“I’ve never seen readings like these before, people. The bullshit is off the charts!”
“Z!”
The silence on the other end of the phone speaks for itself. She’ll wait me out until the end of time if she must.
Unable to withstand the silence filled with humming anticipation, I fold like a cheap suit. It’s like being a teenager again. “Fine! There’s this guy—”
The cheering and crowing on the other end of the line is loud enough to make me wince and pull the phone away from my ear. I’m debating on just hanging up on Aunt Zizi when her breathless voice demands, “Tell. Me. Everything.”
“There’s not that much to tell,” I lie. “I’ve only known him a few days. We’re just getting to know one another. Stop booing, you brat! Who is the adult here?”
“Technically, we’re both adults here, so nothing is keeping you from telling me all the dirty, raunchy details.”
“We’ve only kissed. Nothing more. There are no dirty details,” I remind Zizi.
“Not yet.” That sly tone is back. “But you want there to be, don’t you?”
I huff out a breath. “Yeah. I do. This guy… he’s different. And I really like him. I’ve only known him a few days, but he’s unlike anyone I’ve ever met.”
“Is he hot?” Zizi asks, glee and hope battling for dominance in her voice.
“So so hot. An absolute smoke show. The muscles… and his eyes. Gah. But… is it too soon?”
“Too soon? What are you talking about? It’s not like you’re pining for that idiot Marcus. Seize the day! Or dick. Seize the dick, Lily!”
“Carpe dickem,” I tease back, grinning at Zizi’s witch-like cackle.
“Well… why haven’t you carpe’d the dickem yet? What are you waiting for?”
Aunt Zizi always knows how to get into the heart of a problem, and she’s nailed this one without even realizing it.
I find myself standing at the stove, mindlessly stirring the chili, the phone held awkwardly to my ear, my nerves a mess of twisted knots. “Aunt Zizi, he’s… he’s different. Special. I don’t want to rush things, but we don’t have much time,” I stutter into the receiver.
Her laughter sounds like chimes, vibrant and full, even through the tinny speaker. “About damn time, Lilith,” she teases. “Who is he? Is he a local?”
I sigh, wringing my hands as I wrestle with how much to reveal. “His name is Rav—” I barely manage to keep from saying his whole name which might lead to awkward questions. “Rav… well, he’s not from here. He travels for work. A lot. All the time, really. Even more than you,” I explain, biting my lower lip.
Across the line, there’s a pause, and then Zizi asks, “So why is that a problem, Lily?”
I walk over to the pantry and paw through it. When I find a box of cornbread mix, I grin, thinking that Ravok will like it. Who doesn’t like cornbread with their chili? It’s the best. I look out the window towards the woods where I stumbled upon Ravok and his crash site. “Because I really like him, Aunt Zizi. More than I thought I could in such a short period of time. And I’m scared to start something that will inevitably end. We’re both just passing through town. The fact that we bumped into each other at all was just pure luck.”
Zizi’s voice softens when she speaks next, in that motherly tone that has warmed and comforted me since I was a teen. “Lily,” she says gently. “Life is an unpredictable, wild ride. And more often than not, it doesn’t go according to our plan. But if you really like Rav, you will regret it if you don’t give it a shot, even with an end date looming over your heads.”
“But, Aunt Zizi,” I protest weakly, yet she cuts me off with an airy chuckle.
“No buts, Lilith. Actually, nix that – lots of butts,” she advises, her voice firm yet loving. “Enjoy the time you have together. Isn’t that what any of us can really do in life? Who knows what the future holds? Maybe you’ll find a way to work it out. Make the most of now, Lily. That’s all that matters. Even if it doesn’t work out, you don’t want to look back one day and wish you’d jumped when the chance was presented.”
Her words leave a comforting warmth in my heart, enough to soothe the gnawing fear and incite a flicker of hope. She’s right. I have Ravok now, and I should make the most of it. And who knows? Maybe the future could be filled with more surprises than heartache. Zizi is right as usual – I don’t want to look back at this time together and wish I’d taken a chance.
