Page 58
When we finally got up, I checked the bed and discovered that the blankets were in no condition to be used again without a thorough cleaning. I stared at them, then at Tarek. “Please tell me the replicator has fresh blankets we can get without having to hunt anyone down to ask.”
“It does. There's a laundry and linen chute in the hallway. We put the used ones in, and the replicator sends clean replacements. You access it by pulling the handle on the blue compartment across from Nick’s quarters. It opens up so you can put the old ones in, close it, then reopen it when the light comes on, and take out the replacements.”
“Well, that’s convenient.” I grinned. “I'm going to be unbearable when we get home, and I have to wash things myself again.”
“I look forward to it.”
I gave him a look, but he only smiled and helped me gather the blankets. We carried them into the hallway, fed them into the chute, and waited while the system processed them. A moment later, a neatly folded stack of clean blankets appeared in the dispensing compartment.
I picked them up and inspected them. “Definitely convenient.”
“It really is.”
“I just hope the colony has something similar. With three children, a dog, and apparently a husband who can be very distracting, I suspect I'll be using it quite often, though I did ask them to ship my washer and dryer, as I’d gotten to keep those as the warranty had a receipt showing my dad had paid for them as he’d taken me and used his senior discount on senior discount day. Oh well.”
Tarek's tail curled around my ankle. “I'll try to be less distracting.”
“Don't you dare.”
His laughter followed us back into the room, and I shook my head, not failing to notice he hadn’t offered to help me with said laundry. Mmhmm. He’s going to find out differently when that time comes, for sure.
We remade the nest on the floor, then changed into comfortable clothes. I pulled on a clean T-shirt and lounge pants, while Tarek settled into soft trousers and a loose shirt. Skye watched us from beside the door, apparently determined to supervise every aspect of our behavior from now on. Once the bed was made, I settled against the pillows, propped up from behind by the small couch in the room, and looked at the entertainment menu on the wall display.
“What do you feel like watching?” I asked.
“Something you enjoy,” Tarek replied. “I want to learn more about the things you like.”
Aww, he was definitely being sweet now.
I scrolled through the options and stopped at a familiar title. “How about The Princess Bride?”
He tilted his head. “What's it about?”
“It's a classic. A fairy tale, sort of. There's a princess, a farm boy, a kidnapping, a sword fight, a giant, and a very memorable line about true love.”
“That sounds like several stories at once.”
“It is, in a way.”
He considered that for a moment, then nodded. “All right. Let's see it.”
I started the movie and settled against him, expecting to spend the next couple of hours explaining every other joke and probably having to defend some of the more ridiculous plot points. Instead, Tarek watched with a level of concentration that made me smile. He was particularly interested in the sword fight, which wasn't surprising given his training, but the more romantic parts seemed to puzzle him.
At one point, he glanced at me. “Why does he keep saying that?”
“Because it's a running joke.”
“But he says it when it isn't necessary.”
“That's why it's funny.”
He considered that, then returned his attention to the screen. I could practically see him trying to work out the logic behind a story that had never been designed to withstand serious scrutiny.
When the movie ended, I turned toward him. “Well?”
Tarek looked at the blank screen for a moment, his expression thoughtful. “I enjoyed it.”
I grinned. “You did?”
