Chapter 29: Subtext

Out of all of them, Mr. Solway was the most thrilled. Larmie had gone to sleep by the time she'd returned, but Hajule screeched loud enough to wake him. Thankfully for the graveyard shift, none of the sleepers stirred. But Hajule glued Edie to the chair, demanding every detail. Did they hold hands? How was the dinner? Did he loosen up? Did he speak in anything other than that monotone voice? Any emotion whatsoever? How did he ask her to be his girlfriend? There were other girls flirting with him, and she did nothing? Oh, well, it was all an experiment, and should she decide to date someone new, she'd know what to expect. They were all new memories, after all, so she had no experience with which to draw from. They didn't know what she didn't know until she didn't know it. With that, she send the girl to bed at nearly two in the morning, five hours following when she'd gotten home. The captain's attempts to get her home early, ergo to sleep early, were in vain. She'd have to let him know to get her home after both parents had gone to bed in future.

After morning chores and sunrise, Edie took a moment to curate the sunflowers. They didn't wither or fade immediately, but she had forgotten to take a soil sample. Maybe they would die, and that would be a sign. Knowing Larmie and Hajule, with their knack for taking in transplanted things and helping them grow, the sunflowers didn't stand a chance at withering. They might grow for generations, being transplanted and the story told over and over, how Edie Cartwell, a stray of whom no one knew whence she came, went on a most romantic outing with a captain from the Scout regiment, and returned with a gorgeous boyfriend to her name and a full sunflower plant, the latter of which was more her doing. She'd never be rid of him, she realized, even if it went according to plan, and he gained confidence enough to ask out someone more…put together. But these sunflowers would stay, and flourish, giving health to many an immune system and delicious seeds every autumn. Her family could build a livelihood off this sunflower plant, she pondered as dirt poured around the roots. They would never be without an income, so long as the sunflowers blossomed. Sunflower oil, sunflower flour, sunflower tea: they could make a fortune, even. All in one evening, all without meaning to. She wouldn't ever be rid of any of them, and had a glad sort of melancholy about her.

Around this time, mid-morning, that Larmie put on his fatherly suspenders and followed Edie around for the rest of the workday. He pestered and pestered in the gentlest fashion, managing to work in whatever field she found herself in, taking water breaks at the same time and stopping to wipe the sweat off his forehead at the moment she bent to pick little white bugs off a ripe stalk. Did he open doors for her? Did he comment on her outfit and the flowers in her hair? Did he ask how long it had taken to finish the braid? Was his horse slower this time, instead of stampeding to a restaurant the same it did to war? Did he dare touch her, at any time, without her explicit permission? Did he need to travel to the edge of Wall Rose right now and sock him in the nose before he went on his next mission, only for the titans to target him because his face looked funny? Did he needed to be reported to his commanding officer, above the actual Commander, since they were friends? Should he keep a crossbow, usually kept under the bed and in a locked box, completely out a Jamie's knowledge, by the front door?

Jamie typically took two weeks to return letters. Edie had three in her possession, and Hajule and Larmie had four between the two of them. According to some others who'd had family go through the Cadet Corps, this was a miracle. But the day after her date, Edie wrote to inform her little brother of her escapades. Although she knew he'd never intentionally hurt her, she couldn't fathom his frustration at not discovering her relationship status immediately. The next day, arousing no suspicion, Edie found a three page letter hastily pasted and crumpled into an envelope, with tiny letters thanking her and congratulating her and congratulating him and giving rootless advice. But that was the end of it for Jamie.

It was a week later, early in the morning, that Mr. Solway exploded his can. The ladies were headed to the market outside of Sina with roasted nuts and surplus seeds, extra from those confiscated by the military police, to sell for the barn renovation fund. Hajule stayed with the horses while Edie checked the post and bought bread and cheese for lunch. As it happened, the captain had sent a letter before leaving on his next mission, and Mr. Solway held it hostage.

"Every detail," he'd demanded. "For you Uncle Solway."

"You're pitiful."

"I'd rather be a pitiful, happy man, then a respected and miserable one."

"People respect you," Edie urged, detecting some sadness in his voice.

