Chapter 23

I walked over to them after the shower. We didn’t tell An’Ri what had happened last night, but we didn’t try to hide it either, and I was sure she quickly figured out that something had changed between us. Anyway, even if we wanted to tell her, none of us probably knew what to say.

Soon, we would go to the market… I wasn’t sure if I was looking forward to it. Unity consultant. How did I end up here? I glanced at Mai’Ri. It sort of made sense, but… I didn’t think I was the best person for the job.

Mai’Ri served breakfast, or at least that’s what they called it. For me, it looked and tasted the same as what we’d eaten for dinner. Once we’d eaten, they went on to prepare and pack food to trade, and I remembered the box of flyers the Major had given me. Great. I went back to my flat to pack. Maybe I should take my laptop as well. Should I take something to trade? I didn’t really need anything, but there was virtually no chance I would eat all of my rations, so I packed a few of them, just in case.

Once I was ready, I walked out to the hallway and got ready. My jacket still had the white ribbon pinned to it. By now, I had grown so used to it that it didn’t bother me. But the Nuke’em All badge, on the other hand… It was still pinned to my jacket as well. It was sentimental, I’d got it on our first leave when the war started, but it really didn’t fit anymore. I got a knife from the kitchen and cut it off my uniform.

At that moment, An’Ri came in, beaming as she saw me.

“Are you ready?”

I nodded, and she took my hand as she followed me out, where Mai’Ri was already waiting for us.

“Let’s go.”

She walked over to me and quickly pressed her nose against mine, leaving me startled, before walking down the stairs.

It wasn’t raining this time, but still, it was quite far to walk. Maybe I could apply for a car. It would make things easier. We got a few curious looks on the way, but I didn’t mind it. I guess I would get used to it, or maybe even before that happened, no one would pay any attention to it and would instead take it as something normal. There was a chance, considering the amount of unity propaganda the civis government produced. Maybe they weren’t that bad in the end…

The market was busy when we arrived. Good weather made a difference, I suppose. We made our way to Da’Nur’s stall and were instantly welcomed by his family. It was weird, and I felt out of place, and it became even worse when all those who had asked me for help last week arrived, bringing small gifts that felt weird to accept and wrong to refuse.

At least Mai'Ri saved me most of the time, staying by my side and dealing with the weird stuff as I focused on answering their questions and helping them to navigate the complex and probably confusing bureaucratic system they unknowingly had become part of.

After what felt like endless cups of tea, the crowd in front of Da’Nur’s stall subsided, and I finally could catch a breath. Mai’Ri and An’Ri left, free to make their trade. My notebook was full of questions again, but I’d deal with them later. At least I’d been able to answer some of them using the flyers and my laptop. Was this how every Saturday would look from now on? Probably. I couldn’t imagine stopping now. At least it was something we could do together.

Shi’Nur sat down in front of me, placing a small kettle on the ground. I sighed, not being sure if I could handle another one.

“You brought prosperity to our family. ”

She placed a small wooden box next to my glass. Another gift. I tried not to look at it. Apparently, it was impolite to do so. But this one seemed at least to have been earned to some extent. Their business was flourishing with my presence since almost everyone who came bought something. I wondered if that was another of their weird customs or if people simply got hungry as they waited.

I was growing tired after the day, but it seemed we’d be here for a while, since Mai’Ri and An’Ri still weren’t back. I wondered what was taking them so long. I was getting hungry, too, but eating together was a tradition, and no one seemed willing to start before they had returned. I wondered whether they always did it this way or only when they had guests. At least now I understood why Mai’Ri had invited me to eat with them when we first met.

When they finally came back, their bags were empty, and I wondered what they’d got in return, but at least we could finally eat.

It was late afternoon when, after another round of consultations and endless glasses of tea, we finally left the market and headed home. Mai’Ri was quiet as we walked, but maybe she was just tired? It had been a long day. An’Ri, at least, looked happy. I was tired too, but it felt good. Part of me knew that, no matter how small, I’d made a difference today.

We were always told during the war that we made a difference, but this felt different. I knew I’d sleep well tonight, instead of lying awake and staring at the wall.

“Thank you, Mai’Ri”, I said softly and brushed my nose against her cheek.

She smiled and hid her face against her shoulder.

“Will… will you stay with us?”, she whispered.

An’Ri looked at me, hearing it, her tail swishing in the air.

I glanced at Mai’Ri. What was I supposed to say? Anything I said could lead us straight into the minefield. We had found a way to navigate it last night, but would that work now? It felt too early to ask, but I couldn’t just pretend I hadn’t heard it, especially with her now glancing at me, the tip of her tail flicking in the air as she waited for my answer.

“I suppose so,” I managed to say, not fully sure what I said yes to.

It wouldn’t be a problem to apply for permanent deployment here, but the rest... What did it really mean to stay and have a place to call home? I guess I would find out. I sighed and took her hand.