Chương 44: Ch. 40 - A Normal Day

A few solar days had passed since we got home. Mom's birthday was coming up and I wanted to get her something. It had been nothing but heartbreak and breath holding since I had become a professional Delver. But this was the first time I would be home for longer than a few days. It was nice to relax. The colony kept the days together using old Earth Calendars, to keep track of birthdays and certain holidays. Mom always got shafted on her birthday, though.

One of the holidays that survived the departure from Earth was what we had come to know as gift week. They combined all the holidays that fell into this month and made it a solid week. A week of rest. My favorite week. She had kicked her feet up on the couch when I asked her what she wanted.

"Why?" she asked.

"Cause its the holidays. I thought I'd get you something nice. And, you know. Its your birthday too," I said. She sat up, crossing her arms. Her curly hair was a matted mess with a barely efforted bun. But, almost like fate was speaking for me, her hair tie snapped, having finally given up. Her hair loosened and draped her shoulders. She held the hair tie and just stared at it.

"That answers that," I said.

"Answers what?" she asked.

"I know what I'm getting you," I said, taking a seat next to her.

"A spa day?" She smirked, but the pain on her face was barely hidden.

"At least one." I smiled back. She looked at the hair tie that sat square in the center of her palm. She closed her fist and walked to the recycler, tossing it in.

"It was viejo, anyway," she said. She turned to me me with a face harder than steel.

"How are you doing, Mijo? Have the nightmares stopped?"

"This isn't about me, Mom. But, yes. I'm a little better. Is it alright if Luna and Jeromy make an appointment with Dr. Michelle?"

"Do they need therapy as well?" No. Sorry. Of course they do. Yes, Mijo. I don't think Dr. Michelle will mind the business." She gleaned at the hole in my ear and the absence of the flying robot companion.

"Where is Caddie?"

"He's in the room, chatting with Luna." I rolled my eyes.

"She's teaching him stuff and I'm a little scared of the build up."

"I think it's charming. Caddie has a personality and everything. At first, it was a little off putting. But now its like he's part of the familia." She smirked, holding back a cackle as a thought clearly formed in her mind.

"What?" Her eye twinkled and she didn't miss her opportunity.

"I just didn't I'd be a grandmother so young," she said, putting the back of her hand to her forehead like the Earth soap operas she enjoyed watching.

"Oh… no…" She took the cue of her favorite over-exaggerating actress and forward onto the sofa, her legs feigning to lose strength.

"I can't believe this harlot would abandon her responsibilities after she took advantage of my wonderful son. Doesn't she know the pain she is caused you. The stress of being a single parent." I rubbed the bridge of my nose. I knew this would happen. I just hoped it wouldn't have been so soon. She extended her arms like a puppet on strings and draped them over my legs as she pleaded.

"This burden you face, my son. You shan't face it alone. We will see him grow. You will find love again." She crawled up and pulled my head into her shoulder.

"She may have left you for your identical looking twin brother. Strong and handsome, with a mysterious dark side that compels women even though he is incredibly unfaithful." She pulled me away to stare into my eyes. Her eyes welling with tears.

"But he is half the man you are. She will come crawling back to you, ashamed of her actions. But by then, you will have moved on. To someone better who will care for you and your son in the way no one else ever could. It is then that I will go peacefully in my sleep knowing that you have found a soulmate and your son." She banged a fist on her chest.

"MY GRANDSON. Will be fully grown and-" She couldn't handle it anymore and broke down in a fit of laughter. We were alone in the room and my cheeks were as red as the engineer's jumpsuits. She cackled until tears formed in her eyes. She wiped them off. Opened her eyes. Saw my face. And lost it again.

"I'm leaving," I said, unable to handle the embarassment.

"No," she panted, trying to contain her laughter.

"Don't go. Don't leave me to care for my grandson." She laughed harder. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. I waited as long as I could stomach.

"Are you done?" I asked.

"Not even a little. To think your first child would be Caddie. Your taste in women is questionable, mijo, but I'm not here to judge."

"That's it," I said, getting up.

"I'm going to buy you your stupid present, with the stupid credits I earned." I got to my room where Caddie was floating.

"We're leaving."

"What is that commotion?" asked Caddie.

"You. You are the commotion," I said, flatly.

"Do you need a stroller?!" yelled Mom, cackling after she said it.

"NO!" I yelled. I got to the front door, whooshing it open. Caddie floated over and formed into his earring shape. The sounds of her laughter faded after I put distance between me and my home.

"Caddie," I said after putting some distance from my home.

"What in heaven's name did you tell her?"

"In what context? I require more filters since Cassandra and I have daily discussions," said Caddie.

"Did you tell her about you calling me dad?"

"No."

"So then how-""I told her I call you, Father. It only-""Caddie! I told you not to do that!" A small group gave me a wide berth as I passed through.

"No, sorry. Just talking to my earring. Nothing weird going on here. Caddie, say something. Show them I'm not weird!" The group walked faster and out of view.