"Perhaps." Her low stature worked to his advantage; he barely held the paper over his head. "Spill."

Edie rolled her eyes. "Fine, but Hajule's waiting outside. We need to get to the market before midday. We're official."

"Officially…?"

"Officially a couple. May I have my letter now?"

"What part of 'every detail' don't you understand? How was the sunflower field? Did you enjoy your dinner? Did you happen to see my one cousin? Is she doing well?"

"The sunflowers field was more beautiful than anything I've seen; dinner was fine, but could've used more salt; and I've never met your cousin and have no idea what she looks like." She hoisted her foot on the counter and leapt to the letter, surprising the older gentleman. "Come over for dinner if you want to hear more."

"Thursday?"

She scrunched her nose. "That doesn't give me much time to prepare."

"Less time to think up pasty lies." He waved his hand and giggled to himself. "Edie and the Cap-tin, sit-tin' in a tree—"

The market wasn't much better.

"Edie's gone and agreed to court that fool?" Domo exclaimed for all the shopkeepers to hear. "That sullen, half-wit, soon-to-be-dead fool? Why, you ain't so keen on how pretty you are, you sweet idiot. That man might've had the courage to ask you 'cause there's nothing else in his brain, 'xcept how to throw more taxpayer dollars down the drain. D'ya know how much more security there's there on the mountain 'cause of all the Scouts needing the real military men to hoist the mainsails on their missions there? Now I've got the Garrison sending their spying eyes, and they're all mighty used to eating their meat and drinking their mead. I added three hidden compartments to my cart already and plan on fitting in a fourth underneath where my rump goes." He smacked his behind and strayed back to his cart. "But I'll let Karmen and Lana know. They'll be over the moon for another reason to come back, what with a marriage and all. Maybe Jamie'll be allowed to come down for the occasion."

And on.

"I told you, I told you! You were stubborn, you know? You said there would be no prospect in your future when you came to us." Katra closed her dressmaking tent, following the gossip. "You know, no one can be as awful as my late fiancé, 'least I hope he's dead by now, but I've heard about that captain. He's famous with the children, of course, for being an excellent soldier, but my, you must have your hands full, making him boyfriend material. I'll just say, he'd better marry you quick and buy you a nice house, instead of taking all your good girlfriend lessons and finding someone richer. That's what I say. You're too good for him, you know? And that's rough when you've got a kid together, because then the baby's not so good as you, either. My neighbor Sara did the math once, that if they're only half of you, then they can only be seventy-five percent as good. Someone to do with genetics, she is. Besides, the tallest it'll get is four and a half feet!"

Edie stepped away after the fourth person suggested there would be a wedding in the near future, quickly followed by a family. Their excitement made her head spin. She hoped the ecstasy would wear off, and soon, so no one would be too disappointed. But more than thrice, her stomach burned, too. Everyone had heard of the captain, in some capacity or the other, and everyone had an opinion. It boiled down to him being a sullen man with no business with people like the Cartwells, yet people assumed the ending. So she stepped out of the market, leaving Hajule to tend to their stand. She passed a group of military police and a dried fruit table, out into the open grass. The air was fresh here, but hardly cooled her temper. Here there was peace, and no one asking when there would be a ring on her finger.

For about two and a half minutes.

"Edie Cartwell, is that you?"

Her eyes fluttered closed for a moment before turning around. "Amile. What are you doing here?"

"Just gathering supplies for a secret mission, as it goes." The military man held up a shiny gold badge which stuck out on his jacket pocket. "Remember that promotion I told you about? Well, guess who's in the second tightest circle in the military police?"

"Congratulations, really. That's wonderful."

"Yes, it is." He looked at his shoes. "We've been busy, making preparations and bowing to our commander's wishes. He's an excellent leader, though rough on the edges. An absolute monster with ODM gear. But that's really all I can say."

"I'll be content."

"You always are. And radiant, today. The sun agrees with you."

"…thanks."

"There's an incredible increase in pay, too. I'm living in the capital city of Sina, guarding the King personally, on some days. He holds court twice a month, in his age, and I'm able to hear his wise decrees and even make suggestions. Did you know most of the royal advisors used to be military police?"

