‘He’s…’ Lachlan looks down at the label.Confectionné en France.‘French.He came here from France.’
Mimi actually smiles.‘France?’
‘He had lots of adventures there.’
‘Is his name…?’She narrows her eyes, thinking hard as if reaching for a real name.‘I forgot… is… it… Jonmarry?’
Lachlan feigns astonishment.‘Nowayyou figured that out!’
‘I got it right?’
‘You did.Jonmarry is his name.’
‘You saying the last bit wrong.’
‘Oh, I’m sorry.How do you say it?’
‘Ma-ri,’ she echoes stretching it out to master the sound,Mah-Ri.Her eyes then brighten with realisation.‘Wait, Mari is like Mimi!’
‘You’re so right,’ he tells her.‘That’s his nickname.He likes to be called Mari.’
She waves.‘Hi, Mari.’Then she eyes Lachlan again.‘Mari your friend?’
‘Yup.He’s here on vacation from France with me for a while.’
‘Only while?’Her face falls.‘He has to go far, far away?’
‘Well, actually,’ Lachlan confides, looking around to craft performative secrecy before kneeling down in front of her.‘Mari told me hereallywants to stay here, but I didn’t know if he was welcome.’
‘What’swelcome?’
‘Welcome is when someone is wanted and you’re happy they’re here and you want them to stay.’
Mimi frowns, processing the new word.‘Welcome,’ she echoes slowly.‘Mari is my welcome.He stay with me, yes.’
‘Really?Oh, well that’s perfect,’ Lachlan says, slipping the pack off.‘Because did you know, Mari is abodyguardfox?That means if you’re scared, you can put him on your back and you’ll be safe.’He slowly brings it around with both hands, offering it.
Mimi takes it with fascination, turning the pack over and then sniffing it.
‘Jewel told me bodygardens are all bad mans.’
‘Do you think you could give Mari a chance?Maybe you could teach him how to be a nice bodygarden.’
‘Teachhim?’
‘Yeah, he really needs a good teacher, Mimi.’
‘Iamgood teacher!’
‘I bet you are.Well, here.Mari is all yours.’Lachlan stands up, feeling that he’s done all he can and doesn’t want to push it, but as he steps away, she moves towards him.
‘You got no Mari now.’
‘He’s safe with you.’
Mimi frowns.‘I like when you had a Mari.’
‘Maybe I’ll get another one,’ he says, ‘asecretone.’
