I put my arms around her, and she let her weight rest against me. For the first time, the emptiness in me was filled with something else that actually didn’t feel bad. She let go and landed softly on the floor, but before I had time to make sense of what I felt, I saw Mai’Ri standing on the balcony, watching us. She looked away the moment she noticed my gaze.

“You want to come and eat with us?”, she asked.

“Okay…”, I said, surprised by her offer.

Did she really want me to come? I didn’t have time to dwell on it for too long because An’Ri took my hand and, with a bright smile, led me out the door.