Chapter forty-one
Nora
Nora stretched in Simon’s arms. Not only did she enjoy the companionship, she also was no longer hungry.It is . . . well . . . fantastic.
They got up together, as a team, tackling the morning chores. Several weeks had passed as a routine was established in terms of sourcing supplies and stockpiling goods, along with several more runs between the mall and the town. The feeling of security Nora had, seeing those supplies, grew alongside the material goods.
It was not only physical items like food. The money from Max was also piling up, and with it so were Nora’s hopes. The nightstand drawer was fuller than it had ever been. But it still wasn’t yet enough for them to make any moves to explore elsewhere.
Nora wasn’t as enthused as Simon was about leaving everything. This was all she had ever known. After the chores were done, she handled the items with near reverence as she restacked some dried meat on the counter.But damn, it feels good to see us have so much extra to help us survive. Since when have I ever had extra like this?Simon was interested in stockpiling to move, but Nora was more focused on how good it felt to just have reserves.
She ate that morning, still unable to leave anything on the plate, while Simon repaired a few gears that were broken on the big hover. Taking a break from eating, her eyes were drawn to the window. “Is the same place good to go to? The mall?”
Simon nodded. “Yes, in the area, but I would like to explore some. I know where a few other large department stores once stood. A variety of items would probably get us more money.”
“Okay. Sounds good.” Nora shoveled the last bit of egg into her mouth, her stomach protesting. The last few bites didn’t really taste good with how stuffed she was. She moved over and finished getting the crumbs off of Tilly’s plate as she responded, “Wherever you think. We will need a resting day though after this, been scavenging and trading so much. Tilly must be tired.”
Tilly’s eyes were bright as she shook her head at Nora’s words and colored on her chalkboard next to her on the table. “Nuh uh. I’ll go out every day if we can have more cakes.”
Nora frowned, finishing Tilly’s crumbs, and then leaned back in the chair. “Well shit, I’m tired then.”
“Bad word!” Tilly pointed at her with the chalk.
“You’re right, you’re right.”
Simon didn’t say anything, but she caught his grin at the counter. Nora rubbed her stomach, gaze lingering on him clearing the dishes.More than just the daytime activities that are making me tired . . .
Tilly was in a high energy mood. She was practically jumping instead of walking everywhere that morning, her injured foot not holding her back at all. She had already challenged both of them that morning to a staring contest, which Simon had the decency to pretend to lose. Nora watched her dance, feeling sluggish in comparison.Probably got that extra energy from those cakes.
The plates were put in a bucket to wash while Tilly went in back to get changed to leave. Nora rubbed her midsection.Feels uncomfortable. She started scrubbing the dishes next to Simon. “Make less food tomorrow, okay? My stomach hurts.”
Simon stood from where he was tinkering with the engine part and took the dishes as she dried, storing them to the side. “You’ll adapt. Your frame already appears better now.”
Nora snorted and shook her head, side-eyeing him. “You would know.”
Simon nodded, coming up and wrapping his arms around her, making her body warm. “I do know.”
Nora snorted again to cover her blush as Simon's hands reached down to grope her rear. “Even filling out here.”
She wiggled out of his arms. “You’re fresh this morning.”
He chuckled and kissed her forehead before letting go. Nora walked back to the table while Simon packed even more snacks for them to eat along the way.
She picked up the gears Simon had fixed, hefting them in her hands. “I’ll get these put back in the hover and check the gas. Meet me out there once Tilly is ready.”
“Yes,” Simon said, finishing the dishes.
After putting on her shoes, Nora walked outside. The drone was there, waiting.
“Good morning,” Nora said to the drone as she listened to Tilly tell jokes to Simon inside. The sound faded as she crossed the threshold into the dirt yard. She shaded her eyes to see the drone’s dusty green metal that was at just the right angle to reflect the sun. “Got any good places you can share with Simon for us to check out? Somewhere other than that mall? Mall is fine still if not.”
The drone, like always, didn’t respond, but Nora knew they listened. It kept following her as she walked the path to the garage, almost side by side. “I think the last atmosphere sweep you did really did something.” She waved around her arm in emphasis. “I’m not getting a bad air alert on the filter as much and we haven’t had to wear the masks the last few times we went out.”
Again, nothing from the drone. Nora was silent after that, her cheeks heated as her thoughts went in a different direction.That night of the atmosphere sweep sure as hell did something for me too.
She entered the garage and began installing the gears and checking the fuel. Simon and Tilly came in a second later. Another piece of fried cake was in Tilly’s hand as she jumped into the back of the hover and put on her seatbelt.
Nora’s eyes lingered on Simon as he climbed in. She knew he took note of her gaze as he leaned over and patted her hand, wearing his mischievous smile. “Yes, let’s rest tomorrow, Nora. We will do lots of resting.”
