25
(Vasanaday)
There was much hustle and bustle in Jenna’s old apartment the next morning. Tirry helped direct traffic, knowing the apartment almost as well as anyone. Jenna was milling around looking for something to do, holding Arvad as she paced.
“You still need to be sitting,” Tirry told her, directing her to the easy chair that would be the last thing to be moved. “You let everyone else do the work for you this time!”
Jenna sighed and sat. “I know you’re right. I just hate not helping!”
“Your structure is still readjusting after the stress of giving birth. My mother was a midwife, I have an idea about these things!” Tirry explained.
“Then sit down and feel useless with me for a few minutes!” Jenna insisted.
“I understand how useless you feel. But the only ones you need to think about right now are you and Arvad!” Tirry insisted.
As if on cue, Arvad woke up and opened his mouth and bobbed against his mother looking for the breast. Jenna laughed and gave the baby what he was asking for. Tirry joined in the laughter.
“He is already telepathic! How’s your milk supply?” Tirry asked.
“We’re doing very well there. He latches on well now,” Jenna replied. “I hope you get the chance one day!”
“I’m getting old,” Tirry said sadly.
“Don’t give up yet!” Jenna replied with an encouraging smile.
“I won’t hold my breath,” Tirry answered feeling depressed again. She got back to work moving things.
Before long, everything had been moved using hovercarts and a transport vehicle outside.
There was more pizza after the moving had been completed. Tirry forced herself to be more overtly cheerful. She knew she was being unreasonable. She hadn’t known Yewan for very long after all. She couldn’t expect overnight results. Maybe she was the one who had been misinterpreting everything, like a schoolgirl. She sighed again. Fortunately, it was time for Yewan to accompany the others to the port.
Tirry shook hands with Mikor and Garian. She gave Lataya a hug.
“You be fine,” Lataya said quietly, looking into Tirry’s eyes. “I know your pain – you trust dat you will be happy.”
Tirry nodded. “Safe travels.”
“Tank you,” Lataya replied.
Tirry felt slightly lost as she watched Yewan leave with the departing A’mara.
“Tirry, please help me make an evening meal,” Jenna said.
“We just had pizza,” Tirry said.
“I don’t think we had quite enough earlier. I’m sure the guys will be hungry. I know I will, but that’s because of Arvad,” Jenna said. “Help me make the first-ever home-cooked meal in our new Complex.”
“Of course I will help,” Tirry replied. “What did you have in mind?”
“How about some Gaskarii chowder to warm us all up?”
“I can always go for chowder!” Tirry said getting to work.
Mikor and Garian led the way, overtly excited about going home to Yo-te and the farm that even Garian had grown to love. Yewan had to smile as he felt the boy’s exuberance.
Lataya hung back with Yewan. “Why you make her wait, Yewan? I feel how she hurt wid longing. Can you?”
“Today marks a week since I met her,” he said. “It’s not been that long. Not like with Jerreck and Jilia.”
“We A’mara, my friend. You know time not work like dat wid us!”
“But it should with her, right? She’s not a leya-sensitive.”
“You said her moder was midwife, yes?”
“Yes.”
“Stella lineage – leya-sensitive, just in different way,” Lataya reminded him. “She has such love for you, maybe time to give some back? I know you love her too.”
“I wanted to get the apartment done first.”
“Her heart more important den perfection in penthouse,” she chastised gently.
“You are right, my friend,” Yewan replied with a fresh smile.
“No more wait? Her heart so full of love it hurt her. End her suffering tonight.”
Yewan nodded. “You are like a little sister to me. Take care of yourself – and warn Saraca that I need her to do a little more than my swearing in.”
“I will my friend,” she said giving him a warm hug.
“Thank you for talking to him for all of us!” Mikor said to Lataya before giving Yewan a hug of his own.
Garian shook Yewan’s hand more formally. “I hope to see you again.”
“Thank you for all your help, Garian. You will make a fine A’mara! Tell Ek-ul I said hello!”
“I will, Abári,” Garian replied.
“Hope you have fair sailing,” Yewan bade as the three boarded the ship.
When he could no longer see the other A’mara, Yewan turned and returned to the A’mara Complex deep in thought. He cleared again as soon as he got inside.
He went up to Tle-sun and Jenna’s apartment where he could already smell a Gaskarii chowder being warmed.
“Mmmm!” Yewan said entering the apartment. “I seem to remember this is what was for supper last week, when I took almost that same walk from the quay to your apartment!”
“Except that the apartment location has changed!” Jenna replied.
Tirry smiled at him from the kitchen where she was working on finishing up the meal as Jenna held Arvad who refused to settle on his own. He smiled at Tirry, thinking about everything Lataya had said. He hated thinking that he was hurting the woman he loved.
Finally, the chowder was served. He sat on the couch and Tirry joined him. He noticed Jenna raising her eyebrows at Tle-sun. Yewan was glad he was not prone to blush. He knew why the couple shared their thoughts.