CHAPTER 34
Ravok
The garage’s stale air and dust are making me feel itchy and claustrophobic. After spending years inside my ship and the extensive training of my youth, I’m surprised to feel so uncomfortable and tense from just a cramped space covered in a bit of dirt. All these years, I had believed my rigorous training had eradicated any traces of claustrophobia, but it seems such phantoms of the past are not so easily scrubbed from one’s psyche. The walls of the garage are closing in on me in a way that they never have before. The dust on the tools, ancient compared to what I’m accustomed to, makes my skin itch. I need air – a crisp, fresh breeze that can be found only a few feet away.
I make my way towards the exit, sliding the worn wooden door open with a heavy rasping sound, and find myself in the green grassy space between the garage and Leelee’s humble cabin. I stare at the rustic, raw-wood dwelling that contains Leelee with a fondness filling my chest. I’m starting to appreciate the charm of her home, perhaps because of the state of the garage in comparison or perhaps because of the human female inside it.
Standing outside, the taste of the breeze is earthy and sweet. A touch of warmth from the sun’s bright glow caresses my skin, settling a sense of calm over my restless state. I turn my attention back to the cabin, wondering what Leelee is doing right now. I miss her even though it has been less than an hour since I last saw her.
Faint and melodious, Leelee’s voice emanates softly through a window, catching the wind like a siren’s song. A slow grin spreads across my face as I assume she is talking to Mango again. I’ve noticed that Leelee often speaks to the animal as if she believes the creature understands her and will answer.
I’m about to turn away when I hear Leelee yell, “Zee!” in an aggravated tone. My translator is unable to decode the word she said, so I am lost on what is upsetting her. I growl under my breath, ready to intervene on her behalf. No one should upset Leelee, not while I am here to protect her. I step closer to the house and spot her standing in the kitchen talking into her communication device. There is no immediate threat, and there is nothing I can do to assist. My aggression whooshes out of my chest, leaving me feeling deflated. I wish I knew what upset her so I could find a way to cheer her up.
A pang of curiosity beats through me, but I halt, not wishing to invade her privacy. As I walk away, I hear Leelee say, “Fine! There’s this guy—”. The words freeze me mid-stride. The only person she could be talking about is me. I have a micro-second where I wonder if Leelee is betraying me, but I dismiss it before the thought fully forms. I am utterly certain that she would never be disloyal to me. Plus, her voice sounded… bashful. Hopeful, maybe?
I inch closer to the house, holding my breath to overhear her words, curious about what Leelee is saying. Wait… Did she say… that the male is hot? I’m almost certain she is talking about me. I don’t know what a ‘smoke show’ is, but it sounds complimentary.
I can’t understand everything she says, but the more Leelee talks, the more I realize she is saying she is attracted to me. She thinks that I am special.
The woman that Leelee is talking to – Aunt Zizi – asks her if the man is local. I hold my breath, wondering what Leelee is going to tell her. It takes me a moment, but when the name ‘Rav’ leaves her lips, it’s as if time comes to a screeching halt. My mind races. Any momentary doubts that she is talking about me evaporate like dew on the desert sand.
“Enjoy the time you have together. Isn’t that what any of us can really do in life? Who knows what the future holds? Maybe you’ll find a way to work it out. Make the most of now, Lily. That’s all that matters. Even if it doesn’t work out, you don’t want to look back one day and wish you’d jumped when the chance was presented.” The woman urges Leelee, her voice kind and loving. I suddenly understand where Leelee might’ve gotten her sweet nature. I wonder for a moment if this is Leelee’s mother, but my translator tells me what ‘aunt’ means. On Cryzor, we do not track maternal lineage, so an ‘aunt’ is somewhat foreign.
“You’re right as usual, Zizi. Even though it probably can’t last, I want to explore this attraction. And I think he might feel the same.”
Shock ripples through me at Leelee’s words, setting my nerves alight in a thrilling dance between hope and disbelief. The air in my lungs turns into fire as my mind struggles to understand what I’ve just heard.
