Anna leaned over the tile counter heavily, letting the tough expression she had fall off her face. “I’m exhausted.”
Nora peered closely at Anna’s face and the dark circles under her eyes. “Damn Anna, you do look tired. That’s not good for the baby either. Are you getting to rest at all?”
Anna shook her head absently.
Nora frowned and sighed. “You want to talk about it?”
Anna shook her head again.
She didn’t want to push Anna if she didn’t want to talk. “Any news or gossip?” Nora watched her friend carefully.We’re better off in the desert, living how we want.
Anna pushed herself back up off the counter. “I’ve been too tired to go out much. Gotta man the front desk here. We just got a new shipment of supplies from Mars though. All sorts of different things. You came on a good day.”
“Well, that’s a positive at least. Spent all my money on fixing that damn solar AC again and getting another array. Can’t afford to get much else.” Nora frowned. “Syntho-gas price was even up.”
“Yeah, they had to shut down making it for a few weeks. Ran out of supplies. But then they got a drop from Mars with what was missing.”
“Kinda crazy that the Mars colony knows what we need like that. Don’t you ever—”
Anna waved off her concerns. “I don’t mind. At least someone cares out there.”
“Guess so.”
Nora listened while Anna filled her in on the latest gossip and Nora shared the latest finds she had gotten at the mall. She didn’t tell her about Simon, though. It was on the tip of her tongue, but she refrained.Don’t know if he will even turn on yet. Too soon to say anything.
Besides, owning an android was technically illegal. Any advanced technology was beyond basic electricity. Not that there was a jail or any sort of order anyways here to enforce laws.If anything, someone would just try to take him from me for themselves.
Shifting in her seat as she pushed down her guilty thoughts, Nora sipped some water and nibbled on a pastry as Anna moved away to serve a customer. Soon, though, Nora got lost in thought about what she was doing with Simon herself. She stiffened when she saw Paul, Anna’s husband, come in from the back, baking sheet in hand, just as Anna settled back in across from her again.
Balancing the tray against his large frame one-handed, Paul barked at them, “You’re taking too long chatting, Anna. These cakes won’t bake themselves.”
“Hey Paul,” Nora said, giving a small wave and forcing her lips to turn upward.
Paul glowered. “Nora.”
Anna put on a placating smile. “I’ll be one second, Paul. You know I never get to see Nora.”
“Her own fault for living so damn far out. There are plenty of men willing to take in her and her daughter.”
Nora’s ears turned red, embarrassed. After grabbing her bag on the counter, she stood up. “I’ll get going, Paul. Let me just call for Tilly.” In an upbeat tone she added, wagging the bag, “It’s not all talk between us either, I bought some stuff for later.”
She went to the back to get Tilly and overheard Anna say softly, “I can talk with my friend a bit. I’ll still get the work done.”
Nora exited before she could hear Paul’s reply. Inwardly she seethed.Can’t even give her a break when she’s pregnant.
She didn’t have to walk far to find Tilly, who was idly rocking her legs on a worn metal swing next to some kids. Seeing Paul reaffirmed that it was better to be out on her own in the desert. The only way to be alright here in town for a woman was to be under the protection of a male. No way would Nora want to live like Anna did. She wanted to live life on her own terms.Trade-offs for everything.
Tilly’s face lit up when she saw Nora coming to collect her. When they went back through the shop to say goodbye, Nora whispered to Anna as she hugged her close, “You know where to find me if you ever . . .”
But Anna just frowned and shook her head. “I’ll see you next week? Paul’s just grumpy because a big order got canceled.”
Always an excuse. “Mhm. We’ll go check out the drop now. Hopefully it’s full of good stuff.”
Nora and Tilly waved Anna off at the door and promised to stop by in another week or so.
“You have fun?” Nora asked Tilly, unjamming the hover and steering it back on the marked dirt road. She idled it over some hard-packed soil while she rechecked the items they’d bought earlier under the tarp.
Tilly sat with her arms crossed and eyes glued to the hover’s floor. “No. The other kids didn’t share the sand toys with me. They’re mean.”