“Tell me about how you met,” Yewan asked the happy couple.
Tirry joined in as they related the story.
“I never have quite understood how it came to be that I, someone who distrusted A’mara, could be so rapidly persuaded to enter a permanent relationship with one!” Jenna mused. “I shocked just about everyone, including dear Tirry!”
Tirry laughed as she got up. She served up some warmed fruit with jelip cream.
“I have heard it said,” Yewan began. “That we come into this life as one half of a whole. We may or may not be aware of this missing piece as we blunder through this life. But eventually, we may be lucky enough to stumble upon the other half.” He smiled at Tirry who handed him his dessert and sat down next to him again.
“It’s an important thing to know, Betel,” he said turning it into an object lesson. “We can be made miserable if we choose the wrong half by putting things like appearance and lust ahead of finding the right one. Or we can be made miserable by rejecting the right half when we find it. I watched that on Irola, back when Jerreck was the abári. Jilia was so devoted to him and he totally missed it out of fear of it causing something bad to happen. Thankfully, a few of us were able to get through to him that the love of his life had been with him for 20 years already!” He looked at Tirry again briefly and then back to Jenna and Tle-sun.
“It is my opinion, Tle-sun, that you, who were resistant to finding a partner and Jenna, who was resistant to A’mara in general, are simply two halves who were meant to become whole again. With the leya it’s easier to work out whether we are looking at the right one or not… That’s why it’s quick. That’s why it’s a whirlwind.”
“Sounds like you have been thinking about it a lot recently,” Tle-sun said.
“I think about many things,” Yewan excused. Then he thought about what Lataya had said to him. “But yes, this is something that’s been on my mind recently,” he admitted. He could feel the questions in Tirry’s mind. She deserved answers tonight, he knew. He finished his dessert.
“I think it’s time to leave you in peace, Tle-sun.” Yewan got up to go. He felt Tirry’s disappointment. “Would you come with me, Tirry? I have something to show you.”
Tirry looked at him curiously.
Yewan took her hand and they left.
Other Chapters of this set
Acting the Part - chapter 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Building on Promise - Chapter 1
Maps and Guides
- continents of Alacantis and Kranisis (five maps)
- continent of Almara (five maps)
- countries of Kri'enden and Yezi'im (four maps plus "other places")
- characters, pronunciation and glossary
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Brighid's Blood 2006 and 1200 B.T.C.E. Katja and Rachel are so desperate for love that they cast two love spells one night. But the Guardians do not consider spells "fun", but rather as cries for help from the very depths of your soul. Certainly Katja and Rachel could not have possibly imagined where these spells would take them! |
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Birth of the Neví 829 T.C.E. It is a tumultuous period of Terrenden history. As is all too common, there are those who wish to profit from the misfortune of others. Some of these come together in a new "charitable organization" and step on the toes of the notorious Uugli. Combine this with draconian new measures to combat pollution and Terrenden has a situation ripe for a power struggle. |
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Rebound of Power: 850 T.C.E. Collection of Romance Terrenden is being terrorized by a previously underestimated Neví who, through the mysterious “Curator,” have been controlling elections all over the planet. In this collection, we meet some interesting women. Iyva - a homeless teenager in Irola whose untrained power leaves her close to death; Marc’la - a breeder of prized caballus in Kasago whose heart lives in the past; Zukie - an abused widow whose heart is afraid to try for future happiness; Jenna - an elections assistant manager and masseuse who has a prejudice against A’mara; Kami - a chola student in Varkevand who has been assigned to protect Ardin, a man who has his own reasons to distrust A’mara. |
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| Rise of the Neví - 830 T.C.E. The Neví begin their rise in power with the completion of several large housing projects that seem totally charitable, but also hide a great evil within. The draconian measures brought in the previous year has caused major distress throughout the world, perfect for giving the Neví a further foothold on the Terrenden stage. Will the A’mara, now removed from the Council of Peers, be able to shut down the Neví? |
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Acting the Part - 851 T.C.E. Collection of Romance The Neví have infiltrated the Terrenden Freedom Party. Dr. Jarly is on the run and the Curator still dominates the Terrenden stage. Famous actor, Derick Aiden has released his Neví expose film and now the Neví want him dead... In this collection, we meet more interesting women. Kauri - a simple receptionist who doesn’t realize one of her wildest dreams has come true; Tirry - an elections manager who is always the bridesmaid and never the bride; Zara - a chef who has all but given up on finding love for herself; D'zani - who isn’t even looking, but has to chaperone her more vulnerable roommate; Soala - an heiress who is expected to marry, but refuses to marry someone she doesn’t love; Moxara - one whose past griefs have locked away her heart. We also get updates on some of the lovely ladies we met previously. |
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Lori Svensen
author/designer at A'mara Books
photographer/graphic artist for Viking Visual
verified author on Goodreads
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