A skittish cat with a flea problem.
That’s what the woman in front of me reminded me of. It was because of the way she rubbed her nose with the back of her hand, squirmed in her seat, and made me nervous with all the scratching she did. Maybe it’s not fleas, but lice? I thought when she reached a hand up to scratch her neck for the third time before she leaned back in my sofa.
I almost winced when her hair touched the fabric, regretting that I had asked her to sit down in the first place. Now I would have to spray the whole sofa to avoid getting whatever unpleasant thing she had going on.
With my large curly mane, getting lice was on my top ten list of nightmares.
“Is that going to be a problem?” she asked, but since I hadn’t been listening, I asked her to repeat it, while breathing through my mouth to avoid the unpleasant odor of old sweat that came from her.
The middle-aged woman flashed another nervous smile. “Nuts, fish, broccoli, all types of corn, sugar, and berries,” she said while counting on her fingers. “There are more things that I’m allergic to, but those are the main ones.” Making a dismissive swing with her hand, she added, “It’s not too bad, and as long as you don’t eat it around the house I should be fine.”
I frowned and missed Christina, my old roommate, even more. Not only had she been my best friend, but she also hadn’t suffered from food allergies, insomnia, or any of the other “quirks” that the roommate candidates I’d interviewed were telling me about. Christina had been the perfect roommate.
Or at least she used to be, until she came back from the Northlands and cried for months. I had done everything I could to cheer her up, but all she could think about was how much she missed Alexander Boulder: the Nman she had lost her heart to while doing her job as an archeologist.
And now she was gone again. Whisked away by two large Nmen who had shown up here out of the blue, one of them Alexander Boulder and the other some mystery blond guy.
My chest lifted in a deep intake of air and I suppressed my worries for Christina. I had to trust that she was safe in the Northlands and that she was smiling again.
Focus! I told myself. And don’t expect to find a new best friend. It’s a roommate and nothing more.
“I make a wonderful seaweed pie,” the candidate assured me, but the image her words inspired in my mind’s eye prompted me to get up and clasp my hands together.
“Great! Thank you for coming. As soon as I’ve spoken to all the candidates, I‘ll let you know what I decide.”
Two minutes later I closed the door and let my head sink down. If only I could live here by myself, but the townhouse was a two-person unit and if I didn’t find a roommate within the next week, one would be assigned to me.
After opening a window to get in some fresh air, I indulged in an old movie that Christina had secured from the historical archives. It was silly and romantic. Nothing more than a guilty pleasure that she and I had made fun of all the time. And yet, I had seen this movie at least four times after she left, looking for answers to the question that puzzled me the most: Why would a modern and highly intelligent woman like my best friend want to give up on everything she knew to live in the Northlands?
How could a mere man mean that much to her?
I watched the people in the movie declare their love for each other and a curiosity stirred inside me. Could kissing really be that powerful?
My thoughts were interrupted when an unknown caller made my wristband light up.
“May peace surround you,” I said in a standard greeting.
“Kya?”
I would have recognized that voice anywhere and gave a small shriek. “Ina? Is that really you?”
“Yes!”
Her sweet laughter made me get up on my knees on the comfy chair. “What? But how? I thought you were in the Northlands?”
“I am, but the council allowed me to contact you. I’m calling from Lord Khan’s office.”
“Is something wrong?” My voice was frantic, as if I could make her talk faster and get me updated on everything that had happened since she left our home.
“Everything is fine but I need to talk to you.”
“And are they being nice to you?”
“Yes, don’t worry about me. I have something to ask you.”
“What is it?” I took a soothing breath to make my heartbeat slow down.
“How would you like to be part of a historic project that will change the world?”
“What kind of project? Are you asking me to help you with an archeological job?” I asked, but Christina was already explaining with eagerness.
“No, it’s nothing like that. Our council and Lord Khan – you know, the ruler of the Northlands…”
“I know who he is.”
“Good, so anyway, they’re creating an experimental school to see if it’s possible to integrate children from the Motherlands and Northlands.”
“What?” I furrowed my brow. “They’re letting Nboys into the Motherlands?”
“No, they’re placing the school here where I live and bringing ten children from each side of the border together. The place is secluded so it’ll be safe but we need the best teacher in the world to make it a success. And that’s where you come in.” Her last sentence rose in volume.
I couldn’t help chuckling over Christina’s rapid speech and excitement. “Mother Nature, I missed you, Ina,” I exclaimed. “It’s just not the same here without you.”
“Did you find a new roommate?” she asked.
My eyes fell to the couch where the last candidate had sat. “Not unless you count fleas and lice.”
I told her about the hopeless candidates that I’d interviewed, and our shared laughter communicated much more than words ever could. The love, the bond, and the joy of being connected again.
“So what do you think about the experiment? Did you hear the part about you being the best teacher in the world?” Christina repeated.
“Thank you for your vote of confidence. It sounds intriguing, but I can’t move to the Northlands.”
“Why not? You’re the perfect person for the job. I told them that you specialize in children with behavioral disorders and that I’m sure you can handle ten rowdy Nboys.”
“Really? And have you met those Nboys?”
“No, not yet.”
“So, you basically guaranteed that I could handle a group of children you haven’t met yet?”
“Absolutely; in fact I didn’t even hesitate.”
Christina had always been my biggest supporter, and I was grateful for it. “But it’s in the Northlands,” I said slowly. “Is it even safe?”
“Do you think I would ask you if I didn’t think you’d be safe? Don’t worry, you’ll love it here. The school is being built just a few miles from where I live on Victoria’s Island. As I said, it’s isolated, tranquil, and beautiful. Do you realize what that means?”
“That I’ll be a long way from civilization?” I teased.
“It means that we’ll be close again. I miss you!” Her last words were pleading.
“And I miss you, but…”
“Then come,” she interjected.
It was tempting to just say yes and go, because just hearing my friend’s voice made me happier than I had been since she had left. “Okay, but how long are we talking about?”
“Three years.”
“Three years!” I shrieked. “But what about…” My questions were queuing up and I didn’t know where to start.
Christina waited.
“There are so many things I would miss here.”
“But it’s a once in a lifetime chance,” Christina argued.
“I know, and I’m definitely interested if it means seeing you again, but to go three years without everything I take for granted here, that’s a long time. What about shopping, going to the theater, or just going to the pleasure parlor? Not to mention all the people that I care about.”
“I’m here and you’ll make more friends,” Christina assured me. “I’m not saying it won’t be different, but at least come and see the school and the island for yourself. And about the pleasure parlors…” Christina’s voice sank to a confidential whisper. “…You won’t need sex-bots when there are some really cute men living here. I’m sure they won’t mind stepping up and taking one for the team if that’s what it takes to make you accept the job.” She laughed.
I had always loved Christina’s humor, and I could picture that funny wrinkle on the bridge of her nose that always appeared when she was teasing.
“I’m not a naturephile,” I retorted in the same playful tone. The concept of being physical with a man would have been completely uninteresting to me if it weren’t for that gnawing curiosity that Christina’s unexplainable love for Boulder had left me with. My eyes fell to the wall where the movie was paused in a kiss. “You know what?” I said with a flutter in my belly. “I’ll come and see the place for myself. If nothing else, it’ll give me the chance to hug you again.”
The happy outburst from Christina had me grinning widely.