Terry understood very little Aragonese, but Helena often slipped into it, most of the time without realizing it.
Sometimes using a word he knew, like a little window to peek into what she was saying, he could kind of make out what she was saying.
She said she had said nothing. But from how she'd said it, it wasn't true. She gestured toward herself, repeating the same thing twice, he could tell, and looked very agitated.
He already knew she didn't care what people thought or said, as well. That was obvious, not just in the way she dressed, but in how she acted.
"Something terrible like…?" he asked.
"I don't know. I could…drink too much? Something like that."
"It's a good think you don't like to attend social events."
Helena smiled.
"One of these days, I may. I may just change my mind. But something like that just wouldn't work!"
She stood up, and began to walk back and forth.
"You'd only end up humiliating yourself."
"That doesn't matter to me."
"Yes it does."
Helena stopped, and stared.
"I don't think you would do it, anyway." he said. "You had a good opportunity at the party your mother gave, and you didn't."
He was referring, of course, to when they had met.
"I think you're probably right." she admitted. "I should have done something like that then, you know."
"But you didn't."
"No. It's one thing to think something, and want it so badly. Another to…"
"What do you want so badly?"
"Nothing. Nothing. Or yes, something. I want the entire jewelry set and I saw in a catalog. Only I prefer silver."
"You want his approval."
"What good would that be to me?"
"A lot more than jewels would."
"Of course the jewels would do me good. And not just me. What do you think would look best with Adela's coat color?"
The collars and charms Helena's cats wore were just as expensive looking as anything she wore, although Terry had seen the charms had a practical use as well.
"I don't really think the cat cares."
"Adela cares." she said slowly. "You don't think she does?"
"No. I don't."
She looked at the black cat sitting on the table behind her. Then she walked over, and Adela stretched on her shoulders. Helena reached up and stroked her.
"We trust you, Terry." said Helena, meaning herself and her cats. "We trust you will keep the fact that…you will tell no one who my…genetic donor, my other genetic donor, that no one will find out who he is? Not through you?" she asked before leaving.
"I won't tell anyone."
"Good! Don't you see that it's much preferable people think I have no clue as to who he could be, rather than have them find out the truth?"
"I don't see."
"Well, we do!" she meant herself and all her cats. "And I won't change my mind." she added quickly, before he had a chance to speak. "I never change my mind. In regards to anything. Ever."
"Nothing will make you change your mind?"
"Nothing."
"But why not?"