Blacklake-Book4-1 Three Cousins

Chapter 42
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“Rumor is,” Kriz’ message began, “that Thomas returned to work late with tusk raspberries on his face. Carried in a box of takeout for himself.”

My face maybe flamed. Wished Kriz wasn’t sittin’ across from me. While it was nice the surgeon cousin had relented with the extra weeks of bed rest, was still irritatin’ the only way Mama would let me come to the office was if Kriz didn’t let me out of his sight.

The idjit was takin’ seriously his task to keep me from movin’ around by myself except to visit the porcelain ring of relief.

“Rumor, or fact?” I asked. We’d just settled in my office. This was the first thing he shot me since Papa dropped us off. Felt a bit like a shovel to the side of my face.

“Ya believe Wekz would make that up?” he messaged.

“When did ya have a conversation with Wekz?” I asked.

“He texted me at nine o’clock last night,” his next message read. Which really irritated me. Really didn’t have a clue Kriz had that kind of relationship with folk in the office. Most everyone hates his guts, if I choose to be honest. Don’t really know why I put up with him.

“Since when are ya so tight with my best troll friend? And why’s he textin’ ya and not me?”

Clack clack clack. That bull can use a keyboard. “Take that up with Wekz. From my point of view, I’m happy for Ezra.” A moment later, “Though ya look like ya just gulped down ten live toads swimmin’ in Tabasco.”

“Ya’re certain, those marks are from our Ezra?” I shoulda rethunk the thought before it crossed my lips. That was even idjitry for me.

“She deserves a bit of love,” his next message read.

“With a human. A human?” My eyes flicked at the door. Hadn’t even noticed Kriz had closed it behind him. He anticipated this conversation well.

Clack, clack. “They annoy the snot out of me too, but, well. I’m happy for Ezra.”

“This can’t end well.” I may have groaned and growled at the same time.

Clackity clack. “I once thought the two of us, me and Ezra, would never find anyone who would love us. Glad I’m the only one in that category now.”

“Ya think the idjit human loves her?” I asked. Almost whispered.

His fingers didn’t move across his keyboard for a good thirty seconds. I found myself holdin’ my breath. Prolly worryin’ my tusk. Yep. Finally, he organized his thoughts, I guess. “If he’s just playin a gross game, I’ll kill him. And it won’t be fast.”

~ Ezra ~

Not havin’ anyone I can talk this through with is killin’ me. My only friends are two idjit cousin bulls. Can’t talk to Ike or Kriz about how the fool’s touch made me quiver, like a new fledgling in a full gale.

Considered talkin’ to Mama. The gods prolly got a good laugh out of that thought. She had to get Aunt to tell me about the bees and flowers. Like she could take in my gettin’ so bothered as we fogged up my truck windows, that I about ripped Thomas’ clothes off of him. His skin is amazin’ly soft. And cold.

I looked across at Zarade. No. If this disgusted her, and it prolly would, I couldn’t live with the shame—should I be ashamed? She said she thinks of me as a hen sibling—but there are boundaries, and I think this, these desires I’m havin’, takes a flamethrower to that boundary, then kicks it around a bunch, finally slams it dead with a sledge hammer.

She must have caught my mind rage, ’cause she lurched a look my way. Brow raised a bit. “What’s up?” she asked.

Maybe I stammered a long time. Got out, “I need to get my own place. I may be a spinster, but not gonna die, livin’ under my folks’ roof.”

Her face flushed a bit pink. “Have ya even cast a vote for council yet? Ya’re far from spinster, fool.”

Ah. Been votin’ for years, fool. “I’m homely, and the only bull that talks to me is in one of the trashy novels I read. Not gonna be drawin’ the attention of anyone in this valley.”

She turned a bit redder. What was that for? She wrenched a glance at Chanz, Glaar, and Vlas. They musta been sufficiently involved in their own conversations, because Zarade set down her carvin’ knife and sided closer to me.

“There’s a rumor,” she whispered. Her knife hand fluttered a little on the counter. Her eyes shifted left and right.

“Always is. This is the Valley,” I said.

She seemed to struggle takin’ in a sip of air. “Thomas.”

“What about Thomas, now?” I asked.

Her face flamed. She lowered down, leaned closer. “Ya left him with love raspberries last night.”

I gasped loud enough to create a deadly vacuum in the kitchen. The other hens clearly noticed, ’cause every bit of conversation ended, and hands stilled. The bustle from the dining room gained volume.

I jerked hard enough to pull a butt muscle. Vlas, the stinkin’ tiny orc, was against my hip. “Is it true?”

“Ya ’bout gave me a heart attack, fool.”

“Yeah yeah yeah. But did ya really do the hot and heavy with the human last night?”

“We deserve to know,” Chanz said, lookin’ over Zarade’s shoulder. Stinkin’ self-entitled goblin.

“Absolutely,” Glaar added, lookin’ over Chanz’ shoulder. The line of heads, ogre, goblin, and troll, almost drew me out of my horror, to laugh at the anticipation on their faces.

Was Zarade havin’ a heart attack? Or had she turned to a pillar of salt? She was white enough, with her lips formin’ an O. But nothing was comin’ out.

“Never imagined it would be our quiet Ezra,” Chanz cackled, “breakin’ this particular social frontier. So excited I may have almost peed myself. What was it like?”

The two other hens were cacklin’ too. Zarade must have recovered from her—shock. She hissed at em to hush and get back to work. One of em whispered, “So ya can hear it all private, huh?”

I used my apron to fan my face. Didn’t help. I so needed to get out of this kitchen, before I turned into a lifeless char. “I gotta go,” I growled, and pretty much ran for the side door.

Outside, I coulda sworn the entire Valley was whisperin’ at me, is it true, what was it like, ya really smooch with a human, did ya hurt him, he didn’t break did he, can humans kiss okay, ya gonna do it again, those tiny human mouths must feel odd.

I realized I was headed east, not home. But did I really wanna go home? Mama woulda heard by now too. Telegraph tell-a-cousin. Oh, could I ever look Mama in the eye again?

I should just go pack a bag, quick like, and head for the Wildes. Maybe open a little diner there. Barbecue place, of course. One hen establishment, so I wouldn’t ever hear another spit of gossip. Have nothing but four, maybe five tables out front. Twelve hundred square feet would be fine. Maybe hire a counter hen. A non-judgmental one. Maybe deaf. Deaf would work. Deaf and mute even better.

I realized I was way past the human cemetery. How’d I get this far? Just stepped out of the kitchen.

I should turn around, before I found myself on the Range’s East Slope. A car, skippin’ slowly along, came beside me, and matched my speed. I looked over to see Aunt Dorig. Gods, all I need is a conversation with the council leader’s mate today.

I stopped. Aunt stopped. Her passenger window rolled down. “Zarade told me ya were quite upset,” she said. No one in this Valley can mind their own business, not share it with the world.

I rumpled my apron in my fists. Oh, gods. Still wore my stinkin’ apron.

“Get in, fool.”

So I’m a fool now, too. Guess I’m followin’ in Ike and Kriz’ footsteps. All I need is for Kriz’ mama to be hidin’ in the back seat. She’s one to fan a flame, not tamp it down.

“Please,” Aunt said.

I had wandered senseless onto the main boulevard, and traffic had slowed down givin’ us the what for. Cars were stacked behind Aunt now, patient-like. Nothing like makin’ a bigger spectacle of myself. I rushed to get in the car.

Aunt pulled forward as she raised my window. It turned quieter without the sound of the tires trudging over the cobblestone.

“Take some slow breaths,” Aunt said softly.

~