Total pages in book: 159
Estimated words: 144433 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 722(@200wpm)___ 578(@250wpm)___ 481(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 144433 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 722(@200wpm)___ 578(@250wpm)___ 481(@300wpm)
"You want me to help?"
"No, it's fine. I really should tackle this stuff instead of letting it pile up. Let me get you the uniforms and you can head out."
She lets me buy an entire basket full of old uniforms and I spend far too many coins on them. I know some won't fit Lord Hairball, but some of them might be the right size, and I can't exactly be picky about them if I'm lying to her, right? So I take them all with a smile and try not to think about her skid mark comments. "You know, if you want help with the laundry, I can come over some time—"
Janelle shakes her head. "It's fine. I can't afford to share the coin. My bots are acting up and I have to find the funds to fix them."
"I don't mind helping for free," I tell her. "I just like talking."
She smiles, but it doesn't meet her eyes, and I can tell she's starting to get suspicious of me now.
That's the bad thing about being a people person here on this planet. Everyone's suspicious of everyone else now—and rightly so. I can't just invite myself over to help in an altruistic sort of way or they think I have an ulterior motive. It's sad, but I understand it. I can sniff my budding friendship with Janelle going down the drain just because I'm a little too excited to have a friend, and so I back off.
"Thanks for the rags!" I tell her, remaining cheerful as I head out. Then it's just me in the rain, heading down an overgrown path back toward my farm.
My mood gets sour, too. Fucking Lord Hairball. I'm stuck with his spoiled ass for weeks now, and the thought fills me with despair. I've been nice and understanding up until now, but that changes today. I eye the bottles of expensive shampoo and conditioner sitting atop the uniforms. This alien should kiss my feet with how accommodating I've been. New clothes, better hair product than I buy myself, and he's probably eating all my food, too.
He said he had money. He can pay me and that should ease some of the irritation I feel, at least.
Maybe I should charge him room and board. Oooh, I like that idea.
CHAPTER
NINETEEN
ZHUR
I stare into the mirror in the small lavatory, frowning at my hay-like mane. How to fix this? A moment later, something that smells damp and unpleasant touches my nose and the front door to the hovel opens. I step out just in time to see Meev slam the door behind her. She dumps a heavy basket at her feet on the floor and puts her hands on her hips over her rain poncho. "Whew! That was a hike!"
My nose and whiskers twitch. "About time you're back. I require a meal."
She makes a face and pitches her voice in a funny, deep way. "Hi there Maeve, nice to see you again." Then she turns her head in the other direction and changes her voice back to normal. "Oh hi, Lord Hairball. It's nice to see you too. I'm glad you missed me." She turns her head and deepens her voice again. "You've been such a help to me, Maeve, I really appreciate everything you do."
I cross my arms over my chest. "Are you mocking me?"
"Me? Never." Her eyes flutter in a way that indicates a seizure, but she seems otherwise fine. She puts a hand to her chest and I realize she's just being weird and human. "I'm just saying, a greeting goes a long way."
"I did greet you." In a fashion.
"Mmm. You should be thankful considering I spent all morning finding you clothes and better hair conditioner."
She did? I'm pleased, and I stroke my whiskers. Now we're getting somewhere at least. "May I see?"
The human gestures at the basket on the floor and then moves away from it, stripping off her wet clothes. "The rain is really coming down today. It's making everything a mud pit out there. Does it rain a lot where you're from?"
"Are we really going to discuss the weather?"
"Unless you're a huge fan of Earth movie trivia, I might be reduced to the weather, yes." She shakes her hair out, fluffing it despite the water dampening it. "Besides, not much happens here other than the weather. And it was just a question. No need to be such an asshole."
Am I an asshole? I blink at her words because no one would dare say such a thing to my face. I am the Heir. Everyone loves when I speak to them, so I must choose who I share my conversations with judiciously. Spending too much time chatting with one member of the staff might elicit a ripple of jealousy in other workers, so I do my best to be fair to all of them. But...Meev is currently my only staff. Perhaps I should unbend a little. "It rains on scheduled days."