Page 60 of Tempting Fate

His terminal showed the correct amount, so I held my device over the sensor; it chirped, confirming the transfer of funds. Convenient. Efficient.

The vendor packed the device for me and I slid it inside Imani’s ever-present bag.

As soon as we got out of the shop, Imani spun towards me. “What was that?”

Did humans conduct transactions in such a different fashion? “Trading.”

“But… you said you were not good with people!”

“That is different. That was trading.” Though it had gone well, my head swam from the interaction.

“That was… You were brilliant!”

“You do not have to sound so surprised, little moonlight.”

“Sorry. Honestly, though, how did you do that?”

“The same way I do anything I can do? I know the phrases to say or the things to do, and I have practiced.”

She patted my arm. “You are full of surprises. Come on, you deserve a trip to the art shop as a treat.”

Buoyed by my success, we headed down the street, weaving in and out of the press of people.

As we cut towards the art vendor, a large kri’ith male bumped into us, foul-smelling and with far too many red gems in his tusks. “Sorry, my fault.” His sleeve brushed Imani’s arm, and I felt her flinch.

“No problem,” she said, but her voice was tight.

I glared at him, something rumbling in my chest, until his gaudy tunic got lost in the crowd and Imani dragged me inside the much larger premises.

Incredible. Rows and rows of paint cylinders in all shades of all colours spanned one wall of the light, airy space. I needed one of each, didn’t I? And the flexi-polymer canvases I’d coveted ever since I’d seen them on trading indexes but wasn’t allowed to get for myself. “Imani! Look!”

Her joyous laugh lingered in my ears as I showed her everything.

She picked up a new set of styluses for herself. “We can come back. You don’t have to get everything now. You haven’t even started painting again.”

“But I can.” And if I could start new, get rid of the old, half-dried paints from my old home?

“Honey, please trust me,” she said gently. “Get some of the canvases you were excited for, and some of the colours you don’t already have. But I think it’s time to go.”

I swayed and took a breath, the environment feeling oppressive all of a sudden. The lights were too bright, the music too loud. I paid for my purchases in a daze and we headed into the late morning sunshine.

It was too loud out here too, the machinery and music and shouts fusing into a cacophony.

The tech vendor’s words echoed in my mind, layering over everything else. Maybe I should have bought the better model. I needed to think it through before we left, but I couldn’t think over all this noise.

“Airi, are you okay?”

“Yes.” Was I? “But we should…” I searched for words, but all I found was static.

“Let’s go home.” She slipped her hand in mine.

I held it like a lifeline. “But what if I didn’t buy the right comm unit? And if I paint more landscapes, I’ll need more yellow for all the sky, and what if I have forgotten how to do it, maybe I should get some extra canvases. And I’m here now, and if I can just—”

“Look at me. It’s okay.”

My eyes darted everywhere, too many colours, too bright. “But we can—”

“Airida mai Tasra! Look. At. Me.”