Chapter 39
"Hi, Vince. How've you been?" Saboo asks when he arrives.
"Fine." I give my usual answer then try to steer away from the topic. "How about you?" The change of subject doesn't go unnoticed.
"I'm fine, but that's not important. How've you really been?" I sigh.
"Not bad. I ate something." His face breaks into a huge grin.
"Great!" He turns to Naboo. "Can we put the carpets round the back?"
"Of course." Saboo leaves the shop, returning a few minutes later with the rest of the shamen.
"We won't go far, ok?" Naboo says. I nod. "Just stay here, we won't be long." I nod again. He leaves, with Saboo following closely behind.
"What are they doing?" Tony Harrison asks as soon as they're gone.
"I don't know."
"What, you have no idea?"
"Naboo just said they were talking."
"About what?"
"He didn't say."
"You didn't ask?"
"Leave him alone, Tony." Parri calls. "He doesn't need to know. None of the rest of us do, and he's just a kid."
"I'm not a kid! I'm 23!"
"That's a baby to us. Kulap and Jyrgal are the youngest here, and they're both 327."
"I'm older than him!"
"No you're not!"
"Yes I am!"
"Stop it!" Mereki cuts in. "You may not be a child in your race, but you would be in ours. Do you understand?"
"I think so." He smiles.
"Good."