"Not until now."

"It's true. But the time it took to get settled was astronomical, and it took a while to get here. But I didn't expect to see you here."

"We're selling some wares," Edie explained. "Hajule and I, just for the afternoon."

"Just for the afternoon? Are you occupied this evening?"

Only preparing a dissertation for Mr. Solway, and any other poor soul who'd want to read it. "None, no."

"Well, would you like to come to dinner? I've got a reservation at the Capital Steakhouse tonight, where there's actual meat dinners, and rich potatoes and desserts. That's their specialty, of course, the decadent fountain cake."

Edie pressed her lips together. "Oh, Amile, I'm flattered, but—"

"No need to worry about attire! There's this wonderful dressmaker that Lady Stormbrook told me about—forget her name at the moment—but it's on me. It is a well-off restaurant, but you're lovely enough to pull anything off. It's really no trouble; I've got nothing else to spend my money on, and this is worth the world to me."

She bit the inside of her cheek. "I'm sorry, Amile. You're very sweet, and thanks for the offer, but…I'm…I'm in a relationship."

"You're—you are?"

"Yes."

"Is it—how long?" He turned pink. "That's—I don't know why I asked, it's just—I thought I had—I don't know why, and—ah." He was beet red now.

"Well, we've been going out for about a month, and as of now, we're…we're courting."

His eyes trained on the ground. "Who is it?"

"The captain."

"Which captain?"

Edie faltered for a moment. "Captain…Levi. Of the Scouts."

"The Scouts? The lowest paying regiment in the military? And with the highest fatality rating?"

"That's the one."

"Well." He ran his hand through his hair. "Well, congratulations, I suppose. That's really wonderful for you."

"Thank you."

"Are you…does he make you happy?"

"I suppose."

Amile furrowed his brows. "You suppose?"

"Well, yes, he does." She felt herself turning red, too. "That didn't come out right. I am—we are—serious, it's just, I don't think I'm right for him."

"So he's not right for you."

"I'm—no, I'm not saying that, I'm just—" She laughed a bit, to relieve some tension. Instead, it nestled in her gut. "I'm sorry, Amile, but I don't feel that way about you. You're a wonderful friend, but I don't have any romantic feelings toward you."

"Do you have any at all?" His hand suddenly came to his mouth, and he looked away, flustered. "No, I'm sorry, that was out of line. You know your feelings better than anyone, that's a surety." Amile pretended to tip his hat while backing away. "Honesty and loyalty, that's—that's what's so wonderful about you, Edie. I hope he makes you very happy, but—well, if he doesn't, you know around where I am."

"Thanks. I'm so sorry."

"No need to be sorry, none at all." The man put a hand to his stomach as he slowly walked away.

Edie stayed in the solitude for longer than expected, long enough for Hajule to eventually drive by her on the wagon, calling that it was time to go home with a chastising ring in her voice. But in the minutes preceding, her mind reeled through it all. It wouldn't work. Surely he was feeling just as much anxiety as she over the whole matter and would break things off the moment they saw one another. But the knots in her stomach didn't read as a lack of feeling, just that sorrow again. Life was easier in the sunflower field, or the tea shop. There were battles on every side, here. Hopefully his comrades weren't giving him too much grief, although she smiled at the thought of others teasing at the most serious parts of their missions.

It was on the way home when Hajule stopped talking suddenly, her hands clutching the reins. Both women took a breath, enjoying the scenery. After a few minutes, she put her arm around her daughter's shoulder and squeezed her close. "You know the heart is fickle, right?"

"I do."

"There's no shame in being true to yourself, so long as you're being honest."

Edie pressed her lips together. "Thanks."

Hajule waited a moment, her grip tightening again. "Do…do you really like him? I know we've been all excited that you've found someone, but if he's not for you, then there's no reason to not be upfront now, instead of letting it wane."

"I know. I…I really do think he's wonderful."

"That's a start, but…well, you're no child, it's true. We're just…we're on your side, no matter what you want. No matter what the captain or other people might think, alright? No matter what it is you want, or who you want to be with."

Edie smiled warmly, her cheeks turning a little pink. "Thanks, mom."

"Of course."