Maureen pulled out the items that looked the most like what she’d used back on Earth. “Thanks. This’ll be great.”
Ahzma stared at her a long moment.
“Is everything okay?” Maureen asked, a twinge of fear knotting her belly.
“Oh, everything is fine,” she replied. “It’s just you have an unusual look to you. I don’t think I’ve ever seen one of your kind. Where did you say you were from?”
“Earth,” Maureen replied. It was always easier to keep truths straight than lies, and there was no way this woman could know all inhabited worlds everywhere.
“Never heard of it,” Ahzma said, proving her point.
“Yeah, it’s a big galaxy. I know there are a lot of planets I’ve never heard of. But hey, thank you again for all of your help. I’d better get to this. I’m sure Bodok will appreciate a clean home when he’s done for the day.”
With that she started cleaning, wiping down the counter figuring it was as good a place as any to start.
“Why are you still wearing your shawl?” Ahzma asked. “It’s warm in here. Let me hang it up for you.”
“No, that’s okay,” she replied, perhaps a little too quickly. “Uh, my kind get cold very easily.”
“What did you say your kind were, again?”
“Humans. From Earth.”
“At least you’re with a Pokri,” Ahzma said with a knowing wink. “Their kind run warmer than most.”
“Oh, uh, I wouldn’t say I’mwithhim. But yeah, he’s pretty great.”
“You are not bonded, then?”
“No.”
“You act as lovers do. It’s the body language.”
Maureen’s cheeks grew warm. “Well, there is that.”
“Have fun while you’re young enough to enjoy it, I always say.”
“Well spoken, though I have to admit I don’t really know much about Pokri and venereal diseases.”
“What are you playing at? You know as well as I do that nearly all mating diseases were eradicated when the Dotharian Conglomerate was established. And even if they weren’t, differing races have never been able to transmit them to one another, just as they cannot bear children without a bonded Infala.”
“Ha-ha, of course I’m just joking,” Maureen said, playing it off as the realization that she couldn’t get pregnant or catch anything from Bodok made her nether bits heat up and tingle at the thought of absolutely consequence-free sex.
Maureen was so distracted that she stretched out as she worked to scrub the caked grime off the counter. That in itself wasn’t anything of note. What was, was that her shawl and clothing shifted in the process, exposing her bare, rune-less skin.
She moved quickly the moment she realized what she had done, shifting upright and covering herself once more. Fortunately, Ahzma did not seem to have noticed.
Dammit, Maureen, that was close. Don’t be an idiot. Remember what Bodok said.
She kept a wary eye on the old woman as they chatted a little bit longer until Ahzma finally left her to clean while she gave more directions to the other half of the newly arrived duo.
By the time Bodok returned it was dark out and had been for a little while. Ahzma had given him some produce, as he had not yet been able to shop for groceries, and she had even done so without admonishing him that she would take it from his meager wages.
When he stepped from the filthy hallway into their temporary home he was welcomed by a surprisingly clean living space. Maureen stood by the door, smiling proudly at the result of her labors.
“You have done much work, I see,” he said, putting the small bag of food on the cooking area counter. “I cannot express enough how pleasing it is to end the day in a clean environment.”
“I thought you might like it,” she said.
