“Doesn’t matter,” Baba said. “You made her mad. Apologize.”
Stron raised his eyebrow. “Baba, you don’t know?—”
“Hush,” she fired back. “Apologize.”
Stron sighed. “I apologize, Adryel, for frustrating you.”
“Good,” Baba said.
Adryel smiled. “Thank you.” She glanced at Baba. “You, I like.”
“Remind you of your elder parents, I imagine?” Baba asked.
“I never had any,” Adryel said. “Not that I know of, anyway.”
“They’re not all they claim to be,” Stron said.
Baba glared at him. “Watch it, boy.”
This time, Stron grinned, and so did she. He brought Adryel’s cup and their food over to the sitting area.
“Get me some tea, please,” Baba said.
“Yes, Baba,” he replied, returning to the food prep area.
“So this is…” Adryel led.
“My father’s mother,” Stron called back. “She lives with me here.”
“It is my home,” Baba said. “He lives with me.”
“I thought you said the house was empty before you moved in?” Adryel asked, picking up her cup. Had she already caught him in a lie?
Not a good beginning to this friendship.
“It was,” Baba said. “For several years, I lived with the family instead of here.”
“She got very ill,” Stron said.
“You make it sound like I was dying,” she said.
“You were,” Stron said. “At least, that’s what it looked like at the time.”
She waved her hand. “I’m of stronger stuff than that virus.”
“Many died of it,” Stron said as he came back with a cup for Baba. “She wanted to come back to her home?—”
“I don’t get along with Stron’s mother.”
“And she couldn’t be here alone. So I came too.” He handed the tea to Baba, and she thanked him with a nod.
“He doesn’t have to stay here,” Baba said before sipping on her tea. “I’m much better, and honestly, he’s never here, anyway.”
“You still need someone to check on you occasionally.”
She waved her hand. “I’ll get one of those medical droids.”
“Baba, you would break it.”