"Something," said Caddie, at the same volume he had been talking to me with. I hit my forehead with my palm and ran it down by face. Having Caddie in my ear was much like talking to the Mur, when they put a finger on me to feel what they were saying. Caddie learned to mimic it, sort of. It wasn't perfect but it meant he didn't have to be audible to others anymore when speaking to me. We made it Oliver's, who, if nothing else, was the most likely to have a Earth hair tie and not a printed one.

Anything from earth, anything at all, was considered high end. The limited quantity of it after all. Anything printed didn't have the same feel. It was hard to describe but Luna said it best when I found her tinkering with her mech. That items made have a soul or some such. You could just tell when you held it in your hand, that hollow feeling to something printed. Inside, Oliver was already talking to someone. Another customer. I was surprised to find Sabrina trying to haggle Oliver down.

"Come on Olie! You know we need that regulator," said Sabrina.

"I'd be blowing the whole week's budget on just the regulator."

"Treasures not of this vessel are worth more. More. You know this. Its why you came to Oliver. Best of the items you can find," said Oliver.

"Olie," said Sabrina, leaning her elbow on the counter.

"We've known each other for, what. Years? Life support needs this regulator. I don't want to go some shady shop. Do it for me." I scoffed at her calling some other place, "shady." The shop still a virtual mess.

"Oliver regrets that this price is firm. Regulator made of composite Orichalcum. Deeeep floors."

"That's why I… Life support needs it. I'm tired of changing one every other solar week."

"How much is it?" I asked, stepping to the counter. Sabrina turned to me, her serious expression changed to the friendly one I had known from life support. Oliver on the other hand, leered with greed.

"The price. Firm at fifty-thousand," said Oliver, rubbing his hands together.

"Yeah, that," said Sabrina.

"Regular printed regulators go for a thousand. But I heard he had an Orichalcum regulator and I had to snatch it before some other essential service got their paws on it. But saggy pants won't part with it for less than my left kidney." Oliver looked appalled.

"Oliver would NEVER trade in organs!" he exclaimed.

"Too dirty. Yes. And liquidy."

"I can take care of the cost," I said, ignoring Oliver's reaction.

"Stefano," said Caddie.

"Are you sure. That is a sizable amount of credits."

"I'm sure," I said. Sabrina lit up.

"I can pay the ten-thousand credits I was given. So you don't have to pay as much."

"Sure," I said.

"Why not. But, Oliver. I've come to bargain."

"Oh," said Caddie.

"That is a nice reference."

"What reference?" I asked.

"Never mind," said Caddie. I raised an eyebrow in confusion but shrugged it off.

"What is this bargain?"

"I need a hair tie. Specifically, an Earth one." Oliver's eyes went wide. He pulled his tablet, scrolled a few pages and stopped.

"Oliver has what you seek. The price is high."

"It needs to be in one piece." Oliver frowned and looked at this tablet again.

"Oliver can fix one," he said.

"Price is high for hair tie. Ten thousand."

"Then we're good," I said.

"I'll take it on top of that regulator."

"What about the plans for the personal space?" asked Caddie.

"You need a lot more credits to satisfy that requirement. You will set yourself back 850, 000 credits."

"It's fine," I said.

"What about your Frame, Stefano," said Caddie.

"It is lacking in a number of equipments it requires."

"It's fine, Caddie," I whispered, with more emphasis.

"Tell Caddie I say hi!" said Sabrina.

"Then Oliver accepts," said Oliver.

"Mutually beneficial. Plus tax of course." Sabrina swiped her credit bracelet first, reducing the amount. Then I paid the rest. My HUD flashed to the remaining balance. 110, 500 Credits. All things considered, after paying the debt to the surprise of the gold suit clerk and whatever extra they tacked on, I was still in okay shape. I had Caddie transfer the change to Sabrina. Clearly, life support needed the extra bit of Credits.

Oliver produced two items on his counter and Sabrina snatched hers before Oliver even retracted his hand. Even Oliver was surprised by her speed.

"Knight in an Earth jacket," smiled Sabrina.

"On behalf of everyone in the Bastille that likes breathing, thank you for your contribution." She bowed and turned to Ollie.

"Ollie." She stuck her tongue out and skipped away from the shop. I pocketed the hair tie in my jacket.

"Thank you, Oliver," I said turning to head to my second stop. As I got to the door, a blue suit shoved past me. He was panting and out of breath, sweat running down his chin as he caught his breath. The blue suit meant he worked in water treatment and allocation.

"What the-" I said but was ignored as the blue suit walked to the counter.

"Orichalcum…" He gasped.

"Regulator. Now." A lab coat entered the shop, scuffed and out of breath. A tear on his sleeve and dirt on his face like he had fallen over. Or was pushed down.

"Damn you, Preston!" panted the lab coat.

"You snooze," gasped the blue suit.

"You. Lose."

"Oliver has already sold it," said Oliver. Both their faces lit up with fury.

"What?! Who?!" they yelled. I was out of the door before Oliver could point to me, finding a corner to duck into. A moment later, they were tripping over each other as they searched for me. I put the hood up on my jacket and escaped into the crowd to head to the Academy.