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Magnolia dropped the disc into his hand and then he began to unwrap it. He eyed the solid pink disc, mumbled something that might have been “thanks,” and brought it up to his mouth.
“Oh, no! That’s-” Magnolia started.
But it was too late. Garrek had already taken a nice, big, juicy bite of Terratribe II soap.
Cherry and I sent each other oh shit expressions while Magnolia looked like she was about to self-combust.
“Stop, Garrek!” she cried, bouncing on the balls of her feet and waving her hands in a panic, as if the two feet of height difference between them meant she had to flail wildly to get his attention. Like somebody down on the ground calling up to a person on the roof.
Garrek did stop, but not before forcing himself to swallow the bite.
Gross.
As if his politeness extended only to swallowing the rancid bite and not to his words, he grimaced at Magnolia, coughed a little bit, and asked, “Is it supposed to taste that blasted bad?”
“It’s not supposed to taste like anything because you’re not supposed to eat it,” Magnolia said with a sigh. “It’s soap.”
“Soap’s made from lard. What the blazes is this made of?” Garrek asked, raising the pink disc of soap – now with a big old chomp missing – accusingly.
“Um. It’s made from all-natural Terratribe II ingredients. I made it myself, so I know there’s nothing toxic in it. At least, not for humans.”
“You made this?” Garrek asked, frowning at the soap and giving it a suspicious sniff.
“Yes. I just… I didn’t bring much else to give, and…” She looked down at her feet. “Sorry. I suppose that wasn’t a very good gift after all.”
Garrek stared at her while she stared at the toes of her boots. Then, more carefully and gently than those big hands should have been capable of, he wrapped the now crescent-moon shaped soap back up in its paper, put it in his vest pocket, and gruffly muttered, “Didn’t say that.”
“Why don’t we head outside,” I said gently to Magnolia, trying to dispel the awkwardness and the guilt she clearly felt. Magnolia nodded, and she hurried out, followed by Cherry.
As soon as Magnolia was out of sight, Garrek took one big step to the sink and spat into it before turning on the tap and vigorously rinsing out his mouth. I watched him with my arms folded across my chest.
“Look, I know I already got all up your ass about this last night.”
Garrek whipped around to look at me.
“You what?”
“And I believe you when you say you’d protect her with your life,” I went on as if he hadn’t spoken. “But I just want to make sure you’re going to be nice to her, too. Maybe thank her for the soap. I think she feels really bad.”
“I did thank her. Didn’t you hear me?” he demanded. Then, after spitting one last time into the sink and before striding from the room, he muttered, “She’s probably just poisoned me and I’ve gone and thanked her for it. Empire help me.”
25
DARCY
There were a lot of tears from both Cherry and Magnolia as they hugged goodbye. I kept it together – barely – sniffing hard as I gave her my own hug.
“Message me when you can,” I ordered her as I let her go. “Keep your comms tablet charged.”
Magnolia nodded, her eyes glistening. “I will. I’ve got my portable solar charger.”
After that, all there was to do was to see them off.
Garrek looked like someone had just asked him to eat the rest of that hunk of soap when he realized that Magnolia couldn’t ride one of his spare shuldu on her own. His face puckered, and I could practically hear the alien gears turning in his head as his gaze went from Magnolia, to Killian, to the shuldu. But there was nothing for it. Killian wasn’t old or experienced enough to ride with Magnolia.
So up she went with Garrek on his mount.
Cherry and Silar mounted their shuldu, too, Silar muttering something about needing to get home and get back to work.
