Chapter 6
They both rose from their own beds in the morning—and on time to prep for Kolyat's school day, but neither were feeling very "rested"….Irikah had a sudden longing for the burning smell of teresha leaves that used to be burned in Nualavera to void out headaches and nausea, or hangovers from too much Gran'wen wine. She made Kolyat help her with making breakfast that morning to assist with "forgetting" the discomfort of the night.
"Is Papua okay?—"
"Kolyat," Irikah's voice was crisp, "….be careful not to burn the caretta!—Or those will taste sour…." Cut off by her "mindfulness" he set his face forward, towards the bowl containing the fragrant, onion-like vegetable on the stove, and continued to stir, only faster….The roots were already singing brown, "….Good….Your father is fine, and we'll be speaking no more of him as we're trying to get ready for your transport to Primary, Kolyat, and….You're missing your shoes!—"
"But we're in the—" He laid the ladle in the bowl against its lip….
"Go—Go now!—and put them on so we'll be ready…." Kolyat did as he was told, Irikah taking over the stirring of the caretta….She was doing terribly with hiding her anxiety over all that had transpired since Thane had left. Despite her efforts to do so, she was unable to conceal from Kolyat this truth, sending him off to do things that did not make sense to the young drell but only served to keep him moving, less thinking about what had happened yesterday evening within the holosphere, and then at home with the strange visitor.
Kolyat went down to the lower level in search of his shoes, to the door where he had left these after entering the cotti from the baylet housing the skyrunner….He could hear his mother's feet stepping quickly back and forth over the floor above, moving between the sink basin, its water running through the piping; and the stove, the food cooking and sizzling; and her setting the table with dishware and utensils now….He located his shoes, sat down on the floor and started to pull these on.
"What am I doing…." He looked up at the staircase, pulled off his shoes and stood, carrying these with him back up the steps and into the kitchen.
Irikah glanced behind her from the sink as she heard him come up the stairs, and she saw his feet were not shoed yet, the pair hanging from his fingers of his hand, "….Kolyat, don't forget your shoes!"
"Mamua—"
"Kolyat, not right now—"
"No shoes in the cotti, Mamua," he went to the front door and set his shoes in the spot where Roun Kryous had set his in the night, and Kolyat saw the dried dirt and residue left by shoes not his father's—nor his mother's sizes….He straightened and returned to stand by his mother's side in the kitchen as she scrubbed clean a spot on a cup, "….Mamua, stop—"
"Stop what….Kolyat, can't you see I'm—" He pulled on the sleeve of her shirt….
"You're scared, Mamua…." His dark eyes sought hers, she looking into the sink, focused on what she was trying to do, "….and you're scaring me."
Irikah stilled, turned off the water before she set her wet hands on the edge of the counter….She turned and looked down into his green irises, obscured somewhat by his black tintings over his eyes.
She wrapped her hand around his head and crests, her other arm crossing over his shoulders.
They stood still in the kitchen as the caretta burned, Kolyat's long, thin, teal and black arms wrapped around her waist, hugging her tightly